Started a new 75g reef... complete with photojournal

[dasjestyr]

Figured i'd start a thread for those that like follow along while i browse the advice forums. Here's a link to the photo journal:

Picasa Web Albums - Jeremy - Aquarium Phot...

I'll post any new photos to the album and thread directly.

so far -
75g topfin tank
Octopus BH100 HOB skimmer
1350gpm maxijet powerhead
600gpm maxijet powerhead
65lbs assorted "premium" and "ultra-exotic" live rock

JUST ordered my lighting fixture (AquaticLife T5 HO Light Fixture W/ Lunar LEDs - Freshwater), its in the mail. Should be here tomorrow.

Growing Pains so far:
- Day 3 when the water was starting to clear, the 1350gpm powerhead fell off and planted in the sand while i was sleeping, turning the whole tank into a big bowl of milk. Lesson learned? Suction cups suck, I replaced them with magnets.
- Came home one night after adding my starter cleanup crew to find that the heater got stuck... the water was at 95deg. About half of them survived. Lesson learned? I actually dont need the heater in this particular apartment. With everything turned off, the temp hangs out at 79deg, unwavering, on its own.

Tank condition at week 3:
Ammonia at 0
Nitrite at 0
Nitrate bounces between 0 and .25 mg/L
Salinity is a bit high @ 1.027

Total investment so far: $1870

So i'm actually wondering if it might be time to add fish? Seems really soon, but at the same time, it *seems* stable.

 

[fouldsy]

That looks really nice I like your tank placement too in that you can see it from the other side of the room too. Kinda makes the tank look bigger with it not having a solid surface behind it.

 

[dasjestyr]

Just got my new lighting fixture in the mail

All white lights (morning)

White and Blue (daytime)

Blue LED (lunar/nighttime) : picture makes it look brighter than it actually is.

 

[dasjestyr]

just added my first residents in. 2 clowns, a euphyllia and 2 peppermint shrimp (bad pic because they like to hide).

 

[dasjestyr]

Added a few more corals and a couple new fish

Xenia (theres also a frag I added in addition to this)

Kenya Tree

Duncans

Blue Tang

Lawnmower Blenny. I named him Blenny Crane.

It happened overnight after adding the tang and blenny. They cleaned the sand, the glass and even the powerheads. The fish are camera shy. They also prefer that corner today, for some reason. Its by the skimmer pump... i wonder if they think the water is too cold.

 

[slitherbomb]

I hate to be the tang police....but the blue tang gets too big for that tank. Everything else looks really nice though.

 

[Gti_Leo]

some of the rock looks like lace rock, its not actually live rock but its a calcium carbonate based rock, has some wicked shapes though and bery porus so it works great in reefs

 

[dasjestyr]

@slither yeah, i knew that going into it. I have a good relationship with my lfs... depending on how quickly he grows, i may just trade. I'm trying to figure out what other fish might be good for this tank in the meanwhile.

 

[huma-huma]

Wow that's a heck of a difference in terms of cleansliness! Can't believe the cuc did that overnight and I'm along with slither, unfortunately the blue tang needs a 150-180g for good swimming, possibly even a 72"125g....your tanks just a little too small

 

[dasjestyr]

@gti aren't lace rock pours usually more circular?

 

[huma-huma]

Sorry, didn't see your response, glad to see you atleast have a gameplan for when he gets bigger

 

[slitherbomb]

@slither yeah, i knew that going into it. I have a good relationship with my lfs... depending on how quickly he grows, i may just trade. I'm trying to figure out what other fish might be good for this tank in the meanwhile.

There are a lot of possibilities! I have a 75g myself and I have a yellow tang. You could also go with a kole tang is you really wanted a tang.

 

[carey]

I found my Kole tang to be more active than my yellow tang.

He was constantly swimming back and forth and between rocks. I totally understand now why a 6 foot tank is recommended for them. My yellow is also a little larger though, maybe 3 inches and he definitely uses every inch of the 6 feet.