Stump48
Community Member
I have dabbled in fresh water African Cichlid tanks for the last 7 plus years and had an old 6-foot 125-gallon tank in my basement taking up space from a time when my family moved a few years back. I have never participated in the saltwater hobby and had nothing but time on my hands due to Covid19. I previously never took the plunge as generally everyone would discourage me when I asked about it by saying things like, "It’s too hard,” “to expensive," or "get ready for the maintenance." These statements ended up being mostly true, but I find myself enjoying the hobby anyway.
I figured what the heck and my saltwater journey began. Although most retail stores were shut down during Covid19, I found the trusty saltwater stores to be open.
One thing after the other, one mistake after the other, I jumped right in and started mounting up the build costs. I defiantly have learned a lot and made many mistakes but for me that's the joy of the hobby. My wife on the other hand just shook her head and endured my journey.
My original goal was a predator tank. No coral just fish, substrate, and live rock with the hyper focus on getting one particular fish, a dogface puffer. As I started buying equipment, I soon realized I had no idea of what I was doing. I also stocked the tank way to soon and ended up losing most of my original fish, including the dogface puffer with an encounter, with what I think was Marine Velvet. Although I lost these initial fish, I was proud that I saved a Marron Clown, 2 Green Chromis, and a Niger trigger in medicated big box 20-gallon tanks. I used Coppersafe and Prazipro in the QT tanks. I did end up keeping the Chromis and have them today.
During this 30-day QT time my tank settled in and the inverts and live rock continued to cycle. However, I was board and impatient, so I decide to start slowly buying some soft corals and by the time QT was over I traded in the predator fish for a mix reef tank. I can't underestimate the satisfaction of saving those 2 fish as I was conflicted about trading them in at the end of their QT time.
So here is the outline of my current sumpless build:
Fish and Inverts:
I figured what the heck and my saltwater journey began. Although most retail stores were shut down during Covid19, I found the trusty saltwater stores to be open.
One thing after the other, one mistake after the other, I jumped right in and started mounting up the build costs. I defiantly have learned a lot and made many mistakes but for me that's the joy of the hobby. My wife on the other hand just shook her head and endured my journey.My original goal was a predator tank. No coral just fish, substrate, and live rock with the hyper focus on getting one particular fish, a dogface puffer. As I started buying equipment, I soon realized I had no idea of what I was doing. I also stocked the tank way to soon and ended up losing most of my original fish, including the dogface puffer with an encounter, with what I think was Marine Velvet. Although I lost these initial fish, I was proud that I saved a Marron Clown, 2 Green Chromis, and a Niger trigger in medicated big box 20-gallon tanks. I used Coppersafe and Prazipro in the QT tanks. I did end up keeping the Chromis and have them today.
During this 30-day QT time my tank settled in and the inverts and live rock continued to cycle. However, I was board and impatient, so I decide to start slowly buying some soft corals and by the time QT was over I traded in the predator fish for a mix reef tank. I can't underestimate the satisfaction of saving those 2 fish as I was conflicted about trading them in at the end of their QT time.
So here is the outline of my current sumpless build:
| Item | Qty |
| Aqueon 125 Gal Aquarium Black (72x18x22) | 1 |
| Fluval® FX6 Canister Filter | 1 |
| Matrix, 4 L / 1 gal | 1 |
| Bio Balls Filter Media - 1.5 Inch Large Bio Ball for Pond Filter - Perfect Bio Balls for Aquarium and Pond Filter Media | 1 |
| Hydra 32 HD LED Reef Light - Black Body - Aqua Illumination | 2 |
| Aqua Illumination EXT 18 inch Rail for EXT Mounts | 1 |
| Aqua Illumination Single Module LED Lighting Hanging Kits | 1 |
| Medium AquaFuge2 Hang on Back Refugium with LED Lighting System - CPR Aquatics | 1 |
| Small CleanChaeto Ultimate Refugium Starter Pack - AlgaeBarn | 1 |
| Coralife Turbo-Twist UV Sterilizer | 1 |
| Instant Ocean 150 Sea Clone Aquarium Protein Skimmer | 1 |
| AquaIllumination Nero 5 Submersible Wavemaker Pump with Integrated Driver | 1 |
| CaribSea Florida Crushed Coral Substrate, 40 lbs | 3 |
| Caribsea Life Rock (40 lb) | 2 |
| CARIBSEA LIFEROCK ARCHES ONLY, 4 PCS.- 20 LB | 1 |
| CARIBSEA LIFEROCK ARCHES ONLY, shapes | 2 |
| 6 Ft DIY 1/8" Screen Top Netting Kit for Rimmed Tanks - Bulk Reef Supply | 1 |
| Seachem Ammonia Alert | 1 |
| Two Little Fishies Pouch Feeder | 1 |
| Tunze Care Panes Aquarium Glass Cleaner 500 ml (16.7 oz.) | 1 |
| MaxPure 4 Stage MPDI 90-GPD RODI System - (MPDI-90) - Spectrapure | 1 |
| Brute 55 Gal. Gray Round Vented Trash Can with Lid | 1 |
| Red Sea Marine Care Test Kit | 1 |
| Red Sea Reef Foundation Pro Multi Test Kit (Ca, Alk, Mg) | 1 |
| Red Sea Algae Control Multi Test Kit (NO3/PO4) | 1 |
| Hanna Marine Alkalinity (dKH) Checker HC - HI772 | 1 |
| Red Sea Seawater Refractometer | 1 |
Fish and Inverts:
| Fish | QTY |
| ORA - Snowflake Clownfish, Pair Captive-Bred | 1 |
| Blue/Green Black-axil Chromis | 2 |
| Yellow Tang, Hawaii | 1 |
| Yellow Belly Regal Blue Tang | 1 |
| Foxface | 1 |
| Pjama Cardinal | 6 |
| Longspine Urchin, Black | 1 |
| Bulb Anemone, (Fiji/Tonga) Green | 1 |
| CF - Aiptasia Eating Filefish, Captive-Bred, Biota | 1 |
| Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp | 2 |
| Tube Anemone Orange with Neon Green Center | 1 |
| Pincushion Urchin | 2 |
| Dolabella Sea Hare | 1 |
| Assorted turbo Snails | 5 |
| Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crab | 5 |
