Hello folks. Sorry if this got lenghty but I hope I can help some other folks wanting to get into this wonderful hobby. I'm a newbie at reef tanks so take this for what its worth.
I'm trying to obtain a natural reef with natural filtration and not a lot of equipment and chasing numbers with chemical additives. So far it looks like I might be getting there. I have an Octo 1000 (hang on back) skimmer and an Aquaclear 110 for my 75 gal tank. I also have about 70lbs of dry rock (natural filtration) and 40 lbs of Corral Sea Aragonite sand (also natural filtration). I put the sand in the front and along the sides and left the back bare bottom. The water is crystal clear. I set up a self-prime pump and
4 valves and I never have to carry buckets of water, just switch the valves and turn on the pump and voila.
I have a regular cleanup crew with crabs and snails and do not touch the sandbed. The Lawnmower Blenny, Wrasse, Foxface,and shrimps are constantly eating STUFF. Yes, there is gunk on the bottom but the CC seems to be keekping things in check and they are multiplying.
I hope my low maintence tank continues to go good. I realize that things could go south in an instant but if I keep the water good and change the filter regularily I should be OK.
I guess my point of this post is for folks to not be totally confused by all of the various equipment out there and the different setups. You still have to read a lot and prepare to invest some money. But it doesn't have to go to the great extent of spending thousands of dollars and getting a degree in biology to enjoy a salt water tank. Just ask the folks on this forum for some expert advice. I had to tame my tendency to worry about the day to day changes and just relax and let the tank take its course, which it will and it did.
I'm sure there will be folks that will disagree with all I've said but I don't think everyone needs all the sumps, reactors, UV sterilizers, and dosing systems to enjoy a great salt water tank. Maybe if you get into the more exotic critters these things are needed, I don't know. It seems to me that if you have a good stable tank that most creatures should survive. I'm loving my tank so far but it may not be what others are looking for.
75gal tank on started 8/11/17
BRS Pukani(70 lbs)
Caribsea Aragonite sand (40lbs)
Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
Octo1000 HOB skimmer
Aquaflow 110 with Stock sponge, Charcol,
Ceramic tubes and Poly filter
Jebao PP8 Powerhead (2)
2 Starfire led lights (with 3 channels)
RODI water
pH"¦ (Diliss Digital) "¦"¦... 8.4
kH "¦ (Hanna) "¦"¦"¦."¦"¦.. 6.4
Amonia "¦ (Red Sea) "¦"¦.. 0
Nitrite "¦ (Red Sea) "¦"¦"¦. 0
Nitrate"¦ (Red Sea) "¦"¦"¦. 0
Salinity "¦ (Milwalkee) "¦.. 1.025
Phosphate "¦ (Hanna) "¦. 0
Calcium "¦. (Salifert) "¦"¦. 390
Magnesium (Salifert) "¦. 1320
Temp "¦"¦"¦"¦.."¦"¦"¦"¦"¦.. 79.5
Blue Leg Hermit Crab
Emerald Crab
Rose BubbleTip Anemone
Haitian Reef Anemone, Condylactis spp ( Carribean)
Long Tentacle Anemone - Green, Macrodactyla doreensis (Indo Pafific)
Solomon, Zoanthus spp
Fire Shrimp, Lysmata debelius (Sri Lanka)
Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp, Lysmata amboinensis (x2) (Sri Lanka)
Melanarus Wrasse
Purple Firefish Goby
Royal Gramma (2)
Springer Damsel
Tailspot Blenny
Yellow Watchman Shrimpgoby
Lawnmower Blenny
One Spot FoxFace
I'm trying to obtain a natural reef with natural filtration and not a lot of equipment and chasing numbers with chemical additives. So far it looks like I might be getting there. I have an Octo 1000 (hang on back) skimmer and an Aquaclear 110 for my 75 gal tank. I also have about 70lbs of dry rock (natural filtration) and 40 lbs of Corral Sea Aragonite sand (also natural filtration). I put the sand in the front and along the sides and left the back bare bottom. The water is crystal clear. I set up a self-prime pump and
4 valves and I never have to carry buckets of water, just switch the valves and turn on the pump and voila.
I have a regular cleanup crew with crabs and snails and do not touch the sandbed. The Lawnmower Blenny, Wrasse, Foxface,and shrimps are constantly eating STUFF. Yes, there is gunk on the bottom but the CC seems to be keekping things in check and they are multiplying.
I hope my low maintence tank continues to go good. I realize that things could go south in an instant but if I keep the water good and change the filter regularily I should be OK.
I guess my point of this post is for folks to not be totally confused by all of the various equipment out there and the different setups. You still have to read a lot and prepare to invest some money. But it doesn't have to go to the great extent of spending thousands of dollars and getting a degree in biology to enjoy a salt water tank. Just ask the folks on this forum for some expert advice. I had to tame my tendency to worry about the day to day changes and just relax and let the tank take its course, which it will and it did.
I'm sure there will be folks that will disagree with all I've said but I don't think everyone needs all the sumps, reactors, UV sterilizers, and dosing systems to enjoy a great salt water tank. Maybe if you get into the more exotic critters these things are needed, I don't know. It seems to me that if you have a good stable tank that most creatures should survive. I'm loving my tank so far but it may not be what others are looking for.
75gal tank on started 8/11/17
BRS Pukani(70 lbs)
Caribsea Aragonite sand (40lbs)
Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
Octo1000 HOB skimmer
Aquaflow 110 with Stock sponge, Charcol,
Ceramic tubes and Poly filter
Jebao PP8 Powerhead (2)
2 Starfire led lights (with 3 channels)
RODI water
pH"¦ (Diliss Digital) "¦"¦... 8.4
kH "¦ (Hanna) "¦"¦"¦."¦"¦.. 6.4
Amonia "¦ (Red Sea) "¦"¦.. 0
Nitrite "¦ (Red Sea) "¦"¦"¦. 0
Nitrate"¦ (Red Sea) "¦"¦"¦. 0
Salinity "¦ (Milwalkee) "¦.. 1.025
Phosphate "¦ (Hanna) "¦. 0
Calcium "¦. (Salifert) "¦"¦. 390
Magnesium (Salifert) "¦. 1320
Temp "¦"¦"¦"¦.."¦"¦"¦"¦"¦.. 79.5
Blue Leg Hermit Crab
Emerald Crab
Rose BubbleTip Anemone
Haitian Reef Anemone, Condylactis spp ( Carribean)
Long Tentacle Anemone - Green, Macrodactyla doreensis (Indo Pafific)
Solomon, Zoanthus spp
Fire Shrimp, Lysmata debelius (Sri Lanka)
Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp, Lysmata amboinensis (x2) (Sri Lanka)
Melanarus Wrasse
Purple Firefish Goby
Royal Gramma (2)
Springer Damsel
Tailspot Blenny
Yellow Watchman Shrimpgoby
Lawnmower Blenny
One Spot FoxFace