[shermdawg]

Well heres my first go at a reef tank. Been on here asking a few questions over the last couple monthes and this is what I ended up with.

The tank is a garage sale special from about 3 years ago when I was buying tanks for breeding projects. Its a very odd shaped tank with a 30" back and then it hexes into a 16" front. I wanted to use this tank as the shape brings character even though it had a leak and when I sealed it(one of my first silicone jobs) I did a poor job on one of the front panels.

With everyones advice here I went with a sump and decided DIY was the only way I was going to make everying affordable. Its an old 29g with a few baffles, the skimmer, QT filter and the heater and then a space about 10"l x 11 3/4"w x 15"h for the refiguim. It has 4" of mud and sand and so far about 10 lbs of rock(want to add more but adding slowly). Plan on adding some chaeto as soon as I can.

The tank has 30lbs live rock that came crawling with life from the lfs. I actually got it from 2 stores.....the less colorful came just full of life and actually had the Kenya tree already attached to one rock and then I bought some rock that had a good amount of coralline from another to help spread some color. The rock sat with powerheads and the QT tank filter for about 2 monthes and then I added 25lbs of live sand.

Shortly after the sand I added the cleaning crew which consists of 10 Astrea snails, 10 Nassarus snails, 4 Corinth snails, 6 Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs, and 4 Dwarf blue-legged hermit crabs. Is this to many? Kind of went on some local advice for this setup of cleaners. Some of the rock came with Aiptasia and I would like to get rid of it the safe and "Reef Way" of taking care of it so was thinking of adding some Peppermint Shrimp to attack them. Would these be way to many cleaners for my size setup?

I have since added a flowerpot coral(daughters pick) and an orange cauliflower. Let me know what you all think and thanks in advance for help in pertaining to the cleanup crew.

Jeremy

[Reefaquatics]

Looks good..but you should have painted the back glass black...or blue..it
would show your corals alot better..I think you put too many hermit crabs in
such a new tank. Better to add this a little at a time. Also most likely your
blue hermits will kill your scarlet's for their shells.

what lighting you are using?