First Post

[too_tanked]

Well, I've been lurking here on the BRS forum for a few years now but this is my first time posting. I'm about a week or two away from putting water in my first reef tank so I figured it was a good time to introduce myself.

I've kept freshwater tanks for about 10 years and started the move to salt water about a year and a half ago with a fish only tank. It's just a 20 gallon with a Remora HOB skimmer, 20 lbs. live rock, and two ocellaris clowns. I'd post a picture but it looks terrible right now with hair algae due to my lack of an RO/DI unit. I just got an RO/DI filter last week so hopefully things will imrpove now.

My soon to be reef tank is a 34 gallon Red Sea Max all in one aquarium that I bought over a year ago but still haven't put water into yet (other than leak testing). I keep reading that the best thing to do in this hobby is go slow, so that's what I'm doing .

I've got some Marco rocks soaking in the basement and hope to start the aquascaping in a few days. I know you guys like pictures so here's a couple.

Rocks:


Empty tank:


I look forward to talking to you all - I'm sure I'll have questions as I get going.

 

[jbishop]

Looking good. Glad you finally came out of lurk mode. Cant wait to see it with water and rocks in it.

 

[Aquaman_68]

Welcome to the other side!!!

 

[Behrmon]

 

[afboundguy]

I keep reading that the best thing to do in this hobby is go slow, so that's what I'm doing .

You learn quickly grasshopper

I know you guys like pictures so here's a couple.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who told you we like pics... That's supposed to be a secret

Welcome and can't wait to see it full of water/rock/sand... Keep us updated...

 

[Glenn E King]

Welcome

We have a similar history, I had fresh water for 20 years and sarted reefing about 2 years ago.
You will love it.

 

[Aquaman_68]

We have a similar history, I had fresh water for 20 years and sarted reefing about 2 years ago.
You will love it.

I had a SWFO for over 10 years before I went to a full blown RT Now I'm pushing close to 20 years in the hobby!! (man I'm getting old)

 

[DawnOctopus]

Welcome! Love your avatar!

 

[Blueflu1]

Thats a nice lil tank. I was reading your post and saw that you currently had a SW setup and I could see the pic out of the corner of my eye of the rock curing below it and I thought "What a ghetto tank" lol. Then I got to the part that you were curing your rock.

Glad you are taking it slow and welcome (couple years too late)

 

[marine mike]

welcome to the BRS! nice looking tank and great looking rock too! isn't it nice to have marco rocks so close down there on the Cape? I grew up in Sandwich and still have connections there....good luck on your setup and yes, take it slowwwwwwwwww... best advice anyone can give or get......

 

[too_tanked]

Welcome! Love your avatar!

Yeah, was making breakfast one morning and the "fish egg" just appeared in the frying pan - had to take a picture.

...I thought "What a ghetto tank" lol. Then I got to the part that you were curing your rock....

LOL... Now That's funny! I hope my aquascaping will look better than that.

... isn't it nice to have marco rocks so close down there on the Cape?....

Yep, great looking rocks and only a couple miles from my house.

Thanks for the warm welcome eveyone. I'll post some more pictures as the tank progresses.

Thanks!

 

[Gina McReeferson]

Hello and welcome to the BRS, nice system you got there.

-Gina and David

 

[jackthestrat]

Are you planning on using all of that rock in the tank?

 

[too_tanked]

Are you planning on using all of that rock in the tank?

No. I have 50 lbs. of rock and I'm guessing I'll use around 35 pounds of it (34 gallon tank). I wanted to have some extra to give me options with the aquascaping. I'm planning to drill the rock and connect it with threaded rod so I may end up breaking some if it also.

 

[too_tanked]

Aquascape progress

Thought I'd post some pics of the aquascape progress. I was struggling to get some decent pics so these may not look that great, but....





This is my first time aquascaping a reef tank so any feedback is appreciated. The rods sticking up out of the rock will be trimmed once I finalize things. I tried to have plenty if shelves and horizontal areas for mounting corals and still leave some bare sand in the front of the tank.

I wasn't sure how high I should go with the rocks to still leave enough room for corals on top. I think I went about 3/4 of the way up on one side - maybe 5" below the water surface.

Also, it's a 34 gallon tank but I only used about 25 lbs. of rock - does that sound like enough? I might be able to fit some more small peices in but it's a small footprint - 23" x 15" and is getting tight.

The main rocks are drilled and attached to an acrylic base with nylon rods. I'm going to be putting sand on top of the acrylic base, but didn't think till just now that the sand is going to go up the rocks about 1.5" or so which will eliminate some of the small caves, etc. at the bottom of the rock. I'm trying to think of a way to elevate the whole rock structure above the acrylic base an inch or so, but it may be more trouble than it's worth.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

[too_tanked]

Bump

 

[FOXYB]

looking good how bout water

 

[Cherokee_Dude]

Base rock could get the job done. you want to be careful about 'Raising rock structures' sometimes the rock will settle (Often with the help of sand sifters fish or Nassarius snails) to the bottom of the tank eventually and crack the bottom pane.
Oh... Love the rock work I'm a fan of caves also

 

[smartfish]

If you could take the rock off the base and cut some pvc pipe about an inch or so tall and use pvc pipe that is 2 inch wide. This would raise the structure if you put the pvc around the rods and then add the rock. Better now then not being satisfied with the outcome.... In any event it looks good and the rods are a great idea..