MbmC's 24" x 20" x 20"

[MbmC]

Hey all...having learned so much from this forum, and looking at all the sharp looking reef tanks out there for us to appreciate, I finally decided to take the plunge and startup a tank of my own. And thought I'd put up it's progress here for comments and tips.

Got a customised size 24" x 20 x 20" tank to start with. Weird size, but I wanted to have the largest tank for the space I can spare in my living room. I like a bit of DIY, so decided instead of getting a custom made cabinet, I'd make a tank stand myself...out of angle bars, double coated with anti-rust paint ...

Bought most of my stuff from JM, decided to use his quick start overflow filter system, but bought 2 units to fit exactly onto the back wall of the tank. Now equipped with

Cheapo Hailea airpumps

Cheapo waterpumps

Hailea ozonizer

T5-HO 2W/2B, 24Wx4

Digital thermometer probe

Refractometer

pH pen

Salifert test kits

Additives :

Reefmax A-F (haven't started using, kiasu so just bought the whole set first)

Reefmax salt

Media - All-sorb and BioRings

Water - single stage purifier, connected to tap water

Built the tank stand in one days with 2 shelves, took some more time to paint it properly.

And waited about 1 half weeks for the tank to arrive!

Pictures of the tank setup finally in my living room!

[MbmC]

After getting the filtration system set up, and media added and pumps connected, I got down to mixing the water. Achieved about 140l (37gallons) of purified tap water mixed with Reefmax Salt to SG of 1.024. Filled up the tank and made sure there were no leaks!

Next up, Natures Ocean Bio-Activ Live Aragonite Black Bench Reef sand bought from AM. Used 2 bag of the stuff, and it looks great! Then while I was allowing the water to clear up and circulate, I did my rockscaping...Had already bought 20kg of LRs from JM. I have to say I rather like my rockscape, but all of your opinions will be appreciated as well!!

Cloudy murky water after adding LS and LRs...

[MbmC]

And this is the tank now, after one night of cycling...

I like the front right 3/4 shot the best

I've added Reefmax's super bacteria into the filter media, and only just dumped a small 1x1cm piece of market prawn into the tank in a bid to jumpstart the cycling process. I'm by nature an impatient person, so I hope I'll be able to slow down and appreciate this hobby...

Running temp 26.2C in daytime with full lighting on (My living room is a cool place, never gets any sun!)

Water parameters

pH 8.4

SG 1.024

Ammonia 0.25ppm

Nitrite 0

Haven't tested for the rest, but will be testing for Nitrate, kH, Ca and PO4 in future.

Hope to add in some clownfish soon when the water settles and let them cycle for a while. Eventually am looking at keeping shrimps, sea urchin, clowns, maybe yellow or blue tang, gobies, and SPS corals!

All the laojiao, please give me your guidance!!!

[malvin]

Hi Bro Mbmc,

I am trying to set up a 2ft tank like your, appreciated you can advise where you bought your tank and how much you spend on this intitial set up.

thks/rgds.

malvin

[cdckjn]

Be a bit careful with the angle-iron, even with the 2 coats of anti-rust, rust spots can set in very quickly. Otherwise very nice attempt. If your live rock comes from another reefer, after 1 week of cycling you can slowly add fishes SLOWLY. But if not then better wait for 3-4weeks before adding fishes.

SPS would require you to add chiller.

[MbmC]

Hi Bro Mbmc,

I am trying to set up a 2ft tank like your, appreciated you can advise where you bought your tank and how much you spend on this intitial set up.

thks/rgds.

malvin

PM'd you...

[kelstorm]

from the readings, ur tank is not cycled yet, i.e fully matured.. if u were to add more stuff now, chances of their survival is slim.

[MbmC]

Be a bit careful with the angle-iron, even with the 2 coats of anti-rust, rust spots can set in very quickly. Otherwise very nice attempt. If your live rock comes from another reefer, after 1 week of cycling you can slowly add fishes SLOWLY. But if not then better wait for 3-4weeks before adding fishes.

SPS would require you to add chiller.

I'm hoping the anti-rust paint will help. Gonna have to keep watching the iron closely!!!

In retrospect, getting a customised cabinet would probably have been cheaper and nicer looking, but not as satisfying!!!

