Essert07
New Member
After a lifetime of chasing the thrill of the oceans through everything from working as a professional diver to selecting a college based purely on their marine biology program, I finally decided to bring a piece of the ocean into my own home. I have always wanted a tank but knew it would be irresponsible to attempt the set up prior to living somewhere as stable as a house. Well, this last year I finally bought myself a piece of property and, within a month, had picked up a 60 gallon cube AIO from someone in the hobby looking to unload all his gear in one sale prior to his own move. His tank had been running for three years and was well established, if a little (LOT) messy from the hair and bubble algae that he had let overrun the system. Over the last five months I have scrubbed, treated, dosed and monitored the system to a healthy and clean, functioning system. For the last few weeks I have been charting my levels and have seen a stability that I feel comfortable and confident introducing new inhabitants into. The only remaining livestock in the system (while I said the previous owner had wanted to sell his system all together, he did sell the majority of the fish and corals he had cultured off before I purchased it) are a very small leather, a resolutely irritable Ocellaris clown, and a plate rock piece that is covered in, honestly, 400 zoas at least [really the new growths are falling off the rock] of a few different varieties. Since the set up these have largely been my indicator species for the progress and stability of the tank. So far, so good.
I have a few stages I know I have to get through that I have done my best to plan out, with a few end goals in mind, but am always open to advice and suggestions!
My big 3 goals for the tank are:
-Ted E.
I have a few stages I know I have to get through that I have done my best to plan out, with a few end goals in mind, but am always open to advice and suggestions!
My big 3 goals for the tank are:
- Create a living, stable reef tank community that is both cohesive as an ecosystem and as a showpiece and art form for my living room, where it is prominently displayed.
- Clam. I want a clam. Tridacna anything. I just love their pattern.
- Mandarin Gobies. I have loved the way they looked since I was a kid reading my first marine fish books and now that I have a tank and my choice of inhabitants, a pair is absolutely in the future.
-Ted E.
