First up: Thanks for reading this. It's a lot. I'm super excited get back into this, and this community (lurking here!) has been great!
Hey all, I’m back in the hobby again. I've been lurking here for a little while and soaking it all in. Quite a bit has changed since my previous setup and I want to kinda get on paper(ish) what my plan of attack is, and open it up to feedback and suggestions. Almost none of this is set in stone, so please do poke me where you see a blatantly stupid approach to something.
Goal
The goal is for a LPS and Fish. I'm leaving the door open for SPS (you'll see where). Also the plan is to go modified Triton method.
Phases
I see this split into the following high-level phases
The goal here is to get the tank running in the garage and mitigate any "omg where is the water coming from" issues before I bring it inside.
Phase 1 Steps
Phase 2 - Live Rock
Once I have a tank tested and running for a week or so in my garage, I can move into getting something living in here.
Phase 2 Steps:
Phase 2 Equipment:
Phase 3 - Fish
Now that the tank is cycled, it's time to get some livestock in there. Utility fish are the first goal.
Phase 3 Steps:
It's been a FOWLR journey so far, but at the start of this phase, I've been able to keep the fish alive, I see Coraline start to spread, I'm kosher with my ICP process and my lights are on. No weird algae growth is happening.
Note: This phase is so far away, I need to do some research.. tentatively.....
If you've made it this far, thanks much! This is part of me documenting the process (planning!) and part of it is...I don't know things that I don't know. So again, thanks for reading and responding!
Hey all, I’m back in the hobby again. I've been lurking here for a little while and soaking it all in. Quite a bit has changed since my previous setup and I want to kinda get on paper(ish) what my plan of attack is, and open it up to feedback and suggestions. Almost none of this is set in stone, so please do poke me where you see a blatantly stupid approach to something.
Goal
The goal is for a LPS and Fish. I'm leaving the door open for SPS (you'll see where). Also the plan is to go modified Triton method.
Phases
I see this split into the following high-level phases
- Tank, Stand, Plumbing
- Live Rock
- Fish
- Corals
The goal here is to get the tank running in the garage and mitigate any "omg where is the water coming from" issues before I bring it inside.
Phase 1 Steps
- Buy the Tank - 90 gallon Planet Aquarium with a Center Column Overflow (done!)
- Build the Stand (almost done!)
- Plumb the tank. Have two 1" bulkheads and one 3/4" bulkhead. Will be going Herbie style for this, mostly because quiet and don't want a flood if things die.
- Create a cover for the overflow to keep critters out of there.
- Check for Leaks!
- Build the Sump
- Will be using a 29 gallon Aqueon
- Installing a Fuji Cube Kit
- The plan is to split into three chambers (going Triton). It comes with Socks holders, but that's not necessary. I'll hang onto them, but won't install them.
- Chamber 1 is the refugium. (At 13" in length, it'll hold about 9.8 gallons which meets Triton's 10% guideline.)
- Chamber 2 is the Skimmer
- Chamber 3/4 is the bubble trap and the return.
- The plan is to split into three chambers (going Triton). It comes with Socks holders, but that's not necessary. I'll hang onto them, but won't install them.
- Test Failure scenarios - In case of "XYZ", do I keep water off the floor. Here's what I plan to test
- Return pump power dies
- Main overflow gets clogged (I'll shut the gate valve)
- Main and emergency get clogged (snail-pocalypse?). The hopes is that the Sump doesn't have enough volume in the return section to flood the DT.
- Display Tank - 90 gallon Planet Aquarium
- Sump - 29 gallon Aqueon
- Stand - Custom Built
- Fuji Baffle Kit
- Return Pump - Cor 20 (I don't think I'll get the full 10x DT per hour return rate on this, but I have another mitigation technique I want to try)
- 2 x Grounding Probe (sump and DT)
- Plumbing
- 1" Gate Valve
- 2 x 1" Bulkhead
- 1 x 3/4" Bulkhead
- 1 x 1" Bulkhead Strainer
- Misc PVC for connecting the magics
Phase 2 - Live Rock
Once I have a tank tested and running for a week or so in my garage, I can move into getting something living in here.
