My first salt water reef tank experience: 38 gal Innovative Marine

[apw63]

Hello all,

This is my first try at a saltwater tank. I’ve had freshwater tanks in the past. We currently have a 1200 gallon koi pond in the back yard (5 Koi, 2 Comets and 7 Shubunkin . So I have experience with small and large volume of fresh water systems. I wanted to start a build log to learn and share my experiences. I have been researching putting together a reef tank off and on for 5 or 6 years. I plan in a few years to upgrade to a larger tank. Some of my equipment purchasing choices will be with future tank upgrade in mind.

Tank philosophy: Go slow, let it grow. Start small keep it simple. I consider myself a beginner. Tank stocking will be with beginner level livestock. Use quality components that can be carried over to future builds.

Equipment

Tank: Innovative Marine Nuvo Mini 38 black with matching stand (purchased)
Lights: EcoTech Radion XR30w G2 (purchased)
Circulation: EcoTech VorTech MP10w SE (purchased)
RO/DI: Spectra Pure Four-Stage CSP-DI - 90 - MF (purchased)
Heater: Hagen Elite Submersible Heater 150w (purchased for the mixing of salt water not for tank)
Heater: EHEIM Jager 150 x 2
Skimmer: Tunze 9004
ATO: Tunze Osmolator Universal 3155
Controler: Neptune APEX LITE, VorTech WXM, pH Probe, Wireless WIFI
Testing: Salifert Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH & refractometer (purchased)
maxi jet 1200 (purchased)

I'm open to any sugestions and comments on my purchases or planned purchases.

So what is going on now? I’m in the process of curing 50lbs of base rock. I have the rock in a tube with 19 gallons of water at 78F, salinity 1.024 with a maxi jet 1200 for circulation. Now it’s just a waiting game until the rock is done. The rock has only been in the water for 4 days. I’ve been testing the water every day. I’m starting to see a little ammonia and a little nitrite.
I hope to get my salt water mixing station setup Friday.

Andy

 

[JohnnyHeavens]

Looks like you got all the gear planned. 2x 150W heaters? Seems a bit over kill. If you want redundancy I'd think 2x 75w-100w would do it but if you have the space then why not

 

[calistyle]

Sounds like a fun build is in the works.

 

[apw63]

Put together a mixing station today. Nothing fancy just (2) 10 gallon brute trash cans. I linked the 2 with 1/2" PVC. Put in a valve and a back flow preventer to isolate the fresh from the salt. I set the float valve to shut at 8 gallons. I'm using a maxi jet 1200 and 50 watt heater. I should have 8 gallons of salt water for w/c on hand. I need to change out some of the water that the rock is in on Sunday. I really need to post up some pictures.

Andy

 

[apw63]

It’s time that I putting together a list of livestock. If anyone can see a conflict with the fish or corals please let me know. I do not plan on adding these all at once. I plan on starting with the Clownfish, Watchman and Pistol Shrimp.

Fish

Gold Band Maroon Clownfish
Yellow Watchman Goby
Candy Stripe Randalls Pistol Shrimp
Purple Firefish Goby
Bangaii Cardinal
Fiji Devil Damsel

Coral

Toadstool Mushroom Leather
Lobed, Flat, or Open Brain coral
Mushroom
Zoanthid
Kenya Tree
Devils Hand
Frog spawn

Please let me know of anyone has other suggestions.

Thanks
Andy

 

[E.intheC]

Looks like a good start. That's a large fish load IMO. Also, the maroon clown and damsel will become extremely territorial. You might want to reconsider those two fish.

 

[calistyle]

I would pass on the Damsel at all costs, and maybe switch the maroon to a cool snowflake clown or something.

 

[apw63]

Looks like a good start. That's a large fish load IMO. Also, the maroon clown and damsel will become extremely territorial. You might want to reconsider those two fish.

I would pass on the Damsel at all costs, and maybe switch the maroon to a cool snowflake clown or something.

