first build

Tank started 2023: This is my first reef tank build and saltwater aquarium and I just wanted to document its progress. It’s kind of a simple budget build to help get my feet wet in the hobby so nothing super fancy. I’m using a fluval 307 canister filter for now and inline heater since originally...

Hello, I have a new 32 gallon BioCube I have recently filled. I mixed the water in the tank with my pump, salinity looks good, I used Live Sand as well as API Quick Start it has been sitting for about a week with sand settling and everything clearing up. I went through my first water test...

Help!! I am undecided between a 12g or 18g. I am planning to fill them with softys and some fish. The 12g dimension are : Width 16” x Length 15” x Height 11” The 18g dimensions are : Width 19” x Length 18” x Height 12”

Hi all! I’m 17 years old and a senior in high school. My friend got me into the hobby after he upgraded his tank and gave me the Fluval Evo V tank he was previously using. I’ve been on the forums for some time now and learned a lot, but now decided to make a build thread. Corals: -Zoas...

Hey all! Finally after years of saving and planning I was able to put my first reef tank together just the way I wanted. Water went in last week, and I just finished up my first 10% water change this morning. So far in the first week I've had trouble with an undersized heater due to how cold my...

I started my very first tank April 2022 and recently joined the R2R community almost a year into the hobby. Prior to setting up my Fluval 13.5 I’ve never had a fish tank, saltwater or fresh. I decided to get into the hobby one day and the very next day I was at my LFS purchasing all the...

90.3 Waterbox FOWLR is on the launch pad. Though the launch pad has a water-stain on its door (irony!) so we're waiting for a replacement door before setting it up. It's been several weeks since the original order, so what's a few more...days. Door heights will be evened out when the new front...

( Note the picture is not final layout or placement, just a temporary spot til i find the right home) I've decided to start my first Salt Water build after a couple years of fresh water! I'm planning on taking it pretty slow setting up, but am almost ready with the initial items for the setup...

So, I pulled the trigger on the Innovative Marine Fusion 15 back in October. The tank got delivered and naturally, life got crazy. Finally coming back around to it and getting things up and running. This is my first build from the ground up. I inherited a 55 gallon tank from a friend about 4...

Hi!!! im expecting a waterbox reef dx 100gl on Friday! I’m a bit nervous because it’s my first time but my next door neighbor who is a close buddy used to have one and is helping me get set up! im still buying everything I need to get set up and I plan on doing my own cycle of water vs buying...

Hello all! Saltwater fish / coral have always fascinated me since I was a child. Growing up and moving around a few times I kept several 55g long/tall freshwater tanks and it was pretty fun. I am in the military and move around every so often, so I always thought saltwater was an...

Hey all! I’m currently going through the stages of my first cycle on my first tank. I have a max e 170 aio with an INKBIRD Wi-Fi controller, 200w titanium heater, 1 ecotech mp10 power head, roughly 25lbs of dry live rock, with roughly a 2in bed of caribsea live sand. I copied my lighting...

Hello again R2R! I am enthusiastically planning my first tank. I’ve tried my best to go used but have had too many setbacks and am settling on going new. I added my current ideas to the poll. It should be noted that for the 40/75 I would be using HOB equipment for a while to start. Im trying...

Hey everyone! I wanted to post my first build thread in here. I bought an Innovative Marine AIO 50g Lagoon tank with APS Stand to start out. I filled it with live rock and Aragalive Fiji Pink sand from BRS. I am holding off on anemone and coral additions until the tank has been established for 6...

Hi all! First time poster, I'm very excited to be here and learn. I'm very new to reefing - I put together my first tank based on the advice of my LFS on this last Sunday (2/Oct)! The tank is a completely stock 24g AOI from Aquatop - the Recife ECO 24. Based on the advice of the LFS I added...

I had always wanted a reef tank since I was a teen in the mid 90s. I had shelved the idea of a saltwater tank thinking it was going to be insanely complicated and expensive, but during the start of lockdown I started binging on reef tank videos on YouTube for a little escapism and learnt tech...

Hey all, just wanted to document my journey with my 13.5 gallon reef tank. Had the tank up and running since august 20th. Added fish on the 13th of September along with some cleanup crew containing one peppermint shrimp and 3 snails. So far I’ve been feeding pretty heavy and haven’t had any...

Hi all, Posting here asking for grace and advice as I try to navigate what the heck just happened to my tank. I was using this tank as a temporary/QT tank while my bigger tank (40 gallon breeder) cycles through. 20 gallon high Salinity:1.025 Nitrates:0 Nitrates: 0 Alk: 289 pH: 8.4 Temp: 76 Had this...

So I broke down one of my fresh water planted tanks to do a rescape, and after looking at it empty and sanitized for a few weeks I got the crazy idea to make it into my first saltwater tank. I can say I’ve never spent as much time on any site as I have here researching. So I’m excited to keep a...

This is my first reef build and I have no experience. Help and advice are appreciated. Thanks for your support during this adventure. Here is the equipment I have and everything is returnable minus the stand, tank, and rocks. Any thoughts or suggestions? -75 Gallon aqueon tank -Black stand...

I have an amazing wife. For Christmas 2021 she got me a Coralife LED BioCube 32 gallon AIO with the specially made stand. Assembly was fairly easy, using standard tools. After assembly of the stand, I wiped the tank on the inside with a wet cloth and performed a test installation. We'll...

Hey, all. This is my first reef tank, and I am overwhelmed with all the equipment needs. I purchased a Waterbox 25g AIO peninsula tank and have an appropriate custom stand, but that is the only 'hardware' that I own at this time. Included below is a potential build list. If possible, I would...

Been wanting to get an Aquarium since forever and one day had a mid life crisis when I hit a milestone birthday and here I am, a proud owner of my very first aquarium ever (well I had a gold fish in a bowl when I was a kid), a Red Sea Reefer 350. Learned a lot from this forum being a passive...

Setting up the tank this Sunday and have made a few scapes, there’s about 8 pounds of rock here and the tank is 15, any suggestions or recommendations on which scale to use or how to improve, also I was wondering if using just a small piece of live rock can seed the tank because it’s really...

Well my name is Dillon, and after keeping freshwater fish for many years I’ve decided to finally try out reefing. I’m currently in the process of building a 40breeder set up. I have been on this site more times than I can count lol so I decided to join y’all. So any tips and tricks would be...