The live rock comes cured from the LFS, not sure if that would suffice? Will watch my water parameters closely before adding the LS!

My temperature is at a steady 26-27C, even with the lights on...hoping I can keep corals without a chiller!

[scubajazz]

Bro,

Can see that u the 2 quick start kit and they hanging on ur glass n their bottom have no support, would suggest u have some rock below it to support it, worried that piece of glass may crack on the weight it is holding on.

And this is the tank now, after one night of cycling...

I like the front right 3/4 shot the best

I've added Reefmax's super bacteria into the filter media, and only just dumped a small 1x1cm piece of market prawn into the tank in a bid to jumpstart the cycling process. I'm by nature an impatient person, so I hope I'll be able to slow down and appreciate this hobby...

Running temp 26.2C in daytime with full lighting on (My living room is a cool place, never gets any sun!)

Water parameters

pH 8.4

SG 1.024

Ammonia 0.25ppm

Nitrite 0

Haven't tested for the rest, but will be testing for Nitrate, kH, Ca and PO4 in future.

Hope to add in some clownfish soon when the water settles and let them cycle for a while. Eventually am looking at keeping shrimps, sea urchin, clowns, maybe yellow or blue tang, gobies, and SPS corals!

All the laojiao, please give me your guidance!!!

[MbmC]

from the readings, ur tank is not cycled yet, i.e fully matured.. if u were to add more stuff now, chances of their survival is slim.

Bro, thanks...I just started the tank!!!

I'm not intending to keep any LS yet. Maybe for the next week or 2.

I don't know how good this is and how many people subscribe to this method, but I've been advised to introduce a pair of clowns after 1 week to help the water cycle...

[MbmC]

Bro,

Can see that u the 2 quick start kit and they hanging on ur glass n their bottom have no support, would suggest u have some rock below it to support it, worried that piece of glass may crack on the weight it is holding on.

That's true!

But I'm thinking it should be alright. The glass is 10mm thick, and the quickstart kits are actually also supported along the side of the glass by 2 suction cups each. I don't think the full weight of the kit is resting on the edge of the glass

My piece of prawn disappeared overnight when the lights were off!

Asked my wife to introduce another small piece into it for me as I'm still at work, can't spend time with the tank, and she thinks the worms in the tank are having a go at the prawn! Is this a good thing, or should I be removing the worms?

Cheers

[ambystoma82]

mainly test for nitrate to c if ur tank have steady down cycling finish

u can save e water purifier only use for other countries lehz our water so clean...

kh & Ca test nt really tht impt...unless u going into SPS.. but i c ur tank size quite hard...

r u running any fan? n the brand of ur light?

nw u wun feel e heat cus now still cold season.. wait mid of e yr summer ur temp will b always ard 28degree.

dun nid to buy chiller save e $

where u put ur prawn? if put on sandbed or liverock mayb e hungry bristtleworm or crabbies have come out to eat..

po4 test wun b necessary...if u do ur husbandry jobs cleaning the tank n changing the water

normally trace element come with e salt depending what salt u buy..

i hope u have put a piece of board n styrofoam inbetween e glass tank n stand..

else i duno how e tank goin to distribute e weight...

[MbmC]

mainly test for nitrate to c if ur tank have steady down cycling finish

u can save e water purifier only use for other countries lehz our water so clean...

kh & Ca test nt really tht impt...unless u going into SPS.. but i c ur tank size quite hard...

r u running any fan? n the brand of ur light?

nw u wun feel e heat cus now still cold season.. wait mid of e yr summer ur temp will b always ard 28degree.

dun nid to buy chiller save e $

where u put ur prawn? if put on sandbed or liverock mayb e hungry bristtleworm or crabbies have come out to eat..

po4 test wun b necessary...if u do ur husbandry jobs cleaning the tank n changing the water

normally trace element come with e salt depending what salt u buy..

i hope u have put a piece of board n styrofoam inbetween e glass tank n stand..

else i duno how e tank goin to distribute e weight...

No fan yet, waiting to see what the temp runs at before I install one if I need to. I also think it's the cold season that's why the temp so nice

Prawn put on sandbed, I think got eaten up by the worms liao...need to try and remove the bristles right?

Between the glass tank and stand got piece of wood and then piece of styrofoam. Weight distribution is not a problem! Was worried that the metal might scratch and crack the glass, so was damn careful about that...

