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Hi New Sucker from East Bay

Update...
Plumber installed the RODI and works great. I bought 4 of those Jugs thinking I would buy water from LFS but decided I want my own water Working out the water change game plan and think I got it down. Will use jug 1 for my fill-RODI and jug 2 & 3 ready with RODI and jug 4 for my eventual ATO container. Sand arriving Sat and I keep admiring my scape but now decisions....

*Dec-18 to 20 wife and I will be watching our son play in the Famous Potato Bowl in Boise. Go Spartans! #92!. Told him I deserve a sack since I'm delaying my tank for him ;)
*Dec 23-25th in LA
*Feb3 to 24 to Asia for business ( Wife will be around)
Don't want to mess with a ATO and don't want to come back with a mess so I think right after Xmas is when I am filling. I will also cycle until my arrival from Asia ( Can I bring back Coral in my carry on?)
I'd vote fill after Christmas, run no lights the whole time so you don't get algae. Seed with some live rubble/bio media from an established tank. Don't bother with any liquids or anything else until you're back from your trip. Maybe use a plastic lid to keep evaporation down while you're out.

Definitely don't bring back any coral from Asia since you need import permits and frankly you can get anything you'd want locally from High Tide or other members giving away frags.
 
I say if you like it see how it works out for you. I think it looks cool. Other people may be right about shadowing, but not all corals need to be blasted with light. It will depend on what you like to keep coral wise. You can always change it later if you want to after giving it a try.
You could also fill it up and check how much light different spots get with the par meter before breaking it apart
Corals grow all different ways and different lighting requirements as mentioned above. Some have more powerful stings and will kill others if they grow to close to each other or chemical warfare. So on limited space best to stick with the same family depending on growth. Just research the coral you want and look at before and after photos of growth patterns its not a guarantee exactly with different tanks/flows/ lighting but will give you a good idea. Their are many before and after photos posted all over the web on different forums. Keep it simple with easy corals for a bit until the tank matures and have fun!!
Sounds like a great trip ahead enjoy!
Paul
 
Hi All, Should I be soaking/cycle my AF rock with rodi/ salt water with heater and pump?
Will be filling right after Xmas.
I'm also going to fill and clean the tank with RODI and clean and remove before fill....rodi and little vinegar?. I have 50 gallons of RODI now . ;)
 
Don't bother cleaning it. Just run a filter sock when you turn return on for the first time to catch any powders or anything else that come off the rock.
 
Since I'm bored I wanted to figure out how much water will fill by tank. Figure the inside dimensions (ID) for Length times Width (L X W) and Height (H) (depth of water). If I know the cubic inches and divide by 231 I should know how many gallons.. My tank volume is 37 gallons and the E170 rear sump is at 8 gallons. I have 40 gallons ready. If I factor my Aquascape and skimmer will I have enough H20 to fill with one shot? Also, should I run my MP10's when I'm cycling?

The tank empty is a big tease and inching to fill and get going. Thank you all for taking me under your wings and hopefully I can create what you all have created with your tanks.
Happy Holidays!
 
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Since I'm bored I wanted to figure out how much water will fill by tank. Figure the inside dimensions (ID) for Length times Width (L X W) and Height (H) (depth of water). If I know the cubic inches and divide by 231 I should know how many gallons.. My tank volume is 37 gallons and the E170 rear sump is at 8 gallons. I have 40 gallons ready. If I factor my Aquascape and skimmer will I have enough H20 to fill with one shot? Also, should I run my MP10's when I'm cycling?

The tank empty is a big tease and inching to fill and get going. Thank you all for taking me under your wings and hopefully I can create what you all have created with your tanks.
Happy Holidays!
Useful tip some may not know, if you go into Google and enter "40in x 12in x 10in in gallons" or "... in liters" or " ... in tbsp" ..., Google will do the conversions for you.
 
I bet you’ll have just enough water
I would say run at least one mp10 during cycling with no lights
Thanks! I have never planned for anything this long. I think I'm ready for the challenge and will make sure my husbandry is A+
Need to start putting together the coral and fish I want
Useful tip some may not know, if you go into Google and enter "40in x 12in x 10in in gallons" or "... in liters" or " ... in tbsp" ..., Google will do the conversions for you.
I'm trying to exercise my brain....but Thanks!. I think I found my first fish the Six line Wrasse with the stripes in the eyes.
 
Thanks! I have never planned for anything this long. I think I'm ready for the challenge and will make sure my husbandry is A+
Need to start putting together the coral and fish I want

I'm trying to exercise my brain....but Thanks!. I think I found my first fish the Six line Wrasse with the stripes in the eyes.
Six lines should be one of the very last fish added to a tank. They get very territorial and super aggressive if added to early.
 
There's a lot of options for fish in a nano tank: captive bred clownfish of course at the most popular. Little shrimp gobies that burrow. Small wrasses (the pink streaked is a much less aggressive option to the sixline). Non-aggressive damsels like the Chrysiptera genus can be pretty/active, but I'd only add one for your tank. Pair of firefish (if you have a good lid) can be good. Royal grammas can be good, but another one to add last since they can be aggressive. Neon gobies and clown gobies work well in nanos too, but clowns can be a little territorial. Trimma gobies are tiny but great nano fish. Possum wrasses are pretty cool too. Banggai cardinals are easy but a kinda just float there.

These are what I can think of off the top of my head. Kenny has a lot of these stocked at High Tide and are disease free: https://www.hightideaquatics.net/fish-instock
 
Update. I bought the Red Sea Pro salt and after much review don't think its the right salt for me so I'm waiting for my new batch from Tropic Marin to arrive and will be using this for my salt.....but what do I know :)
I do have a bucket of Red Sea salt available and if any club member wants it Its available for pickup in Hayward so please PM and its yours.
 
Update. I bought the Red Sea Pro salt and after much review don't think its the right salt for me so I'm waiting for my new batch from Tropic Marin to arrive and will be using this for my salt.....but what do I know :)
I do have a bucket of Red Sea salt available and if any club member wants it Its available for pickup in Hayward so please PM and its yours.

Since you're just starting then stick with the red sea since it's pretty cheap. It does have elevated calcium and alkalinity so you can always have it as a way to replenish those when you just have a few corals to begin with. Then once you figure out dosing, you can switch to the Tropic Marin for more control.
 
Update. I bought the Red Sea Pro salt and after much review don't think its the right salt for me so I'm waiting for my new batch from Tropic Marin to arrive and will be using this for my salt.....but what do I know :)
I do have a bucket of Red Sea salt available and if any club member wants it Its available for pickup in Hayward so please PM and its yours.
I used red sea pro for awhile before switching to TMP. It's an excellent salt and does eliminate the need to worry about dosing alk calc for a little while so you can focus on other aspects of maintaining a reef tank at the beginning.
 
Hi All.
Day 7 of the Dr Tims Fishless cycle:
Dry rock with Carib sea
34-PPT
PH constatnt at 8
NH3-0.25 and I dosed with Amonia yesterday
NO2- 0 so far never measured always blue with Salfert
NO3-25/Salfert & 2.8 Hanna

Based on the chart by Dr. Tims I'm supposed to add fish on Wendsday. Does this look rght? How can I never see any N02?
Im ready to go to High Tide and get my first or second fish but I feel something is wrong.
Thanks
 
Hi All
My tank finally cycled and my first two clown fish- Shaq and Kobe have entered. High Tide and the dude running the store hooked me up with my clowns and his store is perfect.
The journey now starts and putting together the game plan for my Coral.
Wnated to tell you all wthout you I would not be here. Thanks!
 
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