Wisconsin Noobie Reef Tank - 60g

[Putter482]

So this is my first salt water tank, and while I don’t have everything quite set up, I wanted to get everyone’s opinions on what I have done so far, and that I am headed in the right direction to get my tank set up. Eventually I want to run this as a reef tank.

I have a 60g drilled tank with a 20g sump. I made my own stand and will be attempting to plumb everything myself and turn the sump into a refugium. At the moment my plans going forward are as follows…

Step 1: Finish acquiring my gear. I have a few odds and ends to nab up.

Currently Have:

60g tank

20g Sump

PVC for plumbing

2 Noo Psyche NP K7 Minis 60w

Maxspect MJ-GF2K Gyre Flow Pump – Got this for free unexpectedly. Hadn’t gotten around to any research on Flow Pumps yet, but figured since it was free I would use it.

Return Pump that I acquired with the tank – thinking about replacing

RODI 5 stage filter

Sicce Syncra Nano Multifunction Pump for mixing Saltwater



Need to Acquire: Haven’t settled on anything in this category quite yet

Dry Rock – 60lbs

Dry Sand

Live Rock – 10lbs

Salt – Looking at Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt. I think I heard they had a manufacturers error, but I heard it was a pretty good salt outside of that, and the fact that they caught it and alerted customers about it makes me feel somewhat safer about it weirdly.

Tank Top – Should I go with a mesh Top or solid cover. I know mesh would increase evaporation, but someone told me solid top decreases air flow.

ATO

Heater – Got one with tank, but figured I should get new. Was looking at Eheim 150w.

Copepods

Brute Garbage Can – Need some 5 gallons for transport as well. Can those be any version, or are there fish safe ones I should look out for?

Water Parameter Checkers – Do I need to get all Hanna Checkers or are the smaller and cheaper Chemistry set types sufficient. Which Chemicals do I need to check on the regular. I have heard Alk, Nitrite, and Phosphate (and Salinity) are the big parameters to check, but want to triple check.

Algae Scraper

Substrate Cleaner – Can I use this as a syphon for water changes also?



Step 2: Setup Tank

I plan on starting by mixing some water together in my Brute and letting it cycle with the live and dry rock for 6-8 weeks. I had seen a video from BRS about “Dark Cooking” the liverock which basically allowed the good bacteria to multiply while the algae’s and other less great elements would be starved out. Other thank throwing in the Liverock into the water, do I need to do anything else, like dose Ammonia? I am attempting to bypass as much of the “uglies” stage as possible because the S.O. is really worried about the tank looking unkempt.

Once the water and rock are good, I plan on transferring to the tank and starting off with some hardier and easier to keep fish.

Step 3: Stock Fish

My ideal fish list for my tank is as follows…

• Clownfish x2
• Azure Damselfish x3-4
• Longnose Hawkfish x1
• Firefish x1
• Royal Gramma Basslet x1
• Wrasse x1 (Like Melanurus or Richmond’s)
• Flame Angel

I also liked the Chalk Bass and either Blue Spotted Puffer or Saddle Valenti Puffer. I am not sure I have enough room for the fish I definitely want, and I am not sure if the puffers would work with a reef tank, which is why these fish are off the list for the time being.

Plan is to go down the list in that order adding fish. Starting small, hardy, and cheap to make sure that I have a handle on everything. Flame Angel is my goal (wanted one before I even was thinking I could do a tank) but since they are expensive and I want to make sure I know what I am doing, I won’t aquire that until last unless there is a fish on this list that shouldn’t be included or wouldn’t work in the order laid out.

I also need some CUC, but I know I don’t want hermit crabs, and I am not a big fan of snails. I was hoping that Urchins would be enough, but I can add shrimp as well, and snails if everyone thinks that’s best. Don’t know quantities on that. I won’t be running a protein skimmer off the top of my build, but will be doing 10g water changes weekly.

Step 4: Corals

Once I have some of my fish in and running, and if I feel I have a handle on things, I would like to start to add corals. This is the area where I am still doing research on what I want, but I know from looking at other tanks and the corals in the stores generally what I do and do not like.

