Shadow Walker's reef chronicles

[Shadow Walker]

Hello SRC bros. This is Shadow Walker, the newbie.

After lurking in this forum for a couples of months busy absorbing other people's experience, here I am starting my own tank thread. I hope this thread can serve to documents my failure and success in reefing. After much readings, I find that the sexy shallow tank attracts me the most especially reading up several great shallow tank masters thread here.

My first tank will be a 4 feet since keeping a nano will be for more advanced player since it require the most attention and most people who are still hooked on this hobby after a year or so will ultimately upgrade to a 6 feet if space and $$ allows. So 4 ft to me will be an ideal tank size.

Below are my specs:

Tank 120 x 35 x 35cm

Sump 3ft

Skimmer: Bubble Magus NAC7 (heard many good reviews)

Chiller: Hailea 1/4 HS66A

Lights: Maxspect Glaive

Reactor: JNS Omega 2

Return pump: Hailea HX6540

Without further ado, below are some of the pictures I have organized and taken on preparation of the tank.

[Damianiac]

Camping...

[erikokelf]

With your tank size and equipment, you can do wonders and keep many things inside.

[Shadow Walker]

Killing the liverock in progress (soaking it with bleach)

I have soaked for a week, call me kia si but I just want to do it right the first time so play safe.

Got the liverock FOC from a bro who decomm and made the decision to kill the rocks and start all over as I have not decided on the scape so might as well clean it up

Look at how dirty they are

The back breaking scrub, those who using dead rock should be able to relate to this. And also not to forget the smell which most will never forget.

The pak shit shit (Cantonese) cool white rocks. Rocks surface looks reasonably clean now.

Next I bought the RODI unit. This is supposed to give you "pure" water, zero TDS (Total dissolved solid).

This will ensure any other harmful or rather unwanted substances are not in yr tank. Actually can use tap water too but you have to deal with tons of algae issues.

Wanted to quell a common misunderstanding here, using overnight tap water will not eliminate or remove anything other than chlorine which we can remove in less than 3 seconds using common de-chlorinator.

After being able to self produce RODI water, I soak the rocks with RODI water for about 9 days with air stones and changed water once too.

[Edmund Koh]

The hardwork will pay off soon enough

[Shadow Walker]

Fooling around with possible Rock scaping and quite like this pattern. A bit like the "fu luk shou" design I read in another Bro's thread

Then next came the arrival of the tank after much awaiting. Wee

Adding of sand, have added water real slow since I dun like sandstorm and got the time and patience. Still a bit cloudy tho, nevermind just wait it out.

[Shadow Walker]

After finalising on the scale I want, it's fooling around time again, this time with the lights. Glaive is supposedly a lower end of the Maxspect brand, budget also suitable for newbie to play around. Let's see how long this light can serve me before I upgrade, her hee. As mine is a shallow and narrow tank, the light penetrations seems not bad.

[Alvin 73]

Very nice n look cool

[Shadow Walker]

Have started my cycle on 27 Oct with 2 mp. Have taken photos as well haha just for memory.

The prawns decompose fast sia, from a big one now shrink and break into many small pieces. Will top up another one tonight, the idea is to simulate high livestock environment.

Tats all folks for the moment. Will update again once tank cycled.

My plan is to get all the fishes that I have always wanted first, stablished for a few months then start to add some beginner corals. So it's still a way way long time ahead.

[Admiraltian]

Bro, ur equipment list looked decent for a beginner's except for the return pump. Way too under powered for a 4ft. It's only 2880l/h, rite? Go for at least 4500-5000l/h and above.

[Alvin 73]

How many pump u used...bros . U can use hailea dc pump is more better . 4 this hailea hx6540 u can use 4 chiller n PO4 reactor . Just a suggestion .

[Shadow Walker]

Sharp eyes bros, think I got to settle for this pump for some time first. Will source for a stronger pump since I intend to tee off the return pump to feed the chiller as well and will further weaken the flowrate. Oh forgot to mention, I got a wavemaker at the other end too. Jebao RW15 The wavemaker is a bit strong for my tank. Always blowing a sand section botak , have put to the lowest power since.

