36G Corner Reef Tank (Beginner's Tank)

[Krismgm]

Hey guys, figured I'd do my first real post about my tank just to kind of put it out there, I've also got some questions which I'll bring to light as they come to mind. So far I've got a 36g Corner tank which I've had set up for about 6months and in the last three months slowly been adding some of the hardier corals. Pretty much just been kind of figuring out things as I've gone along with some help from Blue Ribbon Koi and a whole H-E-double hockey sticks of a lot of help from Vince at Quantum Reefs who's been awesome. The fact he doesn't have a sign on his door prohibiting me from entering is testament  enough..

 

Alright so to break it down:

 

36g Corner

    -Reef Octopus BH90 Hang on Back Skimmer

    -Fluval 50 Hang on Back Filter (Primarily to run Chemi-Pure Elite, I know I'll get some mixed feelings on this one)

    -x2 WP10 Jaebos

    -And with in the last few days I just upgraded from the Fluval Marine and Reef to Radion Pro with Reeflink which has turned out to be an awesome idea. (You have to love spur of the moment "F-it, I'm buying it" purchases)

 

Stock:

 

x2 Mocha Clowns

x1 Leopard Wrasse (Eats like a starved pig)

x1 Comet Grouper (Marine Beta, also eats great

x1 Algae Bleeny

 

3 Heads Frogspawn (started as 2), but split a 3rd head

Toadstool (Toxic Green polyps)

1 Head that's spliting in three directions of Octospawn (if that makes sense)

1 Ricordea Mushroom (Orange) W/ 2 mouths so hopefully will split soon. 

1 Small head (Brand spanking new) of Hammer

 

Other than clean up crew that mostly covers it. I've been scared of overloading it on the fish so yeah... Not sure if I'm playing it safe or if I'm pushing it, but yeah, that's what I've got. I plan on adding more corals over time as the tank continues to age and I hammer down the science of it all. 

 

Unfortunately the tank is not reef ready and so I'm not running a sump and while I've toyed with the idea of adding a hang on back overflow that comes with its risk, not to mention I'd prob have to build a new stand to fit a sump and that plus moving the tank is just a daunting task. So I haven't quite decided yet. 

 

So, so-far the tank has gone pretty well with a few hiccups here and there (when they say don't over dose with organic carbon they mean it...) Over all I'm happy, looking forward to seeing my lights after the acclimation period is finishedand tweaking them with the reef keeper to get what I want out of them. 

 

My current dilemma is about whether or not to swap out the Jaebos for a Vortech MP 10. Over all the two Jaebos do a good job but I feel like I'd get more of what I'm looking for out of the Vortechs. Having the Reeflink it'd be really cool to set the MP10s to a schedule and sink em with the lights, but with a corner tank I can't make waves the way they're designed as the dimensions of the tank throw it off, sure it'd do a great job, but a $200 great job? I do like that it has a wider flow angle compared to the Jaebos which are a relative straight jet. I've had a lot of fun (not really) adjusting their flows and angles so that it eliminates the deadspots and at the same time doesn't hammer my LPSs too much. that's been more of the trouble, that and not pissing off the Ricordea and making it tumbleweed around. 

 

I'll post some pics below. They're not the best pics by far. My water looks like crap because I was just messing with the sand bed a little so there's some sand in my water column, it's normally crystal clear. Also it's really blue'd with the new lights being in the acclimation period and the pic having been taken with my cellphone, so I'll post a pic from when I had the Fluval in place, you can tell because in that pic both Jaebos are at the bottom. In one of the pics with the Radion, I adjust the lights to 5k in order to get more natural looking lighting for comparison. And yes, I use an old IV bag and drip set as my water top off. I calculated how much water evaporates in a day and calculated a drip rate to drip RO-DI water back into the tank which matches that. I believe you can see that in the pics. 

 

Any questions, comments, advice is more than welcome. I'm just finding my way through this by reading most of what I can get my hands on and bugging Vince a lot. Other than my LFS, I don't know anyone with a reef tank or even a fish tank so like I said, any advice or comments are more than welcome.

 

Sorry I rambled on so much, just trying to paint a complete picture.

 

-Kris M

[makai531]

I really like your rock work! It's a good looking scape.

 

Your tank set up and situation is very similar to mine in tank age, equipment (HOB's, no sump), and livestock. I also bother Vince and Steve, but I think they like it

 

I splurged on a Tunze ATO which made keeping my tank so much easier. Worth every penny.

[Krismgm]

Hey thanks. Yeah that rockscape took a long time for me to be happy with it, but I finally have it in a way I really like. I'll look into that ATO, been meaning to find a good one

 

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[Ryan S]

Looks great. You're off to a great start!

[TRhino35]

Looks good. I had a hang on back skimmer when I first set my tank up. But I ended up getting a sump with a CPR over flow and a aqua lifter pump. I've never had any issues (knock on wood) with it overflowing.

 

 

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[howaboutme]

Nice job so far! My tank (my 1st too) does not have a sump and it's worked out well so far though I do agree that sump is best. You can check out my build thread for pointers. I have an avast ATO. If you use an ato directly from the display, I would not use floats. Avast and Spectrapure (amongst others) uses pressure sensors while the more expensive model from Tunze uses optical sensors. Snails (or any other livestock) getting on it won't affect how it works. Good luck!

[surf&turf]

Looks great, nice start!

[Krismgm]

Thanks a lot for the compliments, all of the advice has been great too and I'll be checking into the ATO. I would deff like a sump but like everyone says at some point I'd like to upgrade to a 150 or 200 and do it right from the start. So who knows, time and money

 

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Edited June 19, 2014 by Krismgm