My transition from lifelong fresh water to reefing

What do you wish you understood more of before implementing it in your reef tank ?

  • Lighting

  • Coral particulars, types, placement and requirements

  • Husbandry related

  • Water Chemistry


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Brad Miller

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Just to get this thread started...
Background;
I'm 56 years old now, all 3 kids are gone and I can finally afford to step out and go saltwater.
I had a running 55 gallon freshwater and decided to convert it. (Have been freshwater all my life)
Since finding Reef2Reef at the beginning of this year and spending countless hours, pouring over everyone's success and failures they share constantly, I finally felt I was ready and since then, this journey has been very rewarding.
When I started this, I wasn't aware of a "build thread" so....here's a pic of my existing system, and I will share my journey the best I can in hopes that others may see something here that may be of use to them.

Tank set up and started cycling on 5/1/2018

TANK;
Standard 55 gallon with black plastic rim and center cross piece
Rock - about 70 lbs of LifeRock shapes (arches and tunnels)
Sand bed - 40 lbs of Carib Sea, Aga-Alive special grade reef sand, 1 bag of regular sand color and 1 bag of Indo pacific black
Refugium - Standard 10 gallon tank. I drilled the side and installed baffles myself.
Plumbed up off the discharge of the DT return Pump and throttle flow to refugium with gravity out the side, back to return Pump sump compartment

Overflow - Eshopps PF300
Sump - Eshopps 3rd generation RS-75 (limited under tank space)
Skimmer - Octo Classic CLSC-110SS 5" compact with AQ1000s pump
Controller - APEX Classic with EB8, Temp and Lab grade PH probe
ATO Tank -
ATO - Neptune ATK with OS-1-M Optical level sensors and magnetic mount
Sump high water sensor - Neptune OS-1 Opticl Sensor tied in to Apex
Return Pump - Danner Supreme Aqua Mag Model 7
Lighting - was a Current orbit IC LED LOOP System, but just installed my 48" Hamilton T5 HO 4X54 hood with 2-10k and 2-460 nm bulbs

Cooling fan - small 8" personal clip on type, plugged into Apex (programmed as "chiller" and positioned over the sump) (on @ 79 & off at 78.5) house is about 70 all year round so really don't need it, but with the t5 HO lighting now, we will see)

Powerheads in tank - 2-Current Eflux Waves, Model 6005 (was part of my Current Orbit IC LED Loop System and am still using these)

Heater - Hydor 300 watt, in sump center compartment with skimmer.
Controlled by Apex for maximum stability, (on @ 78.1 / off @ 78.3)

Temp probe in sump compartment inside the filter sock...(before heater)
PH probe in sump with return pump

RODI - BRS 7 Stage unit

REFUGIUM; (just finished installing about 2 weeks ago)
Standard 10 gallon tank.
I drilled the side and installed baffles myself (3rd tank, cracked the first 2)
Plumbed refugium fill off the discharge of the DT return Pump and throttle flow to refugium to spray bar, gravity out the side, back to return Pump sump compartment

20 lbs Carib Sea, Aga-Alive special grade reef sand
Chaeto
Red Macro
2 - mangroves
1 - Cheap, plant grow LED, flexible clip on light on reverse light cycle timer

CORAL;
Florida Orange Ricordea
Super man Rodactis
Purple Star Polyps
Devils Armor Zoa
Bob Murphy Zoa
Nuclear Halos Zoa
Bam Bam Zoa
Red Purple People Eater Palythoas
Green Bay Pcker Zoa
Clementine Zoa
Couple Aussie Lords
Green Tipped Torch
Julian's Golden Gorgonian
Purple Feather Gorgonia
Red Finger Octocoral
Purple Sea Plume
Md Corky Sea Finger
Purple Sea Rod
Purple Angular Whip
Pom Pom Xenia
Jason Fox Burning Bananna Stylo
Ultra Monipora
UC 3D Echinophyllia
Ultra Acropora
Neon Chesterfield
Red Run Cyphastrea
Burg andy Blastos
Blue Tipped Digi
Birds Nest
Orange Digi
Orange Eye Favia
Colorful Favia

FISH;
2 - Misbar Ocellaris (Amphiprion)
1 - Royal Gramma Basslet
1 - Cleaner Shrimp
1 - Caribbean Pistol Shrimp (boy, does he keep my sand stirred up)
1 - Yellow Watchman Goby (Gaurds my pistol shrimp like its his only calling)
1 - Green Mandarin

CLEAN UP CREW;
Ordered from Reefcleaners.org
Mix of snails and hermits also got 2 Chitons ( one died shortly after I got him and I cant find the other)
 
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Brad Miller

Brad Miller

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MY CURRENT FEEDING OF FISH AND CORAL;
1 cube of each, rinsed off before putting in tank.
I turn return Pump off using Apex feeding timing, put strained and rinsed food in and then turn powerheads off and on as needed to let settle on coral.

Sporadic additions of "Ref Chili" for target and broadcast feeding of coral
Occasional home hatched baby brine shrimp as a treat





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I make these cubes, so it is easier for my wife to feed my salt water family and friends easily

 
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Hermie

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Hi Brad, great looking setup. I have a siphon over also, do you ever worry about it getting clogged? I haven't ever worried about losing suction(or air bubbles), but if something gets stuck in it... like a fish or coral, so I added another, but when there are multiple siphon tubes not operating at max capacity, then they can develop air bubbles... so it's a conundrum I haven't figured out yet.
 
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Brad Miller

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Hi Brad, great looking setup. I have a siphon over also, do you ever worry about it getting clogged? I haven't ever worried about losing suction(or air bubbles), but if something gets stuck in it... like a fish or coral, so I added another, but when there are multiple siphon tubes not operating at max capacity, then they can develop air bubbles... so it's a conundrum I haven't figured out yet.

