20250828_190935.jpg

Nóatún

5 gallon budget friendly and upgradeable.
Introduction
Hello, my name is Erik Johnson. I always wanted to get a saltwater tank and always believe it was out of reach space and budget wise until recently looking into it and found resources to what I have been missing out on knowledge wise. So as of 07AUG2025 I started my first tank.
5 gallon budget friendly and upgradeable.

Aquarium Profile and Equipment

What type of saltwater aquarium is this?
Mixed Reef
Total Water Volume
5
When did you start this tank?
Aug 7, 2025
What is your aquarium made of?
Glass
Aquarium Length (inches)
16
Aquarium Width (inches)
8.5
Aquarium Height (inches)
11.2
Aquarium Overflow/Drain
All In One Tank
Aquarium Sump
NO Sump
Aquarium Stand
Night stand
Aquarium Controller
NO
Protein Skimmer
NO
Aquarium Reactors
  1. None
What types of equipment are you using for water flow and circulation?
  1. Wavemaker
Water Flow and Circulation Equipment List
Hygger hg-951
Built in filter with 55gph pump
Pawly-2202 filter
Aquarium Lighting
  1. LED
Lighting Equipment List
Upgraded stock light to
Fluval marine nano 4.0
Lighting PAR and Goals
Near 400 on the upper level of rocks dropping off to high 200 range on the sand bed.
Auto Top Off or ATO
NO
Aquarium Heating and Cooling
  1. I am using a heater or heaters
Water Temperature
78

Aquarium Water Chemistry and Parameters

pH Level
8.3
Specific Gravity
1.026
Alkalinity
9dKH
Salt Brand
Nyos pure

Aquarium Natural and Mechanical Filtration

Substrate
Other
Substrate Level
Other
Live Rock
6
Live Rock Type
5 lbs carib seas south seas dry rock
1 lbs of wet live rock from fish store
5 lbs hawaiian black
Nutrient Export
  1. Macro Algae
  2. Carbon
Water Changes
YES
Water Change Details
.5 gallon twice a week until I know more of what the tank does when I do things.

Aquarium Tank Inhabitants (fish, coral, invert etc.)

Fish List
  1. Goby
Total Fish
1 yellow clown goby
Coral List
  1. SPS Coral
  2. LPS Coral
  3. Soft Coral
Total Corals
3
Invert List
  1. Crabs
  2. Snails
Total Inverts
9
Livestock Detail
2 nerite
1 trochus
2 nessarius
2 emeralds
2 blue legs

Corals:
Blue light torch
Green tip orange birdsnest
Toadstool leather
Livestock Quarantine
  1. No Quarantine
Favorite Coral
Birdsnest
Favorite Invert
Emerald

Aquarium Nutrition (fish, coral, invert etc. feeding)

Fish Feeding Frequency
One Daily Feeding
Coral Feeding Frequency
A Few Times Weekly
Fish and Coral Feeding
  1. Pellet
  2. Frozen
  3. Other
What brands of foods are you feeding?
Emerald entree
Coral max
Omega one marine pellets
Auto Feeder
NO
Following along! What else are you wanting to put in your tank?
 
Following along! What else are you wanting to put in your tank?
Don't know actually, I'm content to see how this goes right now give it time to actually settle out and mature. It is keeping stable as I check multiple times a week. I think right know I just want to let it breathe and grow and see where I decide to go. Take in any advice and just see what this l does for me. After I give it time and im ready to add I might ask for advice what to throw in and research what I want to do with it after.
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

ARE YOU READY TO CONFESS TO CRAZIEST, DUMBEST, FUNNIEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE IN REEFING?

  • Yeah, I'll confess! (Share your story in the comments!)

    Votes: 34 54.0%
  • Nah, I'll keep mine a secret...(Don't be like that, share with the class!)

    Votes: 29 46.0%
Back
Top
Home
Post thread…
Market
What's new