Roatan Reefs Build Thread

[Roatan Reef]

Sooooo after 15+ years in the Freshwater Hobby, I finally decided to do a Mixed Reef Tank.

Yes, I have Snorkel and Dived all over the Caribbean.. Roatan, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Belize, Bahamas etc...and not just on a cruise ...we typically rent a house for 1.5 weeks in said locations...so I am thrilled to actually start a SW Tank.

I have a converted 125 Salt Water Tank for my S. American Cichlid/ Mixed Community Tank, and its doing great...I now sometimes wish that I should have kept the sump and not plugged the overflows, but all together it is my best and biggest FW tank ever. Its acrylic BTW..

Also have 2 Planted Betta Tanks, 2.5 gallons.

I've researched SW setups for over 6 years, but was always cautious about actually doing it. These are the big things that convinced me to pull the trigger....also been a lurker on R2R for years, never setting up an account until now.

1. I watched literally hundreds of Videos, read hundreds of articles over the years...although controversial, Reefbuilers and Jake Adams really convinced me to pull the trigger with his 1 day 20G Nano Tank build.

I figured I would use his method and apply it to a 40B tank.

I lol'ed at all the reefers telling him it was impossible to do what he did without cycling, no dosing, and he only did 6 water changes in 2 years...people absolutely lost their minds...and yet this is someone who has been in the industry over 20 years...and 2 years in...with a tank he purposely neglected is doing awesome

I did research SaltwaterAquraiam.com, BRSTV.com on YouTube along with many others to form an adult decision, along with researching R2R also..

Just to start, I decided to go with a Budget Reef Build Type of Setup....I say Budget Build because I am trying some different things that are a tad cheaper, but LULZ at a budget build Saltwater Tank.. once you get into it...you know! Your Budget goes out the Window!

40B Petco $56.00
Lid $36.00 Petco all on sale.
Stand/Cabinet Never on Sale $220.00

35lbs. Life Rock $225.00
30lbs Fiji Pink Aragonite $40.00

Fluval Marine 3.0 36" 46watt Light $256(LFS said would not grow Corals) WRONG!

Aquaclear 3 Chamber silent cannister filter $130.00

Filter Media = Phos Ban, Chemi Pure Blue, Marine Bio Balls, Ceramic Media, Aquachar, Poly Filter Pads, Regular Filter Floss = $110.00

2 Slim Pro 1200's wavemakers, DC controls, Syncable $149.00 each.

APC Battery Backup $125.00

100W Heater $30.00

Livestock =

2 Black Clowns
1 Midas Blenny
1 Scooter Blenny

(Used to have a gigantic midget ***** Yellow Devil Damsel) literally had to remove all Rock to get the scumbag out of the tank.

Never Ever Ever Never Ever Ever put one of these turds in your tank...you will regret it. He was systematically abusing my Clowns...but he Gone Now...going back to LFS Tomorrow!!

I knew better, believe me...but whatever!

Wave Hi at him and wish him luck!!

Corals =(mostly Frags) and all are doing great 2 weeks in.

1 Florida Recordia
1 Red and Green Blasto
1 Purple Tip Frogspawn
1 Double Neon Green Trumpet
3 Zoas, 1 Panda, 1 Bam Bam 1 unknown (red with Yellow Center) I am trying a Zoa Garden.
1 Hollywood Stunner Chalice

1 big ol GSP on its own rock in back of tank next to Glass.

I'm sure I'll regret, but will remove soon..1 Kenya Tree and Pulsing Zenia on its own rock away from main rock

Here's how it Started.

Here's how it went(used Brightwell Aquatics Bacteria Starter and Later added Dr. TIMS.

Here's how it's Going...

Will maybe add 1 more fish and 1 more Zoa, then let sit until Reefpalooza in Orlando, I plan on finding an awesome Hammer there.

