My first reef attempt 4x2x2.5...

[kkannan114]

Hi all,

I have been following this forum for a while now. Learning a lot about this amazing hobby. Decided to share my tank progress here. I am aiming for LPS and soft corals for now.. Hope to get some feedback and share this journey with all..

Specs:

Reef Octopus NWB150
1 set of Aquasonic 4 x tubes T-5 Light
Dc Jeabo 12000Litres pump

1 HP commercial compressor chiller

External overflow box

3.8 ft sump tank

Currently in my second week of tank cycling. Put in a prawn last week.. got some signs of ammonia initially (i think) and nitrate is currently building up.. Hoping to start populating in a weeks time.

Also i found that royal nature test ammonia test kit not very useful in detecting ammonia. Switched to Tetra.. had better results. The royal nature nitrate test kit works fine.

[SubzeroLT]

For test kits, I've used a couple of brands like Seachem, API & Salifert.

I'd say, just use Salifert is the best one so far.

[Admiraltian]

Ya, salifert is the best and also quite economical.

[sherman]

Salifert so far good for most parameter except for PO4 and NO3

[vinccc2009]

My advise only ...don't do that bridge. Unless u glued it. If not next time your cleaner may push it down.

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[kkannan114]

Thanks for the suggestions.. Will look into it.. Some update on the algae growth.. Sorry for the bad picture quality.. Having a lot of colorful growth.. Not sure what it is tho

[kkannan114]

Thanks for the suggestions.. Will look into it.. Some update on the algae growth.. Sorry for the bad picture quality.. Having a lot of colorful growth.. Not sure what it is tho

[kkannan114]

Having some white stuff(spots) crawling all over the tank now.. Its not fungus.. Saw them crawling..origanted from the decaying prawn.. Any idea what it could be?

[Sherilyn91]

It's might be pods

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[alexcyf]

Definitely Pods. Which are good for your tank Fish fooooood

[kkannan114]

Did my first water change.. Discovered some residue from the salt that was added. Still figuring out how it got there

[kkannan114]

Added more livestock.. Put in 3 cleaner shrimps two other crustaceans (Forgot it's name) and an anemone. Cleaner shrimps died the moment I put it in. Never acclimatize properly I think

Bought three tangs from a fellow reefer gave me a hermit and another fish for free (forgot its name also)

[xiggie]

If shrimps die the moment they go into the tank .. It indicates that u might have salinity issues , too big a difference. U might want to check the salinity again especially if u are using a hydrometer when doing the salt mix

[kkannan114]

Hi xiggie, thanks for the tip. Yes,the salinity might have been quite different. Increased tank salinity from 1.018 to 1.022.. Plan to increase it to 1.025. the salinity was 1.015 when received from shop.. Been slowly increasing it

[vinccc2009]

That's a boxer shrimp not cleaner.

[tang_sohal]

Your fish are according to picture.

1. Salifin tang

2. Yellow tang

3. Purple tang

last fish is blue eye cardinal.

[ben loh]

I believe that the fishes is happier to stay in your big tank than my small tank.. Hope they grow fatter n bigger in your tank.

[kkannan114]

yes Ben i hope so to.. they are ferocious eaters!

[kkannan114]

Updates.. with inverts and corals..

[Yono_Pranata]

What is in the 3rd pic? Is that sea slug? Looks cute sia..

[hansolo]

That's a nudibranch. How do you feed it?

[Yono_Pranata]

I see - reef safe is it?

Looks damn cute and nice colour..

[kkannan114]

Well I was told it feeds on algae.. But I also feed it phytoplankton

[PoorPicasso]

Nice nudiranch. Seldom see it in LFS.

[thomas_lim]

Nudi is generally a sponge feeder. Do update us if you see it munch on your algae.

Interested to know.