Jose_Padilla
New Member
Hello. First post here, but I need to get some other eyes on my plan so that I'm not setting myself up for failure, and also to get some hardware recommendations.
I first got into Saltwater aquariums and fish-keeping in general in the mid 80's as a child helping my father with his first saltwater aquarium as well as the multiple freshwater aquariums we had. My dad only kept the SW for about 2 years before he replaced it with a FW African cichlid tank, but in those two years I became thoroughly enthralled with marine aquariums. As a child and adult I have kept up with advances and techniques in the SW world, but as I have always had a job that's involved lots of travel, I've not had a marine tank since then (My wife thinks SW tanks are too difficult to take care of, so has refused to have one while I've been working). Now that I am in place in life where I no longer have to travel for work, she has decided to let me have a reef tank.
The Tank: Red Sea Reefer 300xl, ordering it next month.
The Place: Corner of our living room. It might receive a little sunlight from our window, but is not directly facing the window.
Aquascaping: Starting off with Marco rocks for the aquascaping. Going to attempt a negative space style aquascape, but I'm more used to working with driftwood and river rock in my tanks so it may end up being a rock wall and shelves.
Type: Mixed reef of softies and LPS
Hardware Plans:
Return Pump: Sicce Syncra-Silent 3.5 x2 (one to run, one plumbed in on standby so that when I clean the pumps I don't have to shut off flow)
Mechanical Filtration: I would like to have a roller filter type system, but would love some recommendations here. The sump comes equipped with 2 filter socks the roller would replace. I was thinking about this roller.
Powerheads: With the corals I plan to keep, I don't need high flows, so I'm thinking about a pair of Ecotech MP10s (or maybe 40's) and a couple tunze's turbelles if I need some direct flow on something or dead space.
Nutrient Control/Skimming: In sump Refugium with chaeto. I'll be honest, protein skimmers daunt me a little. I will probably wait until it is absolutely needed before getting one. Recommendations for a skimmer that could fit in a 9.8in x 9.8in chamber and are realitively simple would be welcome.
Lighting: 2x Red Sea ReefLED's
Monitoring/Controller: Starting with the Seneye monitoring system. Will upgrade to the Neptune Apex system with testing and doser modules when I'm ready to put LPS's into the tank. I'm expecting that will be in about a year.
QT: Due to space availability in our apartment, it will be impossible to have a dedicated QT setup for proper quarantine. The current plan is to buy from retailers that pre-quarantine their livestock, but since you can't be 100% certain that proper quarantine procedures were followed, I plan to mitigate the risk of Ich and other illnesses by doing methyl blue dips prior to acclimatization and by doing my best to keep the fish fat and happy. A UV sterilizer will be installed if needed.
Feeding: I'm planning to go with a mix of LRS Reef Frenzy, supplemented with nori and the occasional vegetable treats for the herbivores.
Livestock Plans:
Yellow Tang (captive bred): (most likely the first fish to go into the tank when I have the inevitable hair algae outbreak after cycle)- I know that my tank size is not optimal for a tang, but will either rehome it, or place it in a larger tank when we buy a home, whichever comes first.
Obviously a pair of captive bred common Clownfish. (Most likely will wait until my tank is stable enough for a BTA to go in, then use the tube method to introduce them to the BTA and hopefully host.
Pair of captive bred Banggai Cardinalfish
CUC- a few narssius snails, a fighting conch, and whatever hitchiking cuc that hopefully come in when I place live rock in the DT and sump. Would love to have a couple hermits, but crabs freak my wife out.
Soft Corals:
Small Zoa garden, not sure on what varieties though.
Blue Clove coral on an island. I love the way they look, but I'm not 100% sure I want one, as I don't like the idea of having to constantly prune them.
A Florida Richordia
Hard Corals: These will most likely be added after the tank has been up and stable for a year or so.
