Philipgonzales3
Valuable Member
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2018
- Messages
- 1,810
- Reaction score
- 3,611
Background:
So my first mistake..umm I mean step is that a registered for R2R in November. That was the start of what my family and friends now call "my addiction".
So I've kept Red Ear Sliders in the past as well as a Cichlid tank around 5+ years ago, which I had to leave behind to finish college. I've always thought about doing a saltwater tank and recently decided to take the plunge.
The idea likely started to take affect a couple of months before November, but all things were full speed ahead as soon as I got the approval from the fiancee. You see we had 3 tanks when we lived with my mom in a 10' x 10' room. One 40 gallon breeder (Red Ear Slider), one 55 gallon long (Cichlid), and one 20 long (fry). I thought for sure she would never let me get into aquariums again, but here we are. So far she has tolerated it well. She doesn't care for aquariums much but she respects that it is something I enjoy.
Things have started to stabilize for me as far as income and what not, thankfully so as this seems to be an expensive hobby!
The Tank and livestock:
Purchased the tank/PNP system 11/28/18. Opted for the upgraded American Grey cabinet, since it is taller and matches our kitchen table.
Current equipment
Tank Dimensions: 24"W x 24"L x 20"H
Sump Dimensions: 19-3/4"W x 16-1/2"L x 13"H
Simplicity 120DC Skimmer
PH2500 utility return pump
1 x MP10WQD
Current Livestock:
2 x Picasso clownfish
1 x Kupang Damsel
1 x Diamond Goby
1 x Valenti Puffer
1 x Melanurus Wrasse
1 x Branching Coralline Frag (Hydrolithon Gardineri)
a Buttload x snails!
tankload x diatoms
12/04/2018
Spent my birthday adding a new RODI filter. Pretty good present to myself if I can say that.
12/07/18 (3 days after my birthday)
I got a late birthday present. The driver asked if this was a Christmas present. I told him, "yeah, something like that."
Remember my fiancee that I mentioned earlier? Well bless her soul, she helped me get this thing on the stand less than an hour after it's arrival. I attempted to pick it up myself, but these arms have not seen a gym a day in their life! The dog was there for emotional support. Which meant a lot to me.
A few hours later, I had this sucker plumbed. I was also reminded that gluing was not my strongest skill. Still pretty happy with the way it came out considering I had never cut or glued a piece of PVC in my life.
As you can see I added a filter sock holder to the side of the sump (later moved to the back wall).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055SZRZA/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
12/08/18
The next morning I woke up and thew some sand and rocks into the tank. As I later learned the rocks were supposed to go first! I later dug them out a bit and made sure they were touching the bottom.
For the sand I went with 40 lbs of Nature's Ocean Reef Sand
For Rock I went with 50 lbs of Reef Saver Dry Rock
I had an aqueon 24" modular LED light leftover from my freshwater days that I slapped on top of the tank. My daughter helped me fill the tank and we were off to the races.
26 hours after being delivered (~10 hours after being filled) and the sand had already settled and was beginning to look nice.
12/09/18 - Added Ammonia and Dr. Tim's one and only.
01/06/2019 - Added
2 x Picasso clownfish
1 x Kupang Damsel
1/22/2019
I wanted to buy a Diamond Goby, but was denied by my LFS for not having a lid. I gathered up the supplies from Amazon, and I'll admit, it wasn't all that bad. I am not very handy so I was dreading having to make this thing.
1/27/2019 - Added
1 x Diamond Goby
1 x Valenti Puffer
1 x Melanurus Wrasse
Here is the family photo of the gang.
2/08/2019 - Added
1 x Branching Coralline Algea (Hydrolithon Gardineri)
This was my first frag. It was advertised on eBay as a way to help seed coralline in a new tank. It was also advertised as a hardy macro algae. I guess only time will tell. It looks like I shouldn't hold my breath but I'm willing to try try anything once!
2/09/2019 - Added
2 x SB Reef Lights sBox Wi-Fi Extreme 16"
Scored a good deal on these lights, used from another reefer on R2R. Paid less than I feel I would have paid for 1 "brand name" light. So again, only time will tell how this works out.
2/15/2019 - Added
1 x MP10WQD (plan to add one more soon)
5 x snails. I asked for Astrea but think I have a cerith in there.
My LFS also threw in this rock for free which has a little bit of Coralline on it.
02/17/2018 - Added snails
5 x Nerite
5 x Nassarius
2 x Meican Turbo
I think I may have gone a little snail crazy!
My Macro Algea frag was looking rough so I blew it off with a pipette. Fingers crossed, but it still looks pretty purple!
02/18/2019 - Added
Eco 528 pond pump added to the arsenal to help with moving water. Mostly for moving my RODI into 5 gallon buckets, and later into a reservoir. May eventually look into something similar to push saltwater around, but for now using 5 gallon buckets.
