1st Salt/Reef tank. JBJ Nano RL 20

[Titleist1964]

This is my very 1st salt/reef tank. Began 3-29-22

JBJ Nano RL 20 w/ JBJ stand.
Eheim TruTemp 100W
Inkbird ITC-306A
Tunze Nano ATO
IM MightyJet Desktop.
AI Prime 16HD
AI Nero 3

Tampa Bay Saltwater Live Rock & Live Sand 20 lbs. of each.

Start, TBS LR/LS to skip the ugly stage and cycle quicker. I ordered 20/20, little too heavy on the sand and light on the rock. The LR/LS is absolutely amazing and brimming with life. I saw 2 small crabs, a couple tiny snails and what appears to sponge and possibly corals. The TBS LR/LS came well packed in water. Flown in, airport was a breeze, something I was dreading. My only regret with the rock is I didn't order a few more pounds. But I plan on a back wall rack for a polyp style, flame tip or neon.

Creating the scape was interesting I laid it out, took pix but it didn't come out exact. (do they ever). Needless to say I'm pleased, I left cracks & crevices for fish, and offer plenty of shelving for corals.

Everything was up and running Tuesday night the 29th. After looking at a bare tank, Thursday, I decide to grab some water and head to my LFS, all parameters were spot on so I picked up 3 Trochus to get to work on the rocks, I would've liked a few more but they were out.

So far I'm very pleased with my new tank. Plans are to add a couple clowns, some sort of sand sifter and maybe another reef friendly mild mannered species that'll remain somewhat small. Coral goals are the easy ones, I'm not looking at SPS or even LPS, just want simplicity with a touch of beauty in my own lil corner of a reef.
Thanks for checking out my build, comments & critiques are welcome.

Added my 1st corals on Friday, shout out to @WickedReefs for 3 great pieces. 2 Zoas and a Dunc. The Dunc took to the tank right away and opened up in less the 30 minutes, while the Zoas are taking their sweet time, but showing off color now and then, I think they know I'm watching them.

Woke up this morning to find my Dunc off the rock and on the sand bed in the middle of the cave structure, I was very surprised by this, the plug has a nice stem and fits perfectly into a hole on the rock, I hope it comes back, been closed since I moved back to spot. I'm currently battling what my LFS and a few others believe to be a gorilla crab, I hate to tear the tank down so I've been trying the bottle trick, I'll get him.

More updates soon. Thanks for checking out my build.

 

[chadfish]

Nice Live Rock. Looks great. Try adding some super glue to the frag plug and/or fill the crevice with same super glue. Use the gel. I prefer the metal tubes because they work better under water. I buy multiple small tubes because they inevitably seize up despite my effort to keep them dry. These ones work great.
Gorilla Super Glue Gel, Four 3...

 

[Titleist1964]

@chadfish thanks. Yea I may have to, I found it odd to be out of the hole, it sits in there pretty good, I just hope that crab wasn't messing with it. He was out roaming around this morning and missed my chance to grab him.

 

[Owen386]

Looking good! Your gonna love the hobby it's going to get addicting very soon !!
Pertaining to the Duncan on the sand bed, my clowns own the tank they hate anything I add and will give any new frag I add a quick tail slap till they fall off so definitely glue anything down. Good luck with everything.

 

[Titleist1964]

Thanks, I need to pick up some of gel super glue. Do I need to remove the rock I'm gluing it on or just dab some glue on the frag and stick on the rock while it's in the tank?

 

[Owen386]

Just dab some glue (more than you think you need ime) on the frag and stick it on rock in tank.

 

[chadfish]

Thanks, I need to pick up some of gel super glue. Do I need to remove the rock I'm gluing it on or just dab some glue on the frag and stick on the rock while it's in the tank?

There is a BRS Video on the basics on YouTube that helped me. Can work with the gel under water if necessary

 

[Marinexx]

Can you share where you purchased your live rock?

 

[ifarmer]

very nice.

 

[Marinexx]

This is my very 1st salt/reef tank. Began 3-29-22

JBJ Nano RL 20 w/ JBJ stand.
Eheim TruTemp 100W
Inkbird ITC-306A
Tunze Nano ATO
IM MightyJet Desktop.
AI Prime 16HD
AI Nero 3

Tampa Bay Saltwater Live Rock & Live Sand 20 lbs. of each.

