Johnson's First Ever Fish Tank

[jkamboy96]

Hi everyone! I am a new reefer and I just got my tank started up June 2024. Got my first frags at a LFS right before attending the 6/1 frag swap. I recently picked up this tank setup from a BAR member and still learning as I go.

Setup:
Red Sea Reefer 200XL (42 Gallons) w/stand and sump
Caribsea Arag-alive special grade sand
Marco Dry rock
2x AI 16HD Lights
Kessil H80 Refugium Light

Livestock:
2 Gladiator Clownfish
DBTC Trochus Snails (DaddyHook)


Coral List

* - Gifted
DBTC - Don't Break the Chain

DBTC Superman Mushroom (MichaelB)
DBTC Lava Lamp (JVU)
DBTC Multicolor Rhodactis (JVU)
WWC Everlasting Gobstopper Zoa
Rainbow Hornet
Gold Hammer
Bicolor Frogspawn Purple/Olive Green
Pink Zipper Zoa? - *Popper
Kryptonite Candy Cane - *Popper
Candy Cane
Green Acan
Purple/Blue Acan
Orange/Green Rhodactis Mushroom
Purple/Pink Zoas
Orange Chalice - Dying
Rasta Zoas - *SupraSaltyReefer
Tubbs Blue Zoas - *SupraSaltyReefer
Koji Wada - *SupraSaltyReefer
King Kong Bounce Yuma - *SupraSaltyReefer
Japanese Deep Water Neon Green Toadstool - *SupraSaltyReefer
Green Favia - *SupraSaltyReefer
Forest Fire Mushroom - *SupraSaltyReefer
Red Discosoma - *SupraSaltyReefer
Blue/Yellow Yuma
Bam Bam Zoas
Firework Clove Polyps
Exosphere Zoas
Palythoas - *Popper
Tequila Sunrise Mushroom - *Popper
Cotton Candy Torch Coral
Aussie Green Tip Torch - *Popper

Special thanks and shout out to @SupraSaltyReefer and @popper for getting me started with a bunch of frags. They asked for nothing in return for the frags and sold me equipment at a great price.


Equipment that I have that I haven't set up yet (need to clean + look up how to set up):

ATO
E-heim Auto Feeder
X-120 Axium G4 Protein Skimmer
Gen 1 Bubble Magnus Small Filter Roller

The tank was pretty dirty when I first picked it up. Tried scrubbing with hot soap and water and it ended up taking way too long. Looked up some Youtube videos and I saw that citric acid would help. It helped SOOOOO much. Let the citric acid soak and all the detritus came off with 0 effort. The tank itself was in very good condition.

I went to a local fish store and got my first frags! I stuck to the cheaper corals because I had no idea how to take care of any of them. Ended up contributing three of them to attend the swap. The frag swap was an amazing experience! I had to leave a little early but I still got to go home with wayyy more frags than I came with.

This is a photo of my rock work. I think it looks really cool, I'm quickly realizing that there isn't alot of space for coral. Additionally, the shadow that the top rock is casting is pretty significant. If anyone has any rock structure recommendations for a 42 gallon cube, I'm all ears! I originally wanted to try to make a negative space aquascape, but I had a hard time with making my structure hold without mortar/putty.

Currently dealing with a dinoflagellate problem - ordered a UV sterilizer

More to come soon, thanks for taking a look!

 

[MichaelB]

Welcome looks like your off to the races. Some things to consider is clean up crew. I saw you got some trochus from dbtc. You may want a few lager trochus snails in addtion to the ones you have. I would also recommend half a dozen either red leg or blue leg hermits. A half dozen of Nassarius snails for the sand bed. These I would recommend once you have fish and start actively feeding them. Eventually you may want to double or tripple the amount of clean up crew. You don't want to start with to many and have them starve. So think of a gradual build up of clean up crew as your bioload increases.

You have a vast array of corals, I'm very happy you were able to score big at the swap. Lol, I recall my first swap I walked very quickly to my car looking over my shoulder when it was over feeling like I was making a get away like a bandit.

Be sure to research each individual coral. To understand light requirements and placement in the tank. Some of them have sweeper tenticals. Some of them release chemicals. In short some of them if placed to close to something else can result in the death of both or one of them.

It's nothing as complex as it sounds. Often a quick google search will provide enough basic information to help you place them correctly.

If and when you have questions or need advice snap a few pictures or ask your question here there are many members that are like jedi masters of reefing capable of steering you right.

I'm not one of those experts yet, but if you need help reach out if it's beyond me I can reefer you to someone smarter lol.

Good luck, and I look foward to following your progress.

 

[Srt4eric]

@jkamboy96 how's the tank doing?

 

[tankguy]

Be careful about mixing hermits with Nassarius snails. I did that once and it was a killing zone. Hermits 1 and snails 0. Enjoy your tank. It can be a relaxing hobby once things are dialed in