JMBL
New Member
Hello - New to Saltwater; started 18gallon Nov2023 and 10gallon Dec2023
Hi all Just want to share my sorta new tank progression. In Canada; started a venture into saltwater tank to try things out. Children kind of pushed me into the hobby haha. Wasnt really interested in it myself, Had started with guppies, tetras, neocaridina freshwater tank at first in late...
www.reef2reef.com
Hello all!
Posted in Meet & Greet thread, was directed to make a build thread. Pretty small and young tanks though, still growing it out but at least no more deaths in past few weeks.
In Ontario, Canada; started a venture into saltwater tank to try things out. Children kind of pushed me into the hobby haha. Wasnt really interested in it myself, Had started with guppies, tetras, neocaridina freshwater tank at first in late 2022 (actually was started by nanny) but wanted to try saltwater after.
I'm going to next (not me directly. I have poor know-how and little experience, will have local expert) try to build a 1120 gallon saltwater tank, plus sump, mixing station next (10ft x 5ft x 3ft). Wondering about setup plans, costs, fauna people do for this stuff. Lots of great build threads around here I'm lucky to browse upon Reef2Reef.
I started the 18gallon Nov2023 and then 10gallon Dec2023. Lots of mistakes in the learning process unfortunately but had great help also. Would've been worse without help.
18 gallon tank Equipment:
Ive been going without sump but will need one in future perhaps (so many nitrate issues), two clip on lights, hang on back filter, no protein skimmer (overheats my tank and never catches anything but I might be misusing it?), two small wavemakers, heater, thermometer. Used distilled water from grocery store then reverse osmosis water (RO only not RODI) from a drinking water treatment store. Water topoffs every 3days; lidless, water changes every 4weeks roughly. Additives have included trace elements+ for goniopora which just wont extend out fully anymore; algaemanagement NO3PO something few days/month if nitrates are high. Used some antibiotic stuff one time from local expert for brown jelly disease March2024. which successfully spared some of my hammers/torches from dying.
18gallon tank with live rock, sand, water purchased from local expert to quickstart stuff, especially as I have no clue what I'm doing -I'm looking to rely on others.
fauna as illustrated
I have had lots of deaths over time, havent written them down per se but off the top of my head-
Deaths:
sea urchin died almost immediately within a few days
also lost three (1-3head) colonies of torches, a candy cane, three small colonies of hammers (I think the hammer and torches died from brown jelly disease I was informed)
Lost three clownfish (as same larger one is always aggressive)
feather duster, royal gramma and mandarin dragonet died due to algae management (reduced phosphate too quickly)
Three GSP colonies
Small birds of paradise frag
Tonsss of various snails have died I believe due to two emerald crabs
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10gallon tank with live rock, sand, water purchased from local expert to quickstart stuff again Dec2023
simple setup with red bubble tip, purple tube, green tentacle and some fourth anemone i cant recall; small pulsing xenias and forest fire rhodactis
also a favia coral small frag that died at this time
