Reef Newbie 55G Semi high tech

[Nemoreef]

Starting a new build thread so I can get some suggestions and help with my new aquarium. I had many fresh water aquariums in the past. Mostly planted tanks so it was a lot easier than Reef. My plan is to build a 55G with some fish, LPS corals and a few islands of soft corals.

My current equipment list *Updated May 2023
1. 55G acrylic tank
2. Sump - Fiji cube 30 with fleece roller
3. External overflow - Fijicube 1200GPH bean animal style overflow.
4. Heater - 2x Cobalt Aquatics neo therm pro 150W
5. Lights - 2x kessil A360X with wifi dongle, 1 AI Fuge for Refugium
6. Water - BRS 5 stage RODI system with Brightwell Aquatics Neomarine salt
7. Powerhead - 2x Nero3, 2 Maxspect Gyre XF330
8. ATO - Neptune ATK V2 Auto Top Off Kit
9. Return Pump. - Neptune COR20
10. Skimmer - Aquamaxx DFC80
11. Neptune A3 Apex controller
12. Neptune auto feeder
13. Neptune DOS dosing Tropic Marin AFR
14. Neptune Trident

*Updated May 2023 - Stocking (All fish purchased from Dr Reef's Quarantined fish. I highly recommend them)
Royal gramma x1
Ocellaris Clown x2
Blue tang 1[Juvenile, will rehome]
Mandarin Dragonet x2
Bengai Cardinal x2
Yellow Coris Wrasse - 1
Orange Firefish x1
Yellow watchman Goby x1 with pistol shrimp
Orange spotted Blenny x1

CUC - All from LFS
6 Hermit crabs - 2 of each (electric Blue, Halloween and Scarlet)
6 of each Cerith, Nassarius
4 Turbo snails
2 Trochus

I think I have most of the essentials. Please let me know if I will need anything else to start with. So far, I installed the RODI system, filled up 1 brute trash can with salt water, added some life rocks[purple colored ones] and 2 bags for seachem Matrix. It's been cycling for 4 days now with Microbacter quickcycle. I am also planning to hard plump.

Right now I am in the process if setting up a quarantine tank.


*Edited to add some suggestions from comments.

*Edited 12/14/2022 to add some updates to the build thread.

I picked up the tank and it was delivered earlier than promised. Leak tested it and plumbed it. Created a rock aquascape but was severely limited as I only had a 12"x12" opening on top of the tank due to the brace. Added the rockscape first and then added three 20lbs bags of Caribsea Arag Alive fiji pink sand. It took two days for the water to clear up and in the meantime it also cycled as I had moved some cycled rocks into sump from a brute garbage can thats been cycling for more than a month.

The quarantine tank is still cycling. It did 0 out 2PPM ammonia I added the first time but it is taking more than 24hours to 0 the 2PPM that I added after. when this is also 0, I will add some fish.

I need a few more fishes that are peaceful and reef safe. Please suggest. Also what is a good pellet food option? I am leaning towards one or two between these
1. TDO Chroma Boost C1
2. Sea weed sheets from 2little fishies
3. NLS Thera A
4. Piscine Energetics pellet food

I might also pick up some of those from LRS but it is a bit of a drive.

Here are some in progress pictures

Leak testing

Rockscape building.

Plumbing

Filling up

*Updates May 2023
Added the cleanup crew, copepods and Chaeto as soon as the cycling was done. Waited for amonth and added all the fishes except the two mandarins, The ugly phase was minimal and I had some diatoms and it disappeared in a few days. But there was an outbreak of GHA and got it under control in two weeks. My nitrates and Phosphates have stayed 0PPM ever since. To avoid getting dino, I added nitrates and phosphates and every time I add, I get GHA outbreak. It goes away in two weeks time. Its been a cycle. I tried to add my last fish, blue hippo tang two times and it did not survive shipping. So I decided not to try again.

I added lots of Zoanthids like the ones below
Rastas
Eagle Eye
Metallic Red
Fruit loops
star scream
Blue Hornet
Bob Marley
Tidal pool
Blowpop
PN star

Going to add some Euphyllias and Gonis this week.

 

[thomas_neil]

Staring a new build thread so I can get some suggestions and help with my new aquarium. I had many fresh water aquariums in the past. Mostly planted tanks so it was a lot easier than Reef. My plan is to build a 55G with some fish, LPS corals and a few islands of soft corals.
My current status/plan
1. Ordered a 55G acrylic tank. It will take 6 weeks to build
2. Sump - Fiji cube 30
3. External overflow - Fijicube 1200GPH bean animal style overflow.
4. Heater - 2x Cobalt Aquatics neo therm pro 150W
5. Light - 2x kessil A360X with wifi dongle
6. Water - BRS 5 stage RODI system
7. Powerhead - 2x Nero3[planned]
8. ATO - Neptune ATK V2 Auto Top Off Kit[planned]
9. Return Pump. - Neptune COR20[planned]
10. Skimmer - Aquamaxx DFC80[Planned]
11. Neptune A3 Apex controller[Planned]

Stocking
Royal gramma 1
Ocellaris Clown 5
Blue tang 1[Juvenile, will rehome]
Mandarin 1
Bengai Cardinal 2
Lyretail Antheas 1 male 3 female
Please let me know if these can live together.

