Brand new to this and want input!

[VolcomStned]

Hey everyone.. Just like to introduce myself.. My name is Joey and I'm 32 born and raised here in southern California. I haven't owned an aquarium before and found a great deal on a really nice tank that I could not pass up. I've had the tank set up for 7 weeks now and would like to share some pictures and give some insight on what I'm looking for in the long run.

Equipment List:
-The tank is a 170 gallon Aqua Vim Seamless bowfront glass tank.
62"long, 22" wide 29" tall
-Sump is a 39" trigger systems emerald sump.
-10 gallon auto top off with Tunze Osmolator.
-1 MP40 and 1 Koralia Powerhead (soon to be replaced with a second MP40 pending funds haha)
-3 Eco Tech Radion Gen 4 XR15
-ASM G2 Protein Skimmer
-300 Watt Eiheim Jager Heater
-JBJ 1/4 Chiller
-RODI
-Aqua Excel DC return pump 2113 GPH

I have 2 two little fishies phosban 150 reactors in which I'm going to run GFO and Carbon but have not installed them yet.
I'm also going to order some BRS dosing motors to dose 2 part.
I'd really like to get an apex neptune in the next couple of months.. again funds pending! I've pretty much set up a budget of $1000 a month for the next while until I get everything dialed in. I don't have much room remaining under my stand so a calcium reactor is a def no go.

I personally really really love SPS corals and would like a mixed reef that is SPS heavy and would like input on how I should proceed.. Will my lighting be up to the task to support SPS?? When introducing SPS should I get a frag rack that i can acclimate them towards the bottom of the tank first? Would love to learn more and hear input on what I should do to prepare myself to keep SPS.

Right now I'm doing 10% weekly water changes using Aqua Forest probiotic reef salt. Salinity is 1.024-1.025.. water temp is 77-79 degrees.. and I'm manually dosing calcium and alkalinity (400ppm 8-9dkh)

Here are pictures that I have taken. Please critique and comment!

First day I set up:


Now 7 weeks later:

 

[VolcomStned]

Some Corals I have: Torch Coral, Australian Elegance Coral, Favia War Coral, Hammer Coral, Acanthophyllia Coral, Frog Spawn, Zoa's, And others I can't think of at the moment.. And a BTA Anemone.. I know.. Very soon to have a BTA but I wanted to give it a shot and I've had it for 2 weeks now and its flourishing and hasnt moved from the rock I placed it on!! I got the BTA early on because I've read so many stories about them moving and stinging coral so I wanted to experience BTA behavior before adding thousands in coral! So far everything has gone relly well!! (Fingers crossed)

 

[VolcomStned]

Oh yea.. Inhabitants at the moment are.. 2 ocellaris clownfish, 2 damsels, and a melanarus wrasse.. Clean up crew consisting of crabs, snails, urchin, and sand sifting sea star.

 

[fixmgood]

Looks pretty good at the moment. Don't be in a hurry take it slow.
Join a reef club. There is SCMAS meeting next week at IHOP Santa Ana. You can get lots of good advice from the members.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dodgerblew]

I'd advise to definitely slow down and let tank stabilize. Enjoy it where it's at and leave it alone Joey. Work on your hardware upgrades.

Was that tank from Ray? It's very nice

 

[VolcomStned]

I'd advise to definitely slow down and let tank stabilize. Enjoy it where it's at and leave it alone Joey. Work on your hardware upgrades.

Was that tank from Ray? It's very nice

I actually found this tank on eBay on accident about 2 months ago and it ended up that the person lived about 3 miles from me!! It was meant to be haha. I def am slowing down.. No more LPS no more fish. Gonna let everything stabilize and grow for next couple months while I upgrade my hardware! I know I want to go ahead and get an apex Neptune to help me monitor my tank, and I will be adding dosing to my tank.. But beyond that I really don't know what else I should look into. I'd really like a quieter skimmer though so if anyone has a recommendation of a really good skimmer that is quiet I'd love to hear about it!

