How not to start a reef tank, my first reef tank build

[NY_Caveman]

It will help, but you are going to get uglies. The tank is new and pretty sterile. It will take a while to find a balance. Months. Patience is your best friend. Just remember, it is natural. The tank will look ugly, you will think you have to do something, it may cause panic. If you wait it out, you will be amazed as the cycles of algae just correct themselves.

 

[living_tribunal]

It will help, but you are going to get uglies. The tank is new and pretty sterile. It will take a while to find a balance. Months. Patience is your best friend. Just remember, it is natural. The tank will look ugly, you will think you have to do something, it may cause panic. If you wait it out, you will be amazed as the cycles of algae just correct themselves.

Should I have maybe started with less frags?

I’ll also try and be aggressive with twice weekly 25% water changes for the coral qt.

 

[aqua_code]

I don’t want to remove them, re glue onto new plugs in qt, then remove again once they’re done with qt.

It depends what shows up in your QT and what you are willing to deal with. The corals will be going through alot of stress by moving them twice, but I think they will survive.

Should I have maybe started with less frags?

If you do regular water changes that will supply enough alk and keep everything in balance. I recommend Aquaforest reef salt. You can also add spot feed some reef roids to supply them with food. Don't add too much though or you will feed the bad algae. After you feed, change 2-3 gallons every 3-4 days. Siphon out waste on the water changes.

You will eventually need a clean up crew, get astrea, trocus and/or cerith snails. You might also want some chaeto or macroalgae to keep your PH up.

 

[living_tribunal]

It depends what shows up in your QT and what you are willing to deal with. The corals will be going through alot of stress by moving them twice, but I think they will survive.


If you do regular water changes that will supply enough alk and keep everything in balance. You can also add spot feed some reef roids to supply them with food. Don't add too much though or you will feed the bad algae. After you feed, change 2-3 gallons every 3-4 days. You will eventually need a clean up crew, get snails.

I’m adding the clean up crew tomorrow, a few days before the frags just to make sure the tank is cycled.

I started cycling it about 7 days ago and it’s currently able to process 1.2ppm ammonia a day, and the nitrite.

 

[living_tribunal]

It depends what shows up in your QT and what you are willing to deal with. The corals will be going through alot of stress by moving them twice, but I think they will survive.


If you do regular water changes that will supply enough alk and keep everything in balance. I recommend Aquaforest reef salt. You can also add spot feed some reef roids to supply them with food. Don't add too much though or you will feed the bad algae. After you feed, change 2-3 gallons every 3-4 days. Siphon out waste on the water changes.

You will eventually need a clean up crew, get astrea, trocus and/or cerith snails. You might also want some chaeto or macroalgae to keep your PH up.

do they make small enough hob refugiums for a 10G tank?

 

[aqua_code]

do they make small enough hob refugiums for a 10G tank?

You can just add the ball into the QT and it will do fine. No need for an expensive HOB but they make algae reactors.

It sounds like you have a good biofilter in the tank, but it lacks alot of biodiversity currently. The real test will be when the frag plugs enter the tank with foreign hitchhikers. I would start adding food instead of ammonia. You will prob want to start establishing some copepods and amphipods as you get these new specimens.

 

[living_tribunal]

You can just add the ball into the QT and it will do fine. No need for an expensive HOB but they make algae reactors.

It sounds like you have a good biofilter in the tank, but it lacks alot of biodiversity currently. The real test will be when the frag plugs enter the tank with foreign hitchhikers. I would start adding food instead of ammonia. You will prob want to start establishing some copepods and amphipods as you get these new specimens.

Good ideas all around. I’ll see what I can get set up.

 

[Katrina71]

You can look at CPR or AquaFuge. Yes there are economical versions on eBay or Amazon.

 

[living_tribunal]

You can look at CPR or AquaFuge. Yes there are economical versions on eBay or Amazon.

I’ve checked those out before, the reviews seem meh. Still searching far and wide for a surface slimmer/media reactor single hob unit that does the job. I think it might be better to just convert a small aquaclear power filter unit into a small fuge and add this fantastic $60 slimmer I came across.

It might be worthwhile to upgrade it to a 20 gal frag rack after a few months

 

[Katrina71]

The magic words...frag rack.

 

[stacksoner]

If I were you, I'd try to map out a timeline of expectations from your system over the next 12-24 months. I think feedback on this may help you out the most in the long run

 

[living_tribunal]

If I were you, I'd try to map out a timeline of expectations from your system over the next 12-24 months. I think feedback on this may help you out the most in the long run

In terms of my main dt or both the qt frag tank and main dt?

