Natural 210 build

Harth23 · 11/30/2015, 07:38 PM

I have been very interested in doing a large reef tank for almost all of my life and I now have the means to do so. I want to do as natural of a reef as possible. In this I mean very little skimming very little dosing and other additives. My plan is to do a very good size fudge. One 40 gallon long which will be filled with macro Algee and one 40 gallon breaded with a plenum. Also in the tank I will have a DSB and about 400 pounds of live rock throughout the tank and fudges. I have a few friends coming tomorrow to actually place the tank in the wall as it will be a room divider tanks. After that I will have a few pics to post as well. If anyone has any ideas for a tank like this let me know and I would love to hear them.

shifty51008 · 11/30/2015, 08:00 PM

To Reef Central

Sounds like it will be a great setup, looking forward to seeing pics. Any idea on what you wanna stock the tank with?

Btw skimming is natural, every beach is natures skimmer.

Bogue Chitto · 11/30/2015, 08:28 PM

Welcome! There are a lot of good guys here that can help you with your questions. That is a good size tank to have fun with.

Harth23 · 11/30/2015, 08:33 PM

I wanted to go with mostly zoa's and acans for the corals. And I wanted to go with a lot of little fish to get a lot of movement in the tank. Some clowns, anthias, bleanies, yellow tangs, and down the road mandrians and hopefully if there is any any way a emperor angel. If you hav any ideas of cool fish with color that have are active.

shifty51008 · 11/30/2015, 08:43 PM

I would skip the emperor angel with those corals, sps corals seem to be about the safest for those fish.

You can have a great looking tank with a few groups of anthsis in that tank, once i upgrade i will be getting a few groups of 7 or so of diff species so around 30 or so fish just in anthis.

There are some great looking chromis and cardinals out there also.

thelawnwrangler · 11/30/2015, 09:37 PM

I look forward to following you build. Very much a rookie here, but I love the idea.

SaltBeast · 11/30/2015, 10:17 PM

Why do you want to skip skimming?

Harth23 · 12/01/2015, 11:44 AM

I really want to feed the tank a lot of brine shrimp zoa and phyto plankton and from what I understand if I skim it will take them out of the system. Please correct me if I'm wrong

Rognin · 12/01/2015, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harth23

I really want to feed the tank a lot of brine shrimp zoa and phyto plankton and from what I understand if I skim it will take them out of the system. Please correct me if I'm wrong

It will yes, but I think there are more cons than there are pro's to not having a skimmer. It brings about a lot of positives for a tank. Maybe get an undersized one? Or one rated for your exact tank size instead of 1uping it?

Also, you may have to dose anyhow later down the road if you choose LPS as they do make calcium based skeletons.

Harth23 · 12/01/2015, 02:03 PM

I agree at some point I may have to do some dosing but i will have to watch the calcium levels. As for your idea about an undersized one, I have thought of that and do have one on hand just in case. Is there any location anyone would suggest to put it so less of those would not be taken out as much.

Harth23 · 12/19/2015, 09:40 PM

So there has been some progress the tank has been up and running for about two weeks now. It took a lot more sand than I had thought to get done what I had wanted. There is about 300 pounds of live rock and 300 pounds of sand in the main display. And about 500 pounds of sand in the fudges. I currently have three little chromis swimming around and doing well. I used all live sand so hopefully this works out well for them. I did some good feeding of the tank for the fist week but I was never able to get any ammonia or nitrate to show up on any readings so far. I don't think I'm cycled but any thoughts?

shifty51008 · 12/20/2015, 08:45 AM

Where did you get the rock? If it was from a diffrent system and was live you may not get a cycle depending on the die off from transit.

Harth23 · 12/20/2015, 11:23 AM

It was all dry Rock but almost all live sand. And as of this morning I again have no readings. Are the three fish in a 300 gallon total system not going to measure anything?

Harth23 · 12/26/2015, 03:44 PM

Well I finally got the spikes I was looking for and am seeing a pretty rapid decrease in nitrites. I think I'm pretty close to getting a fish.

Harth23 · 12/26/2015, 03:46 PM

I would be very interested in what people think about a stocking list. I really want to do a lot of Hawaiian fish as my office has a Hawaiian theme and I love a lot about the islands. I also want a lot of movement on the tank as well.

