My First Reef!

[ReefPup]

Hey everyone I'm building my very first reef tank piece by piece currently and I'm just a few pieces away from being ready to set up. I will post pics as soon as there is water in it, or maybe one my scape is finished ill post that.

The build

Tank: Fluval Flex Sea 32.5
Lights: 2 AI Prime 16hd
Return pump: Sicce 1.5
Powerhead: AI Nero 3
ATO: Reef Breeders Prism
Rock: 25 lbs Marco rock and 5 lbs of Tampa Bay Saltwater base rock.
Sand: Caribsea Special Grade Arag-Alive
Salt: Tropic Marin Pro-Reef

Future improvements

10 gallon sump and HOB overflow

Intended Stocking


2 Clownfish
1 Goby/Pistol Shrimp pair
1 Ruby Red Dragonet (will only get this after installing sump with refugium to aid in copepod breeding, and also only if I can get one from lfs that is willing to accept frozen food, I'm also willing to dose tank with copepods periodically)


Let me know if it looks like I'm missing anything major. I'll be adding stuff as needed as I go along i.e. protein skimmer etc. Also do you guys think I could get away with adding 1 more small fish if so what do you think I should get?

 

[sbeason]

Pretty good list. I am assuming you have an RODI system already. Be careful in timing of adding the dragonet, better to wait a while as your tank matures instead of at the beginning. Also consider a light for your refugium depending upon what macroalgae you are going to put in it.

 

[ReefPup]

Yeah I have an RODI system. And yeah the dragonet will probably not be added til the tank is at least a year old.

 

[ReefPup]

Also I plan on for sure putting a light in the refugium cause I want to at least grow Chaeto in there.

 

[reneeL]

Yeah I have an RODI system. And yeah the dragonet will probably not be added til the tank is at least a year old. Stoke the copepods, give them hiding places, my dragonet is fat and happy eats all the time. Tank was set up in March added live rock in May. Gulf Live rock and let it settle when algae started to appear added cleaning groups and you cannot go wrong with the conks, they are like little vacuum cleaners. Cleaned my sand beautifully, I also added live sand. Added copepods and lots of them. They are all over the place in the sump refug.

Hey everyone I'm building my very first reef tank piece by piece currently and I'm just a few pieces away from being ready to set up. I will post pics as soon as there is water in it, or maybe one my scape is finished ill post that.

The build

Tank: Fluval Flex Sea 32.5
Lights: 2 AI Prime 16hd
Return pump: Sicce 1.5
Powerhead: AI Nero 3
ATO: Reef Breeders Prism
Rock: 25 lbs Marco rock and 5 lbs of Tampa Bay Saltwater base rock.
Sand: Caribsea Special Grade Arag-Alive
Salt: Tropic Marin Pro-Reef

Future improvements

10 gallon sump and HOB overflow

Intended Stocking


2 Clownfish
1 Goby/Pistol Shrimp pair
1 Ruby Red Dragonet (will only get this after installing sump with refugium to aid in copepod breeding, and also only if I can get one from lfs that is willing to accept frozen food, I'm also willing to dose tank with copepods periodically)


Let me know if it looks like I'm missing anything major. I'll be adding stuff as needed as I go along i.e. protein skimmer etc. Also do you guys think I could get away with adding 1 more small fish if so what do you think I should get?

Congrats, I just started to have a reef again in March. Started the water and some dry rock, added Gulf Live rock and some sand in May. Finally, added some live critters in June. Added my cleaning crew once algae showed up. Conks are awesome at keeping your sand bed clean.
We added the clownfish a little later. Test your water. I added many, many copepods in May, I kept adding them on and off for several weeks. They are very much alive in my refugium with the chateau. They have many rocks to hide in when they get into the main tank. I added the dragonet in early August. He is fat and always eating. I will keep adding copepods just to be on the safe side like maybe every few months.
Going to try to raise some live brine soon. Just to keep everyone happy.
We now have a sailfin, 7 cardinals, 2 clownfish because more than that gets someone picked on. 2 different colored firefish, 2 pearly jawfish, I added a pistol shrimp with a yellow goby but they are so tiny. The goby lost his shrimp and kept trying to get in the jawfish home. I had to put the goby in my 40 gallon tank with the other 2 clownfish. If you pistol shrimp is really tiny you might need to try to contain him so the he and the goby pair up. I am sure that the goby will find him after he does some growing. I had a goby and pistol shrimp for years until Harvey. I know the pistol shrimp is still alive because I hear him making noise. He was very tiny.
If you can get a shrimp the same size as a small goby then the little cave he makes will be big enough for your goby.
Enjoy.

 

[ReefPup]

MASSIVE UPDATE!

So after doing a ton of research I decided to completely change up my setup.

First I decided to get rid of my AIO area

Then I drilled and some holes in the stand and sealed the wood that I cut using KILZ. (it's white but no one will see so it's fine)

I installed a HOB overflow and return line

Then I installed a 10 gallon sump

Scaped my rock.

And I got my live rock rubble from kp aquatics today.

Now I'm letting this rock cure and then I'll be ready to order my first fish, an exquisite firefish.

 

[bkwonnn]

You can consider a auto water change system. Makes reefing so much easier

 

[ReefPup]

You can consider a auto water change system. Makes reefing so much easier

Lol yeah I like doing water changes though. Makes me take time and look at the tank every week. Plus it's only a 33 gallon system so a 10% water change is only 3 gallons. Easy peasy.

 

[ReefPup]

Does anyone know about how long it will take the live rock to cycle?

 

[Emrava]

It usually takes couple weeks to get nicely cure. Dosing bacteria would help get the tank cycle nicely established in the rock work. When I first set up my nano tank I took the risk of buying a fish on the first week and it made it, it actually helped with the cycling process.
Your tank is looking really nice!
It will look amazing once you start having fish and corals.

 

[ReefPup]

Thank you! I'm very excited to get fish. I was hoping it would only tank a week for the rock from the ocean to cycle. I'll just keep testing and hoping for 0 ammonia so I can put my first fish in.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Thank you! I'm very excited to get fish. I was hoping it would only tank a week for the rock from the ocean to cycle. I'll just keep testing and hoping for 0 ammonia so I can put my first fish in.

Best of luck with the cycle!

 

[ReefPup]

Ok long overdue update! I have had my firefish Loki in the tank for about 2 months now and he is doing well. I have my first big order of 11 pieces of coral on the way here. I really love the way my tank looks. Even if it's in the "ugly stage."