Reef Build! Feedback and advice please!

[Mollyrosecoburn]

Hi everyone!

Just thought I’d start a thread to document my journey on setting up my new reef tank.

The tank is an Evoluation Aqua 900, it’s about 200 litres (230 incl. sump) and the dimensions are 900cm x 45cm x 50 cm. The stand came with a wood finish but I sanded it down and painted it so it would match the rest of the room:

I bought a new EvolutionAquaPro Sump as the tank came pre-drilled (I bought it second hand) and the equipment I have running is:

- Bubble Magus C3.5 Skimmer
- TMC Reef Pump 2000 (DC Return Pump)
- 300W Heater (Digital Control) and I’m not sure what make it is as it came with the tank, it’s doing a pretty good job so unless i have to I won’t be replacing it.
- Maxspect Gyre XF150
- TMC auto top-off, this is just a cheap one to get me started.
- V2 Vecton 200 UV Steriliser connected to a separate pump, it’s only a small one that I pulled off a hang on filter (currently off due to cycle)
- Internal Filter with the sponges replaced with Red Sea Reef-Spec Carbon, this was just to help clarify the water, I play to move this from the fuge chamber to the first chamber of the sump with the skimmer
- Arcadia Classica OTL LED Marine Lighting - https://www.completeaquatics.co.uk/classica-otl-led-ce80m (came with the tank!)

The other bits I’ve used for the tank are as follows:

Sand: Carib-Sea Aragonite Aragamax Select (definitely changing this, my Gyre is blowing it everywhere even on half power)
Rock: 13kg of Marco Rock
Salt: Red Sea Reef Salt (Blue Bucket)
Refugium: Chaeto, some rock rubble & some bio balls (currently have a cheap grow light on its way)

The tank is currently going through its cycle, I think it’s coming to the end as the nitrite is about 2ppm and the ammonia is ~0ppm. I used Seachem Stability to cycle and added a bit of pellet food every so often

My first fish will be a pair of clowns, one black and white and then one orange. I was seriously considering a pair of gold nugget maroons that I’ve spotted at my LFS but I think I’m going to avoid them due to potential aggression and/or size issues

My first question is, can anyone recommend a relatively fine sand that won’t be blown around so easily? I love the look of the fine sand but it’s making a mess! I want to be able to keep a sand sifting fish eventually.

Thanks! More pics to follow:

I’ll definitely be tidying this up and I have added some overflow nozzles to make sure livestock don’t end up in my filter socks!

 

[Mollyrosecoburn]

Hi everyone!

Just thought I’d start a thread to document my journey on setting up my new reef tank.

The tank is an Evoluation Aqua 900, it’s about 200 litres (230 incl. sump) and the dimensions are 900cm x 45cm x 50 cm. The stand came with a wood finish but I sanded it down and painted it so it would match the rest of the room:

I bought a new EvolutionAquaPro Sump as the tank came pre-drilled (I bought it second hand) and the equipment I have running is:

- Bubble Magus C3.5 Skimmer
- TMC Reef Pump 2000 (DC Return Pump)
- 300W Heater (Digital Control) and I’m not sure what make it is as it came with the tank, it’s doing a pretty good job so unless i have to I won’t be replacing it.
- Maxspect Gyre XF150
- TMC auto top-off, this is just a cheap one to get me started.
- V2 Vecton 200 UV Steriliser connected to a separate pump, it’s only a small one that I pulled off a hang on filter (currently off due to cycle)
- Internal Filter with the sponges replaced with Red Sea Reef-Spec Carbon, this was just to help clarify the water, I play to move this from the fuge chamber to the first chamber of the sump with the skimmer
- Arcadia Classica OTL LED Marine Lighting - https://www.completeaquatics.co.uk/classica-otl-led-ce80m (came with the tank!)

The other bits I’ve used for the tank are as follows:

Sand: Carib-Sea Aragonite Aragamax Select (definitely changing this, my Gyre is blowing it everywhere even on half power)
Rock: 13kg of Marco Rock
Salt: Red Sea Reef Salt (Blue Bucket)
Refugium: Chaeto, some rock rubble & some bio balls (currently have a cheap grow light on its way)

The tank is currently going through its cycle, I think it’s coming to the end as the nitrite is about 2ppm and the ammonia is ~0ppm. I used Seachem Stability to cycle and added a bit of pellet food every so often

My first fish will be a pair of clowns, one black and white and then one orange. I was seriously considering a pair of gold nugget maroons that I’ve spotted at my LFS but I think I’m going to avoid them due to potential aggression and/or size issues

My first question is, can anyone recommend a relatively fine sand that won’t be blown around so easily? I love the look of the fine sand but it’s making a mess! I want to be able to keep a sand sifting fish eventually.

Thanks! More pics to follow:

I’ll definitely be tidying this up and I have added some overflow nozzles to make sure livestock don’t end up in my filter socks!

The sand is out (well as much as I can get out without constantly knocking my scape over) and I’m thinking of picking up some CaribSea Seaflor Special Grade tomorrow, any comments?

I had to re-do the right hand side as my net that I was using to remove the sand got caught and pulled it all over!!

 

[Mollyrosecoburn]

Update #1- Clowns & CUC!

Bought my first two fish today, a Flurry Clown & Black and White Clown, they’re both oing really well! Took to pellets straight away.

I also picked up 5 brown legged hermit crabs, 5 snails (mainky trochus) and a long poly leather coral.

I’ll post some pictures once everything is settled!

I’ve also attached my fish list, what do you think? My tank volume is around 65 US Gallons (incl. sump) with plenty of swimming room as you can see from the photos above.