I started out on this hobby dead set on getting some LPS for my mix reef aquarium, but along the way I decided to add some softies to my tank to see if corals could handle my system and I ended up falling in love with them. I'll much rather have a zoa garden or tiny Kenya tree forests than most LPS, there's just something very nice about softies and I love how rewarding and fast growing they are, I hope that the believe of softies mostly being for "beginners" gets abolished, because they can be just as beautiful and rewarding :)
A Duncan ball or a Caulastrea frag or 2 is a nice compromise, tbh. I started earlier this year, fell in love with my Duncan, not really keen on the Goniopora I got....when I upsize in 2 or 3 months, I'm probably going to get some 'large and long polyp' Zoas, I think.
I wanted to start my own coral reef. Matthew >>> I can see in your eyes what joy you have doing this video! I believe I will have to save up for my coral reef. It seems to be a rather expensive hobby. In the mean time >>> I'll watch more of Matthew's videos! :)
I'm glad you made this video as I'm moving back towards a softy dominant tank from LPS dominant as life gets busy and stressful. I will say, I think your nitrate and phosphate can get much, much higher. But it's good to have goals, I get it. My goal has been nitrate 7-10 and phosphate 0.05-0.10, but I had a big nutrient spike and my nitrate jumped closer to 20 and phosphate 0.25 and the softies looked very, very happy. Especially the zoas and Kenyan tree.
Great video!! Would love to see you do one on if you buy a tank and stand from BRS what additional equipment would you need to get going. Also how you would install the additional components and how much you could spend for the total build.
Thanks Brian, that is a great question. The first video in this series is basically that. We don't discuss price, but everything else! th-cam.com/video/hiITzEFZuHw/w-d-xo.html
@@MyFirstFishTank Thank you for the response. I watched the videos out of order. It was very helpful. I started with an AIO reef tank four years ago and I am thinking about going bigger with a sump and everything else. I am doing my research now. Never miss one of your videos!!
Look forward to year ahead. My softie tank is a bit different in terms of set up. Lots of flow compared to a low flow and bare bottomed too. Good to see softies get exposure in the hobby!
@@MyFirstFishTank I sure do. 3 years into a tank which has hopefully been set up for decades of success. Just been a tougher then expected first few years.
"You don't need fancy gear for a softie tank, just buy this $200 wifi enabled smart light!" Sorry for the sarcasm, but I just really want people to know that I've got a $30 kingbo aquarium light on my tank hooked up to a $5 light timer and it grows corals just fine. That equipment is cool, but you really don't need to spend that much money to be successful
I like crushed coral for softy tank substrate. Mushrooms jump off all the time and with crushed coral they stick to a piece and you can remount easily. Nutrient sink is no big deal for softies, just keep it shallow.
Great video, as usual! Tropic Marin or Red Sea? I think in the Complete Beginners Series you mention using the Red Sea Coral Pro but now it seems all your tanks use TM? I'm just curious why the change :)
I have been very confused with how to set up for corals I finally got my first saltwater and it's almost ready for corals and I need some soon for my clownfish
Xenia is the devil 😆 unless you want a overnight waving forest through out your tank 😆 They're very pretty and great for adding movement but they grow super quick and will cover everything if your not careful
Great question, and Ryan should do a BRS investigates at some point. But no, as far as we know, activated carbon does not absorb our major elements. Could it have some sort of nominal impact on trace elements? Maybe, but we just don't know.
An interesting question for sure. Argh, I don’t know. I’ve basically had all of those systems. Reefer is great, especially paired with their light, skimmer, etc. if they had a pvc or acrylic sump I would never leave them! I love that Waterbox has a glass rear panel which makes it super easy to clean. And the IM 40 is great without a sump, but I’d rather have a sump to hide all of my gear!
I usually use BRS high capacity gfo, and usually change it once every three to four weeks. I just watch as my PO4 starts to climb, and I know it’s time.
Won’t having GFO in that tank when there’s no fish lower nutrients too much? And couldn’t you go quite a bit higher with nitrates in an all softy tank?
Hi Aaron, I’m actually out of the office right now, so I don’t have the exact number. But the wattage is super low. And I’m using the 12” flex arm, so I’m guessing it’s about 6-8” off the waterline.
