From the beginnng

Lodi_Reefer

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My journey into this hobby started a little longer than a year ago, I had been interested in Marine Aquariums since I was a juvenile, but my time in the hobby began October 12, 2018. I remember it like it was yesterday. I drug my garden hose into my living room and filled up my 40 gallon tall display tank. Mixed in some water conditioner, Salt, and waited for things to stabilize. I added 40 pounds of dry rock I had purchased on amazon for roughly 80$.
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Everything was hang on the back, but I added a refugium. I added some Damsels purchased from Petco. A month later I added 2 Phantom Ice clown fish, long story short I had to take the Damsels back, luckily my local LFS, not Petco, was willing to take the fish back. It wasn't easy catching those fish.
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After re arranging the rock multiple times, adding some coral, an upgraded sump and skimmer, this was my progress after 4 months. I don't have any picks but the first upgraded sump I built actually cracked while in use because the baffles where too big and they expanded. I was able to get a replacement 20 gallon long tank and shave the edges of the baffles too make them fit properly. Also purchased appropriate RODI setup. After rebuilding and reinstalling this is what the tank looked like. Later my Nem split.
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Then came my first live sale, it was unique corals 20th anniversary sale, needless to say 2 days and 500$ dollars later I had set up delivery for the next weekend.
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These are just a few of the corals I purchased. Clearly I had caught the bug. throughout the next few months I would go on to battle aptasia, gha, bristle worms, those little snails that spit their web across your corals. During this time I found a 120 gallon Truvu on craigslist and decided to pull the trigger, purchased it for 400 dollars and buffed out the acrylic. The stand was ordered custom at the LFS, when I say custom, I mean that I ordered a 4x2 stand and cut appropriate sized holes in the bottom. I used PVC, rock rubble and MARCO rocks cement to create some of my rock scape
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Here is a current pic. Purchased some branch Rock and shelf rock from Saltwateraquarium,com. Added corals over the last six months from local vendors and a few more live sales. Its still pretty empty though, I've left plenty of room for expansion.
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Basically, Im running Kessil AP700 for lighting, Eshops S-300 skimmer, AI prime fuge light, BRS carbon reactor, a pair of GYRE XF 230 pumps, an AVAST marine KALK reactor and a rio return pump. My fish had decided to be skittish during this pic. More pics of livestock to come..... 20190501_191147.jpg
 

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Welcome to R2R! Thanks for posting your story, looks like great progress!
 

Redfoxtang

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Welcome to R2R!! Tanks looks great! Love the scape design!
 
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Lodi_Reefer

Lodi_Reefer

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Zoa Garden 2.jpg
Zoa Garden 1.jpg Goldy.jpeg
Here is a pic of my newest addition. picked up from My LFS. Gold Flake Angel. When I put him in my tank he started munching on my zoanthids. not all the zoanthids but the smaller one's in particular. I quickly took my prized zoanthids out and placed them in my cube. Since being introduced to the tank about a month ago he has slowed down on harassing the zoas and seems to be eating what I feed him. He had been at my LFS for months and I had my eye on him, as I was walking out the door the owner of the shop said "hell eat anything" well the joke was on me. LOL. I have begun clearing a space next to the tank so I can plumb in a 40 gallon breeder and make an exclusive Zoa/paly DT. As you can see in the pics he has a buffet of Zoas.

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SBB marvin the martian went to the cube. With the GB metallica.

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The collection is still small and I've placed purchasing Zoas on hold until I figure out exactly what I am going to do.
 
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Lodi_Reefer

Lodi_Reefer

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Here is a pic of the hammer coral I purchased from UC about 6 months ago.
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Lodi_Reefer

Lodi_Reefer

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20191116_144223.jpg

This is Barnum and Bailey. A bonded pair of Clowns I bought at my local LFS. They are phantom something, either ice or snow, I cant actually remember. Had them roughly 1 year. Purchased them with the bubble tip nem. They never bonded, it was disappointing. They steal food from it all the time, the little nuggets.
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Lemon Chromis photo bomb.
 

Vinman

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My beginning was 25 years ago there wasn't even cell phones you had to bring a roll of film to be developed LOL and it involves a 20 gallon tank and I lived on the beach so did involved Beach water for water changes. It consisted of a maroon clown, gorgonia,sabe anenome and a baby Lobster...if I knew then what I know now think of how much money I would have saved...good times though
 

Mixing lighting technologies: Do you use multiple types of lighting for your reef?

  • I currently use multiple types of lighting for my reef.

    Votes: 10 50.0%
  • I have used multiple types of lighting for my reef in the past.

    Votes: 2 10.0%
  • I haven’t used multiple types of lighting for my reef, but I plan to in the future.

    Votes: 4 20.0%
  • I have no plans to use multiple types of lighting for my reef.

    Votes: 4 20.0%
  • Other.

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