My Tank setup

[usaspur]

I have recently decided to get back into the hobby. I lived in the UK (Bognor Regis) and had many different set ups (8' reef tank w/55gal sump and MH, 5' Aggresive FOWLR trigger, puffer and Lionfish, 4' FOWLR and various cichlid tanks, malawi tank and a huge Corner oscar breeder tank) Well after moving stateside (lost everything in a house fire, and finally took the plunge and moved here to be with my wife) after years of settling and having our fist child two years ago. Last year my wife decided she wanted to have a fish tank - Knowing how much I love the hobby I let her pick everything trying not to get sucked back in. She ended up with a beautiful 55 gal tropical community tank. As thinks happen she then caught the bug and wanted to get a Marine tank. Now I was sucked back in, haha. Wanted to start of smaller than where I left off. Here is what we have:
65 gallon tank and stand 36"x18"x24". Includes overflow kit and sump(30x12x12). Sump has 3 compartments w/ baffles, one for a skimmer, refugium and return (eco 633). Sump has about 10-15Ibs of live rock and 15Ibs of live sand, Main tank has 70Ibs of live rock with 45Ibs of live sand. Live rock is mainly Tukani/Totoka Live Rock with some Premium Fiji.. with wi
36" Nova Extreme Pro, 6 bulb T5s for the lighting
ASM G1 Skimmer and pump.
Currently have 2 Heaters one in sump as back up (turned 1-2 degrees lower always did this on all my tanks) and one Rena smartheater in the main tank so it cant break for any reason. Purchased a digital thermostat that sits in my overflow compartment so its hidden but easy to view.
The tank was filled with MPDI MaxPure RO and DI System - 90 gpd that I purchased. And water circulation in the tank is provided by 2x 1050gph Koralia Evolution Pumps. Will be adding a wavemaker and another 750gph koralia evolution pump before any fish go in the tank.
Here is my plan for stocking the tank (eventually slowly slowly):
2 x clowns
1 x Flame Hawkfish
1 x Lawnmower Blenny (tied with the Flame Angel as my all time favourite fish hahaha)
1 x Flame Angel
1 x Six Line Wrasse
Would love to add a Mandarin Dragonet one day after the tank is very very settled and pulsing with pods
What does everyone think about the fish list? Too much? Can I add the all elusive one more fish to it? Should I take anything out?
Also anyone have any experiance with the cleaner clams? Thats a new one to me interested to know anyones views on these, do they really help?
Well thats enough typing from me for now, I will put some photos up later, however you will all have to excuse my aquascaping as I still need to figure out how I want my live rock.
Thanks for reading
Alex

 

[usaspur]

Here are some photos of the setup

 

[sweatervest13]

Hi and Welcome to the site!!!!
Real nice set up!!. That looks like a ton of rock. You must have some not so dense stuff. That is kinda cool.
Everything looks real good. How far along in the initial cycle are you? What is the water testing at?
I love the fact that you let the wife get into having a tank again and tried not to get sucked in. BUT you knew it was only a matter of time until you got the itch again. LOL
I am not a stocking expert but I think that your list looks good.

 

[usaspur]

Thanks for the welcome

Yeah the Tukani/Totoka Live Rock is alot less dense, the appearance appealed to me, looks different to alot of tanks I see.
Here are my testings:
6-26 Nitrate 20 mg/l, Phosphate 0.25Ppm, Ammonia<0.02ppm
6-29 Nitrate 20mg/l, Phosphate 0.25ppm, ammonia <0.02ppm, KH 161.1ppm
Didnt test the first few days, tank has been set up for a week now

 

[usaspur]

Tested some more, keeping this as more for me I guess

ph - 8.2
ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 5-10ppm
phosphate 0.25ppm
Added some Bioballs to the sump between the rock/sand and the return. Anyone have any opinions on bio balls? Cleaner Clams (see prev post)?
Also ended up buying the wife the Fluval Chi (early bday present) as she saw it at the LFS and had to have it. Had it two days and the filter stopped working

obviously nothing is in it, she wants it for the babies from her tank (mollies).

 

[1guydude]

Quote:
Had it two days and the filter stopped working

hmm sry to hear that!
Welcome to the site however!
Quote:
Would love to add a Mandarin Dragonet one day after the tank is very very settled and pulsing with pods
Glad to hear u will wait for an established set up! Wouldnt want the fishy to starve u know....

I would add some kind of macro algae to ur middle compartment and a grow light from homedepot..... im thinking that'll get those phosphate levels down even further...
also between ur flame angel and ur sixline which will u add last? I was thinkin the sixline?!?!?! Does ur tank have enough swimming space for the angel as well?
Tank looks good man. U mentioned ur aquascaping and i know wat ur talkin about prob changed mine around 10 deff times lol.
Wat r u gonna do for a CUC. I have no expierence with cleaner clams sry

 

[usaspur]

Thanks for the welcome

After reading on here, more and more I am thinking of not adding any hermits to the CUC. Was thinking of adding the Sixline last, if I get it

will see how the tank is looking and handling the load etc. Was planning on adding chaeto to the middle compartment and putting a flexable 6/10 neon light bulb over the top of the sump (need to read up more to see if this is strong enough lighting).
Such a fun time, the planning stages can be great if you enjoy them for what they are. That big box in the corner is getting turned on less and less already

 

[usaspur]

Added a Coralife calcium reactor today (250g) Have the Milawakee sms122 PH meter attatched. Added some Chaeto to the sump with a 10 led rio mini sun above the sump. Also picked up the Aqualight digital power center to control the lights for me.
oh and have added a 24x24x12 quarentine tank which will have the odyssea 36w Uv filter attatched to it to help control any problems.
Testing 7/6
ph - 8.2
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
Phosphate 0.25 ppm
KH 10 DKH or 179ppm

 

[usaspur]

Almost a month

CUC has been in for a week or so, got 7 hermits about 20 snails (Cerith and Astrea) and one bristle star. Will add more snails in another month or so. Today I got my first fish

a pair of mated clowns from someone who was closing down his setup.
Changed my mind on my fish list. Six line is out due to the angel/devil nature of them. Yellow Coris is in instead. Also going to get a neon goby.
Testings from today:
PH 8.0 - 8.2
Nitrite 0.0ppm
Nitrate 5.0ppm
Phosphate 0.25ppm cant seem to lower it down, have 3 big balls of chaeto in my sump
Ammonia 0.0ppm
Ordered the marineland double bright LEDS for the QT and the red sea wave master pro for the DT (will be buying another Koralia for the tank also)