Start, TBS LR/LS to skip the ugly stage and cycle quicker. I ordered 20/20, little too heavy on the sand and light on the rock. The LR/LS is absolutely amazing and brimming with life. I saw 2 small crabs, a couple tiny snails and what appears to sponge and possibly corals. The TBS LR/LS came well packed in water. Flown in, airport was a breeze, something I was dreading. My only regret with the rock is I didn't order a few more pounds. But I plan on a back wall rack for a polyp style, flame tip or neon.

Creating the scape was interesting I laid it out, took pix but it didn't come out exact. (do they ever). Needless to say I'm pleased, I left cracks & crevices for fish, and offer plenty of shelving for corals.

Everything was up and running Tuesday night the 29th. After looking at a bare tank, Thursday, I decide to grab some water and head to my LFS, all parameters were spot on so I picked up 3 Trochus to get to work on the rocks, I would've liked a few more but they were out.

So far I'm very pleased with my new tank. Plans are to add a couple clowns, some sort of sand sifter and maybe another reef friendly mild mannered species that'll remain somewhat small. Coral goals are the easy ones, I'm not looking at SPS or even LPS, just want simplicity with a touch of beauty in my own lil corner of a reef.
Thanks for checking out my build, comments & critiques are welcome.View attachment 175952
View attachment 175954
Added my 1st corals on Friday, shout out to @WickedReefs for 3 great pieces. 2 Zoas and a Dunc. The Dunc took to the tank right away and opened up in less the 30 minutes, while the Zoas are taking their sweet time, but showing off color now and then, I think they know I'm watching them.
View attachment 175955
View attachment 175956
Woke up this morning to find my Dunc off the rock and on the sand bed in the middle of the cave structure, I was very surprised by this, the plug has a nice stem and fits perfectly into a hole on the rock, I hope it comes back, been closed since I moved back to spot. I'm currently battling what my LFS and a few others believe to be a gorilla crab, I hate to tear the tank down so I've been trying the bottle trick, I'll get him.
View attachment 175957
More updates soon. Thanks for checking out my build.

Where did you get your live rock?

 

[spectral_ranger]

Where did you get your live rock?

He indicated Tampa Bay Saltwater (TBS), they've been around forever.

Actually, looks like their Facebook page is more current and has more info. I guess they're revamping their webpage...?

 

[Titleist1964]

Can you share where you purchased your live rock?

Yes, it came from TBS, you can contact them via FB or their email on the webpage. I went with 20/20 Sand and Rock. Kind of wish I had gone with about 5 more pounds at least, it would've given me a few more pieces to choose from and form the aquascape. I've done it over twice and may need to revamp it again due to a couple more unwanted hitch hikers. So just a waring, you have to except the good with the bad when you purchase LR/LS.

 

[Marinexx]

Thanks

 

[Titleist1964]

So today marks a little over 5 weeks. Progressing extremely well, most may cringe at this, but I have yet to do a water change of any kind, just my ATO that adds distilled water. Hopefully I didn't just jinx that. Paras are spot on.
Added a few corals about 3 weeks ago and they're doing great, last night I added another small frag of Zoas, a Hammer and an Acan. These pics are taken less then 24 hours later. Sometimes this Zoa closes up when the clowns, snails or shrimp ride over them, but they are very healthy as well.
All of my corals came from fellow reefer @WickedReefs These things are amazing.

 

[WickedReefs]

Tank looks great!

 

[ChrisV]

You really started this tank properly, with good gear and high quality live rock. As they say, buy once, cry once. Fun times ahead! Have you discovered Hanna checkers for water testing yet? They are another excellent investment.

I may have missed this: any fish yet?

 

[Titleist1964]

You really started this tank properly, with good gear and high quality live rock. As they say, buy once, cry once. Fun times ahead! Have you discovered Hanna checkers for water testing yet? They are another excellent investment.

I may have missed this: any fish yet?

I have seen the Hanna checkers, most likely invest in those one at a time, I use the Red Sea and Salifert now, not to mention I have my LFS check it weekly.

I did end up with a pair of Black Onyx Perc clowns, these 2 are amazing together, they're like synchronized swimmers, also a fire shrimp that just goes nuts when I stick my hand in the tank.

 

[ChrisV]

I have seen the Hanna checkers, most likely invest in those one at a time, I use the Red Sea and Salifert now, not to mention I have my LFS check it weekly.

I did end up with a pair of Black Onyx Perc clowns, these 2 are amazing together, they're like synchronized swimmers, also a fire shrimp that just goes nuts when I stick my hand in the tank.

Awesome!