Starting again!
Posted 10/20/2012 at 05:22 PM by ACBlinky
After a 4-year hiatus, I've decided to switch back to reefing. I left the hobby when I got pregnant with my son (well, sort-of; we kept fish, but switched to FW because it was simpler to care for and there were no dangerous critters in the water). Now that he's nearly four, and can be trusted to keep his hands off the tank (as well as choose the inhabitants and even help care for them a bit), I'm very happily returning.
My last reef was a 90g RR. After years of use and a toddler's fascination with our Mag-Float, the glass was scratched beyond repair. I bought a new tank, the largest that will fit into our 48" 'designated tank space', and I'm trying VERY hard to keep it scratch-free. There are a few imperfect spots where the tank was accidentally scratched (thankfully they're down near the substrate), but... I guess that's what I get for trying to keep a tank and a very busy little boy in the same apartment. He is now under no circumstances allowed to touch the tank and the magnet is stored out of his reach.
Equipment:
The tank is a RR 150gXH (48"L x 24W" x 30"H)
Model 2 acrylic wet/dry sump
Mag 9.5 return pump
140W LED ReefLight (3W Cree bulbs)
2 x Koralia 1050 powerheads
AquaC Remora skimmer
ATO w/ 5.5g reservoir
500W titanium heater w/ electronic controller
100lbs of South Seas lace rock
80lbs of aragonite sand mixed w/ 15lbs of shells & rubble
My plan is to purchase ~25lbs of live rock to seed the lace rock & sand and let the tank cycle for a while. I'm in no rush. When it's cycled, I'll add in the CUC (a bunch of snails, probably an emerald crab, maybe a couple hermits because they're fun to watch)
I want to watch the tank develop without fish for a while, although it's going to bore everyone else in the house! When the tank is full of pods, I'll start getting fish.
Must-have fish:
- Potter's angel (my absolute favourite fish - had one in our old reef and I still miss him)
- ocellaris clownfish (for my son who loves Nemo)
Possible fish purchases:
- green mandarin dragonette
- midas blenny
- clown goby
- blue/yellow damsel
Possible corals:
- fox
- branching hammer
- ricordia
- yellow sarcophyton leather
- xenia
- anthelia
- zoas
My last reef was a 90g RR. After years of use and a toddler's fascination with our Mag-Float, the glass was scratched beyond repair. I bought a new tank, the largest that will fit into our 48" 'designated tank space', and I'm trying VERY hard to keep it scratch-free. There are a few imperfect spots where the tank was accidentally scratched (thankfully they're down near the substrate), but... I guess that's what I get for trying to keep a tank and a very busy little boy in the same apartment. He is now under no circumstances allowed to touch the tank and the magnet is stored out of his reach.
Equipment:
The tank is a RR 150gXH (48"L x 24W" x 30"H)
Model 2 acrylic wet/dry sump
Mag 9.5 return pump
140W LED ReefLight (3W Cree bulbs)
2 x Koralia 1050 powerheads
AquaC Remora skimmer
ATO w/ 5.5g reservoir
500W titanium heater w/ electronic controller
100lbs of South Seas lace rock
80lbs of aragonite sand mixed w/ 15lbs of shells & rubble
My plan is to purchase ~25lbs of live rock to seed the lace rock & sand and let the tank cycle for a while. I'm in no rush. When it's cycled, I'll add in the CUC (a bunch of snails, probably an emerald crab, maybe a couple hermits because they're fun to watch)
I want to watch the tank develop without fish for a while, although it's going to bore everyone else in the house! When the tank is full of pods, I'll start getting fish.
Must-have fish:
- Potter's angel (my absolute favourite fish - had one in our old reef and I still miss him)
- ocellaris clownfish (for my son who loves Nemo)
Possible fish purchases:
- green mandarin dragonette
- midas blenny
- clown goby
- blue/yellow damsel
Possible corals:
- fox
- branching hammer
- ricordia
- yellow sarcophyton leather
- xenia
- anthelia
- zoas
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