ChiReefGuy3
New Member
A while back, I watched the Coral Reefs episode of Blue Planet 2 on TV and I felt it – that familiar itch that it’s time to set up another tank.
Background:
I had a 29-gallon tank in high school that started out as a freshwater cichlid tank but then slowly transitioned to a FOWLR and then finally a reef tank. I was too afraid to drill it and was on a McDonald’s worker’s budget, so it was tricked out with a canister filter and all of the second-hand HOB equipment I could afford. Being from a small town in Minnesota, I had never visited a local fish store before but when I finally visited one an hour away, I was amazed and inspired by the walls of colorful fish and corals. The owner of the store (shout out to Vince from Ocean Devotion) was incredibly kind and patient as he spent hours showing me around and explaining the ins and outs of reef-keeping. Back then, finding the right light seemed like a moving target and after researching current market offerings, I cannot believe how far it has come. When I began my reef tank, I started out with a power compact which was replaced with a T5 fixture which was replaced with one of the first LED units that was only controllable with an on/off switch – I knew nothing about PAR, spectrum, ect… In its heyday, my little tank housed a handful of small fish (my favorites were a pair of clownfish who became a breeding pair and laid eggs every other month or so), some soft corals, and even an Acropora frag (which felt like a big deal at the time).
Eventually, I went off to college and although my mom generously continued to feed my fish frozen Mysis, the tank suffered as regular maintenance and water changes only took place every few months when I returned home for breaks. Algae bloomed, aiptasia took over, and finally, the tank was put out of its misery when the heater failed. After the tank was taken down, I took a break from the hobby – I graduated college, started my career, got a dog, got a boyfriend, and didn’t know if/when I would enter the hobby again. Until now, when I realized that itch won’t go away until I do.
The Plan:
Now that I’m working from home for most of the week, my goal is to put a reef tank in our spare bedroom downstairs that we are turning into an office. Because it’s in the basement, the temperature stays cool for most of the year and I think I can get away without needing to run a chiller. The laundry room sink is also nearby to hook up an RODI unit so I won’t need to haul buckets up and down the stairs.
The Tank (still planning/deciding):
I have room for a 4ft tank but do not want it to be so wide that it protrudes into the room’s walkable area. As of now, I am deciding between a Red Sea Reefer 350 G2 and a Planet Aquarium Mega Matrix 94 (48.5”x18.5”x25”). The biggest pro of the RSR is that it’s more of a plug-and-play setup where I don’t have to worry about selecting a sump/plumbing (which I have no experience with). However, I really wish it had the option to add a canopy. I looked up some DIY canopy designs for it but because the stand and the tank sit flush with each other, having a canopy edge over the top would look a little strange. I have also read the horror stories of these tanks blowing out and am not sure if it’s worth the risk. The pros of the Planet Aquarium Mega Metrix are: I like that the tank is a bit taller and only 18.5” wide and I like the look of their stands/canopies. However, I am admittedly a bit overwhelmed with the thought of choosing a sump and having to plumb it myself. Additionally, I would like to run a Red Sea roller mat and am struggling to find a good sump design that leaves space for this without filter socks.
Stocking Goals:
Lighting:
I would like to have a mixed reef tank with some SPS up top where there will be higher par and LPS and soft corals towards the bottom. I am still researching lights but am leaning toward a couple ReefLED 90’s (because I could control them and the roller mat in the same app) or Kessil A360x’s. These would be supplemented with a couple of Quanta Pro bars to reduce shadowing and increase PAR.
Next Steps:
Once I pick out a tank, my plan is to order some dry Reef Saver Marco Rocks and create an aquascape while they are still dry. Once the parts are glued/epoxied, I’m going to cycle them in a couple of Brute trash cans for a few months. I am not in a rush so I want to make sure to wait long enough for as much bacteria to grow on the rocks as possible.
I’m not sure if anyone will read this or will follow along but I promise to post updates/pictures as they come so I can have a journal to look back on one day. Feel free to reach out with any feedback or comments. I will be the first to admit that I don’t know what I don’t know and love to learn new things!