[ambystoma82]

if u dun have other living things in e tank beside e worm n crabs mayb u can try e essence bottle method loh...

how can a prawn piece disappear so fast.. lolx..

dun tink u gt so much batteria inside rite ?

[MbmC]

if u dun have other living things in e tank beside e worm n crabs mayb u can try e essence bottle method loh...

how can a prawn piece disappear so fast.. lolx..

dun tink u gt so much batteria inside rite ?

erm...simi si essence bottle method?

I'm wondering as well how the prawn disappeared so fast. Can't imagine the worm finishing it up so quickly. Unless there was a whole colony nibbling away at it last night.

I'll go back and check my ammonia and nitrite levels Maybe ammonia already peaking...

[ambystoma82]

e worm will take it somewhere else to eat it

of cus they wun let u c lahz...

hmm esence bottle is chicken esscence bottle

place 45degree...

[angelfishlover]

Wah you are a loyal supporter of JM.When did the tank arrived cause during Saturday when i went there i saw a tank same like this getting ready to be delivered.I see that the quickstart system is quite good but the skimmer is too small.Nice tank so what u planning???All LPS,majority LPS wif some softies and SPS,all SPS,or majority SPS wif some softies and LPS,Majority softies and some LPS and SPS or FOWLR???

[Golden Tooth]

Yeah... Nice tank. Do not add any LS or rush the cycling process. Juz enjoy the process.

[MbmC]

Wah you are a loyal supporter of JM.When did the tank arrived cause during Saturday when i went there i saw a tank same like this getting ready to be delivered.I see that the quickstart system is quite good but the skimmer is too small.Nice tank so what u planning???All LPS,majority LPS wif some softies and SPS,all SPS,or majority SPS wif some softies and LPS,Majority softies and some LPS and SPS or FOWLR???

Don't like that say lah...I went around asking for quotes and talking to the LFS people before committing. I guess you can say "you yuan" But I'm happy with the way things are now.

You probably saw my tank, with all the barang barang in it. I collected it on Saturday, and spent the rest of the night setting it up. In fact, I went there earlier in the afternoon to pick it up, but found that it wasn't able to fit in my wife's car! In fact, I scratched and dented her car trying to get it in!

Yeah, skimmer is a bit small, but I'm hoping that 2 of them will work well together. I figured that 2 units better than one coz more flow through the tank, more skimming, more filtration, and 2 units fit nicely into the background of my 2ft tank!

Planning fish with some LSP and softies. Initially was thinking of SPS, but based on the comments I've had, probably not yet...

[MbmC]

Yeah... Nice tank. Do not add any LS or rush the cycling process. Juz enjoy the process.

Enjoying it indeed. I can actually sit there and watch the tank at night, even though I've got no LS in it yet! Maybe this is how it always is for newbies!

[ambystoma82]

i wanted to tell u,ur skimemr is one of e 1st few things can tell ur tank cycle finish liaoz a nt

but then to tink of it..

where is ur skimmer huh?

neber c it in e pic lehz...

[MbmC]

i wanted to tell u,ur skimemr is one of e 1st few things can tell ur tank cycle finish liaoz a nt

but then to tink of it..

where is ur skimmer huh?

neber c it in e pic lehz...

[MbmC]

D4 of cycling and some interesting things have happened.

Water parameters are as follows

Temp 27.3 (a little higher than before)

pH 8.4

SG 1.024

NH4 0.25 (same as before)

NO2 0ppm

Nitrate 10ppm

Does this mean my tank has somehow finished cycling? Since nitrite is 0 and nitrate is rising?

And I dicovered this new yellow bloom in the tank, this cluster of ?algae? with green flourescent borders, and crops of pink flourescent algae coming up on my LR...

I've found at least 3 crabs as well, managed to get some photos of 1 of them! Must have hitched a ride on the LR, should I remove them from the tank? They're small, only about 1cm across each.

[MbmC]

i wanted to tell u,ur skimemr is one of e 1st few things can tell ur tank cycle finish liaoz a nt

but then to tink of it..

where is ur skimmer huh?

neber c it in e pic lehz...

[scubajazz]

Try to catch the crab if you can, those crab are more of a pest and sometimes they can be the reason for missing fish