 

[dodgerblew]

I have been singing the praises of the AquaMaxx Cone Series skimmers. I use one and it has performed well. First of the year though I'm switching over to a Deltec. I've talked extensively to Adam at Battlecorals who distributes and I'm excited to give them a try.

 

[benibarra23]

Great start. I live in Santa Clarita too. Would be more than happy to come by and give you advice and talk about some of the local clubs.

 

[laverda]

I'd really like a quieter skimmer though so if anyone has a recommendation of a really good skimmer that is quiet I'd love to hear about it!

A simple inexpensive baffle will quite your ASM skimmer. You can make one with pill bottle or film canister. Just drill 2 holes in it and stick the air intake in one of them. While the ASM is not the latest and greatest skimmer they are good reliable skimmers that are not real finicky. Replacing the pump with a more efficient one is well worth it.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

If you plan on keeping lots of sps, I would be concerned that 3 xr15s would be enough lighting on a 5' tank. Now if you like lps and softies, then you should be good to go. I would recommend 2-3 xr30s on a tank that size. Especially with 29" tall.

 

[VolcomStned]

Great start. I live in Santa Clarita too. Would be more than happy to come by and give you advice and talk about some of the local clubs.

That would be awesome!! I'm over in Canyon Country. PM me your number and I'll shoot you a text.

A simple inexpensive baffle will quite your ASM skimmer. You can make one with pill bottle or film canister. Just drill 2 holes in it and stick the air intake in one of them. While the ASM is not the latest and greatest skimmer they are good reliable skimmers that are not real finicky. Replacing the pump with a more efficient one is well worth it.

I'll give that a shot.. No complaints about the skimmer.. It skims well and with the ATO keeping the water level consistent I don't need to adjust it. As far as pumps go, I think its been replaced already.. It has a Sicce PSK 600 pump.

If you plan on keeping lots of sps, I would be concerned that 3 xr15s would be enough lighting on a 5' tank. Now if you like lps and softies, then you should be good to go. I would recommend 2-3 xr30s on a tank that size. Especially with 29" tall.

This is what I was worried about. Well I guess I can start replacing the XR15's 1 at a time so that it doesn't feel like it hurts as bad.

I have been singing the praises of the AquaMaxx Cone Series skimmers. I use one and it has performed well. First of the year though I'm switching over to a Deltec. I've talked extensively to Adam at Battlecorals who distributes and I'm excited to give them a try.

Let me know how it works out for you!! I'd like to get your opinion after you get it up and running.

 

[dodgerblew]

Can tell you now after seeing this thing in action. It pulls sludge man!

 

[VolcomStned]

Can tell you now after seeing this thing in action. It pulls sludge man!

Wow.. That is some thick sludge! Which model is that??

 

[dodgerblew]

Not sure but doesn't matter

 

[Gabocow]

Get another heater - having redundancy helps and it's probably the cheapest part to have redundancy for. Also start slow with the corals - as a person who has just started this hobby a two years ago, you might not get tank stability for a few months, and the last thing you want to do is sink a ton of money into corals and then not know what happened when they all die... particularly with SPS. Also, save your coral money for a big show - I think reefapalooza is coming up next month on the 19th-20th. You can buy cheap stuff in bulk or really expensive/rare colors too.

 

[joshbrookkate]

That is a beautiful tank setup!

 

[m0nkie]

nice setup!

I think the Kessil for chaeto is a little over kill. You can use a HD bulb for that and use the Kessil to supplement your corals. I think the Kessil "shimmer" looks better than all other LED.

 

[VolcomStned]

nice setup!

I think the Kessil for chaeto is a little over kill. You can use a HD bulb for that and use the Kessil to supplement your corals. I think the Kessil "shimmer" looks better than all other LED.

I'm just using the Kessil for chaeto because I had it laying around. I'm going to get a different light for the fuge.