rudi 51
Community Member
Hi, I’m a uk based long time freshwater fish keeper at the early stages of planning a small reef tank (likely a month or two from getting started).
I’ve summarised my notes and just wondered if anyone had any advice on first set up or just in general
Reef tank notes
Initial thoughts set up: First wave 78 litre. Includes everything except heater (need 100 watt)
Need additional wave maker 1000 lph
Live Rock or rock fragment. Filter or in tank?
Live sand
Carribsea do best rock structures
Instant ocean sea salt seems to carry all essential minerals for coral growth
Refractometer
Test kits. API seems frowned upon look into NT Labs, test for all the usual plus magnesium
and kh. TDS meter. Research
Carbon. Yes but probably better quality than TMC supplies.
Copepods. Yes more research needed
20 litre bucket. Small pump and heater for mixing saltwater.
Cycling: on line seems to suggest doing some sort of partial cycle using fish food and dr Tim’s
one and only or fritz turbostart. Introduce hermit crabs or some other small clean up types. Algae
growth seems to be a trigger? Then shrimp(s). Snails (research type) small wanted. Then one
small fish?? More research. Bottles ammonia seems frowned upon.
Stocking: hermit crabs, snails 2 clown fish. Only accept a pair?
Tailspot blenny?
Small goby and pistol shrimp pair? Research which pair up and compatibility with other shrimp.
Corals: mushroom corals, pulsing Xenia (housed on separate structure) zoanhids and green star
polyps. Much more research needed here. Some sort of cleaning dip before corals go in tank?
Stocking order: probably hermit crabs, snails, shrimp, coral Part or full? Goby/Blenny, clown fish
Thanks for reading.
I’ve summarised my notes and just wondered if anyone had any advice on first set up or just in general
Reef tank notes
Initial thoughts set up: First wave 78 litre. Includes everything except heater (need 100 watt)
Need additional wave maker 1000 lph
Live Rock or rock fragment. Filter or in tank?
Live sand
Carribsea do best rock structures
Instant ocean sea salt seems to carry all essential minerals for coral growth
Refractometer
Test kits. API seems frowned upon look into NT Labs, test for all the usual plus magnesium
and kh. TDS meter. Research
Carbon. Yes but probably better quality than TMC supplies.
Copepods. Yes more research needed
20 litre bucket. Small pump and heater for mixing saltwater.
Cycling: on line seems to suggest doing some sort of partial cycle using fish food and dr Tim’s
one and only or fritz turbostart. Introduce hermit crabs or some other small clean up types. Algae
growth seems to be a trigger? Then shrimp(s). Snails (research type) small wanted. Then one
small fish?? More research. Bottles ammonia seems frowned upon.
Stocking: hermit crabs, snails 2 clown fish. Only accept a pair?
Tailspot blenny?
Small goby and pistol shrimp pair? Research which pair up and compatibility with other shrimp.
Corals: mushroom corals, pulsing Xenia (housed on separate structure) zoanhids and green star
polyps. Much more research needed here. Some sort of cleaning dip before corals go in tank?
Stocking order: probably hermit crabs, snails, shrimp, coral Part or full? Goby/Blenny, clown fish
Thanks for reading.
