If You Are New to Reef Central, Introduce Yourself Here!

[badellbe]

Newbie

Newbie

Hi, my name is Bernie. After thinking about starting a reef tank for awhile I decided to do it. It's a 22 gal 16 x 16 x 20. Bought a protein skimmer, a heater and a powerhead and a 15gal package from Tampa Bay Saltwater. Here's a picture of part one after a week. Can't wait for the cycle to finish so I can get part 2 and start to aquascape it.

 

[Ctyler]

Hi, my name is Cas. And I barely got into the hobby. I currently have a Fluval 13.5 with AI Prime lights and a current powerhead with loop. It is maybe a month old now or close. I have 2 clowns and a brittle starfish and a zoa and hammer coral for my cuc I have 3 hermits and 1 snail.

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[krobertik]

Hello!

Hello!

Hi,

Karl here. I've known about this site for quite some time and appreciate the the amount of knowledge and information shared on this site. I've been into marine tanks and fish in general since I was a kid and got into corals about a decade ago. Anyway, I recently redid my 72 bow front and got into some photography. Looking forward to learning more.

 

[jimbodub]

Hey everybody,

Have been out of the hobby for about 12 years and have decided to create a reef tank in the soon to be nursery. we will be having a boy and the wife thought it would be great for soothing the child, and can be used as a learning tool. Will need to go as small as possible so I am convincing the wife to allow a 55g but probably looking at a 40b.

 

[lisast3]

lisast3

lisast3

Hello fish folk! New to this forum, but have been heavily researching on it and impressed with scope of good information:wave:
My 29 gallon tank started leaking plus needed new sand bed and never had enough live rock. ( it was a tank that was passed on to me) I gave some fish away and kept a couple favorites (now ina tiny 3 gal tank, changing water daily). My Mandarin, cleaner shrip and 6 stripe wrasse and a peppermint shrimp.
I bought a 45 g and added 5 gallons I rescued from leaking tank and refugium, and about 30 gal new salt water and about 35 more pounds of supposedly cured live rock from Lfs and added 50 pounds of packaged 'live' Carribsea arogonite sand. ( I would like a jawfish eventually so very deep bed) I put my 3 gallon HOB refugium onto new tank and added another power head and swithched skimmer from Remora to a new Octopus classic 1000 skimmer. Removed cannister filter from system all together, after reading a lot on here about that may be why I was always fighting nitrates.
After 4 days circulating but no lights on, just ambient room lighting
Ph 8.2
0 Ammonia
O nitrites
4 ppm nitrates.
Wondering?
1. if the system will cycle? If so any guess at all how long? I am worried about my guys in the tiny tank, even though the seem fine.
2. Shall I add a dead shrimp, if so what do I watch for?
3. Also worried the cycling (if it happens) will murder my awesome population of amphipods in my refugium?

 

[dhanck]

Hello all! New here and brand new to the hobby! In the very near future I will be buying a 125 gallon tank that a friend of mine will not have space for when he moves. He is going to deliver and help me set up the tank.

It has over 100 lbs of live rock and some corals. I am going to take it with no fish, so I can stock with fish of my choosing.

I have been thinking about diving into aquariums for a while (had small freshwater tanks in my younger days). I absolutely love marine life and can't wait to get the tank in my house.

I joined to learn more and have a forum when I am looking for help. Looking forward to talking about tanks with all of you!

 

[Atxreefer32]

New just joined today if you would give me some helpful advice in my thread 350 gal new tank need to do everything

 

[unicorn1993]

Wow how many comments!
hi every body

 

[Valentini89]

Hello RC my name is Derrick. I have a 26g Bowfront that has been up running for about 6 weeks. I have 33 lbs fiji live rock, 20 lbs live sand, a carbon reactor by aquamaxx, biopellet reactor by IM, mini skimmer by eheim, HOB c3 filter by fluval. I have 2 fluval powerheads at opposite ends of the tank, fluval 50 watt heater and lighting by current USA's orbit Marine pro LED. I also have an Inkbird keeping the temp regulated and an Aquachef by current for automated feeding. I have a 5" carpet anemone, a pulsing xenia, another frag (forgot name) and several snails. My stocking list is as follows: 2 occil clowns, a chromis, a firefish, a purple psydochromis, 2 saddled toby puffers, a banaii cardinal, a 6-line wrasse, and a royal dottyback. Feeding pellet, frozen brine shrimp, squid and krill. Performing weekly 10% to 40% WCs and testing. Future plans include more coral and eventually a bigger tank.. I'm addicted!

 

[Ralij]

Hi there! Just joined prior to upgrading my small tank trying to get things sorted out and making sure the transition is as smooth as possible for the fish. I have a pair of 10 gallons right now, but moving up to a 30 long, possibly, and a 55. Cheers.

 

[Communitytank]

Hi there! I just joined after my cousin in law upgraded to a 180 gal saltwater tank and gave me his old 110 gal tank. He kept all of his equipment so I am doing tons of research on what to get that will fit my budget. I'm new to saltwater tanks but not to the hobby. I've kept freshwater tanks for as long as I can remember. I'm really excited to get this tank going as my wife never liked my freshwater fishes because their color is nowhere near saltwater fishes. Stocking wise I think I am set with (2) clown fish, bicolor and flame angel, kole tang and copperband. There are tons of helpful information and knowledgeable members here so I am looking forward to learning a lot. Thank you all in advance!:beer:

 

[BeneatheSea]

Hello, my name is Dan and I have a problem.

Hello, my name is Dan and I have a problem.