So my first mistake..umm I mean step is that a registered for R2R in November. That was the start of what my family and friends now call "my addiction".
So I've kept Red Ear Sliders in the past as well as a Cichlid tank around 5+ years ago, which I had to leave behind to finish college. I've always thought about doing a saltwater tank and recently decided to take the plunge.
The idea likely started to take affect a couple of months before November, but all things were full speed ahead as soon as I got the approval from the fiancee. You see we had 3 tanks when we lived with my mom in a 10' x 10' room. One 40 gallon breeder (Red Ear Slider), one 55 gallon long (Cichlid), and one 20 long (fry). I thought for sure she would never let me get into aquariums again, but here we are. So far she has tolerated it well. She doesn't care for aquariums much but she respects that it is something I enjoy.
Things have started to stabilize for me as far as income and what not, thankfully so as this seems to be an expensive hobby!
The Tank and livestock:
Purchased the tank/PNP system 11/28/18. Opted for the upgraded American Grey cabinet, since it is taller and matches our kitchen table.
Current equipment
Tank Dimensions: 24"W x 24"L x 20"H
Sump Dimensions: 19-3/4"W x 16-1/2"L x 13"H
Simplicity 120DC Skimmer
PH2500 utility return pump
1 x MP10WQD
Current Livestock:
2 x Picasso clownfish
1 x Kupang Damsel
1 x Diamond Goby
1 x Valenti Puffer
1 x Melanurus Wrasse
1 x Branching Coralline Frag (Hydrolithon Gardineri)
a Buttload x snails!
tankload x diatoms
12/04/2018
Spent my birthday adding a new RODI filter. Pretty good present to myself if I can say that.
12/07/18 (3 days after my birthday)
I got a late birthday present. The driver asked if this was a Christmas present. I told him, "yeah, something like that."
Remember my fiancee that I mentioned earlier? Well bless her soul, she helped me get this thing on the stand less than an hour after it's arrival. I attempted to pick it up myself, but these arms have not seen a gym a day in their life! The dog was there for emotional support. Which meant a lot to me.
A few hours later, I had this sucker plumbed. I was also reminded that gluing was not my strongest skill. Still pretty happy with the way it came out considering I had never cut or glued a piece of PVC in my life.
As you can see I added a filter sock holder to the side of the sump (later moved to the back wall).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055SZRZA/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
12/08/18
The next morning I woke up and thew some sand and rocks into the tank. As I later learned the rocks were supposed to go first! I later dug them out a bit and made sure they were touching the bottom.
For the sand I went with 40 lbs of Nature's Ocean Reef Sand
For Rock I went with 50 lbs of Reef Saver Dry Rock
I had an aqueon 24" modular LED light leftover from my freshwater days that I slapped on top of the tank. My daughter helped me fill the tank and we were off to the races.
26 hours after being delivered (~10 hours after being filled) and the sand had already settled and was beginning to look nice.
12/09/18 - Added Ammonia and Dr. Tim's one and only.
01/06/2019 - Added
2 x Picasso clownfish
1 x Kupang Damsel
1/22/2019
I wanted to buy a Diamond Goby, but was denied by my LFS for not having a lid. I gathered up the supplies from Amazon, and I'll admit, it wasn't all that bad. I am not very handy so I was dreading having to make this thing.
1/27/2019 - Added
1 x Diamond Goby
1 x Valenti Puffer
1 x Melanurus Wrasse
Here is the family photo of the gang.
2/08/2019 - Added
1 x Branching Coralline Algea (Hydrolithon Gardineri)
This was my first frag. It was advertised on eBay as a way to help seed coralline in a new tank. It was also advertised as a hardy macro algae. I guess only time will tell. It looks like I shouldn't hold my breath but I'm willing to try try anything once!
2/09/2019 - Added
2 x SB Reef Lights sBox Wi-Fi Extreme 16"
Scored a good deal on these lights, used from another reefer on R2R. Paid less than I feel I would have paid for 1 "brand name" light. So again, only time will tell how this works out.
2/15/2019 - Added
1 x MP10WQD (plan to add one more soon)
5 x snails. I asked for Astrea but think I have a cerith in there.
My LFS also threw in this rock for free which has a little bit of Coralline on it.
02/17/2018 - Added snails
5 x Nerite
5 x Nassarius
2 x Meican Turbo
I think I may have gone a little snail crazy!
My Macro Algea frag was looking rough so I blew it off with a pipette. Fingers crossed, but it still looks pretty purple!
02/18/2019 - Added
Eco 528 pond pump added to the arsenal to help with moving water. Mostly for moving my RODI into 5 gallon buckets, and later into a reservoir. May eventually look into something similar to push saltwater around, but for now using 5 gallon buckets.
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