Newbie here

[Paula]

Hey all,

 

At the end of July I needed to move my business office. I decided that as part of the move I wanted to start a marine aquarium (I've had both African cichlid and planted tanks but never a salt water. Having the tank in my office let's me deduct it as an office expense.)

 

So since then I have been researching, building, assembling, and finally starting to add actual denizens of the deep.

 

My setup is a 75 gallon DT with a 29 gallon sump. I'm using an Apex Classic to control, a Bean Animal overflow and DIY ATO. Lighting is supplied by two black box Chinese LEDs. I have a 100 lbs of dry rock that I am seeding with about 5 lbs of live rock. The rock has been seeding since mid August.

 

I finally filled the tank three weeks ago using the water that had been cycled with the rock. My parameters have all been steady after initial cycling with the exception of DkH. I have since started daily dosing off NaHCO3 to bring it up.

 

On the 26th of September, I added the first inhabitants, two mithrax crabs and three hermits. I also added a fistful of Chaeto to the refugium. On Wednesday, I added 5 additional hermits.

 

I'm hoping to be able to add my first zoanthid frags next week.

 

Whew!

 

Cheers,

 

Paula

 

 

 

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[FarmerTy]

Welcome to the club! You seem like a well researched newbie, you're going to do great!

[jolt]

Anyone who includes "NaHCO3" in their first post is ALRIGHT IN MY BOOK!  Looking forward to seeing more

 

[+BobcatReefer]

[Paula]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys! Wow Bobcat Reefer. Your tank looks great. I can only hope mine is half that beautiful in a year!

So I got my ATO finished today. Works like a champ. 

Here a pic of the tank and sump. Looking a little sparse at this point. 

More to come!

Paula

 

 

[Isaac]

welcome to the club!

[Atxraider83]

How are you liking those lights.  I was eyeing something the same if not it was something very similar.

[Isaac]

I have a set over my frag tank, i know ty has like 4 over his frag tank    so, when ty the farmerguy uses em, you know they ok.   i put electrical tape over the red/green leds.   What i dont like is that you cant make them... controllable.  I actually picked up a second one to try and hack a 0-10v dimmer on it,  just need to find the time!

[Paula]

I have a set over my frag tank, i know ty has like 4 over his frag tank [emoji4]   so, when ty the farmerguy uses em, you know they ok.   i put electrical tape over the red/green leds.   What i dont like is that you cant make them... controllable.  I actually picked up a second one to try and hack a 0-10v dimmer on it,  just need to find the time!

I'm afraid I'm still too much a newbie to rate them. They had decent reviews on Amazon. I currently am running them at 10% on the white channel and 25% on the blue channel.
I had started developing just a little GHA before I put in the last 5 hermits. They've pretty much cleaned that up. I'll keep the lights at that until I start adding the first corals.

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[Paula]

I have a set over my frag tank, i know ty has like 4 over his frag tank [emoji4]   so, when ty the farmerguy uses em, you know they ok.   i put electrical tape over the red/green leds.   What i dont like is that you cant make them... controllable.  I actually picked up a second one to try and hack a 0-10v dimmer on it,  just need to find the time!

Let me know if you figure a hack. I'd love to control them with the Apex.

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[Isaac]

1 minute ago, Paula said:

I'm afraid I'm still too much a newbie to rate them. They had decent reviews on Amazon. I currently am running them at 10% on the white channel and 25% on the blue channel.
I had started developing just a little GHA before I put in the last 5 hermits. They've pretty much cleaned that up. I'll keep the lights at that until I start adding the first corals.

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I had/have a similar gha issue w/ those, why i covered the red/green leds.... gha seems to be less aggressive now.

[Isaac]

2 minutes ago, Paula said:

Let me know if you figure a hack. I'd love to control them with the Apex.

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me too! that dude really needs to find the time and get on it!

[FarmerTy]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys! Wow Bobcat Reefer. Your tank looks great. I can only hope mine is half that beautiful in a year!
So I got my ATO finished today. Works like a champ. 
Here a pic of the tank and sump. Looking a little sparse at this point. 
More to come!
Paula
 
 

Holy cow! Are you sure you're a newbie? You've setup your first tank to perfection. Down to the chaeto ball, refugium light, ATO reservoir..etc. Just wow! My first tank looked like a goldfish bowl compared to your first tank.

[FarmerTy]

I just noticed the float valves too! I've been reefing for 13 years and still haven't setup my float valves. I have 5 sitting in a box with my Neptune breakout box for 5 years now just collecting dust. I think you're the kick in the pants I needed to get moving and hopefully you inspired others too! Way to make a 1st impression! [emoji106]

 

 

[Paula]

I just noticed the float valves too! I've been reefing for 13 years and still haven't setup my float valves. I have 5 sitting in a box with my Neptune breakout box for 5 years now just collecting dust. I think you're the kick in the pants I needed to get moving and hopefully you inspired others too! Way to make a 1st impression! [emoji106]
 
 

Aww shucks. I always knew I'd find a niche where being just a little OCD would come in handy.

Truthfully, I've been more terrified of getting started than anything. I don't know what I would have done had I turned on the pumps for the first time and it had all poured out all over my office.

I think my main thing in getting as much automation as possible early on is that the tank is in my office and I will only be there during the week. It's a 15 minute drive from home to work so I want to be able to monitor and make as many corrections as possible remotely.

When I first when to college (back in the stone age) I had wanted to become a marine biologist. Life intervened and I went a different direction. It's exciting to be getting to do this now.

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[Isaac]

1 hour ago, Paula said:

Aww shucks. I always knew I'd find a niche where being just a little OCD would come in handy.

 

i like paula. 

[Gig 'em @ NDstructible]

Welcome to the club! As everyone else has already mentioned, great job with your start. I think the biggest mistakes newbies make is trying to cut corners or do without certain equipment. You've saved yourself many headaches already with this set up! Great job, and I can't wait to see your tank progression!

[+BobcatReefer]

4 hours ago, Paula said:

Wow Bobcat Reefer. Your tank looks great. I can only hope mine is half that beautiful in a year!

Thanks!  You're off to a better start than I was when my tank got wet the first time!

[ShawnM]

Paula tanks looks great and looks to be very well thought out. Can't wait to see this tank in 6 months


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[Paula]

Paula tanks looks great and looks to be very well thought out. Can't wait to see this tank in 6 months


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LOL, thanks Shawn. I wish it had perhaps been more well thought out! Unfortunately, I bought tons of stuff that didn't work out and was ditched. The original tank and stand were bought for $100 which was fine. Then I realized that a sump would never fit under the big box stores tank stand. So, I ditched that stand and built a new one.

Other purchases which were eventually ditched before I actually filled the tank included a Reef Angel controller that I bought used, a Petco skimmer that would never have been adequate, a 20 gallon sump which likewise would have been inadequate....

Lots more odds and ends. I'm sure there will be more as I go along. I mostly seem to learn through making mistakes.

Cheers,

Paula

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