Taking the Dive

[smlarson72]

Welcome to RTR!! We are glad to have you!

 

[SPR1968]

Hi and welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[Finallysalty80]

Hello and welcome!!!

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[Kiwi reefer]

Welcome, looking forward to seeing your reef tank!

 

[Jimbhoy13]

Welcome to R2R and the salty world Ted. Lots of knowledgeable and helpful people here who will support and advise you when needed.

 

[jtp7004ft]

Welcome

 

[Essert07]

Welcome to the community, sounds like you are off and running. How about some pictures, maybe consider starting a build thread.

As long as people don't mind a bit of a back-dated build thread I've done a fair job of documenting the whole process so far! I'll work on putting one together!

 

[Salty Rambler]

Welcome to R2R! No one will have issues with a back dated build thread if you start one. Congrats on what sounds like a great foundation for your dream tank. Now comes the hard part -- patience and letting the tank settle and mature. Mandarins are great fish if you can keep enough copepods in the tank to support them -- I love their hummingbird-like movement in the tank.

 

[Manny’s Reef]

Welcome to the R2R family. We are excited you decided to join us.

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[JL15219]

 

[tbrown]

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:

1. 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.
2. Clam. I want a clam. Tridacna anything. I just love their pattern.
3. 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.

So, those all laid out before me, and now at a point where I'd like to bring in a few new pieces, I would love the help of the community here for any guidance or tips in how to avoid troublesome interactions, steps to take to prepare, and general how-to's. I'll be updating with more posts about steps I've already taken and pictures of the tank so far, but feel free to stop by and say hello!

-Ted E.

Mandarins are beautiful but can be tricky. I hope it all works well for you!

 

[Fish Think Pink]

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:

1. 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.
2. Clam. I want a clam. Tridacna anything. I just love their pattern.
3. 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.

So, those all laid out before me, and now at a point where I'd like to bring in a few new pieces, I would love the help of the community here for any guidance or tips in how to avoid troublesome interactions, steps to take to prepare, and general how-to's. I'll be updating with more posts about steps I've already taken and pictures of the tank so far, but feel free to stop by and say hello!

-Ted E.

Hi Ted and Welcome!

WOW - Glad you joined!