My Build Thread

[Angeleyes reefraf]

Hi all! Very new but completely obsessed. I started a 5 gal salt for brine shrimp to feed my freshwater fish, it was a fun experiment. that was in August 2020. In September I got a 20 gallon and using the water and filter from my 5 gallon as a base set it up. About a week later i got my large live rock and about 2 1/2 weeks later added my zoa frag, kenya tree (yes I know its a weed but I like it) then 2 fish (to fast I know) 1 week later a clean up crew and power head (having some algae bloom) that was a week ago. Since then i have dealt with a mild case of nudi's (tweezers and bayer dip, now Bio, learned on here and all seems to be well although i saw 2 small dark spots on my mushroom today and see little white spots on my zoa's, hope its not pox)
lighting 2 corallife led clip on lights
Hang on back filter
heater
powerhead aquatop maxflow mcp-1 660 gal hr
salinity .024-.025
temp 76
no2 0
no3 0-20
ph 7.5-8
kh 80-120
gh 180
All these tested on a strip
what should my parameters be?
Any help welcome!

 

[Arthacker87]

My tank runs at 1.025 temp at 78 and I check nothing else lol. Id look into a hang on back skimmer also if your going to do some fish in there, depending how many.For soft coral like zoa and mushrooms etc you don't have to be obsessed with calc mag alk imo. And make sure to daily top of you 20g cuz evaporation will have salinity fluctuate and you want that as stable as possible. If your wanting to go into awesome color softies, you might wanna look at new lights unless yours has a strong blue channel. The florescent in coral pop with the 420nm (actinics or blue spectrum) white will brown corals and grow algae worse. Ut id say stay with what your doing because if you can keep coral alive right you're doing well. This hobby gives and much as you put into it.
Also for reference I don't do much to my tank (monthly water changes if even and I recommend getting into the habit of weekly fyi)

 

[HuduVudu]

Hi all! Very new but completely obsessed. I started a 5 gal salt for brine shrimp to feed my freshwater fish, it was a fun experiment. that was in August 2020. In September I got a 20 gallon and using the water and filter from my 5 gallon as a base set it up. About a week later i got my large live rock and about 2 1/2 weeks later added my zoa frag, kenya tree (yes I know its a weed but I like it) then 2 fish (to fast I know) 1 week later a clean up crew and power head (having some algae bloom) that was a week ago. Since then i have dealt with a mild case of nudi's (tweezers and bayer dip, now Bio, learned on here and all seems to be well although i saw 2 small dark spots on my mushroom today and see little white spots on my zoa's, hope its not pox)
lighting 2 corallife led clip on lights
Hang on back filter
heater
powerhead aquatop maxflow mcp-1 660 gal hr
salinity .024-.025
temp 76
no2 0
no3 0-20
ph 7.5-8
kh 80-120
gh 180
All these tested on a strip
what should my parameters be?
Any help welcome!

Buy yourself an early Christmas gift of new tests for your aquarium.

I suggest Salifert.

 

[Angeleyes reefraf]

So I took the fish back to the store today I want to make sure what I put in here is compatible with the reef I'm building. So I've decided Thursday I'm gonna go down to my last and figure my rock scaping. Can't wait to see what they have. Setting up 5 gal tomorrow to quarantine rocks and make sure they are ready to go in.

 

[Angeleyes reefraf]

So I went and got some more rock yesterday couple of pieces of Already Coraline incrusted and a couple of dry rocks but they have all been curing in my LFS tub for at least 2 months Have then in quarantine tank now he said to leave them for about a week while inspecting them is that long enough? Also I went today and got some more coral I think that will be about all I need for my little 20 gallon will see.frogspawn, hammer, 2 zoa, and a john deere leptastrea. Made sure to dip corals before putting them in tank. Waiting to finish rock scaping before attaching them anywhere. Any recommendations or advice is welcome.

 

[Angeleyes reefraf]

my corals opened up Yesterday and I tried to figure out a place to have them with right Waterflow but I am not sure I think there may be too much water flow on the hammer any suggestions