c_man7 Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I've been wanting to do a saltwater tank for a while now, so after selling some of my overstock in my Mbuna Cichlid tank I had a little extra money. So when petco had there $1.00 a gallon sale this month I picked up a 20l. This will probably be a slow build so bear with me. I plan to set it up as an easy all in one kit after seeing a few different people with some. I would like to keep some of the easier corals like softies and maybe lps but that's not till later. I've been waiting for items to go on sale so I can do this as cheap as possible. I'm planning to try and keep it between $250-300 with everything but live stock. Any advise or tips would be nice. Equipment: 20l-$20.00 Protein Skimmer-Aquatic Life 115-$42.63 Return Pump-MaxiJet 900-$18.43 Substrate-Caribsea Arga-Alive 10lb-$15.99 -Pool Filter Sand 10lb-Already had Filtration-Chemipure Elite-$8.50 -Filter Floss-Already Had Still need to order: Circulation Pump-Jebao WP-10 (would this be enough in conjunction with the maxijet?) Light-Current USA Orbit Marine LED 24"x36" Heater-Aquatop 150w Filtration-Purigen Misc.-Salt, Saltwater test kit, Hydrometer, Live rock. Livestock: Pair of Ocellaris clownfish Maybe some type bottom dweller. Any suggestions something hardy. Attached are the idea I was going for, the empty tank, and a mock up with some coro. Link to comment
c_man7 Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Got a few things in the mail today 10lb bag of fiji pink live sand hydro 100w heater aquatic life 115 protein skimmer and my sheet of black acrylic. Still waiting on Purigen MaxiJet 900 Jebao wp10 Still need to order Current USA Marine Orbit led hydrometer Test kit. Link to comment
c_man7 Posted January 25, 2016 Author Share Posted January 25, 2016 Big update, Got the wall installed and stand build. Added eggcrate to the bottom to support rocks. I used the left over to make a top and build a media rack. I'm hoping to get it filled up today and start aquascaping Link to comment
c_man7 Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 Went and got my live rock. I found a LFS about 20-30min from my house they were awesome. Had cured live rock for $6.00lb. Guy sold me 25lb for the price of 20lb. I got 2 5 gallon buckets filled them with the rock and saltwater brought it home friday night while I waited for the silicone to dry. Had the rock in a rubbermaid with heater and pump. Monday night I set the tank up. While waiting for my light to come in and moving the live rock I found 3 small bristle stars, a few nassarius snails, and 2 electric blue hermits. Got my light and a couple more snails yesterday and did a water test and I'm showing some ammonia which is good. I ordered some Dr. Tims one and only which will come in friday. So monday morning I plan to add it then monday night get a watchman goby. Link to comment
Elizabeth94 Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I love the blue background! So much better than the black imo (I am so sick of my black background) I wouldnt add any fish until your cycle is over, especially If you are still reading ammonia (I wouldn't add any clean up crew members either). Ammonia is super toxic, as are nitrites. It seems your cycle still has a little ways to go, so I wouldn't plan to add anything monday, even if you use additives. This is the most sucky part of putting up a tank, cycles can take a while but it is better to be safe than sorry. Would the skimmer fit in the second chamber? You may want to consider putting the media rack in the first chamber so the filter floss catches all the gunk so it doesn't settle in the rear chambers and cause nutrient problems. I like how you built the rear chambers big enough to fit equipment like skimmers. That is one thing I wish was improved on with the fusion 10's, can't fit much back there. Link to comment
c_man7 Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 I love the blue background! So much better than the black imo (I am so sick of my black background) I wouldnt add any fish until your cycle is over, especially If you are still reading ammonia (I wouldn't add any clean up crew members either). Ammonia is super toxic, as are nitrites. It seems your cycle still has a little ways to go, so I wouldn't plan to add anything monday, even if you use additives. This is the most sucky part of putting up a tank, cycles can take a while but it is better to be safe than sorry. Would the skimmer fit in the second chamber? You may want to consider putting the media rack in the first chamber so the filter floss catches all the gunk so it doesn't settle in the rear chambers and cause nutrient problems. I like how you built the rear chambers big enough to fit equipment like skimmers. That is one thing I wish was improved on with the fusion 10's, can't fit much back there. Actually now that you say that. I may switch the chambers that would make since i'm not sure on fitment though. I was reading up on the dr. tims and its supposed to allow you to add fish instantly since it needs ammonia, should I just assume the ammonia from die off will be enough to help? Link to comment
c_man7 Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Update: Got the tanks cycled and add fish over the past two weeks, 2 ocellaris clownfish 1 tail spot blenny 1 orange spot shrimp goby 1 peppermint shrimp 10 nacirrus snails 10 cerith snails 8 blue leg hermit crabs. Going to let the tank run for another month or two then start adding coral. Link to comment
c_man7 Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 Heres a little update. Original scape. I really didnt like how the left looked like a rubble pile and the shelf rock was sitting there. Here are some pics of the live stock and corals the day I got them. I got these and they looked like this at the shop. but later that night the arms stretched out a good inch or two. left some room behind the rock for water flow. Link to comment
c_man7 Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 One month+ update. Green Star Polyp Zoa Small piece or Live Rock with I believe to be some small Zoa Another Zoa that fell off a rock and touched my frogspawn. Hoping it will recover. Montipora Frogspawn Button Polyp Med Rock of Zoas I got for dirt cheap Couple more zoa frags Link to comment
c_man7 Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 Clownfish and peppermint shrimp Tailspot Blenny The never seen Blue legged pistol shrimp Link to comment
c_man7 Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 Not sure what this is the top one most of the time the arms are short but sometime spread out. hammer coral Green Star and some mushrooms Toadstool and mushroom Mushroom Xenia Yellow Polyp More of my zoa garden And Finally a FTS Link to comment
Elizabeth94 Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 The coral that has been opening up looks like a goniopora to me but the tentacles on the end look a bit long. Can you get a picture of it with the flow off? That is the best way to photograph corals. Link to comment
c_man7 Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 I will try when I get home but looking at pictures of goniopora that seems to be it. The crappy LFS around me has an under $15 frag rack and I picked it up. The owners don't really know much about saltwater so it didn't help. I should've researched but for $12 I took the chance Link to comment
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