My 36G bowfront re-build....

[KKaiser4]

Well it didn't take long after starting my first ever saltwater tank that I realized I needed to start over. Thanks to all the excellent information here on MAAST, several other helpful forums and a couple LFS here in the area, I was able to fix my tank early without too many mistakes.

When I first started my tank a few months ago I made several mistakes due to lack of knowledge. I was using tap water, didn't have enough live rock, and added fish I never should have bought, just to name a few....

Thankfully a few helpful people pointed out my mistakes early on and I was able to turn the tank around. I did a 100% water change with RO/DI water, bought a RO/DI unit, took my yellow-tail back, added 40 more pounds of LR, and took half the crushed coral out just to name a few things!

I can now say I am VERY happy with my tank. Things are going much better so far (minus the diatom outbreak, Aiptasia hitchhiker, and now a mantis shrimp I think). Rights of passage in this hobby I hear... The fish are very happy and I added new T5 lights and a few frags last week that have really taken off!

Here is a before and after picture. I hope you enjoy and others can learn from my mistakes!

Before (7/17/2010):

9556
After (9/15/2010):
9553

[ErikH]

Good job, it's hard to take some of our advice as constructive criticism, but everyone means well. :) Tanks are so much better when you can just enjoy them.

[alton]

Don't feel bad my first tank in 82 had crushed limestone and a undergravel filter. In 1991 I changed my 135 over to salt and used the same water that I had in the tank for my fresh water fish. We all learn and continue to learn. My next learning curve will be these new bio pellets out on the market.