[ncdiablo]

Ok read about building my reef from the very helpful RB thread created by Kolokefalo. I am going to create a thread that will document my slow build and will include pictures along the way. Hopefully people will give their thoughts along the way of the build to help correct mistakes or give better advice. I want to do this as right as I can.

I have an Oceanic 120g hex front aquarium that is 72"x16.5"x25". I picked this up with a stand for $350. I have already tested it with water and everything looks good. I plan on making a reef tank with various Mushrooms, LPS corals like hammer, frogspawn, bubble coral, and brain coral, and perhaps some SPS corals too like montipora capricornus, and Soft corals, as well as Rose anemone and bubble tip anemone.

I believe I will do a bay style arrangement of the live rock (I haven't picked the live rock yet and will ask some questions in a short bit about that).

The other inverts and fish I am planning on adding are the following:

The clean up gang:

Dwarf blue leg hermits
Dwarf zebra hermits
Pink & Yellow/Green Sea Cucumber (when the tank is established around 8 months later)
Cerith snails
Bumble bee snails
Nerite snails
Abalone snail (perhaps later as well)
Lettuce sea slug (again later when the tank is established)
Scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp
Blood Red Fire Shrimp
Sexy Shrimp
Possibly bumble bee shrimp (not quite sure i have heard they feed on starfish but will also eat algea and scavenge)
Tozeuma Ghost Pipe shrimp
Saron Shrimp
Feather Dusters

I know a long list of clean up crew members so I probably can't have them all so I want to hear your experiences on any of these guys.

Now the fish:

Starry Blenny
Green Banded gobies.
Catalina gobies
Neon gobies
Blue Spotted Jawfish
Ocellaris Clownfish or perhaps Gold Maroon Clownfish.

I will post some pics shortly of the tank and the placement. But first another post with some questions.

[kh6sat]

Sounds great! Will be looking forward to seeing your progress.

[ncdiablo]

Here are some questions.

For water movement in the tank I was thinking of going with 2 of the Tunze Turbelle Stream Pump 6060 which produces 1,600 gph movement each. And then perhaps a third Tunze Turbelle NanoStream Pump 6045 that does 1189 gph. Not sure if this is too much flow for a 120g tank. I had originally looked at Koralia pumps but they didn't look very stable for the long haul. So with these pumps does it look like I should have good flow or too much flow or not enough flow?

[blind1993]

u should get some tangs.

[ncdiablo]

Heh I probably will put a tang in there just was hesitant because my wife already wanted the "nemo" fish and was afraid she would then ask for the "Dora" fish.......

[robe25m]

Same boat were in, I see water movement as no biggie, I will adjust accordingly, I'm at the 1400 gph going into my cycle.

I just purchased a 60" MH 1072 watt light off the bay, really hope it works for me.

I will prolly waste a whole weekend aquascaping 200lbs of LR, Good Luck with yours

Dont worry about fish any time soon, all thats gonna change when shes up and running, and who doesnt need a few tangs...

I cant wait I stare at a empty tank and smell the sandbed..

Best part about this for me, this was a early b-day present from my girl, my b-day is in november lol..

[TreeHugger74]

Hey Diablo...have you heard something about the Hydor Powerheads?? Was thinking of picking one up.

[ncdiablo]

Here is a link to a review done by a RB member. While he says it's good he also says it feels cheap. That is why I went the the Tunze. While I am going to try to save money here and there I figure the powerheads are something I don't mind putting some money into.

oops forgot to post the link

Reef Builders Blog about saltwater fish, Marine Hobby & Aquarium » Blog Archive » Hydor Koralia Full Review

[TreeHugger74]

Good deal...thanks for the info.

[TreeHugger74]

hey Kh6sat...you prior service...I did a lil stint @ Hickam. Beautiful island!

[TreeHugger74]

Post some pics when you get a chance diablo...!

[Kimjo1]

Originally Posted by ncdiablo

Heh I probably will put a tang in there just was hesitant because my wife already wanted the "nemo" fish and was afraid she would then ask for the "Dora" fish.......

You can have a percula and a powder blue tang in a 120g. Put the Percula in first or at the same time. Buy them together when its time for fish.

