If You Are New to Reef Central, Introduce Yourself Here!

[Lexoid]

Hi everyone,

I've been reading this forum for a couple of years, and I've been 'meaning' to start a reef tank for just as long. I have a doctorate in (temperate) marine ecology and a little commercial freshwater aquaculture experience. I am constantly amazed at the wealth of information available on these forums and the dedication that people have for the hobby (more of a lifestyle I guess).

I used to have some cichlids in a tank in my office, but then the ethics committee decided that vertebrates were no go, even though I have approval to collect and dissect marine fish. I brought the cichlids home and replaced them with freshwater crayfish but now decapod crustaceans have been put on the approval list, meaning that I can't keep them for my own 'pleasure' (their words not mine).

Is it possible to keep a reef without these critters ? (shrimp, hermits, crabs are no go). If so pls point me towards any threads that will help me out.

[Sisterlimonpot]

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Definitely, shrimp, hermits, crabs are pretty much scavengers and not necessary, utilize snails as your clean up crew and you’ll be fine.

[Al Kurtys]

Hi I just wanted to know if anyone can help me with my coralife 65 skimmer. I have way too many micro bubbles in my tank and it is driving me nuts! i am using it as a hob.

[Sisterlimonpot]

Originally Posted by Al Kurtys

Hi I just wanted to know if anyone can help me with my coralife 65 skimmer. I have way too many micro bubbles in my tank and it is driving me nuts! i am using it as a hob.

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That came with a foam defuser right? Are you using it?

[crittle143]

Hi, new at this but loving it. I have a 55gal long tank. everything is set up and running beautifully but i was ready to start looking into an anemone or a few corals but my pH has read 7.8 steady. How would i get this up? I really didn't want to add a bunch of chemicals if i can help it, but willing to.

[Vicarious Cynic]

Originally Posted by Sisterlimonpot

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Sounds like your over lit, but some questions arise, what do you have driving the bulbs? how old are the bulbs? and what are the brand of the bulbs?

I have 2 - 24" AquaticLife Dual Lamp T-5 HO's.http://www.aquaticlife.com/t5ho_dual/index.html Both of them have a 'daylight' and an 'actinic'. One of them has what came with the lamp (1000K and 420/460), the other has an aquablue and an actinic from Giesemann. (It's a four foot tank with a center divider, I got the lamps at a LFS liquidation so got the 2 - 2footers rather than a 48")

In front of those I have standard florescent hoods - put an 18" actinic (15W) in each of those.

[helmke]

New to Reef Central and new to the hobby. Still setting up the 55g I bought.

John

[Stroob]

New to the site as of a month ago. Started into the hobby almost a year ago. Was researching new lighting for my 180 and found some pretty good info here so joined up to read up more. I will try to make a thread with my current setup and things when I get enough downtime.

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by helmke

New to Reef Central and new to the hobby. Still setting up the 55g I bought.

John

To Reef Central

It might be a good idea to start your own build thread

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by Stroob

New to the site as of a month ago. Started into the hobby almost a year ago. Was researching new lighting for my 180 and found some pretty good info here so joined up to read up more. I will try to make a thread with my current setup and things when I get enough downtime.

We will look forward to your build thread


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[ElChicano]

Hello everyone.. I final made it to the salt side. I just ordered my tank from my local shop. I went with a 92 gallon Corner tank made by Aqueon..I look forward to getting started.. My first step is to get a stand and canopy built..then I will go from there.. It's great to finally be aboard..

[Sisterlimonpot]

Originally Posted by ElChicano

Hello everyone.. I final made it to the salt side. I just ordered my tank from my local shop. I went with a 92 gallon Corner tank made by Aqueon..I look forward to getting started.. My first step is to get a stand and canopy built..then I will go from there.. It's great to finally be aboard..

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[Mowabb]

Hello all! I have been lurking around the local shop, ogling over their reef tanks for years. I finally decided to "dive" into the hobby. I joined Reef Central a few weeks ago and have found some good information-Thanks!

My tank is a glass Aqueon 150 gal (72x18x29) with a 75 gal sump. I have ordered a Maristar 72" HQI T5 combo lighting system and a Super Reef Octopus XP 3000 in-sump cone skimmer. I am still trying to decide on the remaining parts. My custom wood tank stand should be finished early next week. I can't wait to start building my tank!

P.S. I noticed a couple of other Jeep freaks on the forum which I found interesting to have the same two interests. So a special hello to the other Jeep nuts!

[Sisterlimonpot]

Originally Posted by Mowabb

Hello all! I have been lurking around the local shop, ogling over their reef tanks for years. I finally decided to "dive" into the hobby. I joined Reef Central a few weeks ago and have found some good information-Thanks!

My tank is a glass Aqueon 150 gal (72x18x29) with a 75 gal sump. I have ordered a Maristar 72" HQI T5 combo lighting system and a Super Reef Octopus XP 3000 in-sump cone skimmer. I am still trying to decide on the remaining parts. My custom wood tank stand should be finished early next week. I can't wait to start building my tank!