Harth23 · 01/05/2016, 08:13 PM

Pic of the fudge set up and ready for algee

Harth23 · 01/05/2016, 08:15 PM

A pic of the tank as well hopefully will be ready for fish shortly as I am getting zero readings

11/30/2015, 07:38 PM	#1
Harth23 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 79	Natural 210 build I have been very interested in doing a large reef tank for almost all of my life and I now have the means to do so. I want to do as natural of a reef as possible. In this I mean very little skimming very little dosing and other additives. My plan is to do a very good size fudge. One 40 gallon long which will be filled with macro Algee and one 40 gallon breaded with a plenum. Also in the tank I will have a DSB and about 400 pounds of live rock throughout the tank and fudges. I have a few friends coming tomorrow to actually place the tank in the wall as it will be a room divider tanks. After that I will have a few pics to post as well. If anyone has any ideas for a tank like this let me know and I would love to hear them.

11/30/2015, 08:00 PM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	*To Reef Central* Sounds like it will be a great setup, looking forward to seeing pics. Any idea on what you wanna stock the tank with? Btw skimming is natural, every beach is natures skimmer. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

11/30/2015, 08:43 PM	#5
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	I would skip the emperor angel with those corals, sps corals seem to be about the safest for those fish. You can have a great looking tank with a few groups of anthsis in that tank, once i upgrade i will be getting a few groups of 7 or so of diff species so around 30 or so fish just in anthis. There are some great looking chromis and cardinals out there also. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

12/20/2015, 08:45 AM	#12
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	Where did you get the rock? If it was from a diffrent system and was live you may not get a cycle depending on the die off from transit. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

11/30/2015, 08:28 PM	#3
Bogue Chitto Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 960	Welcome! There are a lot of good guys here that can help you with your questions. That is a good size tank to have fun with.

11/30/2015, 08:33 PM	#4
Harth23 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 79	I wanted to go with mostly zoa's and acans for the corals. And I wanted to go with a lot of little fish to get a lot of movement in the tank. Some clowns, anthias, bleanies, yellow tangs, and down the road mandrians and hopefully if there is any any way a emperor angel. If you hav any ideas of cool fish with color that have are active.

11/30/2015, 09:37 PM	#6
thelawnwrangler Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 863	I look forward to following you build. Very much a rookie here, but I love the idea.

11/30/2015, 10:17 PM	#7
SaltBeast Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 31	Why do you want to skip skimming?

12/01/2015, 11:44 AM	#8
Harth23 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 79	I really want to feed the tank a lot of brine shrimp zoa and phyto plankton and from what I understand if I skim it will take them out of the system. Please correct me if I'm wrong

12/01/2015, 02:03 PM	#10
Harth23 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 79	I agree at some point I may have to do some dosing but i will have to watch the calcium levels. As for your idea about an undersized one, I have thought of that and do have one on hand just in case. Is there any location anyone would suggest to put it so less of those would not be taken out as much.

12/19/2015, 09:40 PM	#11
Harth23 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 79	So there has been some progress the tank has been up and running for about two weeks now. It took a lot more sand than I had thought to get done what I had wanted. There is about 300 pounds of live rock and 300 pounds of sand in the main display. And about 500 pounds of sand in the fudges. I currently have three little chromis swimming around and doing well. I used all live sand so hopefully this works out well for them. I did some good feeding of the tank for the fist week but I was never able to get any ammonia or nitrate to show up on any readings so far. I don't think I'm cycled but any thoughts?

12/20/2015, 11:23 AM	#13
Harth23 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 79	It was all dry Rock but almost all live sand. And as of this morning I again have no readings. Are the three fish in a 300 gallon total system not going to measure anything?

12/26/2015, 03:44 PM	#14
Harth23 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 79	Well I finally got the spikes I was looking for and am seeing a pretty rapid decrease in nitrites. I think I'm pretty close to getting a fish.

12/26/2015, 03:46 PM	#15
Harth23 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 79	I would be very interested in what people think about a stocking list. I really want to do a lot of Hawaiian fish as my office has a Hawaiian theme and I love a lot about the islands. I also want a lot of movement on the tank as well.