Hello everyone and welcome to my tank!
My name is John, and I'm an addict. I just can't get this hobby off my mind! I mean... this stuff is so cool and I can't believe I have all of this in my living room! My tank is the first thing you see when you come in the house from any door; front, back, and garage. Let me give you a brief run through on how I got here.
I was always attracted to the fish section most when visiting the pet stores as a kid. But every time I asked, I was reminded that we couldn't afford to buy or maintain a fish tank... END OF DISCUSSION!
When I was 18 my GF and I lived together and we had different pets; dogs, emperor scorpion, corn snake, hamster, and a bearded dragon. We bought a 20 gal tank and added some goldfish. The fish died after every tank cleaning, but we replaced them and kept it going for about 2 years. We didn't have access to all this information that we do now on this here internet.
Hast forward 14 years and I am mostly settled down with a wife and a kid. Christmas of 2014 my kid's granparents gave him a betta fish in a half gallon bowl. My pet keeper instinct kicked in and I upgraded the little guy to a 10 gallon deluxe apartment in the sky! The fish bug just laid its nest...
2 months later I saw a 46 gallon bowfront for sale on craigslist. I got the clearance and bought it. On the way to pick it up, my wife asked me what kind of fish I wanted to keep. I said African Cichlids, she said, "Why don't you do a saltwater tank? The fish are so pretty and you are good at doing anything you set your mind to." so, with an inflated ego, I started the endless journey that is better known as reef keeping
I made all the rookie mistakes on the 46 and once I felt ready to do things the right way... I upgraded!
That's right! Proud owner of a 72 gallon bowfront. It was a used tank that I rehabbed back into normal society condition. Check out my rebuild thread here, http://reef2reef.com/threads/my-2nd-first-try-72-gallon-bowfront-re-build.230852/page-3#post-2807112
This thread was created so that I can track my progress and share with others. I'm no expert, so comments and suggestions are welcomed! Let's do an equipment list first
DT - 72 gallon bowfront
Sump - 30 gallon DIY
2x jebao RW-8
Eheim compact +2000 return pump
Synergy Reef Ghost Overflow
Glass Holes 3/4" return kit
Skimz Monzter 203 DC skimmer
300W finnex titanium heater w/ digital control
200W cobalt Neotherm heater
ATI 48" 6 bulb dimmable t5 sunPower (this light is STRONG!)
40 lbs CaribSea special grade sand
50 lbs rock is from @billysreefconnection
25 pounds live rock in sump (from my old system, it has corraline and I can't let it go yet)
Marine Pure spheres (from old tank)
Marine Pure Block (waiting to add this one)
BRS reactor. I like ROX carbon, GFO, and purigen in mine (when the time comes)
eggcrate lids for now
Tunze Osmolator w/ Tunze calcium dispenser for ATO and kalkwasser
I cheated with this tank start. I skipped the cycle. Yep... skipped it, sorry but I don't have time for that. I also rinsed my live sand... I KNOW!!! In my defense, one of my friends told me to do it. And, YES I would jump off a bridge if... oops, side tracked again. Shiny object shiny object
I rinsed the crap out of my live sand, built my rock formations, added rock, added sand, added 80 gallons of RODI, mixed 50 gal worth of Reef Crystals w/ 30 gal of reg Instant Ocean salt and let sit overnight. In the morning I added a big bottle of Dr. Tims One and Only and 2 capfulls of Prime. Got home at lunch and transferred all fish and coral within 24 hours of setting up tank. I also put my live rock and Marine Pure spheres in the sump. Skimmer off.
5 days later...
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
2.5 nitrate
SG 35 ppt
Temp 78 - 78.8 (gets hotter w/ lights on)
Alk 10.2
Calc 450
Mag 1300
Mag is a bit low and Alk/calc are a bit high. Tank needs to settle a bit more before I initiate kalkwassser
Pics
My name is John, and I'm an addict. I just can't get this hobby off my mind! I mean... this stuff is so cool and I can't believe I have all of this in my living room! My tank is the first thing you see when you come in the house from any door; front, back, and garage. Let me give you a brief run through on how I got here.
I was always attracted to the fish section most when visiting the pet stores as a kid. But every time I asked, I was reminded that we couldn't afford to buy or maintain a fish tank... END OF DISCUSSION!
When I was 18 my GF and I lived together and we had different pets; dogs, emperor scorpion, corn snake, hamster, and a bearded dragon. We bought a 20 gal tank and added some goldfish. The fish died after every tank cleaning, but we replaced them and kept it going for about 2 years. We didn't have access to all this information that we do now on this here internet.
Hast forward 14 years and I am mostly settled down with a wife and a kid. Christmas of 2014 my kid's granparents gave him a betta fish in a half gallon bowl. My pet keeper instinct kicked in and I upgraded the little guy to a 10 gallon deluxe apartment in the sky! The fish bug just laid its nest...
2 months later I saw a 46 gallon bowfront for sale on craigslist. I got the clearance and bought it. On the way to pick it up, my wife asked me what kind of fish I wanted to keep. I said African Cichlids, she said, "Why don't you do a saltwater tank? The fish are so pretty and you are good at doing anything you set your mind to." so, with an inflated ego, I started the endless journey that is better known as reef keeping
I made all the rookie mistakes on the 46 and once I felt ready to do things the right way... I upgraded!
That's right! Proud owner of a 72 gallon bowfront. It was a used tank that I rehabbed back into normal society condition. Check out my rebuild thread here, http://reef2reef.com/threads/my-2nd-first-try-72-gallon-bowfront-re-build.230852/page-3#post-2807112
This thread was created so that I can track my progress and share with others. I'm no expert, so comments and suggestions are welcomed! Let's do an equipment list first
DT - 72 gallon bowfront
Sump - 30 gallon DIY
2x jebao RW-8
Eheim compact +2000 return pump
Synergy Reef Ghost Overflow
Glass Holes 3/4" return kit
Skimz Monzter 203 DC skimmer
300W finnex titanium heater w/ digital control
200W cobalt Neotherm heater
ATI 48" 6 bulb dimmable t5 sunPower (this light is STRONG!)
40 lbs CaribSea special grade sand
50 lbs rock is from @billysreefconnection
25 pounds live rock in sump (from my old system, it has corraline and I can't let it go yet)
Marine Pure spheres (from old tank)
Marine Pure Block (waiting to add this one)
BRS reactor. I like ROX carbon, GFO, and purigen in mine (when the time comes)
eggcrate lids for now
Tunze Osmolator w/ Tunze calcium dispenser for ATO and kalkwasser
I cheated with this tank start. I skipped the cycle. Yep... skipped it, sorry but I don't have time for that. I also rinsed my live sand... I KNOW!!! In my defense, one of my friends told me to do it. And, YES I would jump off a bridge if... oops, side tracked again. Shiny object shiny object
I rinsed the crap out of my live sand, built my rock formations, added rock, added sand, added 80 gallons of RODI, mixed 50 gal worth of Reef Crystals w/ 30 gal of reg Instant Ocean salt and let sit overnight. In the morning I added a big bottle of Dr. Tims One and Only and 2 capfulls of Prime. Got home at lunch and transferred all fish and coral within 24 hours of setting up tank. I also put my live rock and Marine Pure spheres in the sump. Skimmer off.
5 days later...
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
2.5 nitrate
SG 35 ppt
Temp 78 - 78.8 (gets hotter w/ lights on)
Alk 10.2
Calc 450
Mag 1300
Mag is a bit low and Alk/calc are a bit high. Tank needs to settle a bit more before I initiate kalkwassser
Pics