(side note) moved to Melbourne FL last year after being born and raised in Orlando. We have 2 decent LFS Saltwater stores, but I now Realize how spoiled I was in Orlando with WWC in my backyard..I always visited original location, then new locations...and Man...wish I was in the hobby back then...but WWC is only a 50 Minute Ride, plus they will be at Reefpalooza in Orlando

Update, so after adding 2 of the Slim Pro 1200's, saw a dead spot in back of tank, added Sicce 1200 Nano to bottom of Right tank, added about 13 CUC members and a Cleaner Shrimp.....did a 5% water charge, running Carbon in tank
....water is now Crystal!


Still getting Diatoms.. .but whatever !

 

[Devaji]

nice! I think 40br are the best tank to start out with, or have as a 2nd.3rd tank just love there nice. there little big tanks.
good luck and have fun!

 

[Roatan Reef]

Got My RODI setup in today, will put together and do 1 more water change tomorrow, for a total of 25% over 2 day. Corals look amazing, fish healthy so far so good!

 

[blaxsun]

Nice tank. I miss my yellow midas blenny (turned blue/purple because he was apparently bored). As for the Yellow Devil damsel, I want to make sure I'm not confusing it with the Azure damsel.

I had a Yellow Belly damsel that was a complete ***hole, so it sounds it sounds like we might be talking about the same fish here. Mine dug up the sand bed every chance he got, and would even swim over and dig it up again right after I filled any holes.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Nice tank. I miss my yellow midas blenny (turned blue/purple because he was apparently bored). As for the Yellow Devil damsel, I want to make sure I'm not confusing it with the Azure damsel.

I had a Yellow Belly damsel that was a complete ***hole, so it sounds it sounds like we might be talking about the same fish here. Mine dug up the sand bed every chance he got, and would even swim over and dig it up again right after I filled any holes.

The Yellow Devil Damsel is also called the Village Bell Damsel....sounds more peaceful that way, but he was a Total ******..Grade 1. Attacking the crap out of my Black Clowns...had to remove all Rock to get him out....NEVER AGAIN!

 

[blaxsun]

The Yellow Devil Damsel is also called the Village Bell Damsel....sounds more peaceful that way, but he was a Total ******..Grade 1. Attacking the crap out of my Black Clowns...had to remove all Rock to get him out....NEVER AGAIN!

Village bell, as in village idiot? Guess I got lucky with my 4 damsels then (1 azure and 3 blue devil).

 

[Roatan Reef]

1.6 Year Update.

 

[JoJosReef]

Love it! Looks great. That scooter blenny cracks me up, just scooting away. Also see your clowns chose a corner powerhead as their gracious host--as nature intended.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Love it! Looks great. That scooter blenny cracks me up, just scooting away. Also see your clowns chose a corner powerhead as their gracious host--as nature intended.

Yep...lol...we caught 34 babies last week, tried to (unsuccessfully) raise them, but by day 4 they all died. 1st time out of 10 we waited patiently for the clown fry to hatch. Oh well, better luck next time, as they are laying eggs again!! They are a mailed pair of a Frostbite and a Gladiator Clown.

And yes...Love Scooter!!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

1.6 Year Update.

Tank is looking great!

 

[kevgib67]

What happened to your black clowns that were being bullied by the evil damsel?

 

[Roatan Reef]

What happened to your black clowns that were being bullied by the evil damsel?

Lulz.... the early days of my 1st ever Reef Tank!!

Well ....1st we had to remove 90% of the rocks to get that evil joker out.

The black Clowns didn't survive past a few months or so after that. I've had about 3 or 4 pairs of Clowns since then, and 1 would live, 1 would die, then they all died for some reason. Got a pair of Frostbite Clowns, they did really good for a few months, then the smaller one died, went to LFS to find another one, but no Frostbite that was comparable in size to the one that died, all too small, so I said.. welp...I'll try this big fat Gladiator clown out, and strangely enough, the 2 have hit it off ever since. 6 months going now, and making babies on the regular.

We tried to keep the last batch alive, as we were able to catch about 30 out of the 150 or so that hatched...they lasted for 4 days, but maybe next time.