P.S. I noticed a couple of other Jeep freaks on the forum which I found interesting to have the same two interests. So a special hello to the other Jeep nuts!

To Reef Central

Sounds like you're off to a great start. Make sure you start a thread documenting every step of the way to your tank build. be sure to take lots of pictures.

[tivoklr]

Just reestablished a 75 gal acrylic that was shut down during a protracted divorce. It's built into the wall and really makes the house (it's a small house in the mountains, it's definitely off the beaten path up here).

This is the third time I've operated this tank, and the three big things I'm doing right off the bat: 1. big new hob skimmer, 2. new ro/di with tdp meters, 3. new T5's.

I had crap water for a long time last time. Bad me. No more. I'd rather spend money making the tank work right then put new animals in. Hard lesson learned, patience.

This time around I found a guy on cl that was breaking down his tank in 4 days, so I was in a hurry, emptied the freshwater from my tank I used to test for leaks, and spent a long long evening moving his rock/polyps/mushrooms/xenia/sand into my tank. It all went to heck in a handbasket as I wound up 25 gal short on water and had to wait until the next day to get a hydrometer and water.

I lost some of the xenia but that'll come back, and everything else seems to be happy. Might I add I moved all this livestock in a blizzard? Crazy!

[bobbychullo]

new to these forums and new to reef keeping. just started cycling my first tank, its a lil 34 gallon solana. enjoying it so far

[thinkclear_9]

hi i have a question might sound dumb but i have a 75g salt water and i live in fresno ca gets really hot here so i have been looking for a chiller i found a really good deal on one but the part you put in the water looks like it is stainless steel i don,t now if stainless can go in salt water or not. but if i put it in a smaller freshwater tank and set my canister filter in the smaller tank will this work or is there something i can coat it with to make it safe ?

[creep42031]

hey there i recently bought a Torch Coral n right now my salt level is good almost set to the middle , n my calcium is at 400 right now, just wondering where does my calcium level needs to be at when i have a 25 gallon tank...plzzz help

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by tivoklr

Just reestablished a 75 gal acrylic that was shut down during a protracted divorce. It's built into the wall and really makes the house (it's a small house in the mountains, it's definitely off the beaten path up here).

This is the third time I've operated this tank, and the three big things I'm doing right off the bat: 1. big new hob skimmer, 2. new ro/di with tdp meters, 3. new T5's.

I had crap water for a long time last time. Bad me. No more. I'd rather spend money making the tank work right then put new animals in. Hard lesson learned, patience.

This time around I found a guy on cl that was breaking down his tank in 4 days, so I was in a hurry, emptied the freshwater from my tank I used to test for leaks, and spent a long long evening moving his rock/polyps/mushrooms/xenia/sand into my tank. It all went to heck in a handbasket as I wound up 25 gal short on water and had to wait until the next day to get a hydrometer and water.

I lost some of the xenia but that'll come back, and everything else seems to be happy. Might I add I moved all this livestock in a blizzard? Crazy!

can't wait to see some pictures of your tank


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[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by bobbychullo

new to these forums and new to reef keeping. just started cycling my first tank, its a lil 34 gallon solana. enjoying it so far

keep us posted on your progress


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[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by thinkclear_9

hi i have a question might sound dumb but i have a 75g salt water and i live in fresno ca gets really hot here so i have been looking for a chiller i found a really good deal on one but the part you put in the water looks like it is stainless steel i don,t now if stainless can go in salt water or not. but if i put it in a smaller freshwater tank and set my canister filter in the smaller tank will this work or is there something i can coat it with to make it safe ?

can you post a picture of it?


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[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by creep42031

hey there i recently bought a Torch Coral n right now my salt level is good almost set to the middle , n my calcium is at 400 right now, just wondering where does my calcium level needs to be at when i have a 25 gallon tank...plzzz help

preferred levels
calcium 390-420ppm
magnesium 1300-1400 ppm
alkalinity 8-11-5 dkH
salinity 1.024-1.026
pH 8-8.4

[Swim]

Hi All, just logged on for the first time yesterday (5-14-10). I'm one of those people that got his first ten gallon fish tank at age 10 and within two weeks had 10 tanks set up all over his room. It got so bad that I was forbidden to bring home more fish so I had to sneak them into the house by putting them outside the window and then go into the house empty handed and retrieve the chinese food container containing my fish from the window sill. Now fifty three years later the only thing that has changed is that I don't have to sneak my captives into the house.

[Sisterlimonpot]

Originally Posted by Swim

Hi All, just logged on for the first time yesterday (5-14-10). I'm one of those people that got his first ten gallon fish tank at age 10 and within two weeks had 10 tanks set up all over his room. It got so bad that I was forbidden to bring home more fish so I had to sneak them into the house by putting them outside the window and then go into the house empty handed and retrieve the chinese food container containing my fish from the window sill. Now fifty three years later the only thing that has changed is that I don't have to sneak my captives into the house.

To Reef Central
Great story, sounds like you'll fit in just fine here.

[creep42031]

ok cpn... ok wat does these test consist of n wat will they do when there levels r high or low??? magnesium 1300-1400 ppm
alkalinity 8-11-5 dkH