Can't wait to see your progress.
Kim

[ncdiablo]

Here is what I got done yesterday. Busted my butt on it. Here is the before:



and the after:



I will be doing some touch ups on a the tank and painting the background here in the next day. Then I will get some help to load the tank onto the stand. Will post more pics here soon.

[dfurbee]

Love the pic behind the tank! I paint and draw also. Who did the drawing?

[CyberJester]

Nice job refinishing

[mtfabel]

Yeah that is an awesome peice of art there. Plus the picture on the wall is cool too LOL. Cant wait to see the tank.

[blind1993]

Originally Posted by Kimjo1

You can have a percula and a powder blue tang in a 120g. Put the Percula in first or at the same time. Buy them together when its time for fish.

Can't wait to see your progress.
Kim

i think he meant a hippo tang.

[Kimjo1]

yup your right.. i had a brain fart! lol thats what i meant..

[ncdiablo]

Thanks for the nice comments. The painting in the background was done by a friend in graduate school. We traded artwork. The one good thing about going to art school was having so much to put up on the walls. Finding a job.... that's another story.....

I just bought from my LFS the Rio 2100 pump and the Euro Reef RS 80 protein skimmer and an external overflow box.

Got some external use carpet to put under the stand so tonight I will cut that down to make it less obvious but give the floors some buffer from the stand.

Tonight will finish cleaning the tank, spraying the back black, and will then try to make measurements to get a sump/refugium ordered. Then I can start to work out my pluming issues... ( oh joy). Will crawl under the house and see about re-inforcing the flooring in that area. Not super worried but would rather be safe then sorry.

I will place my order for the lights and for the in tank pumps this weekend.

I am thinking of driving to ohio to purchase my live rock from salty critters. This way I could pick through the rock and the drive is about 9 1/2 hours away. I would leave after work one day pick it up first thing in the morning and be back around 8 or 9 at night to get it into the tank. Just curious if anyone has ordered live rock for saltycritters? Thinking of going with the Uaniva rock.

Cured and Uncured live rock from Bali, Fiji, Tonga, & Uaniva.Saltwater aquarium supplies and equipment from Salty Critter

More pics to come.

[mtfabel]

I have never ordered anything from them. But I was in Cleveland once and made a side trip to there store. Those guys are super knowledgable(if thats a real word) and friendly. I would definitly buy from there.

[ncdiablo]

Ok so I have 120 lbs of argonite sand waiting by the tank, 100g of salt ready to be mixed with water. A h.o.b. refugium hooked up on the back of the tank.

72" Constellation series 7 light on order and should be here in a week.
14 bulbs ordered for the light and should be here in a week.
2 Tunze 6060 stream circulation powerheads ordered and should be here in a week.
A H.O.B. AquaC Remora pro Protein skimmer on order and should be here in a week.

So now this week I will go under the house to see how easy it would be to put in some support for the floor. Not super worried but better safe than sorry since it is 120gallons. Might as well shore up that area.

After I shore it up or see if it even needs it then I will begin filling the tank to get ready for everything.

The week after I will head to ohio and buy 200lbs of live rock from Saltycritters it looks like.

Let the fun begin.

[Cela Vie]

Excellent! Make sure you keep the pics coming.

[Tonz of fun]

I wish I would of seen this before you made your purchase if I had the money I would buy these for my tank.Ecotech Marine Vortech Propeller Powerhead/Pump
Up to 3,000 gph if you want and they attach by a magnet. And the magnet drives the propeller. Its so low profile. I can wait to see it.

[Cela Vie]

Originally Posted by Tonz of fun

I wish I would of seen this before you made your purchase if I had the money I would buy these for my tank.Ecotech Marine Vortech Propeller Powerhead/Pump
Up to 3,000 gph if you want and they attach by a magnet. And the magnet drives the propeller. Its so low profile. I can wait to see it.

No heat also. Between this and a Neptune controller, I think I'm over my Christmas budget. It's begging time...

[RyanG]

Where are the pictures of the tank itself? Hmm, this thread is missing something, let me think...ah yes I know! More pictures!