Oli's 30g 4ft Build

[Oli2509]

Hi All

While I have some down time at work I thought I would start my new build thread

Background - First started with Fish approx 5 years ago while living at home, I wasn't allowed any pets with 4 legs but managed to persuade my parents to let me have fish! Started with a planted tank and moved to a softy 20g tank with two clowns and a royal gramma, unfortunately it got a leak and I lost everything so gave up for a few months. I did have a nano with a clown again after I moved out but he went carpet surfing

Learnt a lot back then but reading the forums these last few months so much has changed, I may still need a fair bit of guidance from you experienced reefers!

Right, new tank, so purchased my first house on my own a few months ago so licence to re-start hobbies. Went and got a 4ft tank which was being used in a shop, had no scratches and for £30/$40 drilled I had to have it.

I started on building a stand for the tank roughly a month ago, never done it before but made it up as I went along, few pics:

I think I need more drills

George isn't camera shy!

Sump tank (free gift from a friend!!)

 

[Oli2509]

Drafted my dad in to help make the stand look nice!

Doors on and in it's final resting place

Tank into place, Sump in, pipework was done last week

Trim added finally looks like a tank stand

Started filling the tank Tuesday!

And this is where we are today! feels like a long road but it really hasn't been. Got some "Cured" (we'll see) Pukani from a local. Been adding Microbacter7 the last two days, advice from my LFS to start the cycle.

Current System details:

Tank - 4x1x1 - 30g

Lighting is 4x 39w T5 APS fixture - all bulbs need replacing any suggestions on what combo to use? will be a mixed reef also thinking on adding two Kessil A160we?

Return Pump - Sicce Silent 1.5

Skimmer - Bubble Magus Curve 5

Temp Control - Inkbird ITC-308 - with 200w heater (no cooling added just yet)

x2 Hydor Koralia 2200 (want a Maxspect Gyre XF230)

15kg of Pukani Rock

Sand - undecided - suggestions?


Think thats all for now - Thanks for reading

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Welcome to R2R! Looks great so far! I really like what you did with that stand, looks very professional!

As far as your question about lighting goes, I think you could pop in some ATI bulbs and get amazing results from them alone, no need to add the kessils unless you want a little light shimmer. I'm not really up to speed on the best bulb combo for a 4 bulb fixture, so hopefully someone else can help you there. Be sure to check out the lighting forum from time to time to see if someone has a similar setup to yours.

 

[Oli2509]

Welcome to R2R! Looks great so far! I really like what you did with that stand, looks very professional!

As far as your question about lighting goes, I think you could pop in some ATI bulbs and get amazing results from them alone, no need to add the kessils unless you want a little light shimmer. I'm not really up to speed on the best bulb combo for a 4 bulb fixture, so hopefully someone else can help you there. Be sure to check out the lighting forum from time to time to see if someone has a similar setup to yours.

Thank you, Will check it out.

 

[Oli2509]

update: Been away for a while so not been much to update.

I managed to get the sand in, gone for CaribSea Fiji pink looks great!

Been testing sporadically still unable to detec Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrate, any ideas on what's best to kick start the cycle? I've read Dr Tim's Ammonium Chloride is better than the Raw Shrimp?

Here's a current photo, Will take some more over the next few days of the Sump etc.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Looking good!

I'd go with the Dr. Tims, the raw shrimp sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. It didn't work for me the first time I used it to kickstart my cycle. I had to resort to using "bottles of bacteria" additives and lots of water changes after adding my fish and coral from my old tank too prematurely to my current tank. I feel like the Dr. Tims would be a whole lot more controllable and you'll probably have better success with it.

Great choice on the sand, btw. Caribsea Fiji Pink is by far my favorite sand and I've never had any issues with the sand in particular. It's great for gobies and other sand sifting critters but not so fine that it makes a huge dust storm all of the time from normal water movements.

 

[Oli2509]

Looking good!

I'd go with the Dr. Tims, the raw shrimp sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. It didn't work for me the first time I used it to kickstart my cycle. I had to resort to using "bottles of bacteria" additives and lots of water changes after adding my fish and coral from my old tank too prematurely to my current tank. I feel like the Dr. Tims would be a whole lot more controllable and you'll probably have better success with it.

Great choice on the sand, btw. Caribsea Fiji Pink is by far my favorite sand and I've never had any issues with the sand in particular. It's great for gobies and other sand sifting critters but not so fine that it makes a huge dust storm all of the time from normal water movements.

Thanks. I'll get some Dr Tim's ordered!

Yeah I read a fair bit on the sand and the weight & size is great.

 

[Oli2509]

Here's a pic of when I first added the sand ;Nailbiting thought it was going to take ages to clear but skimmer and filter socks worked wonders on clearing it!

 

[Oli2509]

Stocking wise i'm planning on:

Clownfish Pair
Chalk Bass
Royal Gramma
Starry Blenny
Orange Stripe Goby
Cleaner Shrimp
Blood Red Fire Shrimp
trochus snails x3
Blue legged Hermit x5

 

[Oli2509]

update: Dr Tim's arrived, dosed to 2ppm last night will leave it for a few days before testing again.

Here's a few pics of the setup I haven't posted, Inkbird is set at 26.5c still no cooling plugged in but yet to see it go over the set temp.

Think i need to organise some wires

 

[Oli2509]

update: been dosing the Ammonium Chloride since 10/10/17 finally today Nitrite has been processed in 24 hours.

Getting some hair algae starting to grow now - had the lights on for the last few days.

Will look at some livestock this weekend, thinking small cuc and maybe one fish for now, taking it slowly

 

[attiland]

Hi. How is this tank doing?

 

[Oli2509]

Hi. How is this tank doing?

Hi. Unfortunately no longer going. two house moves an extension and a baby could have stopped it however it was a faulty temperature probe that actually cooked the tank so after a few years off I'm back researching with a plan to do a new build soon.

 

[attiland]

Hi. Unfortunately no longer going. two house moves an extension and a baby could have stopped it however it was a faulty temperature probe that actually cooked the tank so after a few years off I'm back researching with a plan to do a new build soon.

I can help you with your first coral as long you like GSP