[crimper]

As mentioned on my first Nano Reef experiment, I have decided to convert my 57G Rimless planted tank into a Mix Reef with special blessings of my budget manager, a.k.a. my wife. :lol:

Yes another Reef tank for me! :bigsmile:

This setup will just be a bigger version of what I have started, setup a reef tank as cheap as possible.... again, using existing equipments that I have and keep it simple as possible.

INITIAL SETUP
Hardware:

Tank: 57G Starphire Rimless Tank
Lighting: Sunlight Tek 39W x 4 T5HO
Skimmer: None
Sump: None
Bio Filter: 30lb Dry/Live Rocks (I need to add more)
Mechanical Filter: Marine Land Hot Magnum
Pump(s): Petco Power Head (400Gph), MaxiJet 600 (I think the Vortech MP10 would be nice

Dosing: None
Salt: Reef Crystals (Instant Ocean)
WC: 10% Every Week
Photo Period: 12 hrs.

Livestock: 30-40 lbs (I've been cycling this rock for about 2 months no)

Fish:
Inverts:
Corals:
Cleanup Crews: Nerite snails, Asterea snails, 1 Turbo Snail, 1 Red-legged Hermit Crab (Sub Contract from my 20G Nano)

Day 1:

 

[AdobeOtoCat]

Looks good so far. Looks like someone couldn't wait till the weekends to set it up eh?

Have you decided what types of fish to put in?

 

[scott tang]

#1 yay scimmer less
#2 yay new reef tank !!!

im so jelus lol looks great !

 

[crimper]

:lol: I'm seeing my tank in my dreams already, so I started settin it up yesterday. :bigsmile:

I'll throw in some azure damsel as my test fish or green chromies. I want to have a yellow tang, i like the hippo tang but they say that hippo tang needs more room to swim. Maybe a couple of Picasso Clown Fish.

I'll be stocking it with LPS and Softies. My wife love those softies.

Any suggestions on fish?

 

[scott tang]

not an type of tang the smallest tang needs a 75 gal min a blue hippo need s 180 plus


id have a Picasso trigger

 

[jhj0112]

i wish my budget manager is as nice as your manager lol very nice tank!

 

[Nicole]

#3 Yay bare bottom!!

 

[crimper]

After placing some dead shrimp in the tank, algae bloom took place in no time and the water turned hazy. Brown algae are all over my rocks.

After several days the water cleared out a little bit, I had placed some clean up crews... some snails and a hermit crab. I "Outsourced" them from the agency that provides cleaning contract on my 20G Nano tank. :lol:

I woke up this morning and.... voila! Those clean up crews are the best! I'll tell their agency to give them some bonus. :lol:

Will post some pics later :bigsmile:

Time to look for some fish

 

[crimper]

not an type of tang the smallest tang needs a 75 gal min a blue hippo need s 180 plus

id have a Picasso trigger

Scott, thanks for your input. I love the looks of the Picasso Trigger, but man I checked its profile and it could grow up to 10 inches. I don't think they will be happy with the size of my tank

Now you're telling me to get a much bigger tank :lol: Oh no! my 90G planted tank is in the brink of conversion too! :bigsmile:

 

[scott tang]

o yea thats right its a 57 nvm then how about a school of cardinals and some fary wrass

 

[aQ.LED]

depend on wat type of cardinals, if it is school of bangaii then you will need to return most of them when some pair up.

 

[JTang]

Scott, thanks for your input. I love the looks of the Picasso Trigger, but man I checked its profile and it could grow up to 10 inches. I don't think they will be happy with the size of my tank

Now you're telling me to get a much bigger tank :lol: Oh no! my 90G planted tank is in the brink of conversion too! :bigsmile:

Yes, they can get big. I saw a large one when i was snorkeling in Maui back in Feb. but I have one in my 46 gal n it's doing great! I found that it grows pretty slow. If it does overgrow this tank, I still have the 135 gal as backup! Haaha!

I started my 46 gal without a skimmer as well. It looked great the first year until I took home some dying corals. Everything went downhill within 2 weeks. Green hair algae all over the place. That's why I added an AquaC Remora Pro to improve water quality. Due to heavy feeding (snowflake eel), the algae problem still exist. I ended up adding one more fish for algae control last week.... Tomini Tang. This guy is doing an awesome job on nipping off those algae. I might have to start feeding him Nori soon.