Background:
I had a 29-gallon tank in high school that started out as a freshwater cichlid tank but then slowly transitioned to a FOWLR and then finally a reef tank. I was too afraid to drill it and was on a McDonald’s worker’s budget, so it was tricked out with a canister filter and all of the second-hand HOB equipment I could afford. Being from a small town in Minnesota, I had never visited a local fish store before but when I finally visited one an hour away, I was amazed and inspired by the walls of colorful fish and corals. The owner of the store (shout out to Vince from Ocean Devotion) was incredibly kind and patient as he spent hours showing me around and explaining the ins and outs of reef-keeping. Back then, finding the right light seemed like a moving target and after researching current market offerings, I cannot believe how far it has come. When I began my reef tank, I started out with a power compact which was replaced with a T5 fixture which was replaced with one of the first LED units that was only controllable with an on/off switch – I knew nothing about PAR, spectrum, ect… In its heyday, my little tank housed a handful of small fish (my favorites were a pair of clownfish who became a breeding pair and laid eggs every other month or so), some soft corals, and even an Acropora frag (which felt like a big deal at the time).
Eventually, I went off to college and although my mom generously continued to feed my fish frozen Mysis, the tank suffered as regular maintenance and water changes only took place every few months when I returned home for breaks. Algae bloomed, aiptasia took over, and finally, the tank was put out of its misery when the heater failed. After the tank was taken down, I took a break from the hobby – I graduated college, started my career, got a dog, got a boyfriend, and didn’t know if/when I would enter the hobby again. Until now, when I realized that itch won’t go away until I do.
The Plan:
Now that I’m working from home for most of the week, my goal is to put a reef tank in our spare bedroom downstairs that we are turning into an office. Because it’s in the basement, the temperature stays cool for most of the year and I think I can get away without needing to run a chiller. The laundry room sink is also nearby to hook up an RODI unit so I won’t need to haul buckets up and down the stairs.
The Tank (still planning/deciding):
I have room for a 4ft tank but do not want it to be so wide that it protrudes into the room’s walkable area. As of now, I am deciding between a Red Sea Reefer 350 G2 and a Planet Aquarium Mega Matrix 94 (48.5”x18.5”x25”). The biggest pro of the RSR is that it’s more of a plug-and-play setup where I don’t have to worry about selecting a sump/plumbing (which I have no experience with). However, I really wish it had the option to add a canopy. I looked up some DIY canopy designs for it but because the stand and the tank sit flush with each other, having a canopy edge over the top would look a little strange. I have also read the horror stories of these tanks blowing out and am not sure if it’s worth the risk. The pros of the Planet Aquarium Mega Metrix are: I like that the tank is a bit taller and only 18.5” wide and I like the look of their stands/canopies. However, I am admittedly a bit overwhelmed with the thought of choosing a sump and having to plumb it myself. Additionally, I would like to run a Red Sea roller mat and am struggling to find a good sump design that leaves space for this without filter socks.
Stocking Goals:
- A pair of Ocellaris Clownfish
- A Kole Tang
- A One-spot Foxface Rabbitfish
- A Melanurus Wrasse
- A Royal Gramma
- A Dwarf Lionfish
- A Flame Hawkfish
- A Mandarin Goby
- Maybe some other small fish like Azure Damnsels?
Lighting:
I would like to have a mixed reef tank with some SPS up top where there will be higher par and LPS and soft corals towards the bottom. I am still researching lights but am leaning toward a couple ReefLED 90’s (because I could control them and the roller mat in the same app) or Kessil A360x’s. These would be supplemented with a couple of Quanta Pro bars to reduce shadowing and increase PAR.
Next Steps:
Once I pick out a tank, my plan is to order some dry Reef Saver Marco Rocks and create an aquascape while they are still dry. Once the parts are glued/epoxied, I’m going to cycle them in a couple of Brute trash cans for a few months. I am not in a rush so I want to make sure to wait long enough for as much bacteria to grow on the rocks as possible.
I’m not sure if anyone will read this or will follow along but I promise to post updates/pictures as they come so I can have a journal to look back on one day. Feel free to reach out with any feedback or comments. I will be the first to admit that I don’t know what I don’t know and love to learn new things!