I think I have a good idea where’d I’d like to be in terms of livestock. I’m still so foreign to coral and don’t have the foresight to plan very far ahead.

The one thing I will say is the chance of me upgrading my dt in a few short months is very strong. In this situation, my 36G bowfront will become the frag tank.

 

[aqua_code]

One other note - when/if you cut the zoas. Wear gloves and safety glasses.

 

[living_tribunal]

One other note - when/if you cut the zoas. Use gloves and wear safety glasses.

I made to sure to pick up a pair last week.

 

[living_tribunal]

If I were you, I'd try to map out a timeline of expectations from your system over the next 12-24 months. I think feedback on this may help you out the most in the long run

Going to elaborate a little more here for context. My very broad plan is to finalize my vision for fish livestock and then build the coral diversity around my fish selections.

My reasoning for this is I feel like caring for the diverse array of fish is more straight forward and intuitive for a novice like myself.

Sure, there are more difficult species but the general requirements don’t require the massive amount of tacit knowledge that coral care requires. I may be misguided with my thinking but becoming competent in taking care of coral seems like an experience thing. You perpetually learn via trial and error until you form the best system.

So with all of that said, I’m aiming for a low livestock passive fish tank. I plan on only carrying 5-7 fish max. Fish are what’s garnered the majority of my research time thus far, and I’m certain a few will scoff at my selections.

Aside from the two clowns. I want a seahorse pair and a mandarin dragonet. I know, everyone wants a mandarin. I plan on taking my very sweet time and working with my lfs to find a captive bred one that is already eating well. This won’t even be for many more months, and could potentially never happen.

I have already started prepping for the seahorses. If you look at my rockscape, it only takes up 40-50% of the tanks height. This was done purposefully in order to provide ample space to add low flow/tall branching sps and softies like sarcophytons and gorgonian for the seahorses to grab onto. The low fish count is to ensure both the mandarin and seahorses can eat without more intrusive species intervening.

If I commit 100% to this route, I will be limited to low flow coral selections such as the lps I recently acquired.

I hope that sheds some light.

 

[aqua_code]

The flow in your DT is going to be way too high with the clowns/corals to house the seahorses. From my experience they need to be in a refugium area with decreased flow. Also, the mandarin in a 29 gallon is a whole debate I'm not going to get into, but you really need to start culturing pods soon.

 

[living_tribunal]

The flow in your DT is going to be way too high with the clowns/corals to house the seahorses. From my experience they need to be in a refugium area with decreased flow. Also, the mandarin in a 29 gallon is a whole debate I'm not going to get into, but you really need to start culturing pods soon.

I’ve seen many seahorse tanks with clowns in them and other fish that require even more flow. I really don’t plan on carrying any corals that require above medium flow if I stick to this route.

I do agree about starting to the prep the massive amount of pods required for the mandarin but it’s more so a back up plan. I will only purchase one that can eat.

If I do end up purchasing one a year or so from now I will also continually stock the tank with pods.

I’m still so far from that point but should decide if it’s the route I want to make to start preparing.

Also, my tank is 36G not 29. Most of my plans won’t even begin until after I upgrade.

 

[aqua_code]

I’ve seen many seahorse tanks with clowns in them and other fish that require even more flow.

I personally have a pair of platinum snowflake bonded clowns that are 3-4 years old, and I can tell you a bonded pair like that will eventually show aggression towards tank mates. I did some reading on seahorses and clowns in the same tank and it seems they may be able to co-exist, but I don't think there's much information after 1-2 years. Clowns are actually some of the most aggressive fish in the hobby.


I think you will really need to feed the sea horses separately. I don't have much experience with them, but I wouldn't trust a fish that couldn't hold it's own with my clowns.

 

[living_tribunal]

I personally have a pair of platinum snowflake bonded clowns that are 3-4 years old, and I can tell you a bonded pair like that will eventually show aggression towards tank mates. I did some reading on seahorses and clowns in the same tank and it seems they may be able to co-exist, but I don't think there's much information after 1-2 years. Clowns are actually some of the most aggressive fish in the hobby.

I’ll have to see how things progress if that’s the case. I know clowns can become aggressive but didn’t know the severity of it, especially if it’s increased in a strong pair.

If there’s truth in that then the seahorse system may have to be a dedicated tank.

I wish I would have known that before getting two. Should have probably taken fish selection slower. I scoped these guys out for the last two weeks and kind of fell in love.

 

[aqua_code]

The clowns should be a good addition. Keep it minimal as you start out. Gives you more options as you understand the effort involved in what you are trying to do. Odds are you will be putting the tank through alot of extremes as you get the routine in line. You want to minimize that stress on the livestock understand what your tank can handle first.