deltabluefin
New Member
Hello everyone. I just created a R2R account today, but been reading and learning from this community for 9 years.
I have an 8-9 year old Red Sea Reefer 1st gen that I started in 2017. LOTS of problem solving, lessons learned, trial & error, wrong decisions along the way. Fortunately, also some success stories. Currently it seems to be in a happy state.
It started as a mixed reef with softies & LPS. It went through several mini-crashes (probably from me trying to solve problems by doing quick fixes, or chasing numbers, adding equipment or chemicals to chase those numbers, or little kids messing with the frag racks, or family vacations). Then it had a major crash after a prolonged 5 day power outage after a major storm. I quit corals for some time after.
It remained a FOWLR tank for a few years. Water was neglected due to disappointment. It didn’t have a water change for maybe 2 years. I just fed the fish and refilled the ATO reservoir. Algae was absent because lights were lowered to <5% output.
Then in 2023, someone from town lost interest in the hobby and donated some of his corals to me, reigniting my interest in reef keeping. After not checking for 3 years, I decided to check my parameters. Nitrate was >100 ppm, off the charts. Calcium, Alk, Mg were severely depleted.
So with my off the charts nitrates and phosphates, when I increased my light output for the corals, nuisance algae bloomed big time. I had outbreaks of GHA, cyano, cloudy water, and stubborn dinos. The tank looked terrible. See pictures below.
Learning from my mistakes, I knew I needed to address the problems with a slow and steady strategy. I wanted to keep my reef keeping simple; I wanted to maintain it with little fussing around, avoid unnecessary equipment.
Eventually stability was achieved. This was after multiple weekly 15% water change, establishing healthy macroalgae refugium, restarting dosing of 2-part + Mg, having a robust clean up crew.
Currently the tank is in a steady, stable state. Parameters are in a good range. Fish are happy. Corals are growing. I spend more time sitting back and just observe the tank. It has finally achieved its main purpose: for me to sit back, relax, enjoy the view of a mini marine ecosystem.
My current plan is to have an SPS dominant mixed reef. I started adding acropora frags February 2025. They’re tiny, but so far they’re alive and healthy!
Please feel free to follow along with me in this journey. I’m praying that by 2027, I’ll have decent sized colonies.
With this build thread, I’ll start off with the aquascape from 2017, pictures of uglies stages (multiple times), and current picture today. Eventually I’ll describe my equipment, including failed ones and keepers.
This photo was from 2017 during cycling, when I first set up the aquascape.
The UGLIES. Dinos were stubborn. I’ll post more about my experience next time.
———————————-
Current. As of May 2025. The beginning of my plan for an SPS dominant mixed reef. The frag seeds are planted. I’m excited to see what it will look like in 1-2 years. I’m sure there will be ups and downs (more ups please!!!).
As the frags get established, I’ll post some pictures. I’ll also try to learn some tank photography.
Stay tuned!
I have an 8-9 year old Red Sea Reefer 1st gen that I started in 2017. LOTS of problem solving, lessons learned, trial & error, wrong decisions along the way. Fortunately, also some success stories. Currently it seems to be in a happy state.
It started as a mixed reef with softies & LPS. It went through several mini-crashes (probably from me trying to solve problems by doing quick fixes, or chasing numbers, adding equipment or chemicals to chase those numbers, or little kids messing with the frag racks, or family vacations). Then it had a major crash after a prolonged 5 day power outage after a major storm. I quit corals for some time after.
It remained a FOWLR tank for a few years. Water was neglected due to disappointment. It didn’t have a water change for maybe 2 years. I just fed the fish and refilled the ATO reservoir. Algae was absent because lights were lowered to <5% output.
Then in 2023, someone from town lost interest in the hobby and donated some of his corals to me, reigniting my interest in reef keeping. After not checking for 3 years, I decided to check my parameters. Nitrate was >100 ppm, off the charts. Calcium, Alk, Mg were severely depleted.
So with my off the charts nitrates and phosphates, when I increased my light output for the corals, nuisance algae bloomed big time. I had outbreaks of GHA, cyano, cloudy water, and stubborn dinos. The tank looked terrible. See pictures below.
Learning from my mistakes, I knew I needed to address the problems with a slow and steady strategy. I wanted to keep my reef keeping simple; I wanted to maintain it with little fussing around, avoid unnecessary equipment.
Eventually stability was achieved. This was after multiple weekly 15% water change, establishing healthy macroalgae refugium, restarting dosing of 2-part + Mg, having a robust clean up crew.
Currently the tank is in a steady, stable state. Parameters are in a good range. Fish are happy. Corals are growing. I spend more time sitting back and just observe the tank. It has finally achieved its main purpose: for me to sit back, relax, enjoy the view of a mini marine ecosystem.
My current plan is to have an SPS dominant mixed reef. I started adding acropora frags February 2025. They’re tiny, but so far they’re alive and healthy!
Please feel free to follow along with me in this journey. I’m praying that by 2027, I’ll have decent sized colonies.
With this build thread, I’ll start off with the aquascape from 2017, pictures of uglies stages (multiple times), and current picture today. Eventually I’ll describe my equipment, including failed ones and keepers.
This photo was from 2017 during cycling, when I first set up the aquascape.
The UGLIES. Dinos were stubborn. I’ll post more about my experience next time.
———————————-
Current. As of May 2025. The beginning of my plan for an SPS dominant mixed reef. The frag seeds are planted. I’m excited to see what it will look like in 1-2 years. I’m sure there will be ups and downs (more ups please!!!).
As the frags get established, I’ll post some pictures. I’ll also try to learn some tank photography.
Stay tuned!
I hope most are empty shells. 
