re: NATidefan's Aquarium Update

How I started

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Aquarist today are very lucky

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I heard internet changed everything in terms of knowledge growing hobby

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If you like mushroom babies take a razor blade to a big one, just cut it in 4 like a pizza. You can cut them smaller but if it's your first time go with 4 or even 2 if you are scared. Eventually they will multiply like weeds on their own even in below average conditions.

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Oh yeah, I have frags, I just thought the board would think it was cool.

Had a superman bounce that split twice. Was removing one to trade and tore another. Trying to regrow the torn off piece.

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I'm sure it did, I learned TONS before I ever started. And still have tons to learn in regards to corals, etc.

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You think you will get into hard stuff?

I never had desired loved stuff that flowed

I green star polyp is a weed but I loved it lol

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Are they difficult?

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Blue Maximas are more sensitive, I killed my first one :(

I now have a Derasa that was about 3" four years ago and is now 12", its pretty damn hardy. The nipping angel had it looking rough, but it's back to normal since I removed the angel.

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You think you will get into hard stuff?

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I have some sps, it's alive and growing, but losing color over time. Trying to figure that out now. Reef2reef posters and my buddy think it's trace elements. I just got a ICP test so about to send that off and see.

Love it

Nice gsp kudzu

Full tank, just cleaned the glass.

My water is always a little cloudy and it shows up ALOT more in pics than in person.

The diamond goby keeps the sand clean, BUT he keeps it stirred up some which makes it a little cloudy.

Fair trade imo, I don't have to vacuum. Plus, I'm not really trying to impress anyone but me.

75 Gallons per day. 6 stage.

1st stage - Sediment filter.

2nd and 3rd stage - carbon filter

Pressure gauge (let's you know when to change filters before it)

Tds meter to measure incoming total dissolved solids.

3rd stage- rodi filter (removes 98% of TDS)

TDS meter to measure dissolved solids coming out of rodi (when it starts to show you are only removing about 93% of incoming TDS, time to change rodi filter)

4&5th stage - Color changing deionization resin. Polishes off last 2% of TDS the rodi filter doesn't get. Two stages aren't necessary, only really have to have one. But they let you completely use up the resin from the 4th stage. Then I move 5th stage to 4th, put new resin in 5th.

TDS meter (should show zero tds coming out)

Two 20 gallon trash cans. One for fresh rodi, one to mix salt in.

Salt one has heater, wave maker, temp sensor, and a pump to pump water through a long clear tubing to tank.




ETA: I bought my tank used and all this came with it. I probably wouldn't have used trash cans, but they work really well actually. If I ever do a bigger tank I'm going to automate my water changes and do it a bit different.


Also, seems like a lot, but I've used it for almost two years and only had to change the resin in one cartridge.

The rodi filter will last 3-5 years. Sediment filter about a year or two (probably need to change, but my pressure is still good). Same with carbon filters.

Flame Angels make good redfish bait.