Hey everyone. Started on my first fish tank journey in October of 2023. Its a saltwater WB marine 90.3x. I started this hobby after having a injury a couple years back that has taking me out of triathlons, running, cycling, and swimming for a few years now. I got pretty down about it but have since enjoyed this new hobby. Below are some pictures of progress with notes along the way as well as my final update so far here...a full year later. Enjoy and feel free to make comments or ask questions.
Final Aquascape design
Initial tank filling! Very exciting
Tank in my living room.
Took out the sump bc I cracked it like any idiot. Bought this new one and drilled a hole in the ATO section to have more volume and add protein skimmer.
The Marine x line has some serious side to side sway. Had to tank the whole tank down and brace with 7 ply maple plywood 1/2". No longer moving and holding great now!. Anxiety has reduced.
Added 2 clownfish after cycle. Now here is my yellow tang and yellow watchman goby.
Added a eight line flasher wrasse. Added zoas as first coral.
Added these guys after the zoas. Kenya tree, toadstool leather, yellow clove polyps, GSP
Here came what I though was ugly phase. Nope, got a microscope and confirmed SCA dinos. Then came the 3 month long battle with tons of uglies and daily silicate dosing. I was a total newb and ran 0 phosphate and too clean for such a long time.
Some more ugly dino pics. Added a sandsifting startfish. Did not do the appropriate research and it lost a leg in a week. I took it out, put it in ziplock with tank water and froze it. One of my biggest regrets. This was a horrible mistake to make, and I wont again.
Here is a picture of gobi wan kanobi.
Dino started improving and I added an elegance
Now that dinos have been beatin, I have a ton of GHA and some cyano. (This pic is after I cleaned up the GHA lol.) I added a ton more CUC and this had since improved a little (still battling to this day.)
First scolymia added and a nice diablo diaseris plate.
Along this journey came monitopora eating nudibranchs. I fragged this, dipped aggressively, and have since beat this.
And my holy grail torch got sick
Move him to higher light and did some microlift dosing (got help from FB support group.) And now hes all healthy again
Added my first acanthophyllia a couple weeks ago.
And heres kind of a final tank picture for now. Obviously a lot else has happened but here is some bits and pieces of the ups and downs.
Tank specifics
Age: Around 12 months
Waterbox Marine X 90.3. 60 gallon display with 30 gallon sump
Fish list:
2 captive bred clowns, 2 captive bred green mandarins, eight line flasher wrasse, yellow tang, yellow watchman goby, lawnmower blenny.
Corals:
Mixed reef of softies, LPS, and a few SPS
Parameters:
Sg: 1.025-1.026
NO3: 21.4 (trying to slowly lower these with tropic marin elimi NP and bacto balance now)
PO4: .28 (trying to slowly lower these with tropic marin elimi NP and bacto balance now)
pH: 8.1-8.3
Temp: 77-78 degrees F
No water changes, I follow reef moonshining with monthly ICP and trace element dosing.
Well thats about it. Feel free to ask anything. Taking things slower now, next plans are adding another acanthophyllia at bottom right corner down the road as well as some more scolymia in the front. I'm also going to give it a bit more time before I add in some high end acropora.
Final Aquascape design
Initial tank filling! Very exciting
Tank in my living room.
Took out the sump bc I cracked it like any idiot. Bought this new one and drilled a hole in the ATO section to have more volume and add protein skimmer.
The Marine x line has some serious side to side sway. Had to tank the whole tank down and brace with 7 ply maple plywood 1/2". No longer moving and holding great now!. Anxiety has reduced.
Added 2 clownfish after cycle. Now here is my yellow tang and yellow watchman goby.
Added a eight line flasher wrasse. Added zoas as first coral.
Added these guys after the zoas. Kenya tree, toadstool leather, yellow clove polyps, GSP
Here came what I though was ugly phase. Nope, got a microscope and confirmed SCA dinos. Then came the 3 month long battle with tons of uglies and daily silicate dosing. I was a total newb and ran 0 phosphate and too clean for such a long time.
Some more ugly dino pics. Added a sandsifting startfish. Did not do the appropriate research and it lost a leg in a week. I took it out, put it in ziplock with tank water and froze it. One of my biggest regrets. This was a horrible mistake to make, and I wont again.
Here is a picture of gobi wan kanobi.
Dino started improving and I added an elegance
Now that dinos have been beatin, I have a ton of GHA and some cyano. (This pic is after I cleaned up the GHA lol.) I added a ton more CUC and this had since improved a little (still battling to this day.)
First scolymia added and a nice diablo diaseris plate.
Along this journey came monitopora eating nudibranchs. I fragged this, dipped aggressively, and have since beat this.
And my holy grail torch got sick
Move him to higher light and did some microlift dosing (got help from FB support group.) And now hes all healthy again
Added my first acanthophyllia a couple weeks ago.
And heres kind of a final tank picture for now. Obviously a lot else has happened but here is some bits and pieces of the ups and downs.
Tank specifics
Age: Around 12 months
Waterbox Marine X 90.3. 60 gallon display with 30 gallon sump
Fish list:
2 captive bred clowns, 2 captive bred green mandarins, eight line flasher wrasse, yellow tang, yellow watchman goby, lawnmower blenny.
Corals:
Mixed reef of softies, LPS, and a few SPS
Parameters:
Sg: 1.025-1.026
NO3: 21.4 (trying to slowly lower these with tropic marin elimi NP and bacto balance now)
PO4: .28 (trying to slowly lower these with tropic marin elimi NP and bacto balance now)
pH: 8.1-8.3
Temp: 77-78 degrees F
No water changes, I follow reef moonshining with monthly ICP and trace element dosing.
Well thats about it. Feel free to ask anything. Taking things slower now, next plans are adding another acanthophyllia at bottom right corner down the road as well as some more scolymia in the front. I'm also going to give it a bit more time before I add in some high end acropora.