I do want Plating Corals, branching corals and at least one wavy type (but I am thinking that I want to stay away from anemone’s, unless people disagree). I want to avoid the corals that really take over a tank, but I do want to scape my tank where I can have an island or two that I could place them on incase there are some I really like but don’t want taking over. Also interested in Kenya trees, but I feel like I read something advising against them, so I want some more info on them if possible.

I do not want Zoas or Scolys. I know those are pretty popular, but they just don’t strike my fancy. I like the look of a healthy colony of a small amount of corals, so I am not looking to have a small amount of everything, but rather a larger amount of a few things, and I am willing to wait for things to fill in.

Step 5: Refugium

I will have my sump up and connected right from the get go, but other than being a place where my ATO, Heater, return pump and some liverock live, I don’t plan on having much in there to start with. I eventually want to add a protein skimmer and some chaeto down there. If you think I need to place this earlier in my build I am all ears. I think once I get to a heavier bio load, especially if I don’t have the corals in place yet, I might move this up to take care of that because while I plan on doing weekly water changes, I think this could help the tank as well.



I think these are the steps I am looking at for now. Am I in way over my head? Have any advice or think that I should change things up? Please let me know. Looking for any and all advice. I hopefully will get this tank started up sometime in August, but it really all depends on if I can gather the remaining equipment I need before then.

 

[GatorGreg]

Just remember when you do set it up. That’s a lot of dry rock you’re using. Keep an eye on those phosphates and nitrates. Don’t let your phosphates bottom out at 0. There is a possibility you’ll have to dose phosphates. Just keep a watchful eye on it.

 

[Brandont21]

Blue legged hermits are good. Urchins are good but i think itll starve if you put it in right away. I also use menards 5 gallon buckets and never had an issue

 

[Viperdragon]

Sounds like your on the right track and with some good equipment. I would look into getting a new/ backup return pump unless you know how old it is. But if you talk with @ZachB he can hook you up with #wiscoreefers

 

[Northern Flicker]

I was thinking about doing those Noo-psyches on a 40g breeder. How do you like them? Obviously they aren't over coral yet, but have you played around with their settings/app?

 

[Putter482]

Just remember when you do set it up. That’s a lot of dry rock you’re using. Keep an eye on those phosphates and nitrates. Don’t let your phosphates bottom out at 0. There is a possibility you’ll have to dose phosphates. Just keep a watchful eye on it.

Should I use less dry rock? I had heard a pound per gallon, but I can definitely cut back if thats too much.

Blue legged hermits are good. Urchins are good but i think itll starve if you put it in right away. I also use menards 5 gallon buckets and never had an issue

I will hold off on the urchin for a while. Good to know about the bucket, I know that Brute was recommended for the mixing tub, but had no idea for transfering haha.

Sounds like your on the right track and with some good equipment. I would look into getting a new/ backup return pump unless you know how old it is. But if you talk with @ZachB he can hook you up with #wiscoreefers

Ya, I have no idea on how old it is, so I was thinking new just to be on the safe side of things. I will definitely have to look into the Wisconsin reefing community.

I was thinking about doing those Noo-psyches on a 40g breeder. How do you like them? Obviously they aren't over coral yet, but have you played around with their settings/app?

I haven't set them up quite yet, so I don't know how versatile they are. I had read a few threads on here recommending them, and they seem pretty nice from the outside. Only thing Ihad to do was buy an adapter to fit them on my rimmed tank.

 

[GatorGreg]

It’s not that you need to use less or more. It’s just that dry rock sucks up a lot of your nutrients for whatever reason. I’m not sure of the science behind it. But it is absolutely a thing. I don’t want to pressure you into building your tank a certain way. Just letting you know it’s something to lookout for with dry rock.

 

[Viperdragon]

@Lebowski_ and @Putter482 i have a noo psyche mini and love it good color and it will grow coral like crazy @ZachB has the big ones over his 150 and no issue with them and I have only had mine about 5months.