Since I am getting back into the salt tank world again after 10 years, and since I'm journeying into the reef world which is new to me, I thought I would start a thread of my tank from start to finish. I thought it would be a great way for me to document the process and I can ask all the questions I need and get all kinds of wonderful answers from the reef experts here. Because I'm cool like that. Yeah. :cool: :D
BACK STORY (because every good cool super hero has a back story):
Once upon a time (15 years ago) I had started a 29 gallon and soon after added a 90 gallon FOWLR saltwater tank. We enjoyed it immensely and the tanks were going great. But then life got in the way and this super hero had to hang her cape up 5 years later and give up the salt tanks. Apparently, 10 years is a long, looong, LOOOOOONG time when it comes to saltwater tanks and what they need. My keeping successful FOWLR tanks in the past, I have learned, has not given me much in regards to knowing a lick about reef keeping, especially reef keeping today. Reef is soooo much more intense! So, basically, I feel like a noob all over again. So much so that I plan on venturing into it slowly because, frankly, I'm scared of screwing it up and losing a ton of money in the process. I'm a very cautious cool super hero. :D
So, back to the present with my 55 gallon tank that I started 5 weeks ago. It's pretty much finished with the cycling process and diatoms have started to organize a party which I think they plan on having later this week. I halted their plans last week, but they are insisting on having this party. I hope they aren't too rowdy... Chicken Fish, my striped damsel, probably wouldn't like that. He's not very brave. It took him forever just to get acquainted with the live rock. He's chicken but he's cute. :D
I started with bare basics - a simple hood light, 60 lbs of live sand, heater, one wave maker, and protein skimmer. I added a small piece of live rock and started the cycling process. I have since added Chicken Fish, another wave maker, a T5 light, about 40 to 50 lbs of dead rock, and a timer switch that one of our fellow reefers here, rininger85, gave me this past weekend. (He and his wife are awesome! FYI) The light is sitting on a homemade wooden beam from the previous owner of the light and dead rock, and I absolutely hate it. It's ugly. Chicken Fish has stated that he is scared of it too. I'm thinking of having my side kick (husband) hang it or build a much better stand for the light to rest on. Hopefully sooner than later.
This morning I spent over 2 hours setting the rock the way I want it, and I'm still not happy with it. I want more rock. Chicken Fish wants more rock. We both like a more substantial look, but unfortunately I ran out of rock. So I created the overall look I'm going for but will add more as I get it to give it more substance. I also want to use more rock to hide the things of man in the tank. In the meantime, this will work, and I know that corals will eventually round it off. Baby steps. Itty bitty teeny tiny baby steps because this super hero isn't ready to fly just yet. :D
My next step is getting a snail or two and a shrimp. I'm sure the diatom party this week is going to require a clean up crew. Chicken Fish will most likely appreciate it.
BACK STORY (because every good cool super hero has a back story):
Once upon a time (15 years ago) I had started a 29 gallon and soon after added a 90 gallon FOWLR saltwater tank. We enjoyed it immensely and the tanks were going great. But then life got in the way and this super hero had to hang her cape up 5 years later and give up the salt tanks. Apparently, 10 years is a long, looong, LOOOOOONG time when it comes to saltwater tanks and what they need. My keeping successful FOWLR tanks in the past, I have learned, has not given me much in regards to knowing a lick about reef keeping, especially reef keeping today. Reef is soooo much more intense! So, basically, I feel like a noob all over again. So much so that I plan on venturing into it slowly because, frankly, I'm scared of screwing it up and losing a ton of money in the process. I'm a very cautious cool super hero. :D
So, back to the present with my 55 gallon tank that I started 5 weeks ago. It's pretty much finished with the cycling process and diatoms have started to organize a party which I think they plan on having later this week. I halted their plans last week, but they are insisting on having this party. I hope they aren't too rowdy... Chicken Fish, my striped damsel, probably wouldn't like that. He's not very brave. It took him forever just to get acquainted with the live rock. He's chicken but he's cute. :D
I started with bare basics - a simple hood light, 60 lbs of live sand, heater, one wave maker, and protein skimmer. I added a small piece of live rock and started the cycling process. I have since added Chicken Fish, another wave maker, a T5 light, about 40 to 50 lbs of dead rock, and a timer switch that one of our fellow reefers here, rininger85, gave me this past weekend. (He and his wife are awesome! FYI) The light is sitting on a homemade wooden beam from the previous owner of the light and dead rock, and I absolutely hate it. It's ugly. Chicken Fish has stated that he is scared of it too. I'm thinking of having my side kick (husband) hang it or build a much better stand for the light to rest on. Hopefully sooner than later.
This morning I spent over 2 hours setting the rock the way I want it, and I'm still not happy with it. I want more rock. Chicken Fish wants more rock. We both like a more substantial look, but unfortunately I ran out of rock. So I created the overall look I'm going for but will add more as I get it to give it more substance. I also want to use more rock to hide the things of man in the tank. In the meantime, this will work, and I know that corals will eventually round it off. Baby steps. Itty bitty teeny tiny baby steps because this super hero isn't ready to fly just yet. :D
My next step is getting a snail or two and a shrimp. I'm sure the diatom party this week is going to require a clean up crew. Chicken Fish will most likely appreciate it.
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