For my b-day, I finally got my first salt water aquarium. It’s an Oceanic BioCube all-inclusive 29 gallon tank with all the lighting and filtration built in. I also got a nice custom made solid wood stand.

I have loaded it up with live sand and live rock. Apparently, live rock becomes the main biological nitrification base or biological filter of a saltwater aquarium and has a stabilizing effect on the water chemistry, in particular on helping to maintain constant pH by release of calcium.

It has to cycle for about four weeks before I introduce some fish and corals and stuff. I hope to add an anemone at some point. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’ve checked out a bunch of books and I’m really excited to learn all about it.

My goal is to have something close to as great as my friend Jared Cornwall’s nanocube at five months. And maybe someday a tank as fabulous as this or this or this.