My nano tank

Givmeanf

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After collecting the parts and doing my homework, at 72, I am embarking on a saltwater coral reef aquarium.
Here is the front view and one side view.
What am I doing wrong? Before I fill the tank.
 
This is awesome.

Maybe some more ideas as what you are planning to achieve?!?

Looks like you are starting your tank with dry rock and deep sand bed.
Filtration is probably most important part in the beginning.
What do you have hand such as test kits and rodi and ato etc.
 
I have all the dipping sticks. I have been studying electronic testers and will purchase those ASAP.
Chemistry is my next interest.
The ATO for this tank is going to be available in a couple of weeks from the LFS.
Same thing for the skimmer.
I have both earmarked with my name on them.
I have the standard filtration for an AIO tank. I will purchase upgrades from the aquarium manufacturer.
I won't go MacGyver, mixing and matching equipment on this first one. But the next one .......... I have ideas.
The coral I choose will be hard-to-kill at first as I've never had aquariums before.
I have those rock islands for unfriendly coral. The photos don't really show the 'cave' in the tower.
I Have tried to have bright and shaded areas on the tower at different depths so I can have a variety of coral.
My first 20-plus gallons of saltwater I purchased from the LFS. It came with white plastic containers which I needed!
So, it was a deal when you look at it like that even when I get the experience and make my own, I'll have these containers.
I will probably continue with that for the time being, just for the convivence. Plus, I know I am starting with the correct solution.
It removes one of the many variables to success.
Shrimp, crabs, fish, all those critters, I am clueless as to what will be in there. I decided to use the Life Rock and the live Carib Sand to minimize the space aliens that seem to appear out of nowhere. At the moment, with the pump circulating, I see, I swear, sea monkeys.
 
Recently my wife was trying to raise a sea monkeys are failed bad. But it was pretty funny watching that. What you are seeing maybe some microbiome from the sand. (I remember getting flat warm infestation once from adding live sand so I went full dry rock and dry sand. If you want to,

Stop by my place if you like and I get you some ceramic media and some live rock out of my tank to help seed your tank. I think my tank is finally stabilized after 1.5yrs -.-;

One thing we tinker with a lot is aqua scape and flow pattern as we get different corals so plan for that.

I also have tons of 5 gallon jugs still stored in my garage for emergency as well.
Since you are getting saltwater from LFS, make sure you check for salinity before adding to your tank. I had where the rep gave me RODI water instead salt water so over time my salinity was going down. So having your own water source will save you lots of headaches down the line but you won’t need to do water changes for month or less. Your tank will cycle fast. Compare to someone with massive size tank which can take months if not with live rock.

First stage of testing: you will want to test ammonia, and nitrate. No need to test nitrite since it will phase into nitrate. And if you like, phosphate

The 3 main tester are : Low range Nitrate, low range Phosphate and Alkalinity. And nice salinity tester will be a helpful. Specially since you are getting water from the LFS.

Laat week I was at LFS and one of their main display tank (Red Sea) that was setup same time I setup mine CRASHED. I asked what happened and they say someone replace half of the tank water with RODI.
 
I had an issue with the tank and had to swap it out. I have to say, Premier Aquatics is the best. They are so easy to work with.
And of course, I spent more money! I bought a couple more rock pieces to fill out the length of the tank.
Here is the new set up.
I hope I didn't over fill the tank with rocks.
I think I have a lot of good shelves for coral, and a mixture of light levels.
I am leaving the right side open a little more than the left side.
The return from the pump is on the right, and I thought something that likes high flow could go there and dance in the flow.
 

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I am two weeks into a fishless start-up.
I am developing a alga on the rocks directly under the light, some kind of silver algae where the light is not direct, and a little ball of white stringy stuff.
My white sand is getting brown.
The aquarium store sold me some Fritzyme Turbo Start to bring the nitrates/nitrites down to a habitable level.
I wanted to get some snails to start cleaning my white sand, but the water tests the store owner wouldn't sell them to me. told me to get the NO2 & NO3 down and come back. I dumped the turbo start in the tank. Glass is clean, water is clear. I'm waiting and watching.
 
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