My Reef Addict Diary

Well I'm reviving this thread for good reason. I haven't been part of the 3reef community since I sold my tank. I was just too sad about having to sell it that I didn't even want to think about tanks again.

I'm now in a place I think I'll be for at least a few more years and am looking through craigslist to get my addiction going again. I found a nice 90g bowfront corner tank that looks well maintained by the current owner and am hoping to get more info from them today. I can't wait!!!

It's $600 but depending on all it comes with and how it's been maintained I'm sold. I'm probably sold regardless because it comes with a new MH pendulum and well....those tanks are pretty expensive on their own so it's still a great deal.

Woohoo!!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will be a great tank to start my addiction again!

 

Well I thought too quickly for myself.

I've decided to go the pico route. 5g Eco Pico Reef desktop aquarium. I know I will have to be more stringent with this than with my 29g but I'm ready!

 

After searching the vast interwebs and reading a lot of info on here (haloists thread on his ecopico is AMAZING!) I can't wait to start. It will probably be a couple of months before I really get going on it but it's game on! Ohhhhhhh so excited

 

Welcome back Whippy
I do not recall your previous location, but I assume it was a long move?

I wondered where you had got to

good luck with the new tank venture
whatever you decide to go with

 

Well I again find myself broken hearted.
Since moving to KY (Elizabethtown) I've been on the hunt for a decent LFS and have yet to find one. One place by us (private owner, not a chain) sells minimal saltwater goods and they're none too helpful with questions, especially about pricing and quality. They provide R/O water and premixed saltwater (which I won't be using) and I'd asked what their TDS readings etc were. Well everytime I tried to ask a question about readings or how much saltwater business is in the area the guy would just talk over me louder and louder until I just gave up.
Their tanks are in such a sad state of disrepair with dead/dying fish and coral. It breaks my heart. I don't want to buy even one thing from them to poison my tank when I start it.
I'd like to breach the topic of the state of their tanks with them....riddled with cyano, GHA, aiptasia etc but they'll have none of it. They have a tang in a little tank with NOTHING in it and their "display tank" if you could even call it that.....is a disaster. I want to leave them my number and tell them that when they decide they need help to give me a call.


This is really making me want to start a 300g instead of a 5g and open a reef business out of my house!!!



After a bit of searching I did find the Kentucky Reef Socienty and am hoping to get more info on the local fare!!

~Le Sigh

 

Hey Steve!! Thanks for the welcome
I was in VA previously and am now in KY. I feel cut off from reef keeping out here but I'm going to make it work!

 

So even though I haven't been able to start the tank I'm deep in planning for it. I've decided that the sand will be ~1" in depth and I'd like 8-10lbs LR (branching).
I've decided that I'll be modding a hang on back filter, removing all of the filter media and replacing with LR rubble and algae. I'll also be rigging a suface skimmer out of PVC on the intake of the filter (will post pics!)
I'm planning on covering the back wall of the tank with GSP so that it makes a carpet across the back....that or clavularia sp.


Inhabitants will be lots of softies, 5 sexy shrimp and I'm thinking about a court jester goby, hectors goby or purple firefish.

I haven't decided what to do about a stand though I'll come up with more ideas once I see the tank in person. I do know that I'd like to build a custom stand, stained cherry and that I'd like ~6" of lip all the way around the tank which will sit in a fitted recess in the center of the stand.

I absolutely cannot wait to have my sanity back!



.....I will NOT be adding xenia to the tank.....

 

Ordered the tank tonight

 

Nice read. For some reason I read the voice of your mandarin as Stewie from The Family Guy.

 

Congratulations! Those look like they would be alot of fun. Nanos are so much work, but if you get into a set schedule definitely doable. Im not sure why but tanks that small and clean always have me glued to the glass. Almost even more than a huge tank. Haha.