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Cultivated Reef

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After a few impromptu stops by the local fish store and being out of the reefing world for about eight years, I am jumping back in! I previously had a 46 Gallon Bow Front Reef Tank and it was a great (yet frustrating) learning experience. During the three years that the tank was running, it turned into a flourishing reef that experienced its highs and lows. After heading off to college, maintenance took a turn and it unfortunately died out.

 

Now that I have more time, I've decided to dip my toes back in the water and set up a smaller reef tank. Most of the big purchases have been made, but I am still waiting on the stand to arrive before everything gets set up. Let the wild ride begin, and as always, any comments or constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.

 

Tank Specs

Tank and Stand: Innovative Marine Fusion Pro 25 AIO Aquarium w/ Black APS Stand

Filtration: IM CustomCaddy Media Basket & inTank Filter Floss Holder

Filter Media: Filter Floss & Chemi Pure Blue Nano

Return Pump: IM MightyJet 15W/24V 326 GPH DC Return Pump w/ Controller

Skimmer: IceCap K1-Nano Protein Skimmer

Circulation: Ecotech Vortech MP10 Powerhead w/ Quiet Drive - Mobius Ready

Heater: Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm 100 Watt Aquarium Heater w/ LED Display

Lighting: Ecotech Radion XR15 PRO G5 LED Light (w/ RMS Tank Mount & Diffuser)

ATO System: XP Aqua Duetto ATO Auto Top Off System & Innovative Marine AUQA Gadget HydroFill Ti Auto Top Off ATO Reservoir - 5 Gallon

RO/DI System: Marine Depot KleanWater 4-Stage Advanced RO/DI System - 100 GPD

Salt: Red Sea Coral Pro Salt Mix

Misc. Equipment:

  • Marine Depot Aquarium Refractometer (w/ PINPOINT Salinity Calibration Fluid)

  • Digital Aquarium Thermometer 

  • Red Sea Marine Care Test Kit

 

Current Livestock

24 lbs. of CaribSea LifeRock (15 lbs. Shapes & 9 lbs. Original)

20 lbs. of CaribSea Arag-Alive Special Grade Reef Sand

 

Fish

2 Tank Raised Black and White Ocellaris Clownfish (Added 12/15/20)

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Two weeks after purchasing the tank and it officially has water in it!

 

IMG_0104.thumb.jpeg.588bc3e049fd21f5c88d1a70b0fa7782.jpeg

 

The stand came in yesterday, so the majority of today was spent getting it put together and setting up the basics of the tank. I'm glad I went with the NUVO APS Stand from Innovative Marine. It is a bit more pricey, but was very easy to put together and looks very nice.

 

Once the tank was in position, I filled it with RO/DI water from my LFS and installed the return pump, heater, thermometer, light and Vortech. I have decided to go with Red Sea Coral Pro Salt Mix after reading some good reviews about it. I'm a bit concerned about the high alkalinity, but we will see if it can be maintained in a LPS tank with regular water changes. After adding the appropriate amount of salt, the salinity is sitting right around 35 ppt. I will check it again in the morning to make sure it is stable.

 

The plan for the next few days is to monitor for any leaks, set up the skimmer and ATO system, and organize the cabinet/cords. I also purchased a RO/DI system from Marine Depot but need to work out some water pressure problems before it can be used (I am currently only getting about 20 psi). On Sunday or Monday I hope to go to the LFS to get stocked up on sand and live rock. I am currently deciding between the Special Grade Reef and Fiji Pink from CaribSea. Any suggestions? I'd love to house a Yasha Goby/Pistol Shrimp pair down the line.

 

Long day but excited to be back in the world of reefing! 

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A quick update...

 

Over the weekend I got the protein skimmer and ATO system set up and also organized the cabinet. After confirming all equipment was running correctly, and that the basic parameters were stable (specific gravity is 1.024 and temperature is 77.2 °F) I headed to the LFS on Monday to look at rock and sand. Upon recommendation of the employees and doing some reading online, I decided to go with Caribsea LifeRock. I used 15 lbs. shapes & 9 lbs. of the original rock to create a cool arch and cave that I then secured with epoxy. I placed it in the tank and also added 20 lbs. of CaribSea Arag-Alive Special Grade Reef Sand. The water cleared up rather quickly and on Tuesday I added the recommended dosage of FritzZyme 9 Saltwater to kick-start the cycle.

 

The dry side of my MP10 has been extremely loud, so after talking with Ecotech they are sending me a new one that should be here this weekend. Now it is time to sit back and wait...

IMG_0188.thumb.jpg.a455a2ca1505a4525fa3f78d99ef004c.jpg

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  • 4 months later...

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