Just joined - saying high

And welcome!

 

Hello GulfMan....Welcome! 8)

 

Welcome

 

Water quality

Thanks for all the replies.

My idea for this tank was to keep it real simple and cheap.

I chose fish what were just about impossible to kill (trigger, clownfish, blue chromis) and don't crowd the tank.

I don't test the water I get from the Gulf except to make sure the SG is where I want it. I do minimal tests on the tank but find I have no Nitrites and my Nitrates are usually 30 PPM. Not great, but for a FOWLR aquarium I will live with it. I go by observing the fish to tell me if I have a problem. I have had enough problems over the years that I got good at telling when fish were in stress.

I have noticed an algae bloom after water changes and have added a packet of Fluval Clearmax to my power filter. This probably keeps down the phosphates I get from the Gulf water and really sparkles the water.

I read with much interest the new advances in technology like the refugium and protein skimmers. If I was going to get into this full bore again I would look at these, but now it starts to get expensive.

The only thing I spent money on was the lighting. I got the The Lunar Aqualight (One 65W 10K and one 65W actinic bulb) and another 90W light. I found the algae rally took off when I used both lights, so I cut back to just the 130W one. This seems the right balance.

Anyway ... that is what I was thinking when I put this together ...

Gulfman

 

Welcome, I am so envious of your location. I am paying $23 a bottle for ocean water to do my water changes. Luckily I only have to buy about once a month.
Keep us posted on all the great things you get from your water!!