Samb's 5G Fluval Chi Reef

[SamB]

First of all, I'll start this with a warning: I'm a full time college student with a part time job, so while I will do my best, regular posting might not always happen.
 
Ok, with that out of the way, let's go back in time to the start of my saltwater adventure.
 
Here it is:
 

 
I'd been after a fluval tank for ages, and saw this chi for a killer deal on craigslist, so I picked it up with no idea what I wanted to do with it. It doesn't look like much now, but I really love the shape of the tank. Unfortunately, the tall shape leaves it rather unsuitable for most fish, and I'm not crazy about most freshwater shrimp. So, I decided this was going to be my first saltwater tank. 
 
The first thing I did was start thinking about a sump. I know 5g is a very small volume of water for a saltwater tank, and I was heavily considering a 10g sump to upgrade my water volume by a factor of 3. I quickly ran into a series of issues:

1. I have no idea how to make a sump
2. Sump equipment is expensive and I am a college student on a budget
3. There's already a unit under my desk, so no real room for a sump
4. This is my room and I have to sleep with whatever noise is going on

Due to these reasons, I shelved the project and stored the Chi, believing it to be impossible for my current situation. 
 
Fast forward a few weeks and Ech0o has started saltwater tanks and is convincing me to try mine. After discussing with a few LFS employees at a couple stores, I decided to go on without a sump. I knew I would need to buy / upgrade:
 

• Filter system
• Light Fixture
• Sand
• Heater
• Saltwater 
• Live Rock

I also know this tank will hold at most 1 fish, a CUC, and corrals. 
 
I found a 10g tetra heater from an old tank and reassigned it to the Chi. I picked up a nano filter from my LFS as well as coralife sand. I bought a sit-on light fixture with an Actinic bulb and 10k t5 bulb. I purchased 5 lbs of "premium" live rock and 2 lbs of lace rock... and I put it all together:
 

 

[Oscarcichlid4]

Very cool project

 

[SamB]

Very cool project

 
Thank you!
 
So as you can see in the picture above I hadn't rinsed the sand because I wasn't sure on if I would have to do that with saltwater and I had only bought 5 gallons of premixed.
 
The plan for maintaining this tank is as follows:
 
I have marked off the water level on the edge of the tank. Every day I add distilled water to the tank to bring it back up to the mark. Every Sunday I am changing out 1 gallon of saltwater. 
 
Here's where the tank is:
 

 
Excuse my messy room!
 
The tank quickly cleared: 
 

 
Two days later I got my first coral, after some questioning of Ech0o I went with a Radioactive Dragon Eye Zoanthid, which for $12, I think was quite a steal:
 

 
I also picked up the first member of my clean up crew, Turbo. Turbo's a Zebra Turbo Snail:
 
 

 
In the background you can see the Zoanthid all closed up.
 
We're getting closer to up to date - right now we're at a week ago.

 

[508]

Looks great! I would love to have a saltwater setup like this

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Nice Sam.   Can't wait to see the rest!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Nice little set up you have there 

 
Only trouble is, if that was on my desk, i'd never get any work done, be staring at tank most of the time

  

 

[SamB]

Thanks everyone! I'm excited to see how it goes.
 
So I am doing 1 coral a week and adding to my cuc each week as well. Today is my adding day but not sure if I will actually make it out to petco

 
Last week introduced a Kenya Tree, a Black Margarita Snail (Jimmy Buffet), and Astrea Snail (Astrid) to the tank: 
 
 

 
^ Kenya tree actually just opened up fully three days ago! It's still closed here.
 

 
Astrid
 

 
Jimmy Buffet
 

 
FTS.
 
 
Daily top ups have been light, this weekend will be my second water change on the tank. The snails are making progress on the diatoms I have, I'm looking at getting two small hermit crabs to assist. I have noticed some what I believe to be pest anemones:
 

 
 
Any suggestions? I might get a peppermint shrimp for a few days to see if it will take care of them..
 
Also, any suggestions on a nice easy coral to pick up today?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Looking really good!
 
On last pic, is that a hydra?
 
Don't know much about these truth be told.....

 

[Lillefishy]

Looks like an Aiptasia, you want to get rid of that before it reproduces & you add anything new

 

[SamB]

Looks like an Aiptasia, you want to get rid of that before it reproduces & you add anything new

 
Thanks, any suggestions on how to do that?

 

[Lillefishy]

I used Aiptasia X to get rid of mine, most Lfs that do marines should have it.
True peppermint shrimp will eat it also if you don't want to use chemicals

 

[SamB]

Picked up a peppermint shrimp Friday and today.. no trace of aiptasia! 
 
Might have to take the peppermint shrimp back though, I understand they can be a bit brutal to keep with some stony corals. 
 
Here he is:
 

 
I also picked up a Green Star Polyp that I LOVE:
 

 
 
Woke up and the shrimp had molted! gave me quite a scare, thought the molt was a dead shrimp. 
 
My kenya tree is opening up nicely:
 

 
 
I did a water change today too.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Great pics and glad the peppermint seems to have taken care of that aiptasia 

 

 

[Lillefishy]

I'd hang onto that shrimp for a little while, the aiptasia could just be hiding or moved to another spot

 

[SamB]

Found a set of DIY LEDs I had ordered for another tank and hooked them up to the tank last night to see the effect of the blue light, it is INCREDIBLE.. just got a couple shots with my phone and the color is washed out but here's one (the lights had been out so the coral was just re-opening):