Outside Dimensions - 23.62" L x 19.68" W x 18.89" H Display Dimensions - 23" L x 15" W x 18.89" H Since I tune it my lights based on the spectrum, I'm happy with it. But for those blue-a-holics, they would probably think too much red and green. :-)
I just got a reef tank from a friend and I'm trying to figure out what I have in the tank anyone have any good way to identify my corals. I have one of those orange mushroom ones he's got in the bottom left but I have no idea the name of it
Yes, certain parts of the USA pronounce it differently, so I always struggle with which way to pronounce it, and no matter how I do, I always get it wrong!!
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
I started out on this hobby dead set on getting some LPS for my mix reef aquarium, but along the way I decided to add some softies to my tank to see if corals could handle my system and I ended up falling in love with them. I'll much rather have a zoa garden or tiny Kenya tree forests than most LPS, there's just something very nice about softies and I love how rewarding and fast growing they are, I hope that the believe of softies mostly being for "beginners" gets abolished, because they can be just as beautiful and rewarding :)
I could not agree with you more! There is nothing "beginner only" about softy tanks!
A Duncan ball or a Caulastrea frag or 2 is a nice compromise, tbh. I started earlier this year, fell in love with my Duncan, not really keen on the Goniopora I got....when I upsize in 2 or 3 months, I'm probably going to get some 'large and long polyp' Zoas, I think.
@@LordNecron late reply but I think Euphyllia, Acans and Blastos fit the look as well
Cleaning off the corals every now and then is an acceptable sacrifice for having a goby and pistol shrimp combo... they are awesome to watch.
I wanted to start my own coral reef. Matthew >>> I can see in your eyes what joy you have doing this video! I believe I will have to save up for my coral reef. It seems to be a rather expensive hobby. In the mean time >>> I'll watch more of Matthew's videos! :)
Mathew!!!! Good to see you again. I’m glad to see you on BRS. You are a great asset & I know you will be SO successful
I'm glad you made this video as I'm moving back towards a softy dominant tank from LPS dominant as life gets busy and stressful. I will say, I think your nitrate and phosphate can get much, much higher. But it's good to have goals, I get it. My goal has been nitrate 7-10 and phosphate 0.05-0.10, but I had a big nutrient spike and my nitrate jumped closer to 20 and phosphate 0.25 and the softies looked very, very happy. Especially the zoas and Kenyan tree.
Great video!! Would love to see you do one on if you buy a tank and stand from BRS what additional equipment would you need to get going. Also how you would install the additional components and how much you could spend for the total build.
Thanks Brian, that is a great question. The first video in this series is basically that. We don't discuss price, but everything else! th-cam.com/video/hiITzEFZuHw/w-d-xo.html
@@MyFirstFishTank Thank you for the response. I watched the videos out of order. It was very helpful. I started with an AIO reef tank four years ago and I am thinking about going bigger with a sump and everything else. I am doing my research now. Never miss one of your videos!!
Amazing.
Look forward to year ahead. My softie tank is a bit different in terms of set up. Lots of flow compared to a low flow and bare bottomed too. Good to see softies get exposure in the hobby!
Oh super cool. Do you love your softy tank?
@@MyFirstFishTank I sure do. 3 years into a tank which has hopefully been set up for decades of success. Just been a tougher then expected first few years.
OMG!!! This is exactly what I need!!!!
Yes, glad to hear!!
Love this❤
My softy tank has 50ppm no3, wc 25% every 2-3 months. 55g with 9 fishes and no sump/skimmer.
"You don't need fancy gear for a softie tank, just buy this $200 wifi enabled smart light!"
Sorry for the sarcasm, but I just really want people to know that I've got a $30 kingbo aquarium light on my tank hooked up to a $5 light timer and it grows corals just fine. That equipment is cool, but you really don't need to spend that much money to be successful
Tell me more. Links to buy those
I like crushed coral for softy tank substrate. Mushrooms jump off all the time and with crushed coral they stick to a piece and you can remount easily. Nutrient sink is no big deal for softies, just keep it shallow.
I’ve been in the hobby 12 years. Softies all the way much more enjoyable in my view
Good vidéo 👍👍
Thanks!
Have the lamp settings remained the same? No unwanted fouling from red green and white?
Do you have your lighting schedule for this tank available to download?
YEAY! Need low maintenance.
Yes!! Me too!!! So much easier to care for a tank like this! In fact, it is the only tank that keeps stable water parameters for me without effort!