Phase 2 Steps:
- Install Apex Controller
- Install Skimmer - This skimmer may be a little light on paper, noting it's 65g for heavy load and 110g for medium load. I figured with a larger fuge, this should be ok. I've left myself some space to either increase the size if I had to, or to add an external behind the sump if absolutely necessary. Is this common?
- Install the Heaters - Then plan is to go with dual heaters in case one dies or flips out.
- Install the Sump light
- Setup Leak Detection Kits
- Throw down the rock and sand
- Setup RODI Kit
- Not sure if I need 4 or 5 stage here. Here's a link to the City's water quality report: https://www.mckinneytexas.org/DocumentCenter/View/127/Water-Quality-Report-2020?bidId= and it does say that Chloramines averaged 2.8 but went up to 4.0...I don't know what "too high is". Do I need 5?
- Cycle the tank - I plan on going with a fishless cycle here. I know this may take a little longer, but it's ok.
- I've heard mixed reviews on running the skimmer during the cycle, but I'm thinking it'll help pull other junk out? Is this a good idea?
- Add Chaeto while I cycle. The goal is not to go through the ugly brown phase in the DT. Is this too early?
- Once the tank is fully cycled, I'll add in the QT's Foam Filter to the Sump so it can start getting populated with the good bacteria.
Phase 2 Equipment:
- Live Rock (110 lb) - A little of this is going to end up in the sump.
- Live Sand (100 lbs) - Goal is a 1" Sand Bed, not a DSB. Is this too much?
- Controller - Apex EL
- Skimmer - Reef Octopus - Classic 150-S
- Light - AI Prime Fuge
- Macro Algae - Clean Chaeto
- RODI - 75 gpd 4 Stage
Phase 3 - Fish
Now that the tank is cycled, it's time to get some livestock in there. Utility fish are the first goal.
Phase 3 Steps:
- Setup the QT - Every fish gets a trip down QT lane. How can you appreciate the amazing DT if you don't start at rock(less) bottom?
- The first fish to go in here is a pair of clowns. 30 days in the QA for the win.
- After some time, probably a yellow tang.
- TBD livestock after this
- Add the Clowns to the QT.
- Wait 30 days.
- Install the Powerheads
- I know I don't need crazy flow right now, but if/when I go into SPS, I can probably invest more in these.
- Add the Clowns to the DT.
- I can add in the Cleaner Crew, now. There's a reliable food source to feed them. Any earlier and I think they'd starve.
- Still deciding on the right mix. I've seen some "Kits" out there, but haven't looked too deeply into it. Honestly, those seem like a LOT of things to add at once. Personally, I'm not 100% sure I''m going to need a big crew, considering the larger fuge to control algae. Maybe just 5-10 crabs for uneaten food? Still more research needed!
- After a month or so, this is probably a good time for a checkpoint:
- Send off for an ICP
- I'll probably want to do a water change here. I should have Coraline growing across the rocks and that's going to deplete Ca/Ak. I'm not actively dosing yet, since I'm not growing anything meaningful. Maybe I should be doing some quick tests and dosing just Ca/Ak?
- If there's anything I need to pivot, this is the time to do it.
- Once all is well, time to turn on the lights.
- Quarantine Tank
- 10 Gallon Aqueon
- PVC for hiding
- Air Pump and Stone
- Cupramine
- Bacto-Surge Foam Filter
- Ammonia Alert
- JAGER Heater
- DT Lighting - 3 x AI Prime 16
- ICP Kit
- Powerheads - TBD :-/
- 2 x Clownfish
- Yellow Tang
- TBD beyond
- Cleaner Crew
It's been a FOWLR journey so far, but at the start of this phase, I've been able to keep the fish alive, I see Coraline start to spread, I'm kosher with my ICP process and my lights are on. No weird algae growth is happening.
Note: This phase is so far away, I need to do some research.. tentatively.....
- Send off for an ICP. Things might need a tweak or two here. Could be a water change. Who knows?
- Setup the dosing mechanism.
- Setup a Coral QT tank. Is this really necessary? Is a series of Dips ok instead? Needs more digging, I think...
- Pick some coral, dip it, QT and add it.
If you've made it this far, thanks much! This is part of me documenting the process (planning!) and part of it is...I don't know things that I don't know. So again, thanks for reading and responding!