its been a while

[reefscape15]

Hey everyone. I have had a pretty busy summer and fall. I have separated from my wife and moved into my own place over the summer, and have been back into my apprenticeship classes since September. I haven't been on here at all for a long time now! I moved all my stuff from my 54 gal into a friends tank until I could set a tank up in my new place. Apparently, I made the rookie mistake of setting things up too fast and tried to stuff everything from my 54 into a 20 gal. I ended up looking everything within about a week or two. I had over 20 SPS frags, and about 10-15 each of LPS, soft, and zoa frags.

Anyways, after my loss and time out of the hobby, I've really been wanting to get back into it. I had hopes of doing my 54 corner tank again with a 20 gal for another display tank, with both plumbed into a shared sump. Given that this new place is not somewhere ill be staying for a really long time, I've decided to just go with a 20 gal simple set up. I'll be using 96 watts of t-5 and some blue LEDS. 2.5 gal HOB fuge and maybe a HOB skimmer, but I might go skimmerless and just run a small amount of carbon in a power filter. I will be stocking with only easy corals as I'd like to be able to be a little more lax on maintaining water parameters and everything. I would like to fill the tank with mostly shrooms and zoas, and maybe a couple softies and LPS.

I am in the process now of getting a space for the tank and making a hood for my lights. Hopefully within a few weeks ill have the rocks and sand in the tank and get it filled with water. I was hoping when things were up and running, that I could pick up some frags from some of u local reefers. I'll keep my progress posted on here and update with pictures when I can. Thanks everyone!!!

 

[Dave VG]

Nice to see you posting again. Hope all goes well with your new tank. Sorry to hear about your corals. Will you be doing a build thread?

 

[daveverdo]

Jim,

I don't have much to offer but when you are ready let me know. I am sure I can provide a few things to get you started again.

Best of luck,
Dave

 

[reefscape15]

Thanks guys! I may do a build thread, but its not gonna be all that much. I want this tank to be very simple in design and maintenance, and I think the only thing I have to "build" is a hood for my lights. I mainly just want something to have in my living room that hardy and easier to keep than a fully blown SPS tank, and also something that will ease me back into the hobby.

 

[reefscape15]

Well I got the rock and sand all set in the tank and just added some salt. I like how the scape turned out, but I cant link a pic cause all i have is my Droid for internet n I don't know how to paste and post with this phone. I put a korallia 3 and 1 in the lower back corners to get some flow behind the rocks and kept all rockwork far enough away from the glass to use a mag-float without any problems. My K-3 is rattling a lot, so I may switch it out for a K-4, until I can swap both powerheads out for some K evos.

I'll update more when progress is made. I'm getting very excited to add my first coral n fish!!!

 

[reefscape15]

Well I got the rock and sand all set in the tank and just added some salt. I like how the scape turned out, but I cant link a pic cause all i have is my Droid for internet n I don't know how to paste and post with this phone. I put a korallia 3 and 1 in the lower back corners to get some flow behind the rocks and kept all rockwork far enough away from the glass to use a mag-float without any problems. My K-3 is rattling a lot, so I may switch it out for a K-4, until I can swap both powerheads out for some K evos.

I'll update more when progress is made. I'm getting very excited to add my first coral n fish!!!

 

[Dave VG]

Just sounds like the K-3 needs a good vinegar soak. Even a little build up can through there balance off. Can't wait for the pictures.

 

[reefscape15]

I'll give it a try. Thanks for the advice!

 

[reefscape15]

So my tank has been up and running for almost 3 weeks now. I've had 2 actinic lights running daily for 12 hours a day and have added 1 Left Handed Hermit, 1 Scarlet Leg, 1 Blue Leg, and 5 Brown Leg Hermits. I have a 2.5gal refugium running with a small clump of cheato. And going to get some mushrooms this weekend and see how they do.

I placed an order with reefgeek.com for an ice cap 660 ballast and 4 new T5 bulbs. Once they arrive ill be making a simple rectangle hood for the tank to mount the lights in. I'll keep taking pictures and get access to a computer to post them on a thread.

 

[reefscape15]

I got all the wood to build the light hood and my lighting order should be in within a couple days. I picked up a few varietys of green mushrooms and a small frag of RDE zoas. I've decided on a very small pair of Perc Clowns, and hopefully a Red Head Goby. I'd also like to get some different smaller crabs and shrimp. Corals will be Zoas and Shrooms. I've decided on no LPS or SPS or Softies.