Just a regular 1st saltwater tank

[Remi]

Hi,

After years of hesitation and a freshwater tank to compensate it few years ago. It was time to jump in the saltwater tank hobby. I couldn't went for my heavy snorkeling holidays in 2023 so I decided to bring a part of the ocean to me.

Aquarium:
Aqua medic 250l with sump (already know I should have gone with the 300l at least) not available at that time.

Equipment:
Return pump aqua medic
Wave maker: 2 aqua medic smart drift 3.1
Heater: aqua medic 200w
Filter sock
Ato including in the tank (10l)
Light: 2x maxspect led 165.
Skimmer: aqua medic small
Thermometer 1 liquid and inkbird

Others:
Tests for cycling API
Tests for CA, MG, KH and PO4 salifert
RO/DI system Aquatic Life.
Lid DIY

Cycling:
Fritz turbo 900
Live rock
Dry sand

Current fishes:
2 ocellaris clown fish
1 strawberry dottyback
1 midas blenny
1 yellow "coris" wrasse
1 melanurus wrasse male.

Wished fishes:
Flame hawkfish
Green clown goby

Corals:
Scrambled egg zoas
Rasta zoas
Pink sakura zoas
Pink zipper zoas
King midas zoas
TSA purple hearted hornets zoas
Red eater people zoas
Orange zoas don't know the name
Red zoas don't know the name (not opening)
Yellow zoas don't know the name (not opening fell down during a 3 weeks business trips)
Neon green frogspawn
2 Yuma ricordea (a 3rd very small one)
2 neon green rhodactis.
1 pink rhodactis
1 torch sold as holy grail but it is not knowing the price I paid and no green mouth but still very nice looking maybe New York Knicks.
No definitive placement for all corals. I won't lie quite difficult to know or remember all names.

Remi

 

[Remi]

Tank is been running for nearly 2 months. Cycling was done after a little bit less than 2 weeks. Fishes were added with the rest of fritz turbo 900. Also new live rocks were added 1 week later.

 

[Remi]

I was away for 2 weeks and half, my wife had to take care of it. So I asked the minimum as she has no knowledge at all. It is when a zoas fell down waiting to see if it will recover. The tank as of today.

 

[Remi]

Concerning the photos quality, hopefully it will improve with time and filter (some I am using the glasses with my phone ) . If any want to identify zoas or torch, please ask better pics.

 

[Katrina71]

The mushroom on the bottom left is really a stunner!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I was away for 2 weeks and half, my wife had to take care of it. So I asked the minimum as she has no knowledge at all. It is when a zoas fell down waiting to see if it will recover. The tank as of today.

Nice looking coral!

 

[kevgib67]

A lot of color pop , looks great Remi!

 

[Remi]

The mushroom on the bottom left is really a stunner!

Thank you. It is the one which has a baby on the size. Hopefully it will grow too.

 

[Remi]

A lot of color pop , looks great Remi!

Thank you. I spend time in different LFS and try to deal with what is available and not expensive. I will try to balance color as I notice green and orange risk to be dominant.

 

[Katrina71]

Thank you. It is the one which has a baby on the size. Hopefully it will grow too.

It's really beautiful. I hope it has lots of babies for you!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi,

After years of hesitation and a freshwater tank to compensate it few years ago. It was time to jump in the saltwater tank hobby. I couldn't went for my heavy snorkeling holidays in 2023 so I decided to bring a part of the ocean to me.

Aquarium:
Aqua medic 250l with sump (already know I should have gone with the 300l at least) not available at that time.

