50G Low Boy Lagoon “LBL”

[ctfish]

04/21/2024

Getting prepped for the new tank

Working on a 50g low boy frag tank, gonna go for a lagoon style. Hopefully the image in my head winds up matching pretty closely to what reality brings. Just got the stands frame built, working on the stain and facade tomorrow. Not going peninsula style, just needed to bring it in the house before the rain came down. Gonna be turning a 30g high into a sump/fuge. Plumbing and Eshopps Eclipse S should be in Thursday next week

 

[ctfish]

05/11/2024

Making progress on the low boy lagoon

Got the stand built and painted and got the plumbing from Lowe’s today minus overflow and bulkheads. Shouldn’t be too long before I get it up and running

 

[ctfish]

50g Lowboy Build Update

Got the last bit of equipment coming in Tuesday other than the lights. Gonna go with a Photon V2 Pro whenever they get back in stock or if I can find a good deal on FB marketplace. Bulkheads, return pump and plumbing, sump baffles, ATO reservoir, filter sock holder, power bar, and fuge light are all installed. Only things left to install are sump plumbing, overflow box, ATO system, Nero 3’s, Loc Line, media cup, screen lid, and aquamesh between the baffles before the return pump. Sand will be in Tuesday as well and I already have rock cycling for the past month or so. Already have salt as well, using Tropic Marin Reef Pro. Ready to get this thing rolling!

 

[ctfish]

The Lowboy Lagoon is wet!

Got everything ready to go just waiting for the light fixture and heater to come in!

https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/s/b1BJTNaquf

 

[ctfish]

Lighting is mounted for the LBL!


Gotta order bulbs now that I know the 6 bulb T5 fixture from Amazon isn’t a total point of sale gonna go with 4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Coral Plus, and 1 ATI True Actinic.

4 days wet and current parameters are Ammonia 1.2ppm
Nitrite 0.3ppm
Nitrate 5ppm

I should be able to get through the cycle by next weekend, super excited!

 

[~MD~Reefs~]

Awesome! I’m also in the process of setting up a 50 Gallon Low Boy. What did you use for the black background?

 

[ctfish]

06/04/2024

Going through the motions, getting close to being fully cycled in the LBL

Using pre-cycled rock makes this process a breeze, reminds me of the good ole days with actual live rock.

Cycled my rock for between 2-3 months in a brute trash can like I always do with any new tanks. So much better and faster than just throwing dry rock in!

Doing a fishless cycle with Dr. Tim’s Ammonia Chloride.

 

[ctfish]

Awesome! I’m also in the process of setting up a 50 Gallon Low Boy. What did you use for the black background?

I just taped off around the edges of the tank and used black Krylon spray paint!

 

[~MD~Reefs~]

I just taped off around the edges of the tank and used black Krylon spray paint!

Nice. I just saw your Reddit post.. how did you do your screen lid? I see a few kits online but not sure if they’d work on a rimmed tank?

 

[ryanjohn1]

Looks great

 

[ctfish]

06/07/2024
Let there be light *Low Boy Lagoon Update*

The Low Boy Lagoon is almost ready for livestock
Got my bulbs and heater in yesterday from BRS. Now just waiting for the nitrites to finish cycling through then we’ll perform a water change, test the water again the following day and depending on how everything looks we’ll start adding some fun stuff!

 

[ctfish]

Nice. I just saw your Reddit post.. how did you do your screen lid? I see a few kits online but not sure if they’d work on a rimmed tank?

I got the 4’ long rimless screen kit off of BRS, I had to cut the extruded aluminum pieces to the correct size with a sawzall. If you get the kit for rimmed tank they will send you a kit for a tank with a brace down the middle instead of two 4’ long pieces, ask me how I know lol

 

[ctfish]

T5 Par Readings LBL and stocking/parameter update

6 bulb fixture mounted 11” off the water. The 143 and 150 on the left is under the shadow of the overhanging rock and a rock nearly under tsandbed, the other >195 par readings are on the sandbed. Gonna be a nice mixed reef

After further research on the native fish we have here in FL, most of them are either far too large, not reef safe, or super aggressive. So I’m going to stock what I can from FL which looks like it’s going to be just 2 maybe 3 basslets, a molly miller blenny, and a Cherub Angel (I know, not totally reef safe). CUC will be totally native (blue leg hermits, brittle stars, astrea snails, nassarius snails, possibly pincushion urchin and scarlet cleaner shrimp). I’m also going to throw a couple feather dusters, flame scallops and a bay scallop in here. The rest of the fish I reckon will have to be determined after some more research and decision making. Coral will also be more traditional corals vs just corals that look comparable to Florida species. The original plan just isn’t going to work out with the species I intended to stock, too many aggressive, large and invert munching dudes.

On a positive note, I already have a healthy population of pods thanks to pre-cycling the rock a couple months ahead and seeding rock from my other tank. You can see them clearly on the glass during the day from one side of the tank to the other.

Current parameters (2 days after first water change, 9 days wet)

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 10ppm
Calcium 460ppm
Magnesium 1480ppm
Alk 7.6ppm
pH 8.2

Started dosing Red Sea Alk Saturday, hopefully we will get it brought up to the appropriate levels in the next 2 weeks.

 

[ctfish]

Looks great

Thanks!

 

[kevgib67]

Following!

 

[ctfish]

First bit of fish inverts and coral are in the LBL!
https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/s/TMjTV0Y1Fg

 

[ctfish]

First bit of fish inverts and coral are in the LBL!
https://www.reddit.com/r/ReefTank/s/TMjTV0Y1Fg

Current parameters

Ca - 460ppm
Alk - 9.2 dKH
Mg - 1480ppm
NO3 - 2ppm
Salinity - 36ppt