INTRO:
Welcome to the beginning of my journey into reefing! A little background, I've done freshwater planted tanks on and off and tried my hand at a reef tank 15ish years ago. The technology was way different back then and keeping a nano tank (I tried a 10 gallon) was really tough and I only lasted a couple years. So, even though this is my second attempt at keeping a reef tank it is really my 2nd attempt. With that said, I knew how expensive this hobby is and decided to save costs I would buy a preowned tank. What I ended up was with a fully established tank of a couple years from a person that didn't have time to take care of the tank. There was a lot to learn especially in moving the actual tank and equipment. I bought a brute garbage can for the rocks, a bunch of buckets from Lowes, water jugs for the water, and a cooler for the livestock. I did not realize how heavy the tank would be and how much equipment I had to figure out to setup. Amazingly I did not lose any of the livestock or the existing coral/anemones.
TANK SPECS:
EQUIPMENT:
LIVESTOCK:
CORAL/ANEMONES:
(I'm not good at identifying corals so this is likely not very accurate, also forget about any color names/variations)
THE GRAVEYARD:
RIP to the dead inhabitants due to my incompetence or just bad luck.
Parameters:
(Phosphate, Alkalinity, Calcium, and Salinity all done with Hanna testers. PH and Nitrate with API, and Magnesium performed with Salifert)
To do list:
OBLIGATORY PICTURES:
(I'll organize this better later)
Welcome to the beginning of my journey into reefing! A little background, I've done freshwater planted tanks on and off and tried my hand at a reef tank 15ish years ago. The technology was way different back then and keeping a nano tank (I tried a 10 gallon) was really tough and I only lasted a couple years. So, even though this is my second attempt at keeping a reef tank it is really my 2nd attempt. With that said, I knew how expensive this hobby is and decided to save costs I would buy a preowned tank. What I ended up was with a fully established tank of a couple years from a person that didn't have time to take care of the tank. There was a lot to learn especially in moving the actual tank and equipment. I bought a brute garbage can for the rocks, a bunch of buckets from Lowes, water jugs for the water, and a cooler for the livestock. I did not realize how heavy the tank would be and how much equipment I had to figure out to setup. Amazingly I did not lose any of the livestock or the existing coral/anemones.
TANK SPECS:
Manufacturer/Model: Waterbox 50.3 AIO |
Dimensions: 35.4"×19.7"×17.7" |
Display Volume: 40 gallons |
Total Volume: 50 gallons |
Filtration: Sponge / Bio balls |
Start Date: Established about 2 years, took over March 2022 |
EQUIPMENT:
Standard Aquarium Controller Board - Adaptive Reef |
Inkbird ITC-306A WiFi Temperature Controller (x2) |
ReefSupply 100w Heater (x2) |
AI Nero 3 (x2) |
AI Prime 16 HD (x2) |
Osmolator Universal 3155 Auto Top Off - Tunze |
Auqa Gadget 5 Gallon Hydrofill Reservoir - Innovative Marine |
MightyJet Desktop AIO DC Return Pump (326 GPH) - Innovative Marine |
Tunze DOC Skimmer 9004 |
Auqa Gadget Desktop Minimax Pro Media Reactor - Innovative Marine |
Santa Monica Drop 1.2 Algae Scrubber & HITOP Dual Outlet Aquarium Air Pump, Whisper Adjustable Fish Tank Aerator, & Timer |
LIVESTOCK:
Fish/Invert | # |
Premium Snowflake Clownfish | 2 |
Yellow Corris Wrasse | 1 |
McCoskers Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri) | 1 |
Blue Sided Fairy Wrasse | 1 |
Melanurus Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus) | 1 |
Coral Banded Shrimp | 1 |
Blue Mandarin Dragonet | 1 |
Purple Pin Cushion Urchin | 1 |
Berghia Nudibranch | Started with 4, likely 0 now |
Hermit Crabs | 4 |
Cerith Snails | Numerous |
Turbo Snails | 1 |
Nassarius Snails | 5 or 6? |
Astrea Snails (or Trochus?) | 6ish? |
CORAL/ANEMONES:
(I'm not good at identifying corals so this is likely not very accurate, also forget about any color names/variations)
Bird's nest |
JF Jack-O-Lantern Leptoseris |
Neon Green Star Polyp Branching |
Green Star Polyp |
Kenya Tree |
Unknown Acan |
Unknown Zoanthid |
Eagle Eye Zoanthid |
Radioactive Dragon's Eye Zoanthid |
Rock Flower Anemones |
Rainbow Bubble Tip Anemone |
Green Torch Coral |
Purple Stylophoras |
Some kind of Green Anacrapora (I think?) |
Acrapora Nasuta, Purple |
Pink Montipora |
Red Montipora Digitata |
White Alveopora |
2 kinds of green Leather Coral |
THE GRAVEYARD:
RIP to the dead inhabitants due to my incompetence or just bad luck.
LIVE STOCK: |
Royal Gramma Basslet - Went missing after day 2 and never saw it again. |
Yellow Watchmen Goby - Went missing after day 2, very small in size. |
Canary Blenny - Didn't die but had to give it up due to the Female Clown trying to murder it. |
CORAL: |
Unknown Acrapora - Bought on a whim and the polyps never extended. |
Parameters:
(Phosphate, Alkalinity, Calcium, and Salinity all done with Hanna testers. PH and Nitrate with API, and Magnesium performed with Salifert)
Date | Phosphates (PPM) | Alkalinity (DKH) | Calcium (PPM) | Nitrates (PPM) | Salinity (PPT) | Magnesium (PPM) | PH | Notes |
4/18/22 | 0.11 | 8 | 487 | 10 to 15 | 34.3 | |||
4/30/22 | 0.11 | 7.6 | 494 | 34.5 | 7.9 | |||
5/6/22 | 0.05 | 10 | 34.3 | |||||
5/20/22 | 0.19 | 7.6 | 533 | 5 | 34 | 1170 | 7.6 | |
6/10/22 | 0.09 | 6.9 | 462 | 5 | 33.3 | 1260 | 7.8 | |
6/28/22 | 0.29 | 8.6 | 508 | 10 to 15 | 35.6 | 1440 | 7.6 | Protein Skimmer wasn't operating correctly |
7/13/22 | 0.24 | 8.2 | 523 | 10 | 35 | 1420 | 8.1 | |
7/25/22 | 0.42 | 15 | Saw the numbers and did a water change | |||||
8/4/22 | 0.10 | 8.8 | 553 | 10 | 35.3 | 1410 | 7.8 | Realized my RO filters needed changing and was likely the cause. |
To do list:
- Add Dosing Information
- Food info for both fish and corals
OBLIGATORY PICTURES:
(I'll organize this better later)
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