This is awesome, I can't wait to see it progress further!
Ever since I started on this hobby when I was 12 the appeal to me was always to play fish god and create the most complete ecosystem possible within such a limited physical space.
There's just something humbling to try and replicate billions of years of natural process, using nature itself as your teacher. And once you find success the satisfaction of beholding what you've accomplished is unequal to anything I've ever experienced in the hobby.
Currently my saltwater tank is quite underwhelming, it's made to be as simple as possible. It's a 21 gallon with a single Orchid Dottyback, a massive colony of flower leather coral and a forest of caulerpa and ulva with dozens of different critters living in it.
The tank is so stable I have only done 3 water changes in five years, and they have all been when I moved house. The Dottyback spends all day hunting amongst the algae so I do not need to feed him at all.
0 nitrates, 0 phosphates, 0 maintenance.
Sorry for rambling, I just realised I haven't spoken about this hobby in years and seeing this thread lit a spark inside me that I forgot was there.
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