Hope 2017 is going to a better year than 2016!
Hi im Josh and ive been an avid fish lover for years now but just recently made the leap into salt water. Bit of background, I am a HVAC mechanic so im fairly mechanically sound which i have found is VERY helpful with this hobby.
I figured the best way to start saltwater would be start with a biocube 29. I found one used on kijiji and tore it down and scrubbed it and got everything back in pristine shape. Next i spent a month or two researching mods for my biocube. I started by changing the pump to a maxijet 1200. Next i ordered a media basket from INtank. Ive recently seen a bunch of DIY media racks and wonder if i could have trimmed some cost here. Alas their custom media rack actually works fairly well. I have a tunze9002 skimmer. I ordered a Stevesled retrofit kit and replaced my bulb lighting with a full spectrum LED setup. I put in 35 lbs of liverock and am running a "semi deep" sandbed (~3"). I have the leds programmed for full blue light and 1/2 white light on a 10 hour clock setup.
The planning process took over 3 months before i felt confident enough to jump in.
I installed my own RO/DI filter downstairs on my sink with a holding tank. It holds about half a 5g bucket so doing water changes and top ups works fairly easily. I got this wholesale pricing thru Noble trade a plumbing wholesale.
I have 2 small koralia power heads
Tank has been up since early June-ish.
1 thing i have noticed i am struggling with is remembering the name of the fish and all the marine animals, seems everything is in latin.
Stocking
2 - black and white clowns (with the oj faces)
1- royal gramma
1 - bangai cardinal
CUC
mostly nerites/ceriths/trochus/astrea mix (about 15-20 total)
1 emerald crab (starting to wonder if this was a bad idea)
1 cleaner shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp (aiptasia.....)
Thats my current setup for the most part.
I am working on a DIY project that i could use some feedback on.
I took a 550g reactor (fully clear) about 4.5" radius x 16" tall. My plan is to make it into a refugium. I am piping it with 1/2" tubing and running the return from the return slot on chamber 1. I will pump the supply back into either the tank or into the 3rd chamber where the main pump sits. I will have 2 shutoff valves on both sides of the reactor. I asked for and got a refugium LED light for christmas so i am planning on having the light on a 8-12hr mechanical timer (total light hrs to be researched and confirmed later) on a closed loop style refugium.
Any suggestions on this? I have thought about adding some liverock rubble but am wondering if its just best to go straight chaeto.
I am also planning on stocking the chaeto with some tiger pods. I have already ordered the tigger pods. However doing some further research i have read that tigger pods are more "free swimming" than copepods. I found canadiancopepods will ship bottles. Do you think i should stock with copepods?
Any advice on ANYTHING posted would be GREATLY appreciated. I am mostly self taught and have never got into a community on these type of things.
I have 3 tanks total, i have a planted community as well as an african cichlid tank.
Look forward to getting to know you guys better.
Josh
Hi im Josh and ive been an avid fish lover for years now but just recently made the leap into salt water. Bit of background, I am a HVAC mechanic so im fairly mechanically sound which i have found is VERY helpful with this hobby.
I figured the best way to start saltwater would be start with a biocube 29. I found one used on kijiji and tore it down and scrubbed it and got everything back in pristine shape. Next i spent a month or two researching mods for my biocube. I started by changing the pump to a maxijet 1200. Next i ordered a media basket from INtank. Ive recently seen a bunch of DIY media racks and wonder if i could have trimmed some cost here. Alas their custom media rack actually works fairly well. I have a tunze9002 skimmer. I ordered a Stevesled retrofit kit and replaced my bulb lighting with a full spectrum LED setup. I put in 35 lbs of liverock and am running a "semi deep" sandbed (~3"). I have the leds programmed for full blue light and 1/2 white light on a 10 hour clock setup.
The planning process took over 3 months before i felt confident enough to jump in.
I installed my own RO/DI filter downstairs on my sink with a holding tank. It holds about half a 5g bucket so doing water changes and top ups works fairly easily. I got this wholesale pricing thru Noble trade a plumbing wholesale.
I have 2 small koralia power heads
Tank has been up since early June-ish.
1 thing i have noticed i am struggling with is remembering the name of the fish and all the marine animals, seems everything is in latin.
Stocking
2 - black and white clowns (with the oj faces)
1- royal gramma
1 - bangai cardinal
CUC
mostly nerites/ceriths/trochus/astrea mix (about 15-20 total)
1 emerald crab (starting to wonder if this was a bad idea)
1 cleaner shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp (aiptasia.....)
Thats my current setup for the most part.
I am working on a DIY project that i could use some feedback on.
I took a 550g reactor (fully clear) about 4.5" radius x 16" tall. My plan is to make it into a refugium. I am piping it with 1/2" tubing and running the return from the return slot on chamber 1. I will pump the supply back into either the tank or into the 3rd chamber where the main pump sits. I will have 2 shutoff valves on both sides of the reactor. I asked for and got a refugium LED light for christmas so i am planning on having the light on a 8-12hr mechanical timer (total light hrs to be researched and confirmed later) on a closed loop style refugium.
Any suggestions on this? I have thought about adding some liverock rubble but am wondering if its just best to go straight chaeto.
I am also planning on stocking the chaeto with some tiger pods. I have already ordered the tigger pods. However doing some further research i have read that tigger pods are more "free swimming" than copepods. I found canadiancopepods will ship bottles. Do you think i should stock with copepods?
Any advice on ANYTHING posted would be GREATLY appreciated. I am mostly self taught and have never got into a community on these type of things.
I have 3 tanks total, i have a planted community as well as an african cichlid tank.
Look forward to getting to know you guys better.
Josh