 

[crimper]

Yes, they can get big. I saw a large one when i was snorkeling in Maui back in Feb. but I have one in my 46 gal n it's doing great! I found that it grows pretty slow. If it does overgrow this tank, I still have the 135 gal as backup! Haaha!

I started my 46 gal without a skimmer as well. It looked great the first year until I took home some dying corals. Everything went downhill within 2 weeks. Green hair algae all over the place. That's why I added an AquaC Remora Pro to improve water quality. Due to heavy feeding (snowflake eel), the algae problem still exist. I ended up adding one more fish for algae control last week.... Tomini Tang. This guy is doing an awesome job on nipping off those algae. I might have to start feeding him Nori soon.

Thanks for the input John, this means I can get smaller Tangs and transfer them in a bigger tank when they grow big. :wink: :wink :lol:

Darn! I need to save for that RSM S-Line (J&L SPS Display tank) :bigsmile: If my wife filed a divorce, I'll blame JTang for that

You reminded me to setup a quarantine tank, before I brought some pests in my tank. Thanks John. :;

 

[crimper]

Tested my waters today, everything is cleared. Tank is ready for some fishy fishy...

Got some Acro and Scolly skeletons (I think) from a friend, added a thin layer of Fiji sand as I can't stand a BB tank. I need to add more rocks so I can do my final aqua scape (my DIY (aragocrete) rocks are still curing).

 

[JTang]

Thanks for the input John, this means I can get smaller Tangs and transfer them in a bigger tank when they grow big. :wink: :wink :lol:

Darn! I need to save for that RSM S-Line (J&L SPS Display tank) :bigsmile: If my wife filed a divorce, I'll blame JTang for that

You reminded me to setup a quarantine tank, before I brought some pests in my tank. Thanks John. :;

Also reminded you (and myself) that "freebie" doesn't always mean "goodie"! Lol

Yeah man, go for it! Ignore the Tang Police! A small Tang is fine IMO. E.g. Tomini/Yellow/Kole... A reef tank without a Tang just doesn't seem right! Damn I'm so proud of my last name! Haaha!

Hey that will also give you thr perfect excuse to get a bigger tank down the road. Your wife won't say "no". Haaha!

 

[crimper]

I took my family to a quick trip to J&L today as my wife wants to stock up this tank. Oh boy she wants the Hippo Tang, the Yellow Tang, Picasso Trigger, some Blenies, Dotyback and Wrase. :bigsmile: However when she checked the prices, her jaw fell :lol:

I told her, we're done with fresh water cheapos :; She said OK, "I think you need to save a budget for that but I want that Blue Tang in that tank." I said, Ok (with devil like grin) :lol: Now I have an excuse to get a bigger tank for the Tangs when they all grown up. lol

Then I showed her the RSM display tank, I told her this will be nice on our living Room. She nod and said, "Yeah its gorgeous. But what's the tab for this lovely tank?" I told her, "You don't wanna know." lol

She said, Ok let's come back here when your tank is ready but I want those Tangs in your tank. I said "Great! We got a deal!" :bigsmile:

 

[scott tang]

57 is way to small for any type of tank i wouldnt put a tang in a 75 gal tangs need 6 feet


on a difrent not try to get her intrested in coral lol
fish will be 1/30 of the mony u spend mabie less

 

[crimper]

57 is way to small for any type of tank i wouldnt put a tang in a 75 gal tangs need 6 feet

on a difrent not try to get her intrested in coral lol
fish will be 1/30 of the mony u spend mabie less

I just want to make her happy, get a small tang for now and get a bigger tank later. Sounds like a dream :lol:

 

[crimper]

Update time...

I got a couple of Azure Damsel from J&L last week and moved my Black Clownfish from my 20G tank. Then a friend from work asked me if I want to adopt his LT Anemone as it is stings his other coral in his tank. I was tempted! I said... nothing much to loose and will give it a try. I know you guys will say Oh my! :lol: as my tank is not that mature.

After I shab the Anemone, my Black Clown jumped into it rightaway. Here it is:

 

[crimper]

a short video clip: