Quote:
Originally Posted by
dthug421 http:///forum/thread/386400/dthug421-come-on-out#post_3394308
Holy cow! Hello everyone! And thank you for the welcome!
Sorry I have not been online the past two days. I have been super busy at work (You know, try making money to pay for this money pit addiction of Reef Keeping) I also have an Ant problem in my house currently that is driving my wife and I crazy, since we are clean freaks. This is the first time, I have had some down time to gif you all of the follow:
So this all started way back in college when I got my first 125 Gallon tank and I made every single mistake you can think of with a reef tank. From not enough LR, blindly adding supplements, wrong types of fish, using plain old Tap water, listening and buying everything the LFS said. This was mostly due to the fact that I was in college and was broke, the other driving factor was that the females thought it was "cool" and I would then do whatever possible to gain "their" attention.
After a few years into this disaster, my roommate had a party one evening, needless to say when I came home the next day there was no longer water in the tank, instead it was all over the entire first floor of my apartment complex, so management said the tank goes or I go. And then modified the T's and C's on their leasing agreement.
So I told you that story to tell you this one about this tank:
I have been wanting to get back in to the reef thing ever since. A Coworker got divorced and the ex never came to get his 55 gallon saltwater set up. She asked my wife first if it was "OK." After getting clearance from the tower, I dove in head first. After doing some minor prep work, deciding on the spot for it, install the RO unit, ect... I went over the get this thing.
Being an expert in rejection but keeping a positive outlook I am always thinking I am going to catch a break or get a really good deal! This type of thought process has proved to be debilitating.......
After getting everything home my wife and I decided to get a new stand because the one I got was an eyesore. After closer inspection of the LR, it was covered with GHA. The Skimmer was cracked and so was the sump. The light had obviously fallen in the tank at some point.
span style="font-size: 10pt">The decision to replace these items did not all happen at once but over a three or four week period, it was a worm hole or quicksand effect, the whole "At this point, what's another 100 bucks?" I was able to find a used Hamilton Light fixture and a brand new set of bulbs pretty cheap. Everything else was ordered online.
After two months or so everything was humming right along cycling beautifully. Then it happened, the front of the tank was starting to bow and the brace on top was cracking! This sent me into panic mode, as I just finished installing my new hardwood floor this past fall! So after collecting and thoroughly rinsing all as many 5 gallon buckets I could find I tore everything down, got a band new tank, and put everything back. Took all day!
So I have essentially replaced everything that supposed to be “free.”
Earlier this summer I added a chiller and upgraded my heater to a nicer digital model. I know the chiller is over kill but I just took a look on craigslist and sure enough there was one for sale brand new in the box never been used. Five minutes away from my house. It was fate, I got it for about a fourth of the cost of one brand new, and guess what it actually works!
I also added a GFO reactor this spring. I was relatively inexpensive and my phosphate levels seem to be lower or whenever I do that test I go color blind and tell myself they are.
I will be adding a few more fish in the coming months so I added a whisper filter, with just a sponge that way I can set up an instant HT for acclimating. I am also running Seachems Purigen through that, kind of a cool product.
I am taking it slow this time around.
I am getting some new coralline algae growing on the power head and return, which is very exciting. There is also a crap ton of sponges all over the glass.
All Parameters in the water column seem to stay very stable, I test it (or play the color game with my daughter) twice a week. I do a 10% water change one a month. I change the GFO media, once a month. And I “recharge” the purigen ever 6 weeks or so.
I have been pretty conservative with the trace elements. I do not know how you test for amino acids, vitamins and iodine.
I guess once I aquaculture some plant in my fuge that cures cancer, I can market my own reef supplement.
Now that I am here, ask away!
Well Hi there!...and I'm so glad you came on line before everyone started laughing at me.
First, you really don't need to worry at all about trace elements if you keep up on your water changes. Just watch your PH, alk or KH, calcium, nitrates and phosphates. The new saltwater has the necessary elements in them already, like iodine and such...if you plan on a reef get the salt mix made for reefs and you will be just fine.
I really had to laugh at your story....free is such a funny word in the world of saltwater fish tanks, as you have learned. I got into the hobby because some guy offered us some free live rock. I saw worms and bought my own rock.
What brand of tests are you using?
