My first saltwater tank build eco 40

[Bravoman]

Hello party people. So just got my first saltwater tank “aquatop eco 40. Also new to the saltwater world. This will be my build page hope I can stay on this ,never did this before.
This was July 31,

minor adjustments to tank set up as of this day using all the equipment that came with the tank

1 32watt led light
Eco V2 skimmer
2 trays of ceramic cylinders
1 tray of some kind of carbon cube sponge
And 1 tray of some kind of phos absorption cube sponge
Water intake chamber cut the sponge in half and put a layer of filter floss right above it
Cycled with firtz turbo saltwater bacteria.
Water is from lfs and is real ocean water.

Week 2 lights on for pic only

After testing water for the week day 5 read 0 ammonia no nitrite and 5ppm nitrate added 2.5 ml of ammonia this same same tested water 2 hrs later and read .25ppm.
next day I measured again for ammonia and got 0 again. So Sunday day 7 went to lfs and got 2 clown fish to to start building on my bio filtration and also did a 10% water change started using microbacter7 as well.

testing water after water change
Ammonia 0
Nítrate 0ppm
Phos 0

Week 3

Ok , now I’m getting in to this week 3 I’m still running the oem light as I’m not using it at the moment still lights out
Light is on just for pic.

New additions to the thank was a Tomini tang I know I know ‍ 6 blue leg hermit crabs and a Trochus Snails.

Added seachem matrix to my 2 bio baskets
Picked up Neptune apex
Hanna salinity checker
Hanna alkalinity checker
Hanna phosphate ulr checker
Salifert Nitrate checker

Also weekly 10% water change and live copopods.

parameters are as go
Salinity 1.025
Nítrate 5ppm
Phosphate 0.10ppm
Alkalinity 8.4dkh
Ph 7.9

Week 4
No big changes here added 2 peppermint shrimp and a cleaner

Usual weekly 10% water change
This time think I’m getting feeding down as nítrate has done down to around 2ppm and phosphate at 0.08ppm. Oh and before I forget I ordered a media basket for a Community reefer that makes them specific for this tank.
https://www.reef2reef.com/members/neffly4u.169322/ thanks for his work.

10/10/2021 update about 2 months now other than all my fish dying tank is going good for my inverts oh and I did lose my torch and small hammer.

 

[Peace River]

Good luck on the new adventure!

 

[Bravoman]

Good luck on the new adventure!

Thanks I still need to add my last 2 weeks of this month as I have not had time to add yet but on it now

 

[Bravoman]

Week 4 update

Hello aging so just added few new things to my tank. Well not all added yet but just received my media basket from https://www.reef2reef.com/members/neffly4u.169322/
awesome quality by the way and packed like a pro. Thanks again for making these baskets.

Also just installed a co2 scrubber on my little nano skimmer and already working after an hr on. Guess we do have a lot of co2 in my house.

No new fish yet still building copepod population.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Nice system for the price. I like your aquascape.

 

[Bravoman]

Nice system for the price. I like your aquascape.

Thanks , thought it was a little light on the rocks and yes it was a nice price for the tank set up. Picked it up right before they increased the price last month. I’ve been wanted to get in to saltwater tanks for yrs and the new price for the set up just made me jump the gun and get it before that happen.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Thanks , thought it was a little light on the rocks and yes it was a nice price for the tank set up. Picked it up right before they increased the price last month. I’ve been wanted to get in to saltwater tanks for yrs and the new price for the set up just made me jump the gun and get it before that happen.

I think your rocks are just fine. You don't want it to look cluttered and the corals will take off and use even more space. Can you take some pictures of the stand and Apex? Which Apex did you purchase and how much did it cost? I don't have one. Are you going to get mainly SPS? I went an entirely different route with my system and it has taken an incredible amount of time and energy. But I love it anyway. You will be so glad you took the plunge.

 

[Bravoman]

I think your rocks are just fine. You don't want it to look cluttered and the corals will take off and use even more space. Can you take some pictures of the stand and Apex? Which Apex did you purchase and how much did it cost? I don't have one. Are you going to get mainly SPS? I went an entirely different route with my system and it has taken an incredible amount of time and energy. But I love it anyway. You will be so glad you took the plunge.

Thanks again, I’m going for a lite mix tank mostly Acons and mico musas than adding sps corals as my tank ages. Neptune was pricey but what in this hobby isn’t. It was the Neptune apex I got $800.
Yes I feel like it’s already going to be a lot of time and energy but love the challenge I’ll post pics soon.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Thanks again, I’m going for a lite mix tank mostly Acons and mico musas than adding sps corals as my tank ages. Neptune was pricey but what in this hobby isn’t. It was the Neptune apex I got $800.
Yes I feel like it’s already going to be a lot of time and energy but love the challenge I’ll post pics soon.

Building the stand, sump and figuring out the plumbing was what took a lot of time (not to mention $). I almost wish I had gotten an AIO. The ongoing maintenance is not much.. probably 1.5 to 2 hours a week.

 

[Bravoman]

A few pics of the internals of my system, waiting on a ato soon to come. With Apex installed.

 

[Bravoman]

Building the stand, sump and figuring out the plumbing was what took a lot of time (not to mention $). I almost wish I had gotten an AIO. The ongoing maintenance is not much.. probably 1.5 to 2 hours a week.

Not bad I’m testing about once a week about an hr after 10% water change I’m testing for nitrate and pho’s twice a week just to get my food amount dialed in.

 

[Bravoman]

WEEK 6

So added 2 frags of zonas and a bicolor candy cane to the tanks but I am noticing that my pho’s is get up to the 0.20 range still doing my 10% water changes every Sunday I’m trying to cut back on feeding but I’m down to 1/4 cube of misis shrimp and 6 pellets of seaweed extreme. My nitrates are from 15-10ppm.

 

[Bravoman]

Well update I was using my stock lighting and I couldn’t take it anymore so I upgraded

With a radion xr30 only using 25% intensity but once I get some sps it should serve me well.

 

[Bravoman]

Just started my saltwater space saver station just need to see what’s the best Hight off the ground

What do you guys usually leave it off the ground?

 

[Bravoman]

Well sad update lost all my fish tried to save them put my Tomini tang and both my clowns to velvet had them in qt tank to treat but tang was gone next day and clowns lasted a week they started looking better but next morning gone sad day. I’ll be having the DT fish less for 90 days

 

[Bravoman]

Three yrs and a 2 months later