My 80 gallon tank has arrived: the saga begins...

hellspawn

hellspawn

Member
So me and my buddy who works at the LFS picked up my new 80gallon and equipment this morning and set everything up (well he did most of the setting up :p ) This is my first aquarium, let alone reef tank. I have been absorbing information off this site like a sponge and reading tons of books, so I am super excited! I let my buddy pick out the equipment and here's what I got, let me know what you think:
- Helios Lighting (4x55 watt bulbs, two 7100 K daylight & two actinic)
- 2 Via Aqua 750 canister filters
- Via Aqua multi-skimmer w/uv filter
- 2 Rio 1100 powerheads
I have live sand and added 32lbs of LR today, will be adding 50-60lbs more on monday when my LFS gets a new shipment. I can't wait for my water to finish cycling! I will try to keep this thread updated as my tank matures.
Pic below
 
grantman

grantman

Member
Sounds like a good start. I believe if you want corals though you might want to stick to the lower light variety like mushrooms and zoos. Hey whoo hooo my first preachy post. (I think)
 
robchuck

robchuck

Active Member
Not a bad start you've got going there!
One suggestion I would make though, is to add a solid-colored (blue or black) background. It would hide all of the filtration equipment and make things in the tank stand out more.
 
hellspawn

hellspawn

Member
Thanks! Yeah I am thinkin about a blue background,but after I add another 50-60lbs of LR on monday you probably wont be able to see much of the back.
BTW, Is there any reason why I should keep my lights on before I get fish/corals, like to promote bacteria growth or to help stuff in the live rock to grow?
 
dragonboy

dragonboy

Active Member
You don't really need to but if you keep it on for 2 or 3 hours a day just for now helps the coralline algae like to jump start. Also the lights help promote the pods to grow.
 
hellspawn

hellspawn

Member

Originally posted by EG_HATCH
That was a good idea to start off with those spraybars..
Thanks, my friends idea :joy:
 
belothsurf

belothsurf

Member
Two...???? Canister filters?.....You have a great set up. What do you want, reef or fish only...?
Welcome to the board btw. I am as excited about your setup as you are, trust me. Along with many others. So what's the next step????? What's next????
 
aidos

aidos

Member
good lookin tank mate, i just got my 76 gallon tank on wednesday, it is my first tank too.
all the best keep us updated.
 
belothsurf

belothsurf

Member
On a more serious note, you do know it will take at least 6 weeks to cycle the tank? Do we know about the cycle?........
 
hellspawn

hellspawn

Member
Thanks! Yeah I know about the cycle :) ok, this is my tentative plan:
- 2 percula clowns
- 1 yellow or purple tang
- 1 blue jaw trigger
- 1 copperband or longnose butterfly
- 2 clown gobies
- 1 flame hawk
- 1 flame angel
angel and butterfly will be added once tank has matured a bit, and probably the tang last since he is probably the most agressive of the lot.
And maybe a mandarin after quite a while if my tank has a good population of pods.
Some other fish that may be possibilities are a sailfin blenny, fire fish, solar wrasse, SF eel. Only thing is, I hear that the last 3 are jumpers and I have no lid...
Probably going to go with mostly soft corals, maybe some stonies if my current lighting is adequate, and hopefully some anemones and clams. I will take some more pics after I add another 50-60lbs of LR tomorrow and do the aquascaping.

How soon do you think before I can add some inverts? Thinking emeralds, hermits, maybe porcelain and starfish, and coral banded and cleaner shrimp. :jumping:
 
russianspy

russianspy

Member
NO, No corals with some of those fish!!!! The trigger and butterfly fish are a no-no yOU HAVE TO MANY FISH, I'd go with the Blenny, Clownfihs, Clown Gobies, Hawk Flame Angel and Manderin
 
russianspy

russianspy

Member
To revamp my other post, NO!!!!! No inverts with that hawkfish, they're known to eat shrimp and ortamental crustations....And next time, DO NOT have a buttfly with a trigger, You said you read books!!!! You could have a tang but i'd get rid of something large or 2 fish!!!!
 
hellspawn

hellspawn

Member
Thanks for the concern, but all xanthichthys triggers (bluejaw, sargassum, crosshatch) are planktonic and extremely reef safe and mild mannered. The copperband or longnose are two butterflies that are also generally reef compatible. The inverts I add will be larger than the flame, and there are many people that have these together without a problem, so I will take a chance. I'm sure there are some inverts that won't be eaten. The first list of fish I outlined will be fine in an 80 with my filtration (80+ lbs LR, LS, 2 canister filters and a skimmer) The other fish I listed were just possible subsitutes, I'm not going to add every single fish I mentioned :)
 
hellspawn

hellspawn

Member
aquascaping is finished! I have a total of 85lbs LR and 30lbs dead coral I brought back with me from Kauai which will turn into LR eventually :) Water still a little greenish from the LR. Also found an emerald crab hitchhiker but couldn't get a pic.
 
birdy

birdy

Active Member
I like your aquascaping, very nice!
Fish list is a bit on the large size for a reef tank, and you will more than likely end up upgrading your lights as you want to try some of the harder corals, but a very nice start. Sounds like you have done your homework, butterflies can be difficult to keep and they do eat featherdusters just so you know. And it is hit or miss with your hawkfish, some of them are fine with inverts and some are not, they can also be quite bossy with other fish.
Anyway tank looks great, good start, Good Luck!
 
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