[yq33]

I think that's cause you don't have another opposing wave

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[Edmund Koh]

I will be getting a dimmer adapter for my RW-4 to further reduce the wave power below the lowest setting. Got the idea from one of the DIY topic here. Will let you know the results of it.

[Shadow Walker]

I think that's cause you don't have another opposing wave

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Bro the return pump itself, although is considered underpowered but can still cause some ripples, now plus the wavemaker there should be the opposing wave tat you mention le, tonight I take a vid to show you

I will be getting a dimmer adapter for my RW-4 to further reduce the wave power below the lowest setting. Got the idea from one of the DIY topic here. Will let you know the results of it.

Bro I have changed 3 times the position, so far the fourth/current position still quite ok for past 3 days.

[Evolutionz]

Did u add anti chlorine while soaking in rodi? U only changed water once? If u didnt not add anti chlorine im afraid there might still be bleach in ur rocks..

[Edmund Koh]

I think I changed my wavemaker's position until I have covered almost everywhere possible in the tank. LOL!

[Shadow Walker]

Did u add anti chlorine while soaking in rodi? U only changed water once? If u didnt not add anti chlorine im afraid there might still be bleach in ur rocks..

Erm think I did not bro, after bleach soak there is actually another 2-3 days soak with tap water and anti chlorine, I'm thinking to wash off the bleach. After that I soak with RODI water for a week with one water change in between, thinking to wash off etc chemicals. I tot RODI is the ultimate pure water? l dunno still need to add anti chlorine

[Shadow Walker]

I think I changed my wavemaker's position until I have covered almost everywhere possible in the tank. LOL!

Me too, at one point I was pointing it upwards and water splashes on my low hang lights

[SubzeroLT]

Looking good! What sand are you using?

I hope the rocks/chlorine matter is OK. You'll probably know from the results of the nitrogen cycle. I suppose that if there is residual chlorine, the beneficial bacteria will not or perhaps take a longer time to colonize.

But in case you are paranoid of having bleach in the system, its not too late to take the rocks out for a quick anti chlorine soak or to add anti chlorine into the tank now.

Chlorine test kit is about $12.

If you are in Bt Batok area, let me know, I loan you my kit if you want.

[Evolutionz]

U only need anti chlorine to remove the bleach in ur rocks. Not for the rodi. If u did soak in anti chlorine then i guess you are fine. Best is to smell see if got anymore smell or buy a chlorine test kit to test.

[Shadow Walker]

Looking good! What sand are you using? I hope the rocks/chlorine matter is OK. You'll probably know from the results of the nitrogen cycle. I suppose that if there is residual chlorine, the beneficial bacteria will not or perhaps take a longer time to colonize. But in case you are paranoid of having bleach in the system, its not too late to take the rocks out for a quick anti chlorine soak or to add anti chlorine into the tank now. Chlorine test kit is about $12. If you are in Bt Batok area, let me know, I loan you my kit if you want.

Thanks for the nice gesture bro, think I does not need the testkit in the mean time. My understanding is that chlorine and chloramine will dissipate in several days with aeration, so any chlorine accidentally added to the tank will be long gone before we add our livestock a month later. My prime concern is that I does not wan to deal with algae issues which so far have not read before tat chlorine can cause algae, so far so good. I'm using caribsea special grade sand tat I bought second hand.

[Shadow Walker]

U only need anti chlorine to remove the bleach in ur rocks. Not for the rodi. If u did soak in anti chlorine then i guess you are fine. Best is to smell see if got anymore smell or buy a chlorine test kit to test.

Heng ah I did add, if not now will be messy liao. Thanks for pointing this out and will be great infor for those who wanted to bleach their rocks. By the way, I read yr tank thread before setting all these and your tank is one of the inspiration for me to follow. Do remember to share with us yr down sized tank

[Evolutionz]

indeed it will be a mess! but i still suggest you take out ur rock to smell for bleach. thanks and i definitely will!

[Shadow Walker]

indeed it will be a mess! but i still suggest you take out ur rock to smell for bleach. thanks and i definitely will!

Sure I will bro as you suggest.