With my 65g being down for almost 7 months now, I believe I did myself wrong. I think I've learned more about the saltwater keeping community in one year than I ever have in my whole college career. With that being said, I think I am ready to start a new adventure.
I have many regrets with my first reef. My first regret being neglect. Although it was mainly a soft coral tank and it could take that abuse, I didn't treat it right. I spent insane amount of money, time and effort into it just so that i can tear it all apart after 2ish years. The tank was asking for me, telling me it needed just a little bit of tuning up and it would've been fine. I never listened.
Ive spent my time at school completely stressing out, forgetting things that were important too, chasing a dream and letting other ones fall. Of course school is important especially for the field i will be going in to.... but sometimes a great lesson is to be learned and that is to take a step back and not forget the rest of what you worked hard for too.
I took apart the 65g with no intention of coming back. Id lost hope, motivation and i had no vision in this hobby. I didn't want to do this anymore. Apart from the 65g i had a 10g im nuvo. I had planned on making it a tank that housed an angler. I wanted one for so long and so has my brother. We were looking at so many and even came up with the name of patrice. Plans never went through, i kept stressing with school, life events, work and i put everything in the shed in the backyard. I thought i finally came to peace not having to worry about this tank. Months go by, i walk past the door near where the tank was and i keep looking over to look for it but then realizing i dont have it anymore. Id go on youtube, watch reef videos but never want to just go ahead and start up the tank again.
I NEED THE TANK BACK
A month ago, i took some 2x4's that i had left over. I built a stand, its nothing great it'll definitely need a revision and i grabbed the im nuvo 10. I went, got a small box of red sea salt, some sand and took leftover rock from the old tank that i had kept in water and heated. I set the tank up, it cycled relatively fast due to the live rock from the previous tank. I currently have it running with two nass. snails in it. Im using one of the old lights to light this tank and im using the small heater from when i mixed water.
As of right now, the tank is bare minimum. It got some crazy GHA, i went ahead and cleaned it out. Tank has an upgraded pump, im caddy, eheim heater and a mars aqua light. Ive made a list of what to order and come my next check, its getting ordered. My bulkreefsupply shopping cart is ready to go. just waiting for extra funds after i pay these bills, lol.
If you are curious as to what this tank is getting, ill provide the list:
Light: AI Prime 16 HD
Skimmer: No Skimmer, never used one, but i will be doing water changes.
Salt: Debating on Red Sea Blue Bucket or Tropic Marin Pro Reef
Filtration: ChemiPure Blue nano packs
Biological Filtration: Matrix
Water Changes: buying 3 hydrototes. One for Ro/DI ATO and the other two for Saltwater Mixing
Salinity Testing: I used to use a hydrometer. but im switching to hanna's salinity tester.
- Obviously tank need something to scrape, so nothing but the best, Nano Flipper
- Tank will be getting a dose of Fritz Turbostart to replenish whatever is needed.
- Also to siphon the sand i will be going with Python Pro Squeeze Medium size.
Im also going to get a Brine Shrimp Hatchery because well... why not i want one.
Im guessing you guys might want to see some pics so ill post one now and maybe some more tomorrow. We will see.
Before i post the pic though, i should set myself a goal list
- Properly maintain the tank, Water changes, don't be lazy
- Dont be cheap, nothing good is ever cheap
- I think my number one goal is to grow coral that i can't propagate and share with my friends
ok ok, ill stop with the talking, here's the tank. its nothing amazing.
I have many regrets with my first reef. My first regret being neglect. Although it was mainly a soft coral tank and it could take that abuse, I didn't treat it right. I spent insane amount of money, time and effort into it just so that i can tear it all apart after 2ish years. The tank was asking for me, telling me it needed just a little bit of tuning up and it would've been fine. I never listened.
Ive spent my time at school completely stressing out, forgetting things that were important too, chasing a dream and letting other ones fall. Of course school is important especially for the field i will be going in to.... but sometimes a great lesson is to be learned and that is to take a step back and not forget the rest of what you worked hard for too.
I took apart the 65g with no intention of coming back. Id lost hope, motivation and i had no vision in this hobby. I didn't want to do this anymore. Apart from the 65g i had a 10g im nuvo. I had planned on making it a tank that housed an angler. I wanted one for so long and so has my brother. We were looking at so many and even came up with the name of patrice. Plans never went through, i kept stressing with school, life events, work and i put everything in the shed in the backyard. I thought i finally came to peace not having to worry about this tank. Months go by, i walk past the door near where the tank was and i keep looking over to look for it but then realizing i dont have it anymore. Id go on youtube, watch reef videos but never want to just go ahead and start up the tank again.
I NEED THE TANK BACK
A month ago, i took some 2x4's that i had left over. I built a stand, its nothing great it'll definitely need a revision and i grabbed the im nuvo 10. I went, got a small box of red sea salt, some sand and took leftover rock from the old tank that i had kept in water and heated. I set the tank up, it cycled relatively fast due to the live rock from the previous tank. I currently have it running with two nass. snails in it. Im using one of the old lights to light this tank and im using the small heater from when i mixed water.
As of right now, the tank is bare minimum. It got some crazy GHA, i went ahead and cleaned it out. Tank has an upgraded pump, im caddy, eheim heater and a mars aqua light. Ive made a list of what to order and come my next check, its getting ordered. My bulkreefsupply shopping cart is ready to go. just waiting for extra funds after i pay these bills, lol.
If you are curious as to what this tank is getting, ill provide the list:
Light: AI Prime 16 HD
Skimmer: No Skimmer, never used one, but i will be doing water changes.
Salt: Debating on Red Sea Blue Bucket or Tropic Marin Pro Reef
Filtration: ChemiPure Blue nano packs
Biological Filtration: Matrix
Water Changes: buying 3 hydrototes. One for Ro/DI ATO and the other two for Saltwater Mixing
Salinity Testing: I used to use a hydrometer. but im switching to hanna's salinity tester.
- Obviously tank need something to scrape, so nothing but the best, Nano Flipper
- Tank will be getting a dose of Fritz Turbostart to replenish whatever is needed.
- Also to siphon the sand i will be going with Python Pro Squeeze Medium size.
Im also going to get a Brine Shrimp Hatchery because well... why not i want one.
Im guessing you guys might want to see some pics so ill post one now and maybe some more tomorrow. We will see.
Before i post the pic though, i should set myself a goal list
- Properly maintain the tank, Water changes, don't be lazy
- Dont be cheap, nothing good is ever cheap
- I think my number one goal is to grow coral that i can't propagate and share with my friends
ok ok, ill stop with the talking, here's the tank. its nothing amazing.