My past and present super cheap reef builds!

[the_reef_keeper]

Hi everyone I've been reefing for 3 years and have some pictures to share of my super cheap reef builds since I'm only 14.
Some of you think kids can't own tanks and aren't responsible but this thread is here to prove you wrong. No one in my family has ever owned a reef so I did this all by my self I've never lost a fish in my three years of reefing. Even though I use really cheap equipment I research everything before I buy it.
So after about 200 hours of reef YouTube and another 500 on reefing websites and forums I bought my first reef tank that was a KollerKraft 2.5 gallon tank with a hang on back filter and Led light I cycled the tank. I had an anemone 2 clownfish 1 YWG some tiny goniopora and a red Lobo
I did water changes every other day because the tank was pretty overstocked and fed the anemone 1 piece of table shrimp a week.
After about 3 months I got tired of the water changes every other day so i returned all the livestock and got some LR and started my zoa garden. I uploaded a file of early on in the garden but unfortunately I didn't keep to good of a record so I don't have too many pictures of back then

After i moved I started up a new 33 Gallon tank this February. I started with cheap equipment but I am slowly upgrading everything.

Lights- super cheap Chinese LED that actually worked suprisingly well. I upgraded to a full spectrum led box light that arrives in a week
Skimmer- bubble mangus hang on back skimmer
Rock- 30 pounds of dry rock from reef cleaners
Sand- 40 pounds Carib sea live sand
A sponge filter for extra bacteria and for quarentine when needed (unless meds used but so far not needed)
Heater- 20 bucks from amazon I'm replacing it every year incase of heater malfunctions
Thermometer-2 dollars off amazon
Water flow- some cheap one upgrading to jebao soon
Corals-torch,candy cane, goni, orange mushroom, radioactive dragon eyes, neon maze brain, Kenya tree, toadstool, Duncan probally forgetting some.
Fish- 2 clowns 3 chromis one is getting bullied so he's in the acclimation net right now.

I'll figure out how to add the pics in order and I included a picture of my guinea pig that looks like Donald trump because he sat on my lap for most of my research and ate cucumbers and he deserves a shout out for that
thanks for reading!

They tanks aren't perfect but I love them

P.s stay tuned for the 10 g display refugium/blueline pipefish/softy/gorgonian/goby tank build

SNEAKPEAK TO THE PIPEFISH BUILD:

 

[Caseyoidae]

Awesome build, I like the light color

 

[sa6hir]

Well done [emoji1360]. Keep up the good work and hopefully one day you will be able to buy your very own dream tank... [emoji6]

 

[the_reef_keeper]

@Caseyoidae thanks lol it's just 50 blue 50 white and natural sunlight

 

[5altkreep]

I'd like this twice if I could! You are off to a great start in this hobby. Kudos to you for doing the research. Following along and looking forward to your updates!

 

[the_reef_keeper]

@5altkreep
Thank you so much! I'm going to get the blueline pipefish thread up and running in the next couple months. (Still buying equipment.)
Also, stay tuned for some threads on breeding tisbe pods and amphipods

 

[TylerMoralez]

Very good start! Following along

 

[Scrappy RN]

Great job! People underestimate kids all the time. My teens have done all kinds of things most don't even attempt because they aren't supposed to "be able to." Keep up the great work and I'll follow along!

 

[tdileo]

I don't think anybody would say a kid can't do it but fincancially its a struggle. I'm 15 and nobody will hire me even though I'm a hard worker, every place around me only wants 18+ which really sucks. So I end up getting some work with my dad and all the money goes towards my animals. I have a 46 gallon mixed reef with mostly SPS and 2 flower anemones, only 1 fish though haha

 

[the_reef_keeper]

No kessil lights here lol
@tdileo

 

[tdileo]

No kessil lights here lol
@tdileo

Don't spend money on those lights, they're sooo overpriced IMO. Get a set of Chinese LEDs. I bought my GalaxyHydro 55x3 for $80 off Amazon and it grows everything I've put under it. It actually bleached my montipora at first so I had to turn the lights down. It's only running at 50% power right now, I'm sure 100% would be insane. My tank is 36"W, 14"D and 18"H. I only have one fixture over it, but the ends are a bit dim so I should probably get another one. But I just put a GSP island in the darker corner and its growing maybe 1" a week.

 

[the_reef_keeper]

Yeah I just bought some Chinese black box leds for my tank.
@tdileo

 

[the_reef_keeper]

Update on the tank. Gots some black box LEDs. The lights went on an hour ago so the coral hasn't opened up all the way yet. Next big purchase will be a new wavemaker.
Happy reefing!