My problem is that I am so addicted to this hobby! I have never had great success at it however. That is until Reef Central. I re setup my 90g. tank about 4 years ago. It went well to start but as you all know things can rapidly decline. Thus was my case. Apitasia, Red Slime, High phosphates and nitrates etc,etc. Then Sandy hit. That was the end of it. When the power finally came back on there was nothing left. I unplugged most of it. It idled in my living room for 2 years with just my circ pumps and skimmer running. My wife in hopes I would break it down told me to "clean it up or ship it out". I chose the former. That is when I went to work. 100% water change, blasting the rock, changing the sand. Testing showed me 80 ppm nitrate, 2ppm phos. How could this be? I googled and up came Reef Central. My whole problem the whole time was my source water. It is a well and I thought is was pure. Not the case. Got a spectrapure system and Voila!!!!! To verify i purchased a barrage of Red Sea test kits. I read more and more. My parameters are spot on now. I have been back up and running for three months now. The tank in my eyes looks beautiful. Not a hint of algae even though it was covered. Thank you all so much for all of the time you folks put in to help us gain a complete understanding of what needs to be done in order to keep a tank thriving. I know I am not there yet, however armed with all the knowledge found in the thousands of pages on this site I will do it this time.
Thank you again and by the way.......My Wife LOVES it!

 

[Gueeto]

Hey y'all! Have been out of the hobby for 12 years but decided to finally jump back in after the mrs. told me to build a reef tank for the nursery for our newborn. She thinks it will be calming and a good learning tool for the child as he grows up.


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[Gueeto]

Looking to build a nano reef of some sort.


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[Hookdlikeafish]

So how do I do This? Like I'm at an AA meeting??
Um, hi. My name is Mike, and I have a problem! I have been doing freshwater for about 15 years, but by no means am I an expert. I just started the saltwater hobby when my wife decided that she wanted more colorful fish. So far I love it! I have the salt water setup in a 90g and started out as a FOWLR tank, but found that my water is perfect without supplements! I was given a handful of coral but couldn't tell you what half of it is (besides AWESOME!)

 

[Nerayan]

Fluval M60 Newbie

Fluval M60 Newbie

Hi everyone my name is Nerayan and I live in th UK. I recently purchased a Fluval M60 and I am keen to start reefing. I have a successful Tropical tank which has been Hijacked by my daugheter :lmao: So i have been made tankless.

I have taken this as a sign for me to learn something new and amazing which is why i am have joined your forum; for reliable information and guidance to help me achieve a successful and enjoyable hobby. I maybe slow in understanding at first but i learn quite fast.

thanks for having me guys.

 

[neoh74]

Hello Liquid World!

Hello Liquid World!

Just starting out. 100gal teardown I picked up just got up and running. $200 for display and cabinet, 30gal sump, skimmer, pumps, heater, 2 inches of live sand and about 100lb of live rock. finished the cycle and have 6 turbos, 4 trochus, 5 astrea, 2 ceriths, 3 nassarius and a bunch or nerites.

2 tiger conchs
3 red legged hermits
2 emerald crabs
2 peppermint shrimp
one white sea anemone
one green button coral

Plan to have 2 tomato clowns, flame angel and a kole tang.
looking for lps and softies to start

Everything going very good so far!

 

[OldVet]

New to a reef tank

New to a reef tank

Hello Folks

John here. I've had a 125g fish only tank for the past two years. I've had pretty good success with them, so I'm in the process of trying a 65g reef tank (still dry, need to acquire the sump, lights, heater, etc). I have learning curve to overcome with reef, so I figured joining up here will be a great help.

 

[Onebad93]

Hello. My name is James. I'm only a few months into saltwater. Started as FOWLR in a 46 gallon bowfront. Now have a 125 gallon aswel.

I joined here because most every question I've had led me to this forum.

 

[Shotter]

Hey,

Belated hello to everyone. Ive been on here a little while but perhaps becoming more of an active user now.I started keeping fish when I was 10. Ive had all the types of tanks and then settled on reefs.I ended up going to a vocational college after school and studied a Diploma in Ornamental Fish Management at Sparsholt college in the UK. After this, I worked for quite mainstream and (what I thought) reputable aquatic retailer. I knew most things about keeping fish to a high level (again what I thought) and did this for 5 years.
I decided that aquatics would not earn me any money and I fell out of love with the hobby too so i quit my job to move toward a more obvious career direction.

10 years later, here I am. back keeping a reef. I convinced my partner into having a nano cube and 3 days later bought a 350l system. One small Naso (dont, dont - bigger tank is coming), Bicolour Angel, orange spot foxface, Breeding pair of Bangai cardinals, File Fish, pair of Mandarins and various clean up crew. mixture of SPS, LPS ans softies.
System runs chaeto on 24/7light pattern, UV, Skimmer, weekly 5%-10% water change and gravel clean (1.5" gravel bed)

Thing's I am learning:
Things change quick; when I left the inds, miracle mud and deep sandbeds were the ONLY thing to consider. P04 Wasn't something we preached so hard about... Its now my life!

Information is way more readily available.

Retail prices have come down

LEDS!!!! Cheap running costs. Although I still prefer MH and think ill go back soon.

Find a small, reputable LFS who is your guy. I have two (an old collegaue who specialised) and a local chap (On facebook Marine Evolution - Simon Halliday) who are great to me and like to talk and help!

The mainstream retailer was visited a few times again when I first started. Never again, they just want money.

Current issues in the reef:
Been through a Cyano issue which I think is pretty much dealt with (inbox me should you want my ideas, I tried two steps which helped)

Hair algae - Broken the back of this but I still have some. It isn't spreading as my nutrients are so low and waiting on the last few strands to be consumed (I cant get to them with my fingers).

One area I am having issues is algae on my glass. It comes around 2-3 days in. Ive blocked out the red and orange LED's on my light which helped but it isn't 100%. I have 0 nitrates and 0.010 Phosphate. I'm not sure what to do here? Diatoms??:deadhorse1: