What Is Needed to Build Your Own Soft Coral Reef Tank?

What's Matthew putting into is Innovative Marine 40 NUVO this time? He's going soft coral CRAZY! So, come along as we go through the care and equipment requirements for this aquarium build, along with some of the awesome soft coral that World Wide Corals sent along to make this saltwater tank POP! Have a favorite soft coral? Let us know below!
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The purpose and content of this video is to provide general information regarding the products and their applications as presented in the video. Aquatic sales solutions, Inc. And its officers, directors, employees and agents disclaim all express or implied warranties, in any way, related to the products and their application as presented in this video, make no representation or warranty regarding the products and the application as presented in this video and shall not be liable for any direct or indirect losses or damages of any type, including but not limited to punitive damages, or from personal injury or death resulting from or in any manner related to the video, and the products in and contents of the video. The viewer expressly agrees that aquatic sales solutions, inc. And its officers, directors, employees and agents shall not be liable for any damages or losses related to the products in and content of the video and hereby agrees to hold the foregoing harmless from any such losses or damages.

[@littlebit8901]

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.

[@CindyyyToon]

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 :)

[@MyFirstFishTank]

I could not agree with you more! There is nothing "beginner only" about softy tanks!

[@LordNecron]

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.

[@archonthaaproducer]

@@LordNecron late reply but I think Euphyllia, Acans and Blastos fit the look as well

[@njjeff201]

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

[@sampster5000]

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.

[@shoja7264]

OMG!!! This is exactly what I need!!!!

[@MyFirstFishTank]

Yes, glad to hear!!

[@brianjeffries207]

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.

[@MyFirstFishTank]

Thanks Brian, that is a great question. The first video in this series is basically that. We don't discuss price, but everything else! kzbin.info/www/bejne/npqsha17e7-oftk

[@brianjeffries207]

@@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!!

[@surcalation]

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]

Oh super cool. Do you love your softy tank?

[@surcalation]

@@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.

[@osmium3691]

"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

[@Reefbelontv]

Good vidéo 👍👍

[@MyFirstFishTank]

Thanks!

[@sunnygoold9449]

great vid - hows that sand sifter?

[@kevinastudillo84]

I’ve been in the hobby 12 years. Softies all the way much more enjoyable in my view

[@Akai-Shade]

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

[@CasildaChenier]

YEAY! Need low maintenance.

[@MyFirstFishTank]

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!

[@rhombifer566]

i just wash 🧼 my hands 🙌🏻 seems to work for me

[@CGKFPV]

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 :)

[@sergeybuzhin4396]

Have the lamp settings remained the same? No unwanted fouling from red green and white?

[@nicemarmot1116]

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.

[@Lucid77157]

Do you have your lighting schedule for this tank available to download?

[@jjmccloud]

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

[@azhari06]

My softy tank has 50ppm no3, wc 25% every 2-3 months. 55g with 9 fishes and no sump/skimmer.

[@michaelbell8442]

Hi Mate, do you have the file i could download to use for the prime light im doing a soft coral tank as well

[@Wild91weasel]

Can we get an update on this tanks progress if it is still up?

[@Beets1e]

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.

[@erickruben7702]

can i mix a abudefduf saxatilis with a clawn fish /?

[@hoofhearted1102]

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

[@jackcohen7617]

What brand GFO do you use and how often are you changing it?

[@MyFirstFishTank]

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.

[@mattywillo23]

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

[@MyFirstFishTank]

I can. Shoot me an email. [e-mail]

[@kickassaz]

With those ai prime settings, what was the total wattage output ? How far was the light from the water line ?

[@MyFirstFishTank]

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.

[@kickassaz]

@@MyFirstFishTank thank you

[@calanprc3]

What’s your Magnesium level for this softie tank?

[@Reefeasy]

Matthew what would you choose from an G2 Redsea 170/200, Waterbox 60.2 or an Innovative Marine 40 🤔

[@MyFirstFishTank]

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!

[@sagrath1982]

I’ve always have this question, if you’re running carbon, and dosing at the same time, will the carbon absorb those elements dosed?

[@MyFirstFishTank]

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.

[@sagrath1982]

@@MyFirstFishTank thanks for the info.

[@mattb2906]

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?

[@MyFirstFishTank]

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.

[@its_whack]

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

[@theanimanga1744]

Anyone know the name of the red coral in the front.

[@sergeybuzhin4396]

What are the dimensions of the tank?Not too much white, red and green light 34%?

[@MyFirstFishTank]

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. :-)

[@user-ng6zs3ol7m]

what's that green ?

[@nickbierman3640]

No foam fractionator or refugium?

[@BRStv]

Regular water changes go a really long way, especially on these smaller systems 😀

[@bossreefer]

New equipment is not always accurate if not maintained?

[@josephfriedrich9792]

I always fry my softies at first

[@MrMatt3051]

After watching this I think I may be starving my corals by using a protein skimmer.

[@hannahg5216]

Tell me why saltwater species are so much more beautiful than freshwater.

[@andym209]

Mine just die

[@BRStv]

😢 If you have any specific questions, we'd love to help!

[@amesallmond2263]

Conch is pronounced konk

[@BobbyBigDude]

Stop it.

[@amesallmond2263]

No

[@jjkeywest]

Coming from the conch republic, this is definitely the correct pronunciation

[@MyFirstFishTank]

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!!

[@amesallmond2263]

Conchs are only found in the Gulf and Caribbean, and in these parts they are called konk/konks.

[@CarlosAlberto-ii1li]

I managed to get to 4 min 36 but I really cannot stomach your voice.