JZinCO
New member
Ahh. The time is finally here. I can now start a build thread because the build is finally in progress.
Okay so here is my system. I have a 50gal reef tied into a 20gal sump. The sump is a wet/dry with an algae turf scrubber (ATS). I don't currently dose for my corals or run a skimmer, no gfo, etc. Just a basic set-up. The (ATS) has only been up for a day now. I had issues going into the reef setup and a re-start so it is only a month old but some of its current inhabitants we have had for a year.
The addition. It took alot of convincing of the SO to upgrade to a 50gal, and then I immediately started thinking bigger and ended up deciding on tieing in a 29gal into our 50 gal+sump. Now that the 50gal is stocked to a decent level and can start maturing on its own, I turned my attention to the planned addition. I took the 29gal and started drilling holes. Well, I must have put too much force when doing the second hole because the tank cracked around hole #1. So, recycle that, and go back to the drawing board. I picked up a 20L last night for a few bucks and added holes to it. Now it is ready to go.
The 20L will had a foam background consisting of rock rubble, mussels, and barnacles. All are "real", having painstakingly glued 60 pairs of mussel shells together.
So, step 1) Create back wall for 20L
step 2) [maybe] Drill a 10 gal for a dedicated mangrove tank
step 3) Tie the return line from my sump up to 20L [possibly down to 10 gal mangrove tank], back to sump
step 4) Design. The 10 gal could be a simply mud/sand/mangrove deal. The 20L will be seagrasses and macros with minimal rockscaping. The rocks I currently have and are chock full of live mussels that I have kept alive for 6mo now. Sand for the mangrove tank would be 6" and for the macro tank 2-6" with some variations. I also have a half container of miracle mud to use.
step 5) Put lights/etc on the tank(s). Run these for a month or so without animals, just macros. Though the tank will be tied in, I'll be running it solo for this period.
step 6) Open up the lines and fully integrate the new addition into the reef system. Probably turn off ATS at that point.
step 7) Add seagrasses eventually
I haven't thought too much about livestock because that isn't that focus for me but I would like to have 2 barnacle blennies and 2 yellowhead jawfish in the 20L. Maybe the Carribean snapping shrimp that pair up with Curly-Q anemones. Further down the road, possibly rock flower anemones. I'd like a (micro)algae eater. Any suggestions? Thinking of acclimating mollies or a lawnmower blenny. I currently have a twin-spot goby that was bullied into starving in the reef tank. He was fattened back up and he will go in the new tank(s).
Well that is it for now. I will be back with photos sometime within a week.
Okay so here is my system. I have a 50gal reef tied into a 20gal sump. The sump is a wet/dry with an algae turf scrubber (ATS). I don't currently dose for my corals or run a skimmer, no gfo, etc. Just a basic set-up. The (ATS) has only been up for a day now. I had issues going into the reef setup and a re-start so it is only a month old but some of its current inhabitants we have had for a year.
The addition. It took alot of convincing of the SO to upgrade to a 50gal, and then I immediately started thinking bigger and ended up deciding on tieing in a 29gal into our 50 gal+sump. Now that the 50gal is stocked to a decent level and can start maturing on its own, I turned my attention to the planned addition. I took the 29gal and started drilling holes. Well, I must have put too much force when doing the second hole because the tank cracked around hole #1. So, recycle that, and go back to the drawing board. I picked up a 20L last night for a few bucks and added holes to it. Now it is ready to go.
The 20L will had a foam background consisting of rock rubble, mussels, and barnacles. All are "real", having painstakingly glued 60 pairs of mussel shells together.
So, step 1) Create back wall for 20L
step 2) [maybe] Drill a 10 gal for a dedicated mangrove tank
step 3) Tie the return line from my sump up to 20L [possibly down to 10 gal mangrove tank], back to sump
step 4) Design. The 10 gal could be a simply mud/sand/mangrove deal. The 20L will be seagrasses and macros with minimal rockscaping. The rocks I currently have and are chock full of live mussels that I have kept alive for 6mo now. Sand for the mangrove tank would be 6" and for the macro tank 2-6" with some variations. I also have a half container of miracle mud to use.
step 5) Put lights/etc on the tank(s). Run these for a month or so without animals, just macros. Though the tank will be tied in, I'll be running it solo for this period.
step 6) Open up the lines and fully integrate the new addition into the reef system. Probably turn off ATS at that point.
step 7) Add seagrasses eventually
I haven't thought too much about livestock because that isn't that focus for me but I would like to have 2 barnacle blennies and 2 yellowhead jawfish in the 20L. Maybe the Carribean snapping shrimp that pair up with Curly-Q anemones. Further down the road, possibly rock flower anemones. I'd like a (micro)algae eater. Any suggestions? Thinking of acclimating mollies or a lawnmower blenny. I currently have a twin-spot goby that was bullied into starving in the reef tank. He was fattened back up and he will go in the new tank(s).
Well that is it for now. I will be back with photos sometime within a week.
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