I put "gutter guard" mesh around the inside of the overflow inlet and do so much in and around my aquarium and keep all that clean, so I don't have to worry about that. I read so many things about the negative things on the topic of external overflows, but if done properly, I don't have any issues with them at all.

Yes, adding another overflow would be a backup if one clogged but the flow through the tubes would be half of what it was with one tube and air would coagulate and eventually break the siphon.

When I added my refugium and teed off the return Pump, I do see air start to gather in the siphon if I throttle more flow to the refugium, so I adjust flow to the refugium just so the siphoned tube flow is still good.
 
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Brad Miller

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I live in a small township that supply's me with about 430 TDS water.
The Aquatic Life 100 gpd 4 stage ro/di that I was using just couldn't give me 0 TDI and uses too many membranes.

I finally broke down and bought the BRS 7 stage unit and just hung it on the wall tonight...can't wait to get this thing in operation !!
 
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IMG_0859.JPG IMG_0861.JPG Bought an unfinished kitchen cabinet, painted it black and mounted it above the aquarium light hood.
Used painted pvc pipe for wire drop conduit.
Mounted my Apex classic, energy bar and FNM module on the left side, fed by a 15 amp breaker.
All lighting is on the right fed by 10 breaker, with individual digital timers for the blue light and cooling fans, white lights and refugium lights.
All receptacles are din rail mounted so I still keep the plug ends and can readily remove or service that piece of equipment.
 
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Brad Miller

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So...my 1st attempt to culture my own Nano Phyto lasted until the 2nd split.
I was using vinegar to sterilize everything, trying to be super picky about it, but I think the way I was doing it is to blame for the crash.
I ordered a few items and am now using the same jars to culture in, but am trying to mimick the "PhytoTank" using leds wrapped around the glass, and will also be using bags in the jar, then throwing them away.
I am counting on the led lights to heat the culture too, but may have too many. I will be testing this new culture set up using water only, when I get a couple more things.
IMG_0887.JPG IMG_0888.JPG IMG_0889.JPG IMG_0890.JPG IMG_0891.JPG IMG_0892.JPG IMG_0894.JPG
 
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Brad Miller

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Trial and error...I LOVE IT !
Testing with just water overnight, revealed the leds giving off too much heat, water temp was at 94*f.
I removed 1 full wrap of the led strip and am testing agin...I'll get it right, just a matter of time.
EDIT: 2_9_2019
9:00 am, water temp 90*, taking off 1-1/2 wraps now and will test again.
 
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Hocken

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Very Nice! I love the cabinet over the tank for the electronics. I had a continuous phyto culture for years. I used 3 2 liter bottles upside down with air stones in the bottom. A couple of medical feed pumps pulled from 1 to the next and into my fuge. I rotated them weekly. My pods were crazy! Good luck with the culture. I remember it took me a few tries to keep it going when I used it.
 
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For my “fish room”, I took a practically unused room near my main tank downstairs and started from scratch, installing base and upper cabinets.
For a countertop, I decided to use a stone chip coat paint system called Daich, Spreadstone, Mineral Select, Sundance color. It’s a countertop re finishing kit made for existing old laminated installs, but is also for new installs using MDF, plywood, concrete, etc....
I cut and installed MDF board for my countertop, L shaped, 11’ X 8’
Applied base coat, stone coat, then clear top coat.
Must say, I am very impressed at the ease of the application and final job.
To top off the cabinets, I ordered 30 knobs from Hobby Lobby, with as many different ones as I could get, so each knob is an Ocean, fish or marine theme.
Just now finishing up and starting to use it.
It was nice to cut some rock with my new Gryphon band saw on it tonight !
308580CA-4E32-4D9A-83A9-7E3DBC8F2804.jpeg 83F81694-081C-45FE-934E-718CDA542953.jpeg D2668A5F-800F-46D0-A357-58FA509F4A80.jpeg DE471475-4FCA-4972-B445-DE44A86B53B1.jpeg 62DFD7E3-3EE4-4751-BC03-9B1C88A9EE27.jpeg 6D0BCE4E-6598-4703-8AE5-6B08426F0A85.jpeg
 

Salty Lemon

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For my “fish room”, I took a practically unused room near my main tank downstairs and started from scratch, installing base and upper cabinets.
For a countertop, I decided to use a stone chip coat paint system called Daich, Spreadstone, Mineral Select, Sundance color. It’s a countertop re finishing kit made for existing old laminated installs, but is also for new installs using MDF, plywood, concrete, etc....
I cut and installed MDF board for my countertop, L shaped, 11’ X 8’
Applied base coat, stone coat, then clear top coat.
Must say, I am very impressed at the ease of the application and final job.
To top off the cabinets, I ordered 30 knobs from Hobby Lobby, with as many different ones as I could get, so each knob is an Ocean, fish or marine theme.
Just now finishing up and starting to use it.
It was nice to cut some rock with my new Gryphon band saw on it tonight !
308580CA-4E32-4D9A-83A9-7E3DBC8F2804.jpeg 83F81694-081C-45FE-934E-718CDA542953.jpeg D2668A5F-800F-46D0-A357-58FA509F4A80.jpeg DE471475-4FCA-4972-B445-DE44A86B53B1.jpeg 62DFD7E3-3EE4-4751-BC03-9B1C88A9EE27.jpeg 6D0BCE4E-6598-4703-8AE5-6B08426F0A85.jpeg
Wow! Very nice. ;Jawdrop
 

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

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 73 37.6%
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    Votes: 66 34.0%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 12.9%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

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  • Other.

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