Lifelong dream coming true.

[nripkenjr8]

My name is Nathan. I recently purchased a used 180 gal setup and am embarking on a lifelong dream of building a reef tank. Any advice that I can get will be very helpful and I will try my best to give updates and photos as time allows.

 

[nripkenjr8]

Todays notes:

Fri May 21
- Added 180 lbs. live rock, 200 gallons of water, 4 bags of carbon, phosphate sponge, 2- 72 inch VHO actinics. Added 20 capfuls of stability.
- Notes: Water temp when lights went off 78.6. Noticed numerous florescent green mushrooms and 2 red polyps, 2-3 starfish and one crab(left side of the tank). Also noticed one Aiptasia.

Pictures coming soon.

 

[guppy74]

Sounds like it's going to be an Awesome tank. Can't wait to see the pics.

 

[nripkenjr8]

Pics coming soon, trying to figure out how to add this to my contact tab?

 

[nripkenjr8]

Here is a quick overview of my setup and pics with tap water test to check for leaks.
System overview-
180 gal display tank with overflow
40 gal sump
3 - 250 watt metal hallides on icecap ballasts
2 - T-12 72 inch actinics
Deltec 600 skimmer
CL 650 Chiller
3500 gph dart pump on closed loop
UV sterilizer

 

[dlapere]

Nathan. Good luck with the setup. It is truly a magnificent hobby. Being a fairly new at this myself, here is my 5 cents worth of advice (1) initially, keep it simple and (2) take your time - don't rush. And yeah, no matter what you do or think now, sooner or later you will want a bigger tank!

 

[nripkenjr8]

Ok, so here are some new pics of the setup with a few fish and coral added. I am starting slow while the tank cycles but need a few things to get it going. I added 2 clownfish, 1 yellow tank, 24 or so different types of snails, 2 peppermint shrimp, 1 coral banded shrimp, and 1 hammer coral. I have been able to maintain my water temp to high 78.6 and low 77.2 thanks to my chiller. Man those lights get hot! Here are some pics of the newly added livestock. Any comments or suggestions are welcome and appreciated. Will be testing water perameters tonight and will give update. My hammer is not blossoming all the way and had some white looking slime on it when I put it in the tank, I also put it middle way down in the tank - to high??? Please let me know.

 

[Tater11]

nice.lookin good so far.

 

[balto777]

I am starting slow while the tank cycles but need a few things to get it going. I added 2 clownfish, 1 yellow tank, 24 or so different types of snails, 2 peppermint shrimp, 1 coral banded shrimp, and 1 hammer coral.

:worried2:

I would have waited on putting in any fish and corals. With that much liverock, you wouldn't need anything else to start the cycle in that tank. My favorite way to start a tank is to fill it up with water and liverock, turn on all the powerheads, make sure the skimmer is off, and forget about it for a month. But, to each their own, I guess.

 

[nripkenjr8]

Why would you leave the skimmer off?

 

[Chappy]

What are you using for top off water? If you aren't using RODI, get a unit and use it. It will make a huge difference.

 

[nripkenjr8]

I forgot to leave that in my setup description. I have a Spectrapure 4 stage RO/DI in my attached shed with lines running under the house and a float valve in my sump for auto top off. I also have a 100 gal vat in the attached to make saltwater and a utility pump and heater to pump saltwater to the tank for water changes.

 

[balto777]

Since you have livestock in your tank, keep your skimmer running.

When I set up a new tank, however, I never put livestock in it until it is fully cycled. I like to fill my tank with liverock and let the dieoff from the liverock fuel the initial cycle. I do not use a skimmer because it takes out some of the stuff before it can turn into ammonium and nitrite. My philosophy is that you want as much ammonium and nitrite as possible in the tank during the initial cycle to fuel the growth of the beneficial bacteria. Letting the tank sit for a month like that (I usuall leave my lights off too), when I come back to it there is an abundance of the beneficial bacteria in the tank. Usually, when I measure my levels at that time, they are all zero. Then I do a big water change and proceed to put in cleanup crew, fish, and then corals in that order.

 

[nripkenjr8]

Ok, made it through the weekend so far so good, keep adding Stability additive to my water daily. The fish seem healthy so far and feeding small amounts 2 times per day. My hammer coral has pulled back quite a bit and I am wondering if I placed it to high? It is middle way down in the tank far right if you reference the pictures. It showed signs of white bacteria after being added and noticed pinkish marroon stuff coming of it today. Is that a sign of trama? Also need advice on placement in the tank?

 

[alton]

Keep it away from direct current and feed it. With the lighting you have it should be fine on what ever level you keep it in the tank. Your biggest problem is you have a new tank, good luck and take your time adding new items.

 

[nripkenjr8]

What and how do I feed it?

 

[JonnyD91]

im confused, how long did you let the tank run before adding any livestock besides the live rock?

 

[nripkenjr8]

All the liverock, sand, and saltwater(delivered by the fish store) was added on 5/21, and the few fish and corals were added on 5/22. The guy from the store has been putting this together for me.

 

[JonnyD91]

All the liverock, sand, and saltwater(delivered by the fish store) was added on 5/21, and the few fish and corals were added on 5/22. The guy from the store has been putting this together for me.

Was the rock fully cured?

Usually you should wait at least 4 weeks before adding any livesticok or corals.

Are you testing the water every day for amonia, nitrite, and nitrates?

 

[nripkenjr8]

Yes, the rock was fully cured. I am testing the water everyday and only seeing a small spike in ammonia, nothing above 0.25. It was not my idea to add the livestock, it was the fish store. He is coming back out on Thurs to check on everything.