Just starting out! Jumping in with both feet...in over my head?

[CapnGreenJeans]

First post!

I grew up snorkeling in hawaii and spending a lot of time around the ocean, my dad kept a large freshwater tank growing up, and I've always loved nature and caring for it - back in college my degree was in Environmental Sciences. I saw a large reef tank at a restaurant a while ago, and realized I HAD to have that.

I decided to do this with a few goals in mind:
- Minimal maintenance (== maximum success)
- Long-term success (redundancy, back-ups, plans for failure, leak sensors everywhere)
- Minimizing long-term cost (with up-front investment, avoiding the upgrade trap)

Gear:
- 4x2x2 CustomAquariums glass tank with stand (~120g)
- Trigger Systems Triton 44v2 sump
- 2x Vortech mp40 (flow)
- 2x ReefOctopus Varios-2 (return)
- 3x Kessil A360x lights
- Kessil H80 fuge light
- 2x Eheim 300w heaters
- 120lbs BRS reefsaver dry rock
- Pink aragonite sand (should I go thin? deep? in between?)

Control
- Apex (with 2x EB832)
- DoS pump
- Triton tester
- Tunze Osmolator ATO
- Apex leak detector kit
- Apex wifi module (to control mp40's, maybe the kessil's?)

Support
- Mop sink
- 5stage RoDi
- 75g salt tank (with circulation pump, hose hookup to fill the tank)
- 25g fresh tank

Quarantine
- 20g long tank with a baffle for 2x 10g tanks
- Bubble filters
- 50w heaters
- PVC pieces to hide in

I'll probably want more flow, and better heaters...probably a Gyre pump (or 2?) for varied flow...?

An electrician installed 2 new circuits wired to 2 new outlets next to the sump - one heater and one return will be on each circuit...well, the apex will have two power strips, each on their own circuit.

The sump will be plumbed with a 3 port manifold, for future stuff like carbon, uv, whatever.

I was originally planning to use the BRS 2-part for my calc/alk/mag, but as I've been doing more research on the Triton method I'm thinking I might start the tank out using that. I'd need a second DoS pump for the additives, but I already have the sump for it (18g fuge section)...maybe a larger return pump? But that's probably it.

I started cycling 120lbs of BRS reefsaver rock in a Brute can on 11/22 - 85f, 1.015 salinity. Used Dr. Tim's and ammonium chloride solution.

I'm now at the point where I can dose up to 2ppm ammonia, and it's gone in 24hrs. I attached a small fuge to the brute can and attached the kessil light, threw in a ball of chaeto and nitrates are <20ppm (API test kit), Nitrite 0.

I've still got a few weeks to wait until my tank gets delivered, so I was going to throw a pair of clowns into the quarantine system in about a week or so, so they're ready to introduce once the tank is set up. I think it will be okay to introduce fish shortly after setup due to the thorough cycling.

I will run and stock the tank slowly for a few months, until alk/calc/mag consumption increases....and then probably just start with the Triton Core7 program? And ICP testing of course...is this a bad idea? Seems almost too good to be true, minimal water changes etc... I really like the science based approach.

Reality check me please! Does this all sound sane?

 

[mcgyvr]

Sounds sane to me and hopefully works out great for you..
Just remember that money doesn't guarantee success and you should do just fine..

 

[CapnGreenJeans]

Sounds sane to me and hopefully works out great for you..
Just remember that money doesn't guarantee success and you should do just fine..

Thanks! Yes...I just hope to avoid the upgrade bug for a while, and have confidence in my gear so I can not worry about it and focus on my livestock.

 

[CapnGreenJeans]

My biggest questions atm -

How deep should my sand bed be?

How do I develop a stocking list and plan?
I want my tank to have lots of inverts, should I introduce a clean up crew along with the clown pair? before? after?
I want most of my fish (at least early on) to be focused on a job - algae/parasite control, sand turnover, community establishment...
I want symbiotic pairs, like shrimp and goby bros.
I definitely want tangs, when is it okay to introduce them? Do I need to wait to introduce them last...?
I eventually would like to also keep anthias, mandarin, royal gramma, blenny...what should I hope to introduce in the first 6months?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

First post!

