My first sw setup

[Lukes_Reef]

Hey guys, I'm new to this hobby and rc and wanted to share and get some input on my progress. Its a 30g with a marineland biowheel 200 filter, 150w heater, 2x 700gph circulation pumps, 40lbs live sand, 30lbs florida dry reef rock and a 2x39w coralife t5ho light with a DIY blue moonlight led strip. I plan to add a reef octopus hob skimmer and possibly more light. I'm open to all comments or advice as I still have a lot to learn. Will post pics asap

 

[Lukes_Reef]

 

[Lukes_Reef]

Letting the dust settle tonight and gonna add a shrimp tomorrow after work to start my cycle

 

[Lukes_Reef]

Here is a pic of the moonlight led's before I added sand,rock,water and salt.

 

[E_rock]

welcome aboard. Looks like your off to a good start. What do you plan to keep later on?

 

[Veganbrian]

Looking good so far! welcome to RC

 

[cgomez87]

Nice tank do you plan to stay with that filter or upgrade to a Sump?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

nice start

nice start

my immediate suggestions:
* I would turn those powerheads upwards so they angle towards the surface rather than downwards
* get the rock well away from the glass on the far left and right bottom sides
* prepare for a (normal) outbreak of algae
* keep photoperiod shortened for now

 

[Lukes_Reef]

Thanks for the advice, moved the rocks away from the glass and aimed the pumps upward. Can you elaborate on why I needed to do this?
To answer the questions...I wanna start with some clowns, green chromis and beginner corals (sorry still learning the names). No I don't plan to stay with this filter. A 10g sump with a 5.5g ato is down the road (small due to space available under the 30g stand)

Update after I moved things around

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

much better

much better

you want to create ripples at the water's surface. Many reason for this but primarily oxygen saturation in a reef aquarium.

Did you introduce any corallines yet?

What is your S.G. and how do you measure it? Ca and alk are next concerns...

and a purple rock!

 

[Lukes_Reef]

As of right now 1.025 @ 79 degrees and using a cheapo hydrometer, refractometer will be here monday. Introducing coralline on tuesday (my day off) in the form of a few small purple rocks and maybe a scraping in the filter.

 

[saltyscotsman]

welcome to RC tank looks good

 

[Lukes_Reef]

Thanks

Thanks

I cant wait to have a healthy established reef...I will post more pics as this comes together. Im sure I will have plenty of questions along the way so thanks in advance

 

[gmneil]

I see u got the rocks luke,, i will stop up and bring a couple rocks with some coraline on them just let me know when you are ready..

 

[Foody]

Gary, what is the point of keeping the rocks off of the glass? I have a couple of smaller rocks (they look more like sticks) leaning against the glass in my tank.

 

[Lukes_Reef]

Haha what's up Neil...yeah I did. In fact I was up till 3am aquascaping!! I'm ready whenever you are. Need me to bring something to put them in?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Gary, what is the point of keeping the rocks off of the glass? I have a couple of smaller rocks (they look more like sticks) leaning against the glass in my tank.

water circulation and magnet clearance are the 2 biggest reasons. Plus aesthetics IMO.

 

[Lukes_Reef]

Hey Gary...I've seen some tanks where it looks like a wall of rock that slopes from front to back almost like a wall along the back, probably to have more surface area to place corals. Is this bad?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I think what you're describing involves rockwork leaning against the back glass. This isn't the best kind of stack but in most cases it's the most practical.

Commercially built aquariums tend to be tall and narrow.

 

[tmz]

Welcome,

FWIW,
I personally keep an open space of about 3 inches from the back wall for swimming space and water circulationwith as many caves and pass thorughs in the rock structure as I can manage . Dead spots to water circulation tend to muck up with detritus over time.