AndrewRyan

Testing for phosphates, yes. Running GFO, no. I did acquire some, but have heard horror stories about running phosphates too low and my phosphates are undetectable so far. I am running carbon and, again, dosing Microbacter Clean. Nothing else added to the tank. I’ve been testing three times a week for Alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium, nitrates, and Phosphates. Haven’t seen a decline yet, but when I notice one I plan to start dosing All for Reef. I do a weekly 10-20 percent WC with TM pro (benefit of a smaller tank) and it is holding my parameters steady so far. I have a decent amount of LPS in there currently. Trying my best to stay ahead of problems since I moved quicker than is typically advised. So far, it has been without any problems but it is a young tank, I am still learning, and those may be “famous last words.” But again... fun. Will dedicate myself to posting pics this week and providing a proper update. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The cycle went quicker than expected. I was surprised at how well the TurboStart worked, but for good measure and on the possibility there might be strains of different BB I also added the original Zyme9 and dosed Microbacter7 daily. I have had a bit of Diatoms for the past week, but nothing excessive and it’s diminishing as well as I dose Microbacter Clean weekly. I’ve added fish, clean up crew and a few corals to the tank actually and they seem to do be doing really well. I actually might be out ahead of myself here, but I am enjoying every moment. Will update soon with some pictures of the progress. Thanks for inquiring! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks, Tom. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, it has been a minute since my last update, but lots of activity. Mostly me getting wet and rushing around and learning things the hard way. But I’m having fun, at least. I did make some improvements concerning cord management. There was really no-good place to run cords that wasn’t on the floor next to the tank (considering I wanted to keep away from additional cabinet space being added). I also wanted to avoid hanging anything above the sump which takes up most of the footprint of the cabinet. I ended up settling with hanging an 8-outlet surge protector on the wall behind the tank. The protector runs to a GFCI outlet I added as well. It seems the likely evolution will lead to me acquiring a controller some point, if for nothing more than monitoring parameters, but I haven’t got one yet so this is what I’m operating with. I have removed the filter socks that came with the setup and added in media cups. I have heard that the socks clog quickly, and I like the idea of adding media to these cups as my situation dictates. I ended up purchasing Carbon, GFO, and a dual reactor from BRS but there was a leak in the GFO side that wasn’t able to be resolved. For their part, BRS is sending me a replacement quickly but from playing with the original I have no idea where to place it. It’s bigger than I expected, and sump space is extremely limited (as I am sure is always the case). Right now, I just have carbon in a filter bag placed in the second cup. Speaking of the skimmer, I went with an Icecap K1 100 skimmer that had decent reviews. The price seemed very reasonable as well, so I’m hoping it works out. I haven’t got it running yet, but immediately noticed I will need a stand to raise it higher in the sump. That is expected to arrive in the next couple of days and at some point I’ll undergo the process of trying to get it tuned. I have a light diffuser and a custom lid on the way as well and they should arrive this week. I don’t know what I expect from the diffuser to be honest, but it was moderately priced and had great reviews. I was torn on the lid (it wasn’t cheap), but the company who makes it, Kraken Reef, does fantastic work and I will likely add fish at some point that may require it. I think the lower height of my tank enables a top down view which I would like to have unobstructed, but since I’m planning on adding fish to the tank the lid is necessary.

I definitely started just testing ammonia. Didn’t care about nitrites/ nitrates until ammonia started dropping. At this point ammonia is cleared from 2 ppm to 0 ppm in about 24 hours, so I’m following nitrites closely. It continues to hover at about 2 ppm the last two days. I am getting a solid nitrate reading, but wondering when this nitrite levels will start to dip. As I say this I realize I am only six days in from filling the tank... so, patience is not one of my strengths. In an effort to try to be helpful (recognizing you are far more experienced), I would say to be mindful of what substrate you use with the Nero. I went with a lighter grain and find that anything above 20 percent on the pump can significantly redesign my tank, LOL. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The hardscape turned out awesome! I think you're going to really like the Nero 3. I have a Nero 5 on the back right corner slightly angled across the tank and it provides a good deal of flow even at the lowest settings. I have been dealing with cord management issues myself and having a sump that takes up the entire cabinet footprint does present some challenge. I hadn't thought about using velcro, but it makes sense. I had to look up the Reef Angel, which is likely a testament to my lack of experience. What modules are you currently running on it? I thought hard about a controller for my setup, but it's intimidating both in price and understanding what I will want it to do. I have a lot of manual water testing in my future it would seem. Here's hoping you find the patience that I lack waiting for your next steps! I tested my water twice today .