 

[Roatan Reef]

BTW, the large white patches you see on the sides/front or shelf of the rocks are where I used coral Putty to suffocate aiptasia. I use F-Aiptasia for everything else, but if it drips down, it burns and kills corals, so the coral Putty works great. I'll eventually remove it, as this was pretty recent and it doesn't dissolve like F-Aiptasia does, obviously, but it's super reef safe and effective. I let them grow out a bit and then suffocate them.

I have 3 peppermint shrimp who prevent and eat any new aiptasia, they just don't go after large ones. So far, after killing last 3, haven't seen a new one.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Welp....I got the Nephew Hook Line and Sinker into the whole Saltwater Tank Game.

He's 13 and pretty much spends all his free time with us....so after He's helped me these 2 years with my 40B, he wanted a Tank of his own...so here goes...

He asked his parents for the Fluval 13 Evo for Christmas and he got it. It's his own personal Tank with Uncle Drew supervising.

He wants to make it a Custom High End Zoa Tank....and we're off to the races.

He has 14lbs of Life Rock, 20lbs of Arag-Alive...and already has a better light on order arriving soon....so we can keep it app controled...along with a custom acrylic top for said new light.

We are gonna let it run for 2 weeks with nothing in it and monitor the situation. He got it for Christmas and set it up today.

Life Rock, Sand, RODI water, heater, and its up and running with basic filters. We will add some chemi Pure Elite and filter Floss additionally in the future.

Stay tuned for more updates!!

 

[kevgib67]

Welp....I got the Nephew Hook Line and Sinker into the whole Saltwater Tank Game.

He's 13 and pretty much spends all his free time with us....so after He's helped me these 2 years with my 40B, he wanted a Tank of his own...so here goes...

He asked his parents for the Fluval 13 Evo for Christmas and he got it. It's his own personal Tank with Uncle Drew supervising.

He wants to make it a Custom High End Zoa Tank....and we're off to the races.

He has 14lbs of Life Rock, 20lbs of Arag-Alive...and already has a better light on order arriving soon....so we can keep it app controled...along with a custom acrylic top for said new light.

We are gonna let it run for 2 weeks with nothing in it and monitor the situation. He got it for Christmas and set it up today.

Life Rock, Sand, RODI water, heater, and its up and running with basic filters. We will add some chemi Pure Elite and filter Floss additionally in the future.

Stay tuned for more updates!!

I may be reading between the lines but I think you are more excited than your nephew! It is so fun to mentor someone.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Update to the Nephews 13.5 Evo.

We received the filter chamber and have loaded it up with Chemi Pure Elite, Red Sea Carbon and Phosguard. 2 additional chambers have some bio media from my 40B and the original carbon and bio media that came with the tank. 1st chamber is loaded with filter Floss and a cube of Black Carbon Media Pad.

Light is the Fluval Nano. Upgraded the return pump, added a wave maker...all China stuff from Amazon, but works great.

We installed the new lid as well, a custom made acrylic lid. Lid and Filter Chamber are from LidzPropzShops, a seller on Etsy.

Added 4 Mexican grazer Snails, 2 turbos and 2 NassariusSnail after 2 weeks... Added a Black Ice Clown.

Put a tiny frag of Anacropora from my 40B and a frag of my Rasta Zoas from my mother colony in my 40B as well...so far so good. Started tank on December 26th.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Update to the Nephews 13.5 Evo Tank.

Currently have 1 Peach, 1 Gold and 1 Bi Color Hammer.

Today we purchased a Hellfre Torch and a Cotton Candy.

Tank has 1 Black Ice Clown, 1 Neon Goby and 1 Firefish, about 8 CUCs.

Lighting Is 2 Fluval Nano Saltwater and 1 Chinese Black Box light.

Upgraded Return Pump, power head, lid and Filter Chamber with tons of filtration...

See Video Here....

 

[Roatan Reef]

Update to the OG 40B Tank, a few new corals , but replaced my secondary light with an AI Prime 16hd...and couldn't be happier!

 

[Roatan Reef]

Update to the OG 40B Tank...

A few new Corals, and more importantly upgraded to an AI Prime 16hd for my secondary light, and couldn't be happier.

Video below.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Upgraded and added some under tank lights...