Duncan Corals
Frogspawn
Candy Cane Coral
If you made it this far, I appreciate it, and would also appreciate any input regarding my plan you may have.
I first got into Saltwater aquariums and fish-keeping in general in the mid 80's as a child helping my father with his first saltwater aquarium as well as the multiple freshwater aquariums we had. My dad only kept the SW for about 2 years before he replaced it with a FW African cichlid tank, but in those two years I became thoroughly enthralled with marine aquariums. As a child and adult I have kept up with advances and techniques in the SW world, but as I have always had a job that's involved lots of travel, I've not had a marine tank since then (My wife thinks SW tanks are too difficult to take care of, so has refused to have one while I've been working). Now that I am in place in life where I no longer have to travel for work, she has decided to let me have a reef tank.
The Tank: Red Sea Reefer 300xl, ordering it next month.
The Place: Corner of our living room. It might receive a little sunlight from our window, but is not directly facing the window.
Aquascaping: Starting off with Marco rocks for the aquascaping. Going to attempt a negative space style aquascape, but I'm more used to working with driftwood and river rock in my tanks so it may end up being a rock wall and shelves.
Type: Mixed reef of softies and LPS
Hardware Plans:
Return Pump: Sicce Syncra-Silent 3.5 x2 (one to run, one plumbed in on standby so that when I clean the pumps I don't have to shut off flow)
Mechanical Filtration: I would like to have a roller filter type system, but would love some recommendations here. The sump comes equipped with 2 filter socks the roller would replace. I was thinking about this roller.
Powerheads: With the corals I plan to keep, I don't need high flows, so I'm thinking about a pair of Ecotech MP10s (or maybe 40's) and a couple tunze's turbelles if I need some direct flow on something or dead space.
Nutrient Control/Skimming: In sump Refugium with chaeto. I'll be honest, protein skimmers daunt me a little. I will probably wait until it is absolutely needed before getting one. Recommendations for a skimmer that could fit in a 9.8in x 9.8in chamber and are realitively simple would be welcome.
Lighting: 2x Red Sea ReefLED's
Monitoring/Controller: Starting with the Seneye monitoring system. Will upgrade to the Neptune Apex system with testing and doser modules when I'm ready to put LPS's into the tank. I'm expecting that will be in about a year.
QT: Due to space availability in our apartment, it will be impossible to have a dedicated QT setup for proper quarantine. The current plan is to buy from retailers that pre-quarantine their livestock, but since you can't be 100% certain that proper quarantine procedures were followed, I plan to mitigate the risk of Ich and other illnesses by doing methyl blue dips prior to acclimatization and by doing my best to keep the fish fat and happy. A UV sterilizer will be installed if needed.
Feeding: I'm planning to go with a mix of LRS Reef Frenzy, supplemented with nori and the occasional vegetable treats for the herbivores.
Livestock Plans:
Yellow Tang (captive bred): (most likely the first fish to go into the tank when I have the inevitable hair algae outbreak after cycle)- I know that my tank size is not optimal for a tang, but will either rehome it, or place it in a larger tank when we buy a home, whichever comes first.
Obviously a pair of captive bred common Clownfish. (Most likely will wait until my tank is stable enough for a BTA to go in, then use the tube method to introduce them to the BTA and hopefully host.
Pair of captive bred Banggai Cardinalfish
CUC- a few narssius snails, a fighting conch, and whatever hitchiking cuc that hopefully come in when I place live rock in the DT and sump. Would love to have a couple hermits, but crabs freak my wife out.
Soft Corals:
Small Zoa garden, not sure on what varieties though.
Blue Clove coral on an island. I love the way they look, but I'm not 100% sure I want one, as I don't like the idea of having to constantly prune them.
A Florida Richordia
Hard Corals: These will most likely be added after the tank has been up and stable for a year or so.
Duncan Corals
Frogspawn
Candy Cane Coral
If you made it this far, I appreciate it, and would also appreciate any input regarding my plan you may have.
