My First Reef Tank

John Dean

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I've been in the freshwater hobby for many year, and decided its time to try my hand at a reef tank.

Been cycling for about 2 month using Dr Tims One and only and Ammonia Chloride, all seems to be going well. Ammonia and Nitrite drop to 0 within 24 hours. Running without light for this whole time. Not sure about anything else, as I currently don't have test kits except for ammonia and nitrites.

Here's what I have:
- Water mixing station using two 75 litre Brute bins and RODI unit
- Aqua one mini reef 120, everything stock
- Red Sea pro salt
- 2 x JEBAO JECOD RW-4
- Serenity Digital LCD Refractometer
- D-D Salinity Refractometer
- SMART AWC TOUCH, for ATO and AWC.
- 10kg of CaribSea Life Rock
- 6kg of CaribSea Special Grade Reef Sand
- A 120 litre tank for QT, with heater and sponge filter.
- Inkbird temperture controller, connected to heater and cooling fans.

Plan on doing 10% weekly water changes using the SMART AWC.

Future additions:
- Hydra 26 HD before adding Corals.
- Apex Controller, probably in a year, they are expensive here.

Current Live Stock:
- 2 clowns currently in QT.

I haven't medicated the fish as of yet, not sure what I should do. Been in QT for just over 2 weeks.

Just trying to work out what else to add to the tank. Not looking to add to many fish or CUC, mostly soft corals, and maybe LPS down the road.
- Tail Spot Blenny
- Zoas
- Green Star Polyps
- frogspawn, hammer
- Trochus snails
- Turbo snails

This picture is a bit old, I have replaced the top with a red sea net screen, but other then that it's the same. Haven't added any live stock to the tank yet.

26/11/18
Changed around the rocks to try and create multiple Islands to separate corals.

IMG_20181126_181824.jpg


IMG_20181126_181836.jpg


IMG_20181126_181831.jpg


18/12/18
Added the 2 Clowns to the DT about 2 weeks ago.
Noticed some brown spots on the rocks and maybe sand. Assume Diatoms.

25/12/18
Tank looks really ugly at the moment. Add some Chaeto to the sump, and have some snails in QT.

15456909584824430060465091782226.jpg


01/01/19
Seeing green hair algae growing on the rocks. Still no cleanup crew in the tank.

09/01/19
Added 2 Trochus snail to the tank. Seem to be doing a good job at clean up the algae.
 
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NY_Caveman

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Looks and sounds good! Welcome to R2R! I do not know much about QT protocols, but I would use the QT to observe and get them eating well. I personally would not treat unless they were ill. Just my opinion.

 

rkpetersen

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That's a well thought out plan. :) As far as QT, there are different schools of thought about whether to observe for disease or prophylactically treat. Here's a good article and thread. I like your choices of starting fish and corals (it's a 'hammer' coral though, unless you're going to be keeping a shark in there. :) ) Could consider some other snails like nassarius and fighting conch. Also crustaceans like skunk cleaner shrimp and fire shrimp. A nem for the clowns, if you're planning on adding one, should wait until conditions in the tank are very stable; most people suggest 6 months. Do you need info on test kits you should consider getting or do you have that covered? :)
 
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John Dean

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That's a well thought out plan. :) As far as QT, there are different schools of thought about whether to observe for disease or prophylactically treat. Here's a good article and thread. I like your choices of starting fish and corals (it's a 'hammer' coral though, unless you're going to be keeping a shark in there. :) ) Could consider some other snails like nassarius and fighting conch. Also crustaceans like skunk cleaner shrimp and fire shrimp. A nem for the clowns, if you're planning on adding one, should wait until conditions in the tank are very stable; most people suggest 6 months. Do you need info on test kits you should consider getting or do you have that covered? :)


Once I get some corals, was thinking of getting Hanna checkers for Calcium, Alkalinity and Phosphate. And a test kit for Nitrate and Magnesium, not sure which ones. Do you think this would be enough? Do I need anything else? Maybe PH?
 
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rkpetersen

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Once I get some corals, was thinking of getting Hanna checkers for Calcium, Alkalinity and Phosphate. And a test kit for Nitrate and Magnesium, not sure which ones. Do you think this would be enough? Do I need anything else? Maybe PH?

Agree with the Hannas (ULR phosphorus preferred over LR phosphate). I'd also add a different test kit for alk, just as a check on the Hanna meter, since this number is so important. Red Sea & Giesemann alk test kits are good. Nitrate Red Sea or Nyos. Magnesium definitely Salifert. Potassium, if you care to track it (I do), also Salifert. I have a pH probe in the water with a controller, I'm not sure pH test kits are sensitive enough to give you any really useful info.
 

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Would a single AI Prime be OK or this tank with the corals I plan to add, or would a Hydra 26 be a better option? I think the tank is 24 x 18 x 18.

AI Prime would be bare minimum and would work for soft corals. The Hydra 26 a bit stronger for LPS. Still may be a stretch for SPS if you ever went there.

Check out this cool AI site for some good comparisons
http://www.aquaillumination.com/science/par.html


 

rkpetersen

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Would a single AI Prime be OK or this tank with the corals I plan to add, or would a Hydra 26 be a better option? I think the tank is 24 x 18 x 18.

Agree with Caveman, a Hydra 26HD would be better. Regarding SPS, to some degree it will depend on how high off the water you position your light, and how high in the tank you put the corals. If the answers are 'low' and 'high', then the Hydra should grow SPS well enough. Or you can always add some T5 bulbs later with a 24" Aquatic Life hybrid fixture.
 
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John Dean

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I was thinking of getting a AI prime to start, then add another down the road if needed. I think this would be a better way to go, as you can increase the separation between the two lights to decrease shading. To start I'm not going with any high light corals.
 

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Diatoms should clear up on their own in most new builds. That said several species of snails will take care of diatoms including Turbo, Trochus and Cerith, all of which can right themselves. I have a mix of all three and they cover pretty much all bases.

 
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John Dean

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15481454867632662909460534609406.jpg
Looks like Diatoms are not done yet. Also getting green hair Algae. The snails seem to keep the green hair algae at bay. Just need to get over Diatoms, if indeed they are Diatoms. Will post a pic.

My Nitrate is at 25ppm and phosphates are at zero (use Salifert test kits for both). Need to do a large water change to remove some of the nitrates.
 
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Is a temperature swing of 25.5c (77.9 f) to 27.3c (81.1 f) in one day to much for a reef tank? During the day my house gets up to 31c (87 f).

I have an Inkbird temperture controller that has fans connected for cooling.
 

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Is a temperature swing of 25.5c (77.9 f) to 27.3c (81.1 f) in one day to much for a reef tank? During the day my house gets up to 31c (87 f).

I have an Inkbird temperture controller that has fans connected for cooling.

That's a pretty high daily temp swing. I'd be using fans to keep it under 80 during the hottest part of the day, and maybe consider a chiller although they're expensive, bulky and noisy.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

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