Equipment:
Return pump aqua medic
Wave maker: 2 aqua medic smart drift 3.1
Heater: aqua medic 200w
Filter sock
Ato including in the tank (10l)
Light: maxspect led 165, 2nd is coming shortly.
Skimmer: aqua medic small
Thermometer 1 liquid and inkbird

Others:
Tests for cycling API
Tests for CA, MG, KH and PO4 salifert
RO/DI system Aquatic Life.
Lid DIY

Cycling:
Fritz turbo 900
Live rock
Dry sand

Current fishes:
2 ocellaris clown fish
1 strawberry dottyback
1 midas blenny
1 yellow "coris" wrasse

Wished fishes:
Flame hawkfish
Green clown goby
Melanurus wrasse

Corals:
Scrambled egg zoas
Rasta zoas
Pink sakura zoas
Pink zipper zoas
King midas zoas
TSA purple hearted hornets zoas
Red eater people zoas
Orange zoas don't know the name
Red zoas don't know the name (not opening)
Yellow zoas don't know the name (not opening fell down during a 3 weeks business trips)
Neon green frogspawn
2 Yuma ricordea (a 3rd very small one)
2 neon green rhodactis.
1 pink rhodactis
1 torch sold as holy grail but it is not knowing the price I paid and no green mouth but still very nice looking maybe New York Knicks.
No definitive placement for all corals. I won't lie quite difficult to know or remember all names.

Remi

Off to a nice start and keep it balanced and stock slowly

 

[Remi]

2nd lamp installed since I setup both with the same schedule to match color. Some pics also of the fishes. The wrasse is really active in the morning so hard to got it.

 

[Remi]

Off to a nice start and keep it balanced and stock slowly

Thank you for the advice, I will try to be patient.

 

[kevgib67]

Thank you. I spend time in different LFS and try to deal with what is available and not expensive. I will try to balance color as I notice green and orange risk to be dominant.

Ya, I’ve done the same. You start putting corals in and begin to notice a dominant color, in my case green. Then I start avoiding green, not that I don’t like it, I just want a balance of colors. I’m always on the lookout for blue and yellow, harder to come by.

 

[Remi]

Ya, I’ve done the same. You start putting corals in and begin to notice a dominant color, in my case green. Then I start avoiding green, not that I don’t like it, I just want a balance of colors. I’m always on the lookout for blue and yellow, harder to come by.

I am still in a long way to learn and search but for this reason I already took 3 yellow zoas and the torch. For blue, 2 zoas have blue on them but won't pop under blue lol. Zoas are tiny so won't impact much as of now. On opposite to corals, green color fish is quite rare except some wrasses and green clown goby (love the face but not sure I will find some in my place). I am assuming as the tank matures, I will find some others colors with acro or sps.

 

[Remi]

Hi, @kevgib67 is your tailspot blenny blue and orange or brown? Or is it changing daily as per her/his emotion between the 2?

 

[kevgib67]

This picture represents it’s true color. I took this when it was first placed in the tank.

 

[Remi]

Thank you for your reply. One LFS may receive or already are in quarantine so didn't see them yet. I may take one if they seems healthy

 

[kevgib67]

Thank you for your reply. One LFS may receive or already are in quarantine so didn't see them yet. I may take one if they seems healthy

They are known to be hardy fish , post a picture on my “ show off your tail spot blenny” thread when you get it. Good luck.

 

[Remi]

Another mistake was to not have prepared the aqua scape. I chose the rocks which was not enough initially. As the water was delivered as the same time of the tank and rocks, I couldn't prepare it in advance. Since I bought more rocks but still hadn't the end result in mind. For this reason I didn't glue any corals yet. Since I changed the aqua scape if I want to try beginner sps later. As my lights are not top brand and I don't know the par, I tried to get some height for this purpose. Also I found a zoas colony mix of 3 types not glowing (Green/blue, yellow/green and red/blue) price was very very fair. I also found a melanurus wrasse male adult which was on my wishing list. He is very gentle and hope he won't nuke the tank with disease (I couldn't get a quarantine tank as for my wife it would have been too much). If things goes south maybe it will be time to rediscuss the subject. The midas blenny is full of personality and was dark brown in the cave after the introduction for 6 hours. Now they all play nice except the dotty back who is the little boss when fish show their tails lol. The zoas which fell down during my business trip is opening, the red eater only today one polyp begins to open and the pink was not opening too much. I try for the last 2 a lower par today.