This one is the UV2424 and it fits as though it was made for the tank, though it took some getting use to with the half inch or so of the tank that hangs over the door when closed. I realize the look is supposed to be seamless, but it looks disconcerting when you have the door open. Overall, I like their cabinets. Right blend of modern sleek with utilitarian approach to finishes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was pretty excited to receive the tank and stand yesterday, which was faster than I thought it would arrive based on others feedback when ordering from Waterbox. Of course, it helped that this particular setup was already in stock. It came at ~1 p.m. and I went to bed at midnight; between these hours it was a rush (both in pace and excitement) of activity. Probably doesn't bode well for my commitment to patience, but I had been staring at my equipment pile for weeks and was excited to finally put things to their proper use. I will say that, true to reviews, the WB stand was challenging for me. It wasn't so much the stand assembly, as getting the cabinet door hinges to where I needed them to be. I settled on something less than perfection, but overall I think it turned out well. Another difficulty came in assembling the mounting arm for the Hydra 32. The universal instructions that came with were clearly not meant for my exact equipment, but with a little thought and frustration I was able to sort it out. I think the lighting will need to be adjusted, but I have some time as I plan to cycle and then go fish only without lights for at least a couple of months. This was the point at which I thought I would like to get to by then first day, but after dinner I decided to add the sand and RODI water I had made in preparation because... I'm impatient. I knew it would be the case, but it is a pain moving ~50 gallons of RODI water from a Brute can in the basement to the tank's location on the 2nd floor. It involves pumping water from the can to three five gallon food safe containers and then emptying those containers into the tank. Luckily I had an extra pump for this that worked well. My hope is that a weekly five gallon W/C will be substantially less painful. Speaking of the tank's location... it was a last minute audible upon arrival. I set the stand in place and after looking at the footprint and envisioning all the damage three boys under the age of 5 are capable of, we decided to move it to its current spot. That used to be a recliner that my wife was particularly fond of... still not sure how I pulled that off. Anyway, here's a shot of the tank with sand/water added that also shows the sump/cabinet. As you can see, I have some cord management issues to sort out and I don't have any cabinet space to work with. I want to avoid another cabinet next tot he tank so what I was thinking is maybe using a piece of 2ft x 2 ft piece of plywood to mount controllers cords to and sliding it behind the tank out of sight. Open to additional ideas as well on what has worked well in similar situations. As I mentioned, I don't plan on using the lights for some time, but I did flip them on to op check them and the kids were really impressed. Looking forward to playing around with them in the future and getting dialed in. I have a Nero 5 placed on the back right side wall and, if I am being honest, this is just for aesthetic reasons. Any suggestions on alternative placement options (given what you can see from a static display of aquascape) are greatly appreciated. I let the tank run through the night and everything is performing well. I was really surprised at the little difficulty I had in getting the sump up and running quietly. This is probably due to WB making their systems plug and play, but after a couple minor adjustment to the gate valve everything is whisper quiet. I added the ATO this morning and it was super easy and quick to do. I set the temp to 82 degrees for the benefit of the cycle and added 4 oz of Fritz Turbostart as well as Algae Barn Nitrocycle. All that's left to do now is wait and test.

Appreciate it, Chris! I have already found that to be the case.

Thanks, Hilary!

Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m open to the idea that I have measurement error. I got the measurement from a TDS stick off Amazon (which I was skeptical of) and then it was confirmed with the TDS meter that came standard on my RODI unit. Measurements could be wrong, but they’re identical at least. In your experience, do you find yourself checking ammonia, nitrite and nitrate much after you’re through your cycle? I understand there’s essentially constant mini cycles and I do make a habit of checking those parameters in my freshwater tanks, currently. I guess some of the videos (BRS) I saw in my ongoing research made it seem like it was more important to test calcium, alkalinity, etc than the nitrogen cycle products once cycle was complete. If you don’t mind, what testing kit/company do you rely on? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Enjoys golf, reefing, and assembling IKEA furniture. I'm sensing a theme here. To be fair, you did say you like challenges... I am eager to see how the rockwork turns out!

Wow, thank you! I measured again and the top of the rockwork would only be ~5 inches below the waterline. Back to the drawing board...

I debated jumping in on the topic, because others have said it already. I have to say is that I think a booster will help you not only produce less wastewater but also (as a result?) produce RODI water faster. I have the same unit as you and also have terrible water pressure at my house. I was measuring 20-30 PSI at first install. I got a booster two days later and it brought me up to 60-70 PSI instantly. For the $100 cost, I can't imagine not having one now. For what it's worth I was hovering around 45 TDS out of the tap.

Thank you for the comments! I have frequently heard that you have to be patient in this hobby and I am going to do my best to adhere. I will tell you it doesn't come naturally, but it is getting better as I get older. I don't know if I will go three months before adding any fish (the thought of explaining this to my 4 kids makes me smile), but I do plan on taking a measured approach and incrementally adding a few fish only after the tank appears to be cycled. I have been somewhat forced to be patient as I research and plan waiting for the arrival of the tank and have probably rearranged my hardscape a hundred times. I *think* I have finally settled on a hardscape. I think the smaller footprint, and thus limited options, has kept me from going insane with possibility. Would love to hear your thoughts on it though (towel beneath is folded to the measurements of the display)... I have never been great about taking photos (my wife is sometimes annoyed by this), but I'm trying to commit to documenting the process on this build as I think it forces me to slow down and be more considerate, which will hopefully aid my patience. Thanks again for the response! You have been incredibly welcoming and your comments/thoughts are appreciated.

