Hello, I've been on the forums for a little less than a month now, but figured I'd say hello to everyone. I started just a little over a year ago when I decided to set up a "cheap and simple" saltwater tank out of an old 37 gallon that I had laying around. The plan *was* just to keep a few Chomis and maybe one of those awesome looking Flame Angels. without spending any more than $150-$200 on gear... One year, and approximately $2200 later, here I am with the beginnings of a semi-decent first-timer's reef set up.
Most of the equipment is detailed in my signature for reference, but it is a 72 gallon bow, with a 30 gallon sump (50~60% utilized) and a fair amount of live rock.
Stock List:
Vertebrates:
1 - Eibli Angel
2 - ORA True Percula Clowns
6 - Blue-Green Chromis
Invertebrates:
2 Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
8 Blue-Leg Hermit Crabs
2 Large Mexican Turbo Snails
7 Nassarius Snails
2 Orange Spot Butterscotch Nassarius Snails
1 Margarita Snail
1 Bumblebee Snail
1 Cerith Snail
1 Sand-sifter Starfish
1 Pencil Urchin
Corals (from left to right):
2 Branching Frogspawn colonies
1 Green Star Polyp colony
1 Favia colony
1 Red Montipora Capricornis frag
10 Mushroom Corals (various color morphs) 1 colony, 6 frags
4 Zoas (various color morphs) colonies
1 Candy Cane Coral frag
1 Hairy Mushroom frag
1 Purple Rim Montipora Capricornus frag
1 Acropora Sp. frag
1 Goniopora frag
My current concerns with livestock are:
- Monitor the Eibli Angel for nipping (it's behaved well since moving to a larger tank)
- Monitor Sandsifting star for signs of starvation (I read about the concerns after purchase... My fault there for not doing research first!)
- Coral frag displacement via Large Mexican Turbo Snails and Pencil Urchin
- Monitor Hermit Crab-snail aggression
- Monitor occasional Angel-Clownfish aggression
- Finding fewer copepods at night in the DT due to grazing (Angel? Cleaner Shrimp?)
Current tank concerns:
- Cynobacteria (Red Slime Algae) has recently appeared (Posban Reactor installed recently, Skimming increased - must empty the cup now daily - Salinity monitored more frequently due to this)
- Diatoms appear occasionally, I usually just wait them out and gently stir the very top of the sand bed when they do appear.
- Phosphate Test Kit inaccurate/hard to read (API)
- No test kit purchased for Magnesium/Iodine levels yet
- Calcium levels tested high recently (550). Cut back on dosing Purple-Up.
- Flow rate and circulation in question... How much is too little and how much is too much? What does "high flow" look like? What does "medium flow" look like? Examples needed.
- Currently have 4x 48" 54 Watt t5's. A second 2x 36" 39 Watt t5's fixture will be installed shortly to assist with the sand-dwelling corals
- Possible Coral deficiency from over-skimming waste? Dosing Kent marine Microvert every 3-4 days until algae is completely controlled.
- Chaeto in sump not growing as rapidly as I would think it should (30w florescent light). Clump removed recently, watching progress.
Anyway, that's what I've been working with lately. I'm always open to hear any ideas or concerns that people have. Thanks for running such a great and informative site!
He bought me a 14g biocube for our anniversary, if that's not a hint I don't know what is. I have two peppermint shrimp and am looking to add a new coral as soon as my levels look good. Overall, I'm enjoying it so far and am looking forward to creating a beautiful landscape.
