First Reef Tank..Just over a month old...

Hello fellow reefers and non reefers (all you fish only and FOWLR)

I would like to give you some info on my tank. It has been up and going since 8-14 of this year. I had a 55 gallon set up and going for a few weeks it sprung a leak and i ended up just getting rid of everything. i took some time away from the hobby with the birth of my son happening. it was to much to keep up with and deal with him and work at the same time. Now that he is almost a year old i have decided to start up again now that he is moving and easier to take care of (easy as being a parent can be)... I got a 25 gallon tank from a friend that was in excellent condition, came with a stand. I made some modifications to the stand since it wouldn't hold a sump. Major DIY guy here. I will do anything i can myself and not have to pay the extra expense of having someone else do it.


Well here is how the tank is set up...
--25 gallon tank (back glass painted black)
--5 gallon sump (upgrading soon only extra tank i had)
--DIY PVC overflow. (would drill glass but didnt have the bits/bulkheads/overflow) would have been way over what i wanted for an overflow. (cant beat $10 worth of pvc for overflow and plumbing.
--running a coralife biocube skimmer (came from a friend who broke down his biocube it was free so couldnt beat it-upgrading after Christmas looking at one rated for 65 gallons)
--15-20lbs live rock (same friend same biocube)
--10-15 lbs dry base rock (already got some good color on it)
-- 20-30 lbs sand (didnt start live figured whats the point it will just liven up soon enough)
--2 koralia nano 425 gph powerheads
-- Return pump from sump not sure of brand but pushing about 325-350 gallons after pushing water up 3 ft.
-- 150 watt heater ( went larger to accommodate for the extra volume in the sump)
--Running a 2 bulb t5HO unit. 1 actinic 1 10k (looking to upgrade when skimmer is purchased. Going with the 4 bulb t5ho unit 2 actinic 1 10k 1 50/50 or an LED unit)

Live stock list
--Diamond watchman goby
--Blue Green Chromis
--Small Yellow Tang (fish sitting for a buddy who is cycling his 150G, will be going home in a few weeks)
--yellow tail damsel (banished to the sump until i can rehome was beating up on my chromis)
--Colorado Starbust BTA (know the tank needs to be established for some time but this guy randomly showed up on my door step...Buddy in colorado (i know right colorado starburst from colorado) heard i was setting up the tank and i guess decided i had to have on of his baby bta's
--3 nassarius snails
--10 or so Astrea
-- 5 Coraline margarita snails
--2 zebra turbo snails
--1 peppermint shrimp
-- 1 black long spine urchin (tiny size of a quarter Hitch hiked in)
-- Stomatella snails (hitchhiked in already breeding confirmed by the tiny ones i see that i didnt when i got them i know what and where they hitchhiked from so i know how many were there. Saw them in my bag with my gsp coral)
-- Almost positive i have collonistas as well

Coral list
--GSP
--Kenya tree
-- Zoas
-- Mushrooms- purple, red, and green striped
--Frog spawn
--Some little chunk of what i thought was dead sps (started to grow)
--Little piece of goiniopora (heard it was hard to keep alive after i got it for free with purchase of some of the other corals)
--im sure im missing some

Well all parameters are in check except Nitrates. Assuming that is because of the crap skimmer i have
Temp-78
PH 8.2
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-20-40 depending on what day of the week i test.
Calcium-500-520
DKH-11 drops
Phospate- almost undectable... assuming its from the flakes or pellets i feed.

Feeding schedule goes as followed.
Pellets in the morning
Frozen mysis after i get off
pellets or flake before bed
Nori 2-3 times a week

10 gallon water change weekly. sand vacuumed every 2 water changes.

Well thats my set up so far. i will upload some pics when I get home and im not doing a bad thing being on 3reef at work....OHHH THE TROUBLE ID BE IN...

 

As promised here are some pics of the tank and occupants

 

well done

 

Thanks. its been a slow process. Most of the coral has been there for a week or 2. I was surprised how fast it cycled. I'm guessing from the LR that got used from the heavily stocked tank. Took forever on my old 55 but i used all dry rock. Looking at getting a Birdsnest Coral on Friday since the one little sps piece i have seems to be taking off.

 

I'd be shocked if it cycled that fast. I wouldnt add anything for atleast a couple to three weeks.

 

it was running through 2 ppm of ammonia in a day. id drop it in and next morning test and not a sign of it. dose some more and it to would be gone. I check my levels every few days right now to make sure nothing is happening. The Kenya tree was the last hing added about a week ago. Everything else kinda just went in right after i stopped dosing ammonia after about 2 1/2 weeks. Well i want to snag up this birdnest frag before someone else does. The LFS only wants $15 for it and its basically a mini colony. I may frag it up and sell some off to get a jump start on my new skimmer, but that would be after it got acclimated to my tank. Would it be better to do it as soon as i get it or wait till its acclimated?

 

It's okay. You may have a high nitrite level though. Just be patient and go slow is the best advice I can give. And read a lot; like for real, a lot.

 

Is there a strainer on that overflow pipe or is it just a piece of PVC? Interested in your diy overflow Is that just a u shaped overflow pipe?

 

No strainer. Looking to get one of the screens to insert into it. i pull my peppermint shrimp and sea urchin out of the filter sock about once a week. I will have to get some pictures up for you in a bit. I may need to just have this moved to over to the build tread on here. I can see this is going to be a lengthy post. lol

 

Excellent start.