New tank set up

[BryanM]

Hi all, just wanted to introduce myself.
I'm Ali, I live in Bristol, UK.
Just setting up my first tank (25g) which is currently cycling.
Head full to the brim with info, most of it contradictory but have had some great help from LFS.
Looking forward to chatting with you all.

Welcome!

 

[Psyduck]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[winxp_man]

Greetings and Welcome to our collective obsession!!!!

I second this! Obsession is a nice word for it. Haha. And yes welcome!

 

[CoralB]

Welcome !! :cool:

 

[ReefRookie22]

Hi All, just thought I'd give a 1 month update.
Tank is going well, absolutely loving having it.
Current inhabitants include 2 Ocellaris clowns, a Midas blenny, 3 bumblebee hermits and 3 nassarius snails.
I have been sticking to weekly water changes of about 15% and have only recently turned the lights on throughout the day though I have turned the light to keep the brightness down so no signs of algae/diatoms yet.
I have asked the LFS to get me in a yasha goby and Randall pistol shrimp but it's on hold until I get my head around the practicalities and costs of a qt tank. (Qt the goby & not the shrimp?/qt neither?
I want to run a (temp) qt tank but it's really hard to get the recommended medications in the UK. Adding up the price of a new tank, the meds and the fact that I need to buy salt and you start to realise why this can be a pricey hobby! I've not even entertained adding corals yet (£££)
I bought new shells for the hermits so they wouldn't kill the snails and all have happily moved house now.
Until recently I was feeding twice a day (morning pellets and evening mysis) but I've recently moved to smaller feeds 3 times a day to keep the blenny's batteries fully charged.
I'm really trying to ensure that I am only feeding what is being eaten as I don't want my nutrients to creep up.
I'm still testing with API but plan on switching to Salifert when they run out.
Nitrate has never gone above 10, not testing phosphate yet.
Made a few mistakes but nothing catastrophic.
1) Thought I could combine water change with top up before realising it would increase my salinity.
2) Failed to read the instructions for the heater and partially melted the bracket!
3) Poured water into my tank too quickly and jammed my wave maker with floating sand (starting to regret fine sand slightly).
4) Flooded the kitchen a couple of times when making RO water.
All the inhabitants seem very happy. The clowns and blenny both spend 90% of their time in the bottom right of my tank. None of them are interested in exploring the tunnels in my rocks which is mildly annoying.
I'd love to get the shrimp/goby next. I also love the idea of a mandarin but am aware of the challenges. I'd also love a flameback angel but I that may have to wait for tank 2.0 some day.
I'd like to get. GSP, an anemone and some nice beginner corals in due course but I'm pacing myself.i also bought a brilliant little freshwater surface skimmer which has cleared up the film I was getting on the surface of the water.
I have a tendency to throw myself (time and wallet) into new projects but am pleased with my restraint and discipline so far.
Really enjoying everyone's posts.

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Welcome to Reef2Reef! Jump right in and don't be a stranger! (I missed your first post) and that blenny is gorgeous! Also, the water thing... happens to all of us from time to time. My biggest suggestion is... the bigger the container the longer you have to remember you left the tap on :grinning-face-with-sweat: and the harder it is to move around once you remember haha

 

[ReefRookie22]

Thought I'd post an update to cheer myself up.
Tank is going well. Clowns and Blenny are happy though none will go through the rock tunnels I lovingly selected for them!
The hermits are growing at an alarming rate and I'm getting concerned they may one day go after one of the fish or my toddler.
I recently went away for a couple of days and asked my neighbour to feed the fish. Within 24 hours of me leaving the blenny jumped into the skimmer and had to be retrieved with a spoon!
2 weeks ago I added a yasha goby and a candy pistol shrimp. At first it was all going well. The shrimp dug the burrows and the goby gained confidence over the first 3-4 days. I saw them both a fair bit and loved that she shrimp dug the burrows and I could see him working his way around the tank. Then they both went missing. I didn't see either for 3 days. I could usually hear the pistol snapping every now and then but I haven't heard it for a few days.
The yasha went into hiding and only pokes his head out every 3 days or so. They've gone from being a really characterful addition to my tank to a massive disappointment as I pretty much never seen them and I'm not even sure the pistol shrimp is still alive.
I guess this is the reality of keeping fish. They are not going to behave how you want them to.
I've been keeping my lights very low and so 3 months in I have close to 0 algae. I don't know if that's a good thing as the dry rockwork looks very sterile.
The clowns and blenny mainly occupy the bottom right corner of my tank so the tank looks quite empty.
I'm still really enjoying the tank and even the testing and maintenance is still a novelty. I'm just sad about my shrimp and goby. Maybe they are still getting used to the tank but the pessimist in me says that this is the way it'll be. Just hope the shrimp is still alive.
Anyway here is a shot I managed to get when they were still out and about.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

