60 Gallon build

[Drummer98]

As I said in my introduction post, I am getting back into the hobby after a 20 year hiatus.

Tank - 60 gallon breeder
60 lbs of Marco Rock
55 lbs of CaribSea Arag-Alive Special Grade Sand
Fluval 307 Cannister
Penguin 350 Bio-wheel HOB filter
Hygger 300W heater
Lighting is some cheap LED that came with the used tank. Will upgrade later.
Cycling with Dr. Tim's and Microbacter7 and no lights. (except for the photo)

I built the stand for my 75 gallon FOWLR tank 25 years ago out of 2x6's and skinned it with 1/2" Oak plywood. (I can't imagine what that stuff would cost now)
It was originally finished in the natural oak, but since we now have all dark furniture in the basement where this is, I refinished to match. I do have a hood that housed all the old halide and tube lighting but haven't refinished it yet so it's still in the natural oak. I'm not sure I am even going to use it on this tank.
I kept both the stand and the hood in the basement all these years in hopes of maybe getting back into the hobby. Now after retiring a year ago, I have more time to invest in it.

I'm just going to start with a couple of clowns when the tank is done cycling and then grow slowly from there. I eventually want to get some soft corals in but that will be down the road when I am confident that the tank is ready for them.

Any opinions on finishing and using the hood or not would be appreciated, in fact, any opinions/advice on the whole system would be greatly appreciated.

 

[T Diddy]

Breeder tanks are great…very versatile in terms of livestock choices and lighting options don’t have to be ridiculously expensive in order to keep corals happy. I also like the stand/canopy. You did a good job with that

 

[Reefing102]

Welcome back to the hobby! (Not sure if I said that yet)

Anyway, tank looks good. If light spill is a concern, I’d use the hood. Regardless, I’d probably use the hood. My reasoning is many reef LED systems (and halide if you go that route) are hanging systems (or charge extra for the tank mounts). Your hood gives an excellent mounting area (instead of the ceiling or wall). Just my $.02

 

[griss]

Looks great. Can't wait to see more pics of the progress.

 

[Drummer98]

My real issue with the hood is that it's a top door access, not through the front and no way to modify it really.
I didn't build the hood, I bought it. I would have made it a front door access to facilitate feeding, cleaning, etc...etc...
I guess I'll do the refinishing on it and give it a try.

 

[Reefing102]

My real issue with the hood is that it's a top door access, not through the front and no way to modify it really.
I didn't build the hood, I bought it. I would have made it a front door access to facilitate feeding, cleaning, etc...etc...
I guess I'll do the refinishing on it and give it a try.

Oh that could definitely make things difficult. Theres no way to take like a hacksaw or similar to the front edge and add a couple hinges?

 

[Drummer98]

Oh that could definitely make things difficult. Theres no way to take like a hacksaw or similar to the front edge and add a couple hinges?

No, it's all wood and the face looks to be an intergral piece of the structure integrity.

 

[griss]

If you’re handy with woodwork you could build a new hood.

 

[griss]

Adding, I’m not the best woodworker, but built a hood for the tank I’m been planning to upgrade to for the past 7 years

 

[Drummer98]

No, it's all wood and the face looks to be an intergral piece of the structure integrity.

Yeah...those days are gone. I had lots of power tools and equipment and space to do that when I built the stand.
In this house? Not so much.

 

[griss]

Yeah...those days are gone. I had lots of power tools and equipment and space to do that.
In this house? Not so much.

Gotcha

 

[reefmusic]

Lighting is some cheap LED that came with the used tank. Will upgrade later.

Last time I had a reef tank, LEDs were still a bit new, and, by listening to the advice on the net, I ended up with too much light. These days, the cheap LEDs can be sufficient for the easy corals, especially leathers and stuff. In my new tank, 52L local critters tank, the built in LEDs seem quite good. I will be using them and watching how things go. Then again, I will not be attempting to keep the hard stony stuff like acro. At first, it won't have anything that needs much light, except fo me to see them.

Cycling with Dr. Tim's and Microbacter7 and no lights. (except for the photo)

I gratefully accepted some filter media from the guy at the pet store that sold me the tank. That, plus putting some hermits and things in early, really speeds up the cycling.


I love the long shallow tank. I have often wondered about an outside tank under natural sunlight using something like this.

 

[Drummer98]

The tank is cycled and now awaiting some inhabitants. The 2 guys pictured below are going through a 30 day QT period with Copper Power, API General Cure and Metroplex. Do I need to do anything in the display tank during this 30 day wait to keep the biome going correctly? (ghost feed, ammonia dose, .... ? )

 

[Drummer98]

The (so far) nameless clowns have been living happily by themselves in the DT for over a month. These 2 guys have gone through their 30 day qt with the same protocols and have joined the clown crew. They do have names... I give you Kramer the Scopus Tang and Carl the Coral Beauty.

Everyone is healthy, happy and getting along just fine and it seems that Kramer and Carl have become fast friends.

Now the search for the next inhabitants begins. Suggestions are appreciated. I do plan on putting in couple soft corals in the future and maybe an anemone.

 

[Reefing102]

Looking great! I’d maybe look at a goby or blenny. Maybe a couple fairy wrasses

 

[Dustin07]

and it seems that Kramer and Carl have become fast friends.

I have 2 chromis that hang out during the day
2 clowns that of course are partners
2 dotybacks, and 2 different damsels, the 4 of them are not so much friends

But the other night long after the lights went out I was flashlighting around the tank, finding bristleworms etc, when I noticed my small damsel and my chromis snuggling up in a little cave they found in my largest rock. I wish I had a picture of it. they were literally touching and just hanging out together like my dogs on a dog pillow.