I have never documented a build before, but I have had the luxury of having spent some time following/catching up on others’ journeys in the forums here. It’s a bit intimidating, actually, to commit to posting updates and actions along the way because of my inexperience. However, I would guess that it is very much the point of posting for me. I am happy to have a group of experienced reefers who are willing to say, “don’t do it that way, ya dummy.” ? Anyway, I am still approximately 46 hours away from my tank arriving (who’s counting), so I suppose I will list my equipment gathered so far as well as what I hope to add shortly as I get going. I will also discuss in this first post what I expect to do in my first days of setting up the tank so I can get any necessary rudder steer. So, we begin… Current Equipment -Tank and Stand: Waterbox Frag 55.2 (I was initially going to go with a WB 20G cube, but was convinced that I should go larger if possible and this gives me the ability to play with a sump, which is something I have never done in all my years of freshwater setups) -Lighting: AI Hydra 32 HD w/ mount -Substrate: CaribSea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink (40 lbs.; don’t plan on using more than 30 lbs.) -Rock: ~30lbs of Carib Sea Life Rock -ATO: XP Aqua Duetto (I have an unopened Tunze Nano system, but was worried about bad reviews on it and whether it was designed for use in my system.) -Return pump: Sicce Syncra Silent 3.0 -Internal pump: AI Nero 5 (Only have one currently. I suppose I will need another, but don’t know if this is an immediate necessity.) -Heater: Hygger HG-921, 500 Watt and Eheim Jager TruTemp, 75 Watt (for water change heating) -RO/DI: Marine Depot KleanWater 4-Stage Advanced RO/DI System - 100 GPD (I had to buy a pump for this due to the water pressure in my house being a tad too low. It has worked swimmingly ever since, and I have about 50 gallons of 0 TDS water in my basement currently split between a 32G Brute and 3 food-safe 5G buckets) -Salt: Tropic Marin Pro (160 gallon) -Testing: Red Sea Foundation Pro Kit and API Saltwater Master Test Kit (I think that there are mixed feelings on this, but I am pretty comfortable with this system from experience with the freshwater variation. Also, I hope to primarily use it just to get the tank cycled) -Other odds and ends (If you have made it this far through the equipment list, I won’t punish you any further.) Equipment I’m Planning On -Skimmer: How soon do you think I will need one (Thinking hard about the Bubble Magus Curve 5)? -Additional Internal Pump (Nero 5, as mentioned previously) -Refugium setup (I have been toying with how to do this best in my system, but I guess it won’t be necessary until I have the nutrients to support it.) If there is anything you think I will find immediately useful, I would appreciate the suggestion(s). Otherwise, the plan is to spend this weekend putting together the tank and stand and playing with the setup dry. I have an aquarium cycle kit from Algae Barn that contains Fritz Turbo Start showing up on Friday as well, so if I am feeling bold, who knows… maybe I’ll get this thing wet and start the cycling process as well. Cheers, Andrew

Thank you! The tank is scheduled to arrive Friday and I am considering documenting the experience in a build thread. It’s a little intimidating, but I’m excited to try, fail, and ultimately learn. I think I’m months away from adding corals, but I’m looking forward to getting there and I really appreciate your generous offer!

Thank you! I have noticed that there is a lack of LFS in my immediate area, as well. There are some great ones I have visited, but they all tend to be at least a 45 minute drive or more. It's good to know there are at least a few other club members in my vicinity.

I’m very excited to attend, thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Excited to follow the build! I may have to message you if I run into any issues with my own cabinet. I have never had the privilege of putting together anything from IKEA. However, I have heard putting their furniture together doesn't always promote marital bliss.

Thanks for the welcome! I can tell that the group is full of helpful and informed members just by doing a cursory investigation on the forums. My WB Frag isn't very big either (~57 total gallons). I have 125g and 75g freshwater setups, so I think in addition to advice on going as big as your budget will allow, there should also be a consideration on going as big as your significant other will permit. Still, excited to start my small reefing journey!

Hello, I am excited to have found a *local* club with such a great presence! I am not only new to the club, but brand new when it comes to reefing. I would say that the decision to start a reef tank has been many years in the making. I have maintained various types of freshwater tanks over the past decade, but have always thought of saltwater as super cool, but super intimidating as well. I am currently in the process of assembling equipment and conducting research while I wait for my new tank to come in (a WB Frag). I know that I can learn a ton by searching the forums here and what makes it even better is that I can ask questions if I am having trouble finding answers. I know there is a constant stream of introductory posts so I won't drag on. I am most excited about meeting other members in person (someday). Cheers, Andrew