Thank you for the info/feedback guys.. The Damsel is out. That will bring the livestock down to 5. I will look at a different clown. What about an onyx clown?

Andy

 

[E.intheC]

Onyx will be much better, IMO. Maroons are extremely aggressive and they get very large with age.

 

[apw63]

Hello All,

Its time I put up some pictures of my progress. I have ~30 lbs of base rock along with ~10 lbs cured live rock from LFS. The sand is Natures Ocean 30 lbs. I have my 10 gallon QT setup and ready for an occupant or 2. I think I did a good job for first aquascape. Did my best to keep rock back from glass and away from the back wall. There are a lot of little nooks and passage ways for everyone I plan to put in the tank.

Andy

 

[apw63]

Here are some pics of my NANO salt water mixing station. It's 2 brute 10 gallon trash cans. The cans are connected near the bottom separated by a 1/2" ball valve and check valve. There is a 50 watt heater and a Maxi-jet 1200 in the lift side. I have it setup to make 8 gallons of salt water. Works out great. I'll be doing weekly 10% water changes. The DT is ~28 gallons 3 gallon water change should work out. Have to thank the wife for letting me fishy up her laundry room.

Andy

 

[apw63]

Some more pics, this time the equipment I have set up. I know the wiring in the stand needs some work. The forth pic is of the sump area. I have the Tunze 9004 setup and running. I'm getting a little bit of some wet yellow gunk. I need more of a Bio load for it to start working really well. The last pic is of the temp, pH probe along with some rubble I put in one of the chambers. I will eventually drop the media basket and go full blown mini refugium. Right now the media basket only have filter floss in it.

Andy

 

[jackle]

Loose the stock filters and upgrade to the Intank ones. The water flow through the stock basket sucks.

 

[GSMguy]

Or just remove the filters all together, you have a good skimmer let it do the work.

I have my Nuvo running with just my Deltec MCE600, I took the filters out weeks ago.

 

[apw63]

Looks like I got some hitchhikers on the rock from LFS. Some look like some form of tube worm, but I'm not sure. One looks like some sort of soft coral. It's a translucent white with with wavy tentacles. All of the hitchhikers are very small. Can some one help me with a positive ID? I know the pics are not the best. Looks like I got some hair algae.

 

[GSMguy]

The first pic is an aptasia the others I'm not sure, maybe some kind of polyp.

 

[cloak]

Those tubes in the second and third picture are vermetid snails. Harmless IMO. The population will usually rise & fall, depending on how much food is available.

 

[apw63]

Loose the stock filters and upgrade to the Intank ones. The water flow through the stock basket sucks.

I plan on doing away with the baskets and setting up a refugium.

Or just remove the filters all together, you have a good skimmer let it do the work.I have my Nuvo running with just my Deltec MCE600, I took the filters out weeks ago.

That is my plan, basket just has filter floss right now. I was using the floss to help clear the water after I added sand.

The first pic is an aptasia the others I'm not sure, maybe some kind of polyp.

Thanks for the ID, ordered a clean up crew tonight along with a peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni complex).

Those tubes in the second and third picture are vermetid snails. Harmless IMO. The population will usually rise & fall, depending on how much food is available.

Thanks for the help, I will let them be.


Thanks to everyone for looking and helping out.

Andy

 

[apw63]

Put CUC in today

Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit x 2
Astraea Turbo Snail x 5
Nassarius Snail x 6
Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab x2
Mexican Turbo Snail x 5
Verity Snail x 16
Peppermint Shrimp x 1
Fighting Conch x 1
Electric Blue Hermit Crab x 2

They all looked to have made the trip from LiveAquatica just fine.

Andy

 

[greenhead882]

Nice build. I'm glad I found this thread because you have almost the identical equipment I am planning for my first saltwater build. How is your Ecotech Radion mounted? I would like something that attaches to the back with a mounting bracket but I think Ecotech only offers hanging mounting options. Thank you for taking the time to keep up the thread. I will be following it closely and using it as a blueprint for my build.