Hi all,
I'm an Aussi from Cairns living in Sweden. I had a reef tank when I was a kid, but that was 20 years ago. I figure its time to dive back into the hobby since I'm beginning to miss the warm tropical reefs, especially being that I'm locked down in cold Sweden.
I recently quit my job and I'm now self-employed, which gives me plenty of time and freedom to get into reefing. I'm keen to get into it, but I have very little knowledge on the topic, so I'm likely about to make many noob mistakes along the way. I thought the best way to learn from others would be a build thread here on R2R. I'm hoping that this healthy reef keeping community may save me from walking into obvious mistakes, and give me suggestions as I blindly stumble through the early stages of learning this complex and exciting hobby. Attached below are my aspirations and some of my initial plans, all be it just ideas for now. Please push me in any direction that may save me and my tank from errors or potential catastrophe along the way.
Overall goal: To eventually arrive at a happy and healthy SPS dominant tank. I enjoy high-tech gear and automation, part of the fun will hopefully be the systems and equipment.
Stretch goals: I think "floating reefs" look absolutely awesome. I'd also love to be able to keep a sand-dwelling anemone and clowns if possible, although I guess these can harm the SPS?
Long term goals: To be able to use some of the nice gear and lessons from this tank to start a new, larger tank in the future.
Set-up: Note that the red text is an item that is just a guess for now. I have not yet purchased these items so they can be changed if need be.
I'm looking forward to any advice, as this hobby can be pretty daunting when you first get started. I'm happy to make baby steps and I am in no rush. Buying the gear slowly over time is totally okay, and moving slowly from easy corals and fish, step by step towards the more difficult ones is fine by me. I'm also expecting some mistakes or crashes along the way. Hopefully together we can keep them to a minimum.
Thanks for any advice and looking forward to making some new friends, both living in my tank, and on the R2R forums too!
The tank in warehouse storage. Waiting to find its new home in my office.
Rough draft of the sump. I'll likely swap the Kessil for a pair of Tunze EcoChic 8831.
I'm an Aussi from Cairns living in Sweden. I had a reef tank when I was a kid, but that was 20 years ago. I figure its time to dive back into the hobby since I'm beginning to miss the warm tropical reefs, especially being that I'm locked down in cold Sweden.
I recently quit my job and I'm now self-employed, which gives me plenty of time and freedom to get into reefing. I'm keen to get into it, but I have very little knowledge on the topic, so I'm likely about to make many noob mistakes along the way. I thought the best way to learn from others would be a build thread here on R2R. I'm hoping that this healthy reef keeping community may save me from walking into obvious mistakes, and give me suggestions as I blindly stumble through the early stages of learning this complex and exciting hobby. Attached below are my aspirations and some of my initial plans, all be it just ideas for now. Please push me in any direction that may save me and my tank from errors or potential catastrophe along the way.
Overall goal: To eventually arrive at a happy and healthy SPS dominant tank. I enjoy high-tech gear and automation, part of the fun will hopefully be the systems and equipment.
Stretch goals: I think "floating reefs" look absolutely awesome. I'd also love to be able to keep a sand-dwelling anemone and clowns if possible, although I guess these can harm the SPS?
Long term goals: To be able to use some of the nice gear and lessons from this tank to start a new, larger tank in the future.
Set-up: Note that the red text is an item that is just a guess for now. I have not yet purchased these items so they can be changed if need be.
- Tank: Nuvo INT 50 (fifty gallon Cube)
- DIMS: 60 x 60 x 50(h) cm (23.6” x 23.6” x 19.7(h)”)
- Stand: Nuvo INT 50 with a custom made door and (if possible) a sliding floor for easy access to clean the sump.
- Lighting (Display): Two 2x24W T5 (4 total T5 bulbs) plus a Kessil A360X
- Lighting (Sump): Kessil h160 Tuna Flora
- Return Pump: Sicce Syncra 3.0 (maybe this is overpowered, I'm not sure if I should get the 2.5 or the 3.0)
- Sump: 44cm x 52cm custom made plexiglass with light-sealed refugium (see draft blueprints below)
- Sump Reactor: Space for a Nyos TORQ Dock + Body 1.0 (I wanted to save the space to add this latter - only if necessary)
- Skimmer: Nyos Quantum 120
- Electrical automation: Unknown
- Water chemistry testing method/system: Unknown
- Calcium/alkalinity/magnesium dosing equipment: Unknown
- Auto top-off: Unknown
- Heating/cooling: Unknown
- 3x - 1” Pre-drilled “BeanAnimal” Internal Overflow [Primary Drain, Emergency Drain and Secondary E-Drain]
- 1x – ¾” Pre-drilled Return Hole
- Laser Cut Black Acrylic Weir w/ Slot Cut Rear Glass Panel
I'm looking forward to any advice, as this hobby can be pretty daunting when you first get started. I'm happy to make baby steps and I am in no rush. Buying the gear slowly over time is totally okay, and moving slowly from easy corals and fish, step by step towards the more difficult ones is fine by me. I'm also expecting some mistakes or crashes along the way. Hopefully together we can keep them to a minimum.
Thanks for any advice and looking forward to making some new friends, both living in my tank, and on the R2R forums too!
The tank in warehouse storage. Waiting to find its new home in my office.
Rough draft of the sump. I'll likely swap the Kessil for a pair of Tunze EcoChic 8831.
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