bump3rb33tl3
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2016
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Hi All!
Well, I've had my first tank up and running for about two years now. Definately seen its fair share of ups and downs.
When I started this tank I knew nothing of saltwater tanks and just bought what I was told would be sufficient and enlisted the help of a local friend and business owner to help me learn the ropes from the bottom up!
In the beginning I started with a 42 gl, odd shaped, half hexagon shaped tank on a narrow stand. I had a eheim canister filter, one Petco brand powerhead, and a hand me down light. I bought my sand, and my LR and I was off.
I did as what was suggested, let the tank cycle naturally. Put a damsel in there to cycle with the tank, do your readings. Once your reading go and back down your cycle will be done and you will be good to go...or so I was told.
I certainly went through all the learning curves, choosing not to automate anything but instead to rely on my readings and learning to "read" my tank.
I added some fish, and a few softies and I will confess, I had more failures than success, but I gained knowledge and experience each time.
With regards to the canister filter, I learned that if you let it be a nitrate factory, it would be. I began doing weekly cleanings using aquarium water vice RO water as to not kill any beneficial bacteria colonizing in my filter media. Also, to not risk mini cycles by killing off bacteria using freshwater. My canister served me well because I served it well
now I have a hob skimmer, fuge combo. I have LR, and chaeto combined with 4 other beneficial algae's serving as my filter. A grow light and a mangrove complete my set up.
My lights morphed from the hand me down single bulb light, to a marineland, to an evergrow.
My single petco powerhead is now two Jebao mp-10's one set to max constant flow the other to pulsating.
I also no longer manual dose, having recently just set up my first auto doser that thankfully sets inside my narrow little cabinet.
Today my tank is a happy little mixed reef with two happy clowns, two fire fish, and two skillet fish I harvested from our bay. It has sps, lps, zoas, gorgs, and lots of other little gems!
My param's are
Salinity 1.026
Alk 8.4
Ph 8.2
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 30
Mag 1345
Temp 79
Ammonia 0
So here is my little slice of heaven. Please feel free to ask questions and offer your critiques
Well, I've had my first tank up and running for about two years now. Definately seen its fair share of ups and downs.
When I started this tank I knew nothing of saltwater tanks and just bought what I was told would be sufficient and enlisted the help of a local friend and business owner to help me learn the ropes from the bottom up!
In the beginning I started with a 42 gl, odd shaped, half hexagon shaped tank on a narrow stand. I had a eheim canister filter, one Petco brand powerhead, and a hand me down light. I bought my sand, and my LR and I was off.
I did as what was suggested, let the tank cycle naturally. Put a damsel in there to cycle with the tank, do your readings. Once your reading go and back down your cycle will be done and you will be good to go...or so I was told.
I certainly went through all the learning curves, choosing not to automate anything but instead to rely on my readings and learning to "read" my tank.
I added some fish, and a few softies and I will confess, I had more failures than success, but I gained knowledge and experience each time.
With regards to the canister filter, I learned that if you let it be a nitrate factory, it would be. I began doing weekly cleanings using aquarium water vice RO water as to not kill any beneficial bacteria colonizing in my filter media. Also, to not risk mini cycles by killing off bacteria using freshwater. My canister served me well because I served it well
now I have a hob skimmer, fuge combo. I have LR, and chaeto combined with 4 other beneficial algae's serving as my filter. A grow light and a mangrove complete my set up.My lights morphed from the hand me down single bulb light, to a marineland, to an evergrow.
My single petco powerhead is now two Jebao mp-10's one set to max constant flow the other to pulsating.
I also no longer manual dose, having recently just set up my first auto doser that thankfully sets inside my narrow little cabinet.
Today my tank is a happy little mixed reef with two happy clowns, two fire fish, and two skillet fish I harvested from our bay. It has sps, lps, zoas, gorgs, and lots of other little gems!
My param's are
Salinity 1.026
Alk 8.4
Ph 8.2
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 30
Mag 1345
Temp 79
Ammonia 0
So here is my little slice of heaven. Please feel free to ask questions and offer your critiques
