Looking to learn...

[Bryan1973]

Hello out there...excited to be new to the site and to the hobby.

Here is what I have so far...any ideas on what to do next would be great!!!

75 gal Saltwater tank (custom built stand and plumbing)
55 gal Sump (custom built with 3 chambers)
Custom built stand that could hold a car but can't take longer tank than 48"

All I have right now in the tank are the rocks, sand and 5 fish
3 - Damsels (will remove later for other fish or not...we'll see)
2 - Clowns


Getting ready to start adding soft corals...any suggestions on some simple, colorful ones that I can't kill very easily?

[gone fishin]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1031074

The link may be of some use to you. It is basically a book with multiple topics.

I have to ask. I assume the tank is cycled since you already got critters in there.

[Bryan1973]

I sure hope so...LOL

The pics are from about 3 weeks after I got it up and running...added the damsels first and a couple weeks later the clowns.

It's been up and running for 2 months now...cycled and testing water twice a week with no variations in the results since the first week or so.

All levels are right where they should be and I've had the little guys in there for about a month now and they're awesome to watch...kids have them all named.

Trying to be patient and take it one step at a time (which is harder than expected)...now I want to add corals for the next project and maybe in 6 months or so I'll add a few more fish.

[gone fishin]

You would be surprised how many folks get a tank and stock it in the same day.

What type of corals are looking in to?

[gone fishin]

Forgot to mention if you don't have skimmer you may want to look into one and an RO/DI. An auto top off is nice to have especially with corals stability is important.

[Bryan1973]

I think that I need to start with soft corals and go from there but I really don't know enough about them.

The lighting I have is a Current USA 48"-60" LED 192 bulb fully programmable and I also have a simple T8 Aquatic bulb to help with the blue light tones.

I've found a web sight that has frag packs... FishNReef.com

Don't know if they're a good business to work with or not but they have the best prices that I've been able to find. I just don't know if they're good corals to start with or what.

I have a books on order for corals but it's going to be a couple weeks to get to me...so I thought I'd see what other people say on the subject and then when I get the book I can read about what people post.

[Bryan1973]

I have a skimmer, a GFO/Media filter and a RO/DI out in the garage. I can't plumb the RO/DI to the tank for the auto top off and there isn't any plumbing close or space for an auto fill system so I'm hauling water to the tank every other day from the garage.

Auto fill would be nice the tank is close enough to the garage that it isn't an issue...

[gone fishin]

Bad move to plumb the RODI to the tank for ATO. It is to easy to accidentally put to much freshwater in the tank.

My RO/DI goes to a 10g brute trashcan with a float valve for a shutoff. My ATO probe is in my sump and it kicks on a little pump in the 10g brute.
FWIW I use the Tunze osmolator ATO.

[LeakyZ]

Mine same as gone fishing just with a 45 gallon top off barrel