75g reef tank!

[Psychocircus91]

Hey guys, this set up was originally going to be a fowlr, but I decided a reef will give me things to do for years to come, whereas a fowlr would keep me entertained for much less time.


Here is the aquarium after it's first coat of paint.

Here is the 20g sump

Here is the tank up, filled with water, and with the light I plan to use the for the next couple of months until I introduce coral

The cycle just finished!
I plan to get some more live rock when it comes time for coral. (Man made with no hitchhikers so no die off.)

Thanks for looking.

 

[Psychocircus91]

I'm going to get a few snails tomorrow and my first fish on saturday.

I'm going to be getting some small peaceful fish such as a reef safe wrasse, chromis, bangaii cardinals. I'm also going to get a foxface.

What are some good foods to look for?

 

[PurplePolyp]

Brine shrimp is good to feed. I have 2 chromis, 2 clowns, and a blue hippo tang and they go to town on the shrimp. Just drop a ball in and watch em go to town. I tap the tank every time I drop in a shrimp ball so now every time I tap the glass, they all come out and swim at the top. I touched my tang the other day.

 

[PurplePolyp]

Tank is looking good.

 

[Khij159753]

Mysis shrimp is a little healthier than brine but same concept

 

[Beengirl]

I rotate mysis, cyclopeeze, bloodworms, rods food, brine, chopped up silversides, chopped scallops, flake and sinking pellet. The fish like it all. Also I add some garlic drops sometimes and sell on sometimes.

 

[Psychocircus91]

Thanks guys. I'm going to That Fish Place to pick out my first fish, and obviously have no food yet.

So are there a particular three foods that would be good to start with, and I can add to my collection each time I visit? I assume mysis and some kind of pellet?

 

[Psychocircus91]

Another question, sorry if it is dumb. I am going to get a couple powerheads. I was thinking two koralia 4's. My return pump also provides some decent flow. Will this be sufficient when I start getting softies and LPS? Do I need a wave maker?

 

[PurplePolyp]

As long as you have enough flow you shouldn't need a wave maker. I have 2
Bio wheel filters moving 280 a piece, 2 koralia filters moving 750 a piece, and my protein skimmer moves 700 or so. So I move about 2700 gallons per hour.

 

[Beengirl]

Thanks guys. I'm going to That Fish Place to pick out my first fish, and obviously have no food yet.

So are there a particular three foods that would be good to start with, and I can add to my collection each time I visit? I assume mysis and some kind of pellet?

I would start with mysis for sure, brine and either some pellet or bloodworms. I usually offer small amounts of 2 types of food per day cuz I have some fish that won't eat certain things. My bangaii cardinals won't eat pellet or bloodworms at all, but Love mysis and brine. My blenny loves bloodworms, mysis, brine, pretty much anything. Lol. My Firefish eats mostly cyclopeeze.
Also, if you get a foxface, don't forget to get some algae sheets and a clip.

I get a little carried away with the fish food. Lol. I have a large drawer in the kitchen with 2kinds of fish algae sheets, clip, 2 kinds pellets (herbivorous and regular), flake, garlic drops and selcon. Then the top shelf of freezer has frozen raw shrimp, scallops, oyster on half shell, mysis, rods food, silversides, cyclopeeze, formula 2, brine, krill and bloodworms. It's a little ridiculous, I know. I just don't like them to have a boring diet, and this way I can vary their diet, which I believe is healthier.

But for a few fish, I would start with 3 and rotate them. And then add to your stock of good later.

Have a great time picking out your fish!!!

 

[Psychocircus91]

I would start with mysis for sure, brine and either some pellet or bloodworms. I usually offer small amounts of 2 types of food per day cuz I have some fish that won't eat certain things. My bangaii cardinals won't eat pellet or bloodworms at all, but Love mysis and brine. My blenny loves bloodworms, mysis, brine, pretty much anything. Lol. My Firefish eats mostly cyclopeeze.
Also, if you get a foxface, don't forget to get some algae sheets and a clip.

I get a little carried away with the fish food. Lol. I have a large drawer in the kitchen with 2kinds of fish algae sheets, clip, 2 kinds pellets (herbivorous and regular), flake, garlic drops and selcon. Then the top shelf of freezer has frozen raw shrimp, scallops, oyster on half shell, mysis, rods food, silversides, cyclopeeze, formula 2, brine, krill and bloodworms. It's a little ridiculous, I know. I just don't like them to have a boring diet, and this way I can vary their diet, which I believe is healthier.

But for a few fish, I would start with 3 and rotate them. And then add to your stock of good later.

Have a great time picking out your fish!!!

Thanks for the advice! That's the plan then! As for the fox face, I'm debating due to the small chance they'll pick at coral. I was thinking either that, a yellow eye kole tang, or no "centerpiece"

 

[Qube]

I love my foxface! No issues with it picking at corals at all. He too, comes from That Pet Place.

 

[Psychocircus91]

I love my foxface! No issues with it picking at corals at all. He too, comes from That Pet Place.

Yeah, the majority of people have said they have no problems. But about 20% of people I've seen have had problems. I'm just skeptical since this is my first reef.

 

[Psychocircus91]

Made my first purchase! Five astrea snails, one turbo, and three red leg hermits. Starting small just in case

 

[Psychocircus91]

I probably won't get any shrimp for a couple months when the tank stabilizes some, but I like to have a plan. Please give me your suggestions.

Sexy anemone shrimp- really like these, but heard they can be a problem with certain corals? How true is this?

Peppermint shrimp- like these too because I like the idea of having several shrimp. Hear they hide a lot though.

Coral Banded- Nice big bold shrimp, but I could only have one shrimp so not sure.

Definintely open to more suggestions. What type would you choose?

 

[Khij159753]

I love my cleaner shrimp. Out all the time cleaning fish and rock and they eat all my left over food. Also they clean my hands

 

[Psychocircus91]

I love my cleaner shrimp. Out all the time cleaning fish and rock and they eat all my left over food. Also they clean my hands

will they fight with others of the same species or other species of shrimp?

 

[PurplePolyp]

They won't fight inner species but I'm not sure on other shrimp for the cleaners. They will clean your hand though. I've had that experience too! Peppermint shrimp do hide a lot because they are night feeders. But they will help with aiptasia as well, so that's nice.

 

[Psychocircus91]

They won't fight inner species but I'm not sure on other shrimp for the cleaners. They will clean your hand though. I've had that experience too! Peppermint shrimp do hide a lot because they are night feeders. But they will help with aiptasia as well, so that's nice.

thanks. I looked into it. I'm going to get a pair of cleaners and a small group of peppermint!

 

[Keithhjs]

I find shrimp excellent additions to a reef. I keep 5 peppermint, 2 cleaner, three pistols, and a fire shrimp in my reef. Planning on adding another fire and few more peppermints. Just make sure the wrasse you choose isn't an invertebrate chow hound lol. Tanks looks good, keep the pics coming.