Bamaspeedy
New Member
Hello All! Finally took the leap and started my first saltwater tank after 15 years of contemplation. This is a 75Gallon Marineland corner overflow tank with 60 lbs Marco purple rock and 60 lbs special grade live sand.
For equipment I have the following:
Trigger system Ruby sump
Simplistic DC120 skimmer
Simplistic DC1600 return pump
IM Helio 400 W PTC heater
Maxspect Gyre XF330
2x Noo-psyche K7 Pro 3
Apex EL
Neptune ATK
Aqua Gadget 15 gallon ATO reservoir.
BRS 5 stage RODI
I’ve probably broken every rule. I did a fishless cycle using Turbostart and Nitrocycle. At day seven with 0 Ammonia and Nitrites I added 2 Black Ocellaris Clowns and a small Blue RegalTang(I know he will eventually outgrow the 75). The lights came on the day following fish addition. I measured Ammonia daily to ensure I didn’t have a bad spike. On day 14 I added a Flame Hawk, pistol shrimp and a small Watchman Goby. I also got a couple of test corals, an Aussie Green Hammer and green candy cane. Also started the refugium with a baseball size bunch of Chaeto lit by a GE horticulture bulb and clip on reflector from Tractor Supply. On day 16 I had my first Diatoms. On day 18 I put in the 65 gal Reef Cleaners suggested CUC. I thought the recommended 75 gal was too many critters. Diatoms were gone overnight. After Diatoms green powdered algae began to form on glass surfaces which require cleaning every couple of days. I’ve done two 15 gallon water changes and changed filter socks every three days. Chaeto has doubled in size in two weeks.,
All of my critters seem to be loving life except for the Watchman Goby. I have not seen him since initial release.
I am keeping temp 77.5-78 F salinity at 1.026 and NO3 is slowly dropping and is now getting close to 10 ppm. I’ll start testing everything else next week. PH swings from 7.8 to 8.2 as expected.
For equipment I have the following:
Trigger system Ruby sump
Simplistic DC120 skimmer
Simplistic DC1600 return pump
IM Helio 400 W PTC heater
Maxspect Gyre XF330
2x Noo-psyche K7 Pro 3
Apex EL
Neptune ATK
Aqua Gadget 15 gallon ATO reservoir.
BRS 5 stage RODI
I’ve probably broken every rule. I did a fishless cycle using Turbostart and Nitrocycle. At day seven with 0 Ammonia and Nitrites I added 2 Black Ocellaris Clowns and a small Blue RegalTang(I know he will eventually outgrow the 75). The lights came on the day following fish addition. I measured Ammonia daily to ensure I didn’t have a bad spike. On day 14 I added a Flame Hawk, pistol shrimp and a small Watchman Goby. I also got a couple of test corals, an Aussie Green Hammer and green candy cane. Also started the refugium with a baseball size bunch of Chaeto lit by a GE horticulture bulb and clip on reflector from Tractor Supply. On day 16 I had my first Diatoms. On day 18 I put in the 65 gal Reef Cleaners suggested CUC. I thought the recommended 75 gal was too many critters. Diatoms were gone overnight. After Diatoms green powdered algae began to form on glass surfaces which require cleaning every couple of days. I’ve done two 15 gallon water changes and changed filter socks every three days. Chaeto has doubled in size in two weeks.,
All of my critters seem to be loving life except for the Watchman Goby. I have not seen him since initial release.
I am keeping temp 77.5-78 F salinity at 1.026 and NO3 is slowly dropping and is now getting close to 10 ppm. I’ll start testing everything else next week. PH swings from 7.8 to 8.2 as expected.
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