Supporting Member
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2025
- Messages
- 198
- Thread Author
- #1
Hello all! I was lured here by SlingFox on R2R.
Kinda new to salt water. I have had fresh water aquariums on and off in my life (rental agreements can be a pain). But never a saltwater tank. During that time I built a 180 gallon mixed reef tank, with stand, chiller, refugium, and 4 AI Vegas to light it for a family member. I can proudly say that the tank ran for 8 years before it had a catastrophic event. The owner accidentally put a bleach contaminated filter in it during regular maintenance. Wiped out the tank.
Fast forward to present day, and my wife has fallen hard into aquascaping. So in our research of big box stores, I told her to really learn about it we need to go to a real aquarium shop. Not sure if that was a mistake or not, time will tell. The first shop we visited was Neptune Aquarium. I can say everyone there has been super helpful. And while there of course my wife saw the clowns, corrals, angel fish, and so on. It was now determined we would have two tanks, a fresh water aquascape, and a salt water tank.
I got lucky that while on FBM I spotted a used Coralife Biocube 32 with stand, skimmer, and wave maker. The family member that lost their tank was more than happy to give us a bunch of gear including their AI Vegas. So now we have a 20 and a 37 gallon fresh water tank for aquascaping, and the 32 gallon biocube for saltwater.
The biocube is still in the build phase so to speak. I have the rock placement ready. I need to make a trip to Tap Plastics so I can make a mounting bracket for the skimmer, and supports for the Vega. I did get a Five Star Aquatics filter basket, and I need to get media for it. I also have 10 bags of dead "live" sand that I need to wash before I can use it that was given to me. I have a RODI system, and half of a 5 gallon bucket of salt. Although I will most likely get sea water from Neptune to start the tank off.
And that is where I am
Pleased to meet you all, and look forward to meeting you all some day.
here's a pic of the tank as it sits.... Check out my high tech used pho container light stand
BTW shout out to AI, these Vegas were being a complete PITA! I was seriously fearful that I was going to need new lighting. But they have been super helpful and for being 13 years old are working as they should.
Kinda new to salt water. I have had fresh water aquariums on and off in my life (rental agreements can be a pain). But never a saltwater tank. During that time I built a 180 gallon mixed reef tank, with stand, chiller, refugium, and 4 AI Vegas to light it for a family member. I can proudly say that the tank ran for 8 years before it had a catastrophic event. The owner accidentally put a bleach contaminated filter in it during regular maintenance. Wiped out the tank.
Fast forward to present day, and my wife has fallen hard into aquascaping. So in our research of big box stores, I told her to really learn about it we need to go to a real aquarium shop. Not sure if that was a mistake or not, time will tell. The first shop we visited was Neptune Aquarium. I can say everyone there has been super helpful. And while there of course my wife saw the clowns, corrals, angel fish, and so on. It was now determined we would have two tanks, a fresh water aquascape, and a salt water tank.
I got lucky that while on FBM I spotted a used Coralife Biocube 32 with stand, skimmer, and wave maker. The family member that lost their tank was more than happy to give us a bunch of gear including their AI Vegas. So now we have a 20 and a 37 gallon fresh water tank for aquascaping, and the 32 gallon biocube for saltwater.
The biocube is still in the build phase so to speak. I have the rock placement ready. I need to make a trip to Tap Plastics so I can make a mounting bracket for the skimmer, and supports for the Vega. I did get a Five Star Aquatics filter basket, and I need to get media for it. I also have 10 bags of dead "live" sand that I need to wash before I can use it that was given to me. I have a RODI system, and half of a 5 gallon bucket of salt. Although I will most likely get sea water from Neptune to start the tank off.
And that is where I am
Pleased to meet you all, and look forward to meeting you all some day.
here's a pic of the tank as it sits.... Check out my high tech used pho container light stand
BTW shout out to AI, these Vegas were being a complete PITA! I was seriously fearful that I was going to need new lighting. But they have been super helpful and for being 13 years old are working as they should.