Welcome to Reef2Reef

 

[Anna K]

Welcome to the community! Love the two updates so far! Tank looks great :D

 

[I never finish anythi]

Welcome. Love the shrimp and goby . Tank looks fantastic. Any more updates?

 

[ReefRookie22]

Hi all,
Another update.
Tank going well.
Fish look very happy and healthy.
Inhabitants are:
2 Ocellaris
1 Midas blenny
1 filamented flasher wrasse
1 Yasha Goby + Candy pistol shrimp.
3 nassarius, 3 Hermits, 1 trochus.
Finally sorted the goby/shrimp drama.
Returned the Carribbean pistol shrimp and got a candy one who paired with my yasha goby straight away. They are now happily inhabiting one of my rock caves.
Rocks starting to grow a bit of algae but looks like calcareous algae. Lights still very low. I'd like to get some soft corals but my lighting is too low and I'm worried if I get a more powerful light then my algae will go crazy as my nutrients are quite high.
Nitrate 20-30
PO4 0.5 .
I only feed twice a day, usually a quarter of a mysis frozen cube and occasionally 5-10 hikari S pellets. I'm only running a filter and surface skimmer but have ordered an internal protein skimmer. Have also added a small bag of nitrate/phosphate removing media but it doesn't seem to be doing much.
Keeping up with 20% water changes every 10 days and weekly testing.
Definitely seeing some jostling at feeding time but no aggression.
Still really enjoying the hobby.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

Awesome! Welcome to reef to reef! Lots of the info is contradicting, however it’s good to make friends with people who have been in the hobby for years. It’s very easy to be bias and follow the simple solutions but the most important advise I can give you is take your time and make slow stable changes when needed!

 

[ReefRookie22]

Well,
Tank definitely more 'alive' now!!
Turned the lights up full. Lots of what appears to be calcareous algae as really hard and can't scrub it off. Patches of purple corraline algae but either my hermits or trochus keeps eating it.
Fish all still happy, yasha goby gaining confidence by the day.
Bought some Babylonia snail shells for my hermits and one has finally moved house.
Ordered some soft corals (GSP, Xenia, discosoma, green cabbage and cloves).
Currently running a nano skimmer to try and reduce nutrients.
Going to buy an additional light (poss tunze eco chic) as even for softies I think my PAR will be too low.
Thinking I might boost my cuc too. My trochus is great so might get more but wondered if there is a snail that eats algae but not corraline algae.
Also considering a canister filter as I'd like to get some of the kit out of the tank.
Still having loads of fun with it. Fish happy so I'm happy.

 

[Freenow54]

Kit? As to light check again I am not sure what you mean by softies but my LPS need low Par, and low flow, like 150 Par max. I have a canister filter on all my Aquariums want to know what you mean by Kit.

 

[ReefRookie22]

Kit? As to light check again I am not sure what you mean by softies but my LPS need low Par, and low flow, like 150 Par max. I have a canister filter on all my Aquariums want to know what you mean by Kit.

Currently have an in tank filter with biomedia, some carbon and NO3/PO4 media, surface skimmer, heater and protein skimmer. Just looks very busy.
The light I have is a 16w LED cylinder bulb. I'd guess it would kick out max 100PAR. The corals I got are all soft corals so may not need much more than that.