30 Gallon Softie Frag Tank!!

Update:
I had to go out of town for a week and was just barely able to get the tank "wet". I was in a rush and used some fish food to start the cycle. So, in 7 days after my return I tested the water and this is what I got.
Basic parameters
Temp: 79
SG: 1.022
PH 8.2
NH3/4: .25
NO2: Trace
NO3: 5.

And yes ill admit using API here..
Ill raise the salinity up.

 

After a long headache I got the Reefkeeper Lite programed/calibrated.
ATO set up.
Ammonia dropped to 0 so I added more food. I dont have an ACE hardware near buy and Im not going to buy ammonium chloride online. So this will have to do. Already lost an Acitinic bulb. Funny the bulbs have less than 10 minutes on them. You definately get what you pay for. AquaticLife will be getting an email shortly..

 

Nice Build thread. I am watching you....

 

Thanks!

Thoughts:
I'm debating between the plastic egg crate or drilled acrylic for frag racks. Egg crates would be the quickest and easiest, but I know they can leech phosphate. I will more than likely just painstakingly drill acrylic.

Where to get livestock-
I'm still going with softies here since the tank is new. I'm going to watch craigslist and find the people that are tearing down their tanks and buy their coral colonies for cheap. Also, ill rescue coral from my local Petco. Ill observe the coral and see how it does before fragmenting them.

 

I have seen egg crate in many frag tanks. I know not every instance is the same and you have to find what works for you.

 

I dont know if already mentioned but go with black egg crate if you do use crate.

Personally in my frag tank I just used a skim of sand but I did opt for a shallow ( coral table) style of tank, picture shows about half of it.

 

That looks awesome. Ive heard of the black is good to go. Ill look for it.

 

This is a really cool build. I'm definitely watching you... not in a creepy way or anything

 

Haha thanks. Funny thing is I have a webcam hooked up to it. Did you hack my DLink account!... J/k.

Added a fish food last night at 11pm. 10am ammonia was close to 2.5.

Also big copapod outbreak.

 

OPForest already knew that