I grew up snorkeling in hawaii and spending a lot of time around the ocean, my dad kept a large freshwater tank growing up, and I've always loved nature and caring for it - back in college my degree was in Environmental Sciences. I saw a large reef tank at a restaurant a while ago, and realized I HAD to have that.

I decided to do this with a few goals in mind:
- Minimal maintenance (== maximum success)
- Long-term success (redundancy, back-ups, plans for failure, leak sensors everywhere)
- Minimizing long-term cost (with up-front investment, avoiding the upgrade trap)

Gear:
- 4x2x2 CustomAquariums glass tank with stand (~120g)
- Trigger Systems Triton 44v2 sump
- 2x Vortech mp40 (flow)
- 2x ReefOctopus Varios-2 (return)
- 3x Kessil A360x lights
- Kessil H80 fuge light
- 2x Eheim 300w heaters
- 120lbs BRS reefsaver dry rock
- Pink aragonite sand (should I go thin? deep? in between?)

Control
- Apex (with 2x EB832)
- DoS pump
- Triton tester
- Tunze Osmolator ATO
- Apex leak detector kit
- Apex wifi module (to control mp40's, maybe the kessil's?)

Support
- Mop sink
- 5stage RoDi
- 75g salt tank (with circulation pump, hose hookup to fill the tank)
- 25g fresh tank

Quarantine
- 20g long tank with a baffle for 2x 10g tanks
- Bubble filters
- 50w heaters
- PVC pieces to hide in

I'll probably want more flow, and better heaters...probably a Gyre pump (or 2?) for varied flow...?

An electrician installed 2 new circuits wired to 2 new outlets next to the sump - one heater and one return will be on each circuit...well, the apex will have two power strips, each on their own circuit.

The sump will be plumbed with a 3 port manifold, for future stuff like carbon, uv, whatever.

I was originally planning to use the BRS 2-part for my calc/alk/mag, but as I've been doing more research on the Triton method I'm thinking I might start the tank out using that. I'd need a second DoS pump for the additives, but I already have the sump for it (18g fuge section)...maybe a larger return pump? But that's probably it.

I started cycling 120lbs of BRS reefsaver rock in a Brute can on 11/22 - 85f, 1.015 salinity. Used Dr. Tim's and ammonium chloride solution.

I'm now at the point where I can dose up to 2ppm ammonia, and it's gone in 24hrs. I attached a small fuge to the brute can and attached the kessil light, threw in a ball of chaeto and nitrates are <20ppm (API test kit), Nitrite 0.

I've still got a few weeks to wait until my tank gets delivered, so I was going to throw a pair of clowns into the quarantine system in about a week or so, so they're ready to introduce once the tank is set up. I think it will be okay to introduce fish shortly after setup due to the thorough cycling.

I will run and stock the tank slowly for a few months, until alk/calc/mag consumption increases....and then probably just start with the Triton Core7 program? And ICP testing of course...is this a bad idea? Seems almost too good to be true, minimal water changes etc... I really like the science based approach.

Reality check me please! Does this all sound sane?

Ok, all of this is pretty much spot on....you've done your research. The only thing wrong I see here is that you want your salinity at 1.026 in your brute can with the rock.

 

[CapnGreenJeans]

Ok, all of this is pretty much spot on....you've done your research. The only thing wrong I see here is that you want your salinity at 1.026 in your brute can with the rock.

Awesome, thanks for the positive feedback - super helpful to know I'm on the right track.

For cycling I'm following Dr. Tim's advice from the 2019 MACNA talk, keeping my salinity low - https://youtu.be/zDI7sxqC-ss?t=878

I've been increasing the salinity slowly over the last few days (as I intend to introduce fish soon and hope to keep this cycling water) and am currently around 1.020

 

[CapnGreenJeans]

As I'm waiting on the tank to be in place before plumbing the sump -

Another question, about plumbing - How long should I wait after cementing the PVC joints before adding water? Should I run water through all the pipes before filling with the salt water? I imagine wet pvc cement mixing with the water is a bad thing...

 

[Michael Hoaster]

That stuff dries pretty fast. Take a look at the can to see how long they recommend you wait before testing.