First Try Reef Newbie

[Zoso2142]

So first saltwater tank. About 6+ years ago I started researching saltwater got interested in it and right as I was about to buy a tank for it my planted 20gal long crashed after running for 6+ years due to faulty heater and gave up on the hobby including setting up my mbuna tank. A month and a half ago my girlfriend talked me into setting up the 125 as I had everything for it. Now she is addicted to the hobby and resparked my "interest"... I dont have a problem I can quit whenever .

Scrolling the facebook marketplace came across a Deep Blue Reef Ready 75 gallon with a stand, 40gal breeder, protein skimmer, wavemakers, pumps and some misc for a good deal.

Cleaned it all up inside and out. Started doing some plumbing layout for overflow and return. It is currently full on water to check for leaks.


Im also working on sump layout and changing the previous owners baffles for a more of a refugium sump setup.


Will post pictures as I progress to getting it up and running.
(Phew long winded huh...)

 

[Zoso2142]

Also on the lookout for an AI MK1 or MK2 controller and a reefkeeper lite or elite head unit/ display as I was gifted a reefkeeper PB4 x2, SL1, probes and an AI SOL (light is super bright... Dont ask how I know )

Reefkeeper lite aquired from @Indiana Reefin

 

[Zoso2142]

Did some gluing for the plumbing and took some measurements for the return. Gonna start cutting and mocking up tomorrow.

 

[Zoso2142]

Finished the plumbing minus the last two joints at the return pump area.

Also got the tank filled for leak test.

 

[Zoso2142]

Little Update. Been busy and waiting for stuff to get here. Thursday after work moved the dry live rock into the bigger can and filled with water. Added heater and wavemaker to circulate the water with a smidge of bleach. Also replaced the filters, membrane and resin in the used rosi unit I got.

Emptied the tank of tap water then filled it with rodi water. Trying to get sump filled as well to test pump/ balance speed with overflow and make sure I have no plumbing leaks. Also installed a refuge light (led grow bulb). Ignore the mess of wires behind the sump still tyding them up.

Installed the Reefkeeper Lite gotta program the power bars still.

 

[Zoso2142]

Did the hardscape today.
Currently mixing salt water to fill it.

I like the way the hardscape looked then second guessed myself a half dozen times ended up back to how I originally did it. The girlfriend liked the look as well, but asked for a third opinion from everyone on here. (Dont tell her.. I like sleeping in my bed)

Gonna glue/ putty it all together just because Im accident prone. Contemplating removing the egg crate as was recommended by a few in the other thread.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Did the hardscape today.
Currently mixing salt water to fill it.

I like the way the hardscape looked then second guessed myself a half dozen times ended up back to how I originally did it. The girlfriend liked the look as well, but asked for a third opinion from everyone on here. (Dont tell her.. I like sleeping in my bed)

Gonna glue/ putty it all together just because Im accident prone. Contemplating removing the egg crate as was recommended by a few in the other thread.

I love the aquascape you have in your tank! It looks great!

 

[Zoso2142]

I love the aquascape you have in your tank! It looks great!

Thank you

 

[Zoso2142]

Been a little while but nothing to report while cycling the tank.

Got lights installed and setup radion xr30 Pro gen 3s. I accidentally killed a xr30 gen 3 but luckily found a replacement the next day. (Dont wanna talk about it)

Made and installed lids for the tank with 1/4" acrylic and plastic hinge they came out well.

Cycle is almost complete added cheto to the fuge chamber, gotta do a water change this week as well.

 

[Zoso2142]

I know... I know. Havent posted an update in awhile now but the tank is doing well. It has some inhabitants now.

Like some clowns and an anemone. Took a picture of them sleeping in it the other morning. My woman took a video of one of em diving through the anemone as well.

But there are also 3 green chromis, 3 sailfin mollies (we arent gonna talk about them), a skunk shrimp, and a royal gramma (very skiddish he is).

Everyone is getting along great plan to add a goby and pistol shrimp soonish (trying to figure out what kind of goby I want).

The only issue Im having is my stupid lights.... They for whatever reason have to be reset atleast once a day to follow the schedule. The reeflink is hard wired to the router and not loosing connection to the lights either. They are xr30 pros 3rd gen. It definitely hasn't made me want to pull out my hair at all

Ill post more pictures tomorrow when I get home from work.

 

[Zoso2142]

The Royal Gramma is starting to come out more today and also added an emerald crab and firefish to the tank and some pods.

Next purchase is gonna be some corals I think to start filling in the rocks and adding more color.

 

[Zoso2142]

The tank with its newest additions of a rainbow bubble tip and a yasha goby and pistol shrimp. Pistol shrimp is tiny cant find him but the yasha is doing well.

Fighting some diatoms atm but figured it would happen with the additions over the past couple of weeks.

Also moved the Jabao wave makers around to help with keeping the surface water clear. The wavemakers are the Jabao version of the ecotech mp10s and boy do they put some flow out even on low.


Any input is always appreciated.

 

[trellemania]

Loving the anemones! This is coming along great!

 

[Zoso2142]

Loving the anemones! This is coming along great!

Thank you and Ive been really enjoying watching them with the clowns

 

[trellemania]

Im hoping mine start hosting soon they are slowly moving closer to one of the anemones but not there yet haha

What do you feed your anemones?

 

[Zoso2142]

Im hoping mine start hosting soon they are slowly moving closer to one of the anemones but not there yet haha

What do you feed your anemones?

They normally get a small piece of uncooked shrimp or if the clowns decide to steal the meat cube from everyone they get that

 

[Zoso2142]

Been awhile figured Id give an update.

The tank is starting to mature well and started to add corals to it from local hobbyist. Got a few zoas, a couple of mushrooms, candy cane, palyps, cactus coral and a trial of an encrusting sps.

The zoas and mushrooms are going nuts obviously The palps are alreadying starting to open (been less then a day).

The rainbow bubbletip anemone split last night which is cool. View attachment 4163566

The yasha goby has made his home exactly where I hoped he would with the pistol shrimp right in the front cave.

The cardinal obviously wanted to be center of attention.

Havent lost a fish and parameters are staying pretty stable with the chaeto finally taking off. (Must be doing something right )

Cant wait for everything to start growing out and filling in the areas. Still want to add some torches, hammers, frogspawn, but that'll be in due time.

Very excited to see if I dont kill the encrusting coral which will open up to more plate corals and maybe even an acros... Who knows.

Thank you to everyone for your discussions and problem threads that Ive read over the years to get to this point

 

[Zoso2142]

Still havent killed the monti or the pavona they seem to have some growth on em orrr Im just going crazy it could go either way . Picked up a purple tip torch and some more hermits over the weekend.

Photo Dump.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

Awesome! Keep up the good work!

 

[Zoso2142]

Awesome! Keep up the good work!

Thank you. Learned alot in the last few months ontop of everything I had researched beforehand. Now its paying off and the reward is watching it blossom daily.