Another log of a Newbie starting out with TBS rock!

[dwculp]

I remember around a year ago wanting to setup a reef tank and stumbling into this site and the thread started by Wooglin . I didnt have the money back then to start the tank, but here I am a year later and with luck my TBS "package" will be here tomorrow. In the spirt of Wooglins thread I thought I would start another and chronicle my adventure starting the reef tank.

A bit of history and background. I am not new to fish, I keep a 55 gallon freshwater tank, an 80 gallon river eco-system, and a 29 gallon fish-only saltwater tank. I am a middle school science teacher and teach 6th grade science and 6th and 8th grade science in our districts highly gifted program. I keep all my tanks at the school. All tanks were purchased and maintained by me, not the district. The same goes for this reef tank, all the equipment has been purchased by me except the lights.

My first foray into saltwater tanks, the 29 gallon fish-only, was going well. The tank was around 6 weeks old and cycled and the fish were healthy, vibrant, active, and eating well. I then commited a classic newbie blunder. I bought a fish and did not qt it. He brought in ick and eventually killed everyone in the tank except the Coral Banded Shrimp I have. I actually like the CBS more than the fish as he is quite a character, roaming the tank and pciking through the rocks for food. I learned a lesson, I will have a qt tank from now on!

The reef tank will be a 40 gallon "breeder" tank with a CPR Bak-Pak 2 skimmer (to be pulled off the fish-only tank), a 150 watt heater, and two Maxi-Jet 1200 power heads for water flow and 300watts of PC light (1 X96W 10K, 1X96W actinic, 1X96W 50/50). I will be starting the tank with the "package" from TBS.

My fish stocking plans for the tank are:

2 Percula clows
1 Flame Hawkfish
1 or 2 smaller fish such as some type of Goby or jawfish.

I am not quite sure on corals yet.

The 29 Gallon FO tank will become an octopus tank and I will be setting up a 10 gallon qt tank. I do not plan to add fish until after Thanksgiving.

I contacted TBS and spoke with Mary who said she was 95% certain they could ship on Friday. I hope so. I will post photos as soon as I get the rock!

In the mean time, here are a couple of photos of things I currently have:




Pierre the CBS on his rock


Pierre in his rock


Alfred - RIP


A portion of the 55 gallon fresh.


A blue Gourami hiding from the camera!