Welcome to my Little Reef Paradise: Inspired by the Rainbow Reef in Fiji

[Dr.Abag]

Hi all, a bit of a story, we went to this wonderful small bay in Fiji last year. My first ever time snorkelling and also had the taste of my first ever dive on the rainbow reef. The mind blowing shoal of fish around beautiful coral colonies had me wanting to recreate a tiny of bit paradise in my living room.

I’ve always kept fish and wanted to try my hand at corals. This will be my first tank with corals.

Here we go !

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[Devaji]

good luck!

 

[kevgib67]

Where are the mandatory pictures?

 

[Dr.Abag]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. Here is the current equipment list that has been ordered. I am moving to a new house and will all be delivered there shortly and then will udpate with pics.

1. Water Box Reef 100.3
2. COR 20 RETURN PUMP
3. 2* MP40 Wavemakers
4. Reef Octo Essense 130 Skimmer
5. 2* Reefi Uno 2.1 Pro with Tank Mounts
6. Apex Pro
7. Neptune Apex Ato V2
8. EHEIM 300 W heaters with Inkbird controllers
9. Hanna (Alk, High Range Nitrate, Phosphorous, Salinity) Tester
10. Salifert (Cal, Mag) Testers
11. 15-20 KG of Cycled Rock.

Equipment on the Wishlist
1. Red Sea Reefmat 500
2. Apex Trident
3. Battery Backup

 

[kevgib67]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. Here is the current equipment list that has been ordered. I am moving to a new house and will all be delivered there shortly and then will udpate with pics.

1. Water Box Reef 100.3
2. COR 20 RETURN PUMP
3. 2* MP40 Wavemakers
4. Reef Octo Essense 130 Skimmer
5. 2* Reefi Uno 2.1 Pro with Tank Mounts
6. Apex Pro
7. Neptune Apex Ato V2
8. EHEIM 300 W heaters with Inkbird controllers
9. Hanna (Alk, High Range Nitrate, Phosphorous, Salinity) Tester
10. Salifert (Cal, Mag) Testers
11. 15-20 KG of Cycled Rock.

Equipment on the Wishlist
1. Red Sea Reefmat 500
2. Apex Trident
3. Battery Backup

$$$!

 

[Dr.Abag]

$$$!

Haha 50% cost was from the sale of my previous tank. So it’s not that bad, but yeah it’s insane how expensive some things are. Especially here in New Zealand. Example an Apex Pro here costs 1800$

 

[kevgib67]

Haha 50% cost was from the sale of my previous tank. So it’s not that bad, but yeah it’s insane how expensive some things are. Especially here in New Zealand. Example an Apex Pro here costs 1800$

I hear you, I was saving for new 5” tank planning on buying on Blank Friday, they had great sales last year. Then my daughter got engaged after my wife picked me up off the floor after telling me what our financial responsibility would be for the wedding, my upgrade fund became my daughter’s wedding fund. Black Friday 2025 it will be then. Happy reefing and I’m looking forward to following your build.

 

[stewy14]

following along, this will be great!!!

 

[Dr.Abag]

27/08/2024 Update.

Was debating upgrading my order to a 4 feet tank to keep some Tangs, but Tang police said, not really.

So have decided to keep it to a 3 feet tank and going the mixed wrasse tank.

Wavemakers, Return Pump, Skimmer, Heaters, Apex Pro have all been delivered. Reefi 2.1 in transit and waiting for the reefmat stock.

Tank will be delivered, sometime next weekend. Pictures incoming shortly.

 

[Dr.Abag]

02/09/2024

Great News, the Tank has Landed at my LFS, they will deliver it this weekend. I have asked for sump modifications, removing the sock chamber. Adding a baffle between the main sump area to separate my refugium and skimmer section.

Did a lot of reading on R2R and after speaking to a lot of locals here made the decision to skip on particulate filtration (Socks or Rollers) at this stage. All the tanks I looked at for inspiration run just a skimmer for filtration.

Christmas came early and my Reefi Uno 2.1's got delivered today. Exciting few weeks ahead.

 

[Dr.Abag]

Update 09/09/24.

Sorry for the delay guys, here is the mandatory equipment pic. Tank is in place temporarily.

When we installed it, I did not account for the MP40 dry sides needing 10+ mm of space behind the tank. So will need to wait untill the weekend to get help moving the tank.

Have modified the stock sump to remove filter socks. I am going to start without a filter roller and try to have a thriving fuge. Filter roller will be a backup if things don’t go to plan.

 

[Dr.Abag]

The tank is wet, filling with RODI tonight, will take me about 4-5 days to fill it up.

There was a surprise Stocking at our LFS today with some rare fish for this area. The gulf Blenny and Royal Gramma were pretty high on my want list. Unfortunately, looks like I will miss them and will have to wait for a year to get them again.

 

[Dr.Abag]

1/10/2024- Update

Have finished scaping the tank, was really frustrating at first when it was not looking like the way I had hoped. Asked the missus to help and the scape now looks epic. Pictures to follow soon.

First tests done and Nitrates are Increasing and Phosphates as well. Might be leeching from the liverock. Have use Elimi Phos Rapid to get on top of phosphates and plan to add chaeto soon.

 

[Dr.Abag]

17/10/24- Update

It has been 3 weeks since my first fish. I know nothing good happens in this hobby quickly. I had no plans of adding an Angel into my stocking. But my LFS had this Spot breast Angel and I just had to have it.

Also added 2 other fish, a Lubbock's wrasse and a Midas blenny. All fish are eating well and still a little shy.

Planning to add in a diamond goby, carpenters wrasse and yellow coris wrasse soon.

 

[Fishy Guy]

We want tank pics!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

We want tank pics!

I second this!

 

[Dr.Abag]

Here we go tank and fish pics.