Petco 29 Gallon build

[Auflyfish]

Bought a 29 gallon as part of the dollar per gallon sale they always do. I have been wanting to do another reef tank for years(Had one several years ago then life happened and I took a break) it’s been a while so I am open for ideas and advice for sure! My wife agreed to this because I was wanting to do like a 55 gallon or larger build but she wanted to “ease” into the hobby I was like yeah we can do that because eventually it will become a drag tank or good quarantine. I spent time doing research and slowly started accumulating things and in the past few months this is what I have.
29 gallon Auqueon tank
Fluval 207 canister filter trashed their media and went with corse, medium, and Fine sponge then 270g of marine pure gems for bio filtration.
I had a 30 inch fluval marine 25k light bar I figured for this tank I’d use it when I do the big build all new lighting.
Hydor K evo 600gph
Hydor K Nano 425gph
Eheim jager 100w
Innovative marine self leveling mat since the tank is on an antique very sturdy dresser. What’s in the tank is:
30lbs live rock from TampaBay Saltwater (Thanks Richard!)
30lbs caribsea argalive reef grade sand
Red Sea Coral pro salt mix
6 mixed hermits
8 mixed snails
Coral banded shrimp
Mis bar black clown juvenile
Spotted Mandarin
Superman mushroom
7 headed torch
Pulsing Xenia
Green Star Polyps
Some sponges that came with rock that stuck it out and some brown Stoney corals that I can’t seem to figure out please comment if you know what they are!
I’ll keep updating as things change!

Update: I picked up a good sized Chalice for $30 it looks great under the blue lights haven’t decided on final placement but I kinda like where it is currently. Thoughts on placement?
Also I added a close up of my two residents

 

[Auflyfish]

And a Pin Cushion Urchin lol how could I forget

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Bought a 29 gallon as part of the dollar per gallon sale they always do. I have been wanting to do another reef tank for years(Had one several years ago then life happened and I took a break) it’s been a while so I am open for ideas and advice for sure! My wife agreed to this because I was wanting to do like a 55 gallon or larger build but she wanted to “ease” into the hobby I was like yeah we can do that because eventually it will become a drag tank or good quarantine. I spent time doing research and slowly started accumulating things and in the past few months this is what I have.
29 gallon Auqueon tank
Fluval 207 canister filter trashed their media and went with corse, medium, and Fine sponge then 270g of marine pure gems for bio filtration.
I had a 30 inch fluval marine 25k light bar I figured for this tank I’d use it when I do the big build all new lighting.
Hydor K evo 600gph
Hydor K Nano 425gph
Eheim jager 100w
Innovative marine self leveling mat since the tank is on an antique very sturdy dresser. What’s in the tank is:
30lbs live rock from TampaBay Saltwater (Thanks Richard!)
30lbs caribsea argalive reef grade sand
Red Sea Coral pro salt mix
6 mixed hermits
8 mixed snails
Coral banded shrimp
Mis bar black clown juvenile
Spotted Mandarin
Superman mushroom
7 headed torch
Pulsing Xenia
Green Star Polyps
Some sponges that came with rock that stuck it out and some brown Stoney corals that I can’t seem to figure out please comment if you know what they are!
I’ll keep updating as things change!

Got a pic of those stoney corals? I may be able to help.

 

[Auflyfish]

Here is a better picture of one of the brown looking corals I can’t identify it came with the LR

 

[Acros]

Looking good. I have the same tank. I need to start a build thread.

 

[Auflyfish]

The polyps are extended and it seems happy it came with one dead branch on it

 

[Auflyfish]

Looking good. I have the same tank. I need to start a build thread.

Thank you! It’s been fun! My wife is about ready to kill me because I don’t think she had a full idea of how much these things can add up to monetarily lol. She’s hooked now though

 

[Acros]

I totally agree. I have already spent north for $1200 in the last 3 months ($600 of that is on livestock).

 

[Auflyfish]

Got a pic of those stoney corals? I may be able to help.

Absolutely I just added one right before I saw your reply! Thanks for your help

 

[Auflyfish]

I totally agree. I have already spent north for $1200 in the last 3 months ($600 of that is on livestock).

I’d say you and I are about the same then. We are saving for a Red Sea Reefer XL like the 70 gal currently we will end up pulling stuff out of this one for that eventually and this one will become a good hold over is the plan

 

[Auflyfish]

I totally agree. I have already spent north for $1200 in the last 3 months ($600 of that is on livestock).

Let me know when you start a thread I’d love to see what you’ve done with yours

 

[Acros]

I’d say you and I are about the same then. We are saving for a Red Sea Reefer XL like the 70 gal currently we will end up pulling stuff out of this one for that eventually and this one will become a good hold over is the plan

The upgrades never stop. Haha.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

It almost looks like a clubtip finger coral or a thin finger coral. Google those 2 and compare. I am on my phone, so hard to tell from the pic.

 

[Auflyfish]

It almost looks like a clubtip finger coral or a thin finger coral. Google those 2 and compare. I am on my phone, so hard to tell from the pic.

Thank you I will! They look neat I just wanted to make sure I was caring for them appropriately.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Thank you I will! They look neat I just wanted to make sure I was caring for them appropriately.

If it is one of those 2, they are pretty hardy and need stability more than anything. Make sure the 3 basics stay in line (calcium, alkalinity and mag) and they have some nutrients to consume. When diving all over Florida, I have seen them in 10’ of water all the way down to 80’, so they can adapt to different level of light as well.

 

[Auflyfish]

If it is one of those 2, they are pretty hardy and need stability more than anything. Make sure the 3 basics stay in line (calcium, alkalinity and mag) and they have some nutrients to consume. When diving all over Florida, I have seen them in 10’ of water all the way down to 80’, so they can adapt to different level of light as well.

It looks like you are spot on I was reading a little about them. Yeah I’ll stay on top of the basics. I figured they must be hardy because they cycled with the tank being as they came with the LR and everything no problem, I did move a drag to the sand bed one in the middle and one at the top experimenting where it wanted to be. Top not so much but middle and sand bed have been thriving so far so I moved the top back to the sand bed and it’s so much happier

 

[Eagle_Steve]

It looks like you are spot on I was reading a little about them. Yeah I’ll stay on top of the basics. I figured they must be hardy because they cycled with the tank being as they came with the LR and everything no problem, I did move a drag to the sand bed one in the middle and one at the top experimenting where it wanted to be. Top not so much but middle and sand bed have been thriving so far so I moved the top back to the sand bed and it’s so much happier

Awesome. Porite type corals are awesome as well. I love how they look fuzzy when happy.

 

[Auflyfish]

Awesome. Porite type corals are awesome as well. I love how they look fuzzy when happy.

Yeah that’s been the coolest part it was the first life in the tank so I’ve gotten fond of the guy lol

 

[Auflyfish]

So that is the first torch I’ve ever had anyone have any ideas what causes some heads to be less open then others at random times?

 

[Auflyfish]

Added new pictures of new coral I picked up check it out!