Great video, as usual! Tropic Marin or Red Sea? I think in the Complete Beginners Series you mention using the Red Sea Coral Pro but now it seems all your tanks use TM? I'm just curious why the change :)
I have been very confused with how to set up for corals I finally got my first saltwater and it's almost ready for corals and I need some soon for my clownfish
i just wash 🧼 my hands 🙌🏻 seems to work for me
great vid - hows that sand sifter?
Xenia is the devil 😆 unless you want a overnight waving forest through out your tank 😆 They're very pretty and great for adding movement but they grow super quick and will cover everything if your not careful
Would you please be able to upload the aiprime preset of your schedule. Ive tried changing mine but it just making my current schedule messed up.
Hi Mate, do you have the file i could download to use for the prime light im doing a soft coral tank as well
Can we get an update on this tanks progress if it is still up?
I’ve always have this question, if you’re running carbon, and dosing at the same time, will the carbon absorb those elements dosed?
Great question, and Ryan should do a BRS investigates at some point. But no, as far as we know, activated carbon does not absorb our major elements. Could it have some sort of nominal impact on trace elements? Maybe, but we just don't know.
@@MyFirstFishTank thanks for the info.
What’s your Magnesium level for this softie tank?
Matthew what would you choose from an G2 Redsea 170/200, Waterbox 60.2 or an Innovative Marine 40 🤔
An interesting question for sure. Argh, I don’t know. I’ve basically had all of those systems. Reefer is great, especially paired with their light, skimmer, etc. if they had a pvc or acrylic sump I would never leave them! I love that Waterbox has a glass rear panel which makes it super easy to clean. And the IM 40 is great without a sump, but I’d rather have a sump to hide all of my gear!
I want to do a nice reef with a bunch of rocks
can i mix a abudefduf saxatilis with a clawn fish /?
What brand GFO do you use and how often are you changing it?
I usually use BRS high capacity gfo, and usually change it once every three to four weeks. I just watch as my PO4 starts to climb, and I know it’s time.
Won’t having GFO in that tank when there’s no fish lower nutrients too much? And couldn’t you go quite a bit higher with nitrates in an all softy tank?
Yes and yes. But a small amount of gfo is keeping my po4 right within the perfect range. And nitrates can go higher, but I don’t strive for it.
Only 75 par max for softies 😬 how will I get the balance with softies and lps? I also have a anemone too so I guess this will be an issue hey
With those ai prime settings, what was the total wattage output ? How far was the light from the water line ?
Hi Aaron, I’m actually out of the office right now, so I don’t have the exact number. But the wattage is super low. And I’m using the 12” flex arm, so I’m guessing it’s about 6-8” off the waterline.
@@MyFirstFishTank thank you
What are the dimensions of the tank?Not too much white, red and green light 34%?
Outside Dimensions - 23.62" L x 19.68" W x 18.89" H
Display Dimensions - 23" L x 15" W x 18.89" H
Since I tune it my lights based on the spectrum, I'm happy with it. But for those blue-a-holics, they would probably think too much red and green. :-)
Can you export and share you AI lighting schedule please? I'm having a torrid time trying to get things right on my softie tank
I can. Shoot me an email. Contact@myfirstfishtank.com
what's that green ?
No foam fractionator or refugium?
Regular water changes go a really long way, especially on these smaller systems 😀
Anyone know the name of the red coral in the front.
I just got a reef tank from a friend and I'm trying to figure out what I have in the tank anyone have any good way to identify my corals. I have one of those orange mushroom ones he's got in the bottom left but I have no idea the name of it
New equipment is not always accurate if not maintained?
I always fry my softies at first
Tell me why saltwater species are so much more beautiful than freshwater.
Great information! would be better to show the corals more often instead of your face. I mean that is why people are actually here.
After watching this I think I may be starving my corals by using a protein skimmer.
Conch is pronounced konk
Stop it.
No
Coming from the conch republic, this is definitely the correct pronunciation
Yes, certain parts of the USA pronounce it differently, so I always struggle with which way to pronounce it, and no matter how I do, I always get it wrong!!
Conchs are only found in the Gulf and Caribbean, and in these parts they are called konk/konks.
Mine just die
😢 If you have any specific questions, we'd love to help!
I guess I'll be a cheapo and get my sand, rocks and livestock from the beach.
Using a 250€ light running at 34% of its max capacity it is just a waste of money.
Really charging almost 40$ for 20lbs of sand?😂
I managed to get to 4 min 36 but I really cannot stomach your voice.