I think I have most of the essentials. Please let me know if I will need anything else to start with. So far, I installed the RODI system, filled up 1 brute trash can with salt water, added some life rocks[purple colored ones] and 2 bags for seachem Matrix. It's been cycling for 4 days now with Microbacter quickcycle. I am also planning to hard plump.

Right now I am in the process if setting up a quarantine tank.

Not sure how the clowns will do, most only do pairs or do an entire tank of just clowns and anemones.
With the mandarin make sure you have a hide stock of copepods and a fuge to keep pod population up in display.

 

[dstockwell]

Agree on the clowns

 

[Nemoreef]

Not sure how the clowns will do, most only do pairs or do an entire tank of just clowns and anemones.
With the mandarin make sure you have a hide stock of copepods and a fuge to keep pod population up in display.

What will happen if its more than 2? Clowns will gang up and attack others? About anemone, is it possible to have anemone with corals? I was told by the LFS that anemone will keep walking and stinging your corals.

I do have a refugium[small one] in the sump. Plan is to grow some Chaeto and grow copepods for a few months before introducing mandarins.

 

[thomas_neil]

What will happen if its more than 2? Clowns will gang up and attack others? About anemone, is it possible to have anemone with corals? I was told by the LFS that anemone will keep walking and stinging your corals.

I do have a refugium[small one] in the sump. Plan is to grow some Chaeto and grow copepods for a few months before introducing mandarins.

The clowns will gang up on each other and kill each other off until there’s only 2.
the one exception I’ve seen to this is a species only tank with anemones.

Just make sure with the mandarin you keep an eye on him. Might need to reseed the fuge/tank every couple of months.

 

[Nemoreef]

The clowns will gang up on each other and kill each other off until there’s only 2.
the one exception I’ve seen to this is a species only tank with anemones.

Just make sure with the mandarin you keep an eye on him. Might need to reseed the fuge/tank every couple of months.

Thank you and good to know. LFS mentioned this but they also mentioned it is ok if it's the same species of Clown fish. But I think I am going to stick to just 2. Back to research. I want around 12 fishes by 1 year mark.

 

[kdogginz]

I agree with everyone else on the clowns, I'd just stick to a pair. Anemones will most likely move around until they find a spot they are happy with. Then if they decide they don't like the spot anymore they may move again. There are a few sponsors here that sell phyto and pods for pretty good prices, I'd definitely recommend adding pods on a schedule to keep the mandarin happy. I'd also suggest adding a wrasse to the list for pest control. Any plans on what kind of CUC you are going to get?

 

[Nemoreef]

I agree with everyone else on the clowns, I'd just stick to a pair. Anemones will most likely move around until they find a spot they are happy with. Then if they decide they don't like the spot anymore they may move again. There are a few sponsors here that sell phyto and pods for pretty good prices, I'd definitely recommend adding pods on a schedule to keep the mandarin happy. I'd also suggest adding a wrasse to the list for pest control. Any plans on what kind of CUC you are going to get?

I am going to edit the thread to show a pair of Clown.
Isnt wrasse an aggressive fish? I wanted a 6line wrasse but was told its too aggressive. And for the cleanup crew, I was going to wait till I get some algae. Now that I have to find a replacement for clowns, I am thinking of a sand sifting goby and a few Hermit crabs. I also assumed the pods will clean up some of it.

 

[kdogginz]

I am going to edit the thread to show a pair of Clown.
Isnt wrasse an aggressive fish? I wanted a 6line wrasse but was told its too aggressive. And for the cleanup crew, I was going to wait till I get some algae. Now that I have to find a replacement for clowns, I am thinking of a sand sifting goby and a few Hermit crabs. I also assumed the pods will clean up some of it.

Some wrasses are more aggressive than others. The 6 line is known to be fairly aggressive, I had to rehome two of mine because they were evil. You could get something else that is less aggressive though, like the yellow coris wrasse, pink streak wrasse, various possum wrasse.

 

[Nemoreef]

Some wrasses are more aggressive than others. The 6 line is known to be fairly aggressive, I had to rehome two of mine because they were evil. You could get something else that is less aggressive though, like the yellow coris wrasse, pink streak wrasse, various possum wrasse.

Thank you for the suggestions. I like yellow coris wrasse. Do you know if they will compete with Mandarin for pods?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Any updates on the tank?

 

[Nemoreef]

Any updates on the tank?

Yesss!!! Thank you for asking. I am going to update the thread like this week.

Short update, picked up the tank and it's setup and running for 3 days now. I had used a brute trash can to cycle some life rocks so the display tank is already cycled. But the Quarantine tank is still cycling. So no fishes yet.