Taborct1
Community Member
Before I start in on the SW tank as it is I think we should know a bit of how I got here. I've always been a freshwater guy and this setup was built off the bones of my first freshwater setup. Here's a few "before" pictures of the FW setup with a fry tank, quarantine tank and a guppy tank that I was selective breeding for certain traits. (The second photo comes first in the timeline).
There was more done to it after this point but I can't find the pictures, if I even took any. Basically just added some ugly siding material that I did a poor job cutting. My bet is there are no more pictures for that reason .
Onward to the SW flu that I came down with. It started, funny enough, with my 2 year old daughter wanting to get glow decorations. Of course with me being wrapped around her finger I caved. She had picked out some that looked reef inspired. Obviously they didn't have a place in the planted tank so it hit me. Upgrade the FW setup and turn this one into a reef. Might I say that this tank now has all the attention.
I don't have many pictures of the process as coming to this forum and doing a build thread was something that just kind of came to fruition. Being budget minded I recycled the stand rebuilding it properly. The siding I used was also recycle from my grandparents recently replaced 30 year old deck.
So far total cost... about $20 for a few 2x4s and quality screws. Now what do we need... I've got a filter (marineland biowheel rated for 75 gallon), let's replace the heater (fluval $40), going to need a reef light (used gen 2 xr30w from local page $225), hardscape (sand 40lbs bag about $30, reef rock 40lbs $55. Both from amazon) and last but not least salt ( IO reef crystals $40).
Close to the end of the cycle (no ammonia but still a bit of nitrites) I added some fish. The fish of choice, cheap mollies. I read they could be acclimated and while true i did not have great success. Out of seven only 1 survived past 72 hours but she is still alive and eating her fill of algea. After initial cycling was complete I added my first coral and ended up going a little faster than I wanted but I've got some really cool locals that have hooked me up. "Oh your new! Here's this frag and this frag". Oh, I almost forgot the hermits!
At this point I was about $100 in livestock (i just went in for two zoa frags... oops). This brings our total to around $510. From here on out if you all had seen my "introducing myself thread" then you have likely seen these photos, which get a lot better since my wife got a new camera for her birthday.
I figured if I'm going to be doing a lot of talking I should reward you with a bunch of photos.
By this point I have now added a jeboa wave pump ($50) and invested in a macro elements test kit (red sea $50) which bring us to $610 total. Ouch I haven't added this up until now...probably shouldn't have done that. it just makes these past two days more painful.
After filling my tank impulsively with coral I wanted to focus on getting pulsing xenia. Besides GSP this is one of the main ones I liked for the movement it adds to the tank. Yes, I willinging planted weeds in my garden. My wife then got more interested and involved and insisted that we get fish today which leads to...
The xenia set me back $15 for 5 heads, picked up 3 different zoa frags for $50 and then the clowns... I cant remember the exact price on them individually but the total after tax was $95. Ya, really regretting adding this up because the total is now $770.
If I could give advice that I've learned through the aquarium hobby to someone just getting started on a budget it would be this.
" Spend a little extra in the begging on things that matter. These things are the life support of your system (lights, filtration, heater ect). You can cut corners where lives don't depend on it. This will save you money in the long run when you inevitably fall in love with the hobby and take it to the next level".
The next project is a diy ATO and making the front of the stand removable so I can access the equipment that will be going under there. I'm always open to suggestions and constructive criticism. Hopefully I keep up with this and I will try to keep everyone update. Until next time...
There was more done to it after this point but I can't find the pictures, if I even took any. Basically just added some ugly siding material that I did a poor job cutting. My bet is there are no more pictures for that reason .
Onward to the SW flu that I came down with. It started, funny enough, with my 2 year old daughter wanting to get glow decorations. Of course with me being wrapped around her finger I caved. She had picked out some that looked reef inspired. Obviously they didn't have a place in the planted tank so it hit me. Upgrade the FW setup and turn this one into a reef. Might I say that this tank now has all the attention.
I don't have many pictures of the process as coming to this forum and doing a build thread was something that just kind of came to fruition. Being budget minded I recycled the stand rebuilding it properly. The siding I used was also recycle from my grandparents recently replaced 30 year old deck.
So far total cost... about $20 for a few 2x4s and quality screws. Now what do we need... I've got a filter (marineland biowheel rated for 75 gallon), let's replace the heater (fluval $40), going to need a reef light (used gen 2 xr30w from local page $225), hardscape (sand 40lbs bag about $30, reef rock 40lbs $55. Both from amazon) and last but not least salt ( IO reef crystals $40).
Close to the end of the cycle (no ammonia but still a bit of nitrites) I added some fish. The fish of choice, cheap mollies. I read they could be acclimated and while true i did not have great success. Out of seven only 1 survived past 72 hours but she is still alive and eating her fill of algea. After initial cycling was complete I added my first coral and ended up going a little faster than I wanted but I've got some really cool locals that have hooked me up. "Oh your new! Here's this frag and this frag". Oh, I almost forgot the hermits!
At this point I was about $100 in livestock (i just went in for two zoa frags... oops). This brings our total to around $510. From here on out if you all had seen my "introducing myself thread" then you have likely seen these photos, which get a lot better since my wife got a new camera for her birthday.
I figured if I'm going to be doing a lot of talking I should reward you with a bunch of photos.
By this point I have now added a jeboa wave pump ($50) and invested in a macro elements test kit (red sea $50) which bring us to $610 total. Ouch I haven't added this up until now...probably shouldn't have done that. it just makes these past two days more painful.
After filling my tank impulsively with coral I wanted to focus on getting pulsing xenia. Besides GSP this is one of the main ones I liked for the movement it adds to the tank. Yes, I willinging planted weeds in my garden. My wife then got more interested and involved and insisted that we get fish today which leads to...
The xenia set me back $15 for 5 heads, picked up 3 different zoa frags for $50 and then the clowns... I cant remember the exact price on them individually but the total after tax was $95. Ya, really regretting adding this up because the total is now $770.
If I could give advice that I've learned through the aquarium hobby to someone just getting started on a budget it would be this.
" Spend a little extra in the begging on things that matter. These things are the life support of your system (lights, filtration, heater ect). You can cut corners where lives don't depend on it. This will save you money in the long run when you inevitably fall in love with the hobby and take it to the next level".
The next project is a diy ATO and making the front of the stand removable so I can access the equipment that will be going under there. I'm always open to suggestions and constructive criticism. Hopefully I keep up with this and I will try to keep everyone update. Until next time...
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