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HHN
06-25-2017, 11:18 AM
Hi,

I am hoping someone can send me links for starters. You guys all know the best sources of info and there is so much info out there. I am hoping to buy cheap equipment over next 6 months and slowly get the system up and running. But, would love some pointers as I go a long.

Thanks

OhioStreetz
06-25-2017, 12:11 PM
Go on youtube and search bulkreef supply they have hundreds of videos ive spent hours watching them and you can learn alot. They even have a few videos on how to start up and maintain a saltwater aquarium. Welcome to the addiction there is no cure lmao

sushi
06-25-2017, 12:51 PM
Decide what size you want, and consider the cost of electricity for your pumps and lighting during that decision. Then look for stuff in the classifieds section of this site that is the right size for you. Think about if you want overflows drilled for a sump, if you want a sump, but first I'd think about how big of a tank you want then go from there deciding about sumps, overflows, and lighting

HHN
10-01-2017, 05:52 PM
Thanks to those who posted tips. Some how I missed these initially, but ended up finding all those links. Still waiting for my DIY rock's PH to drop ! But, forced some patience, so it ended up being a good thing.

sushi
10-01-2017, 06:39 PM
What kind of tank did you get? Can we see!!!!!

HHN
01-16-2018, 09:07 PM
What kind of tank did you get? Can we see!!!!!Finally has water flowing through it!!!
90 gallon display, 17 g sump, 90 lbs rock (some I made), 2 in sand, bubble magus curve 5 skimmer, eheim 1260 return, herbie overflow , switching to 2 radion xr30 (currently maxspect )... goal is to eventually have a mixed reef tank... thanks to all those who hook me up

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HHN
01-16-2018, 09:10 PM
Finally has water flowing through it!!!
90 gallon display, 17 g sump, 90 lbs rock (some I made), 2 in sand, bubble magus curve 5 skimmer, eheim 1260 return, herbie overflow , switching to 2 radion xr30 (currently maxspect )... goal is to eventually have a mixed reef tank... thanks to all those who hook me up

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jason142
01-16-2018, 09:19 PM
Great start!!!!

sushi
01-16-2018, 09:46 PM
Dang! That's a nice setup! The rockwork looks great too, good design and lots of room for the swimmers to move around. It is only going to get better from here!

Kris
01-17-2018, 08:51 AM
Lots of folks put their probs in the sump.

Your setup and rock work is beautiful.

HHN
01-17-2018, 09:37 AM
Thanks for the props....an endless work in progress. My wife even bought me pecto gift certificates as a show of support. Now, how to use petco certificates ! ;)
Lots of caves and tunnels in the rock work for fishies to chill. The "satelite dish" on the left is the equivalent of the hamster wheel...they can chase each other in circles to get some excercise!

HHN
11-03-2018, 07:14 PM
7 month update...thought this would be fun to share and good record for me 20 years down the road!
I am about 7 months in from cycling my tank.

Corals
SPS that are doing well - Bonzai Acro, Birdsnest (3 different types), Red Planet, Blue Flame, PC Rainbow (doing ok), Purple Sytlo, Goldstreak Setosa, ??superman mille, leptoseris
SPS that are struggling - Strawberry Shortcake, Green goblin, christmas or grinch montipora? (I struggle with montipora), ASD Phoenix (back from the dead)
LPS - Green hammer, Yellow/purple Indo torch (my favorite), Merletti Blasto, Toadstool, Favia, Leptastrea (John Deere and one other), Candy Cane, Green Octospawn, Acans, 2 Goniapora
Mustrooms - Ricordia, Fuzzy (seems to be bubbling), Disco,
Zoas - Rasta, Zurasic, Dragon Eyes, Purple Hearts, Nuclear Green Palys, Spiderman, Utter Chaos...several no names
Cloves
Anemones - Maxi-mine rainbow and 3 RBTA, 4 Rock flowers
Clean up crew - spaghetti worms, 1 turbo, 2 emerald, a bunch of snails, bristleworms, stomatella,
Fish - 1 Kole tang, 1 Yellow tang, 1 Lunare Wrasse, 1 female Leopard Wrasse, 1 male Blue star Leopard Wrasse, 2 clowns (not sure what kind), 2 damsal (that I can't catch)

Parameters: Alk 7.9 to 8.3, Calc 400 to 420, Mag 1280 to 1400, Nitrates 5 to 20, Phosphates .02 to .07, specific gravity 1.0245 , pH 7.8 to 8.1
I use Scripps
I dose Kalk with vinegar 1700 ml day, 28 ml of magnesium a day

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuUx8G0hLWQ
Video 2: Blue Star Leopard Wrasse diving, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co_fi207iu8

Thanks to everyone who have been straight up and generous.


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181104/0eac7b67e991c9da385b49647ad5e630.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181104/8982610a3fdd651036343ab2952af9ff.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181104/7a13992e1dee859b336c0b183bd7ad3a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181104/42cf55134f834f8aa0295d757e5034b9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181104/59fbdf7a8e02aaef158f85f7c99a0e62.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181104/f32ab7037acc483625a7f40d3686affd.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181104/da5b55380cdfce3e3c2b0804fc2cb4ae.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181104/450048a632d956c186ce803f264e0ff3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181104/83becb92bd718c3d2b1d198553cedd75.jpg

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sumbudy
11-03-2018, 08:08 PM
Looking great! Impressive for your first reef tank!

HHN
11-04-2018, 09:38 AM
Thanks Sumbudy...obviously lots of things I would do differently...but great lessons for next set up. Dogded a lot of bullets so far, but just found my first signs of cyano on the sand yesterday...that will be another "lesson learned". Really want to focus on getting my SPS to color up and grow. It's probably lighting/spectrum and need for better flow.

PathosIV
11-04-2018, 09:57 AM
Beautiful tank! What were some of the "life lessons" you learned, for the rest of us newbies?

HHN
11-04-2018, 12:36 PM
Ha..well...first lesson, get advice from someone with more than 7 months experience ! Buy healthy corals from people with nice and healthy, established tanks - higher success rate and you'll get great tips. The old cliche is true -- nothing good happens fast -- but if you are really into it and investing the time, you can buck some of that advice and add stuff sooner. Just make sure the conditions are right and you are testing a lot. Place corals where you want them quickly and don't move them (unless they start turning on you). I lost a lot of corals by trying to acclimate too long and moving them around too quickly.

PathosIV
11-05-2018, 04:22 PM
One of the things I've found (and not sure this is cannon, fyi) is that if someone is selling a frag from their personal collection, they've probably grown it to the point it's frag-able, so it has a better survival rate. Of course, the only tanks I've seen are members with 500+ posts on here, so they already have a well established reputation, as well as established tanks. : )

PatientZero
11-05-2018, 07:55 PM
Your rock work looks better than mine and I've been doing this for 20 years, haha.

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