My 1st 55 gal reef build

[daney90]

Its been a couple of months (maybe 7 mo.) since I started doing some research, planning to gathering materials and finally cycling the tank. It took me at least 6wks to cycle the tank because I was only using base rock and it felt like it was longer than that cause you sit in front of the tank and nothing was moving lol!! As soon as my tank was cycled I started put clownfish and he survived I thought something was wrong with him for the first few days because he was just swimming on one side of the tank and then got comfy and feels like he rules the tank now. What else can I add to my tank? What I have n my 55 gal right now are

1 clownfish
1 baby yellow tang
1 flame angel
1 turbo snail
1 red hermit

Any advice/thought/opinions are welcome

love this hobby and its addicting lol!!

 

[nightryder1405]

A pair of clowns always looks good.. Just make sure its either bigger or smaller because they will do their mating thing to determine which one is more dominant. This is def interesting to watch. Orange spot watchman goby def helps clean the sand if thats what u have for a substrate. Skunk cleaner shrimp and firefish. Do you plan on making this a reef tank or just a FOWLR

 

[daney90]

Def going to get cleaner shrimp and watchman goby next week can't wait lol!!!

As of now I don't have any corals yet because I'm still saving up for the lights. I'm looking into buying LED lights cause I think they're the best in the market but Not sure if I'd get 4 par38 or 2 taotronics fixtures.

 

[nightryder1405]

Just be careful with the flame angel, some ppl i have talked to said they have nipped at their corals and others told me they neva had a problem.
I dont kno to much about the lighting, i been trying to do my research on what fixture to get. I may go with the T5's since the leds are so expensive.

 

[obscurereef]

It took me at least 6wks to cycle the tank because I was only using base rock and it felt like it was longer than that cause you sit in front of the tank and nothing was moving lol!!

love this hobby and its addicting lol!!

Did the same thing! I caught myself staring at the base rock and sand (not live) and wondering wait what am I doing there's not even anything alive in here! It is truly addicting...too bad it's so expensive too!

I would say a purple firefish, but they are docile and it might get harassed by the dwarf angel. Oh you should get a pistol shrimp! That symbiotic relationship between the pistol and the watchman...priceless! A midas blenny would add great movement and character to your tank, but you already have a yellow fish...hmm..some type of goby would be nice.

 

[daney90]

Just be careful with the flame angel, some ppl i have talked to said they have nipped at their corals and others told me they neva had a problem.
I dont kno to much about the lighting, i been trying to do my research on what fixture to get. I may go with the T5's since the leds are so expensive.

LEDs maybe expensive.. Been doing research too and seems like LEDs will save you more bucks in the long run. You don't have to replace anything for a good 4 years while t5s u need to keep replacing bulbs every 8 months.

 

[Jake337]

I also have a 55 reef w/ 4bulb t5. Right now I have a pair of clowns and 3 chromis. I'm still workin on the stock since my budget is very low (hs senior). I would love getting a yellow tang, but they grow too big for a 55 so just make sure you have a plan when it outgrows your tank.

 

[daney90]

I also have a 55 reef w/ 4bulb t5. Right now I have a pair of clowns and 3 chromis. I'm still workin on the stock since my budget is very low (hs senior). I would love getting a yellow tang, but they grow too big for a 55 so just make sure you have a plan when it outgrows your tank.

I understand you 100% cause I'm a student too lol!!! Just gotta plan for everything to avoid costly mistakes

 

[Zactheninja]

LEDs look like the way to go for sure.

I'm still doing research to though .-.

 

[daney90]

Can anyone help me? What's is this on my rocks? Not sure what they are.

 

[reef lover]

I wouldn't suggest on flame angel either if you plan to have coral. Maybe get sand star good for your sand bed

 

[daney90]

Ok I'm planning to get my lights soon for my soon to be reef tank. I'm looking into buying LEDs but I'm not sure which one to get. I've read a lot about taotronics and thyre really good fixtures so that's my option 1. My other option is to get 4 par38 bulbs from ledtric. Everyone says they are a good company..

https://www.ledtric.com/ledtric-full-spectrum-18w-par38-reef-lamp/

What do you guys think? Should I get taotronics or the par38?

 

[reef lover]

I'm using deep blue solarmax t5 HO

 

[daney90]

Quick update on my tank I just bought a clean up crew which consists of 10 nassarius, 10 astria, 5 margarita, 2 cleaner shrimp and I also added a watchman goby. I don't have any hermits just yet because they're not on sale lol!!

 

[ChiTownRomeo]

Quick update on my tank I just bought a clean up crew which consists of 10 nassarius, 10 astria, 5 margarita, 2 cleaner shrimp and I also added a watchman goby. I don't have any hermits just yet because they're not on sale lol!!

Get ready for a mess cause those Astria snails poop ALOT!! Had my sand bed looking a mess! Had to take them out once they finished cleaning my rocks of diatoms.

 

[daney90]

My Astraeas all over my tank now and one just started to eat the brown stuff on my rocks(pic posted above). My orange spotted goby however made a burrow and he's hiding.

 

[daney90]

Am I feeding too much? I feed my fish with brine shrimp every morning that they can consume it within 3 mins and I also clip a nori (2x3 in) on the class for my tang and flame angel.

What's causing this brown stuff on my rocks? It's been more than a week and its hasn't disappeared

 

[jjamontan]

Does the brown go away at night then appear when lights are on?

 

[Animal-Chin]

Daney that brown stuff is diatom algae and every new tank gets it. The good news is every tank gets rid of it naturally too! Itll be around for a month or so. You can remove it by squirting ot with a turkey baster and letting your filter remove it but itll come back until the silicates in your sand are gone, thats what it eats. Just hang in there and soon enough it will dissapear. New tank stuff. Oh and its not harmfull to fish and hardly anything eats it so dont stress trying to find a clean up crew to munch it down...

 

[daney90]

Does the brown go away at night then appear when lights are on?

Nope it doesn't. It stays there all the time and there's more than last week