GatorBen's 75g
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GatorBen
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Then I added some lava rock. My theory here was that I could get lava rock pretty cheap and due to going very slow with adding wildlife, it would become live as I went. The down side is no coralline algae.
Then I added sachem clarity. It scared me because I thought something was wrong. I just put this chemical in the water to clear it up and it got much worse.
This is after it cleared and a bunch of sand settled on the rock. Which I liked because it Madison it look like the rocks had been there a while.
Then I added sachem clarity. It scared me because I thought something was wrong. I just put this chemical in the water to clear it up and it got much worse.
This is after it cleared and a bunch of sand settled on the rock. Which I liked because it Madison it look like the rocks had been there a while.
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GatorBen
Community Member
W, I do not have the damsels. I went to my LFS and the guy told me I needed some damsels to cycle the tank. So I got 2 3 stripe, 2 blue, and 2 2spots (black with a cool Mohawk and a white spot on each side. Since then I realized what cycling does to the fish. I'm not a fanatic fish lover but I don't see the need to stress fish if there are other ways. After the cycle I sold the damsels back to the LFS.
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GatorBen
Community Member
Then like most new aquarium people the next step was obviously clown fish.
Well, then a few days later they both died. This was frustrating because I spent weeks babying this new tank and tested the water two times a day. I felt that researching saltwater aquariums in depth for 6 months and studying all the things I needed to keep track of, there was no way I could lose a fish, let alone 2. I've lost fresh water fish before but they showed signs for a few days first. In this case it was hours after they were swimming around and eating.
I got an anemone but I was under the impression clowns were immune to them.
After talking in depth to a Freind about every single detail about my tank we discovered that this "cool new growth" that was on one of my rocks was aptasia (the devils sunflower)
one of two things I believe happened.
1. The clowns tried to host the anemone (candy) and due to their size, they may have gotten poisoned.
2. The clowns got hit by the aptasia.
Then, because I needed a disaster to get my mind off the clowns, I started learning how much aptasia sucks. I read horror story after horror story about how this stuff has taken over tanks and done major $$$ worth of damage. Being an extreme optimist I thought, hey I don't have much in the tank so starting over now would not be that bad. Plus I'd rather have many problems and learn from them now then later when I've got a grand in the tank.
So the one rock was the only one I saw that had the saltwater cancer. I set up a 10 gal QT and put the aptasia rock in it. Two days later....
Huh? I didn't remember buying worms, where did they come from? After a 2 visit with the iPad I found out that they were bristle worms, but not fire worms. And that if I touch them they will eject their spines in me. I read about 50 stories on bristle worms and it seemed like everyone has their own opinion on the usefulness and dreadfulness of these ugly things. I decided to get rid of them after the story of a guy starting to lose fish and then one day sees a 6 inch monster in his tank.
Since it is 1:15 am here I will continue the saga at another time.
Well, then a few days later they both died. This was frustrating because I spent weeks babying this new tank and tested the water two times a day. I felt that researching saltwater aquariums in depth for 6 months and studying all the things I needed to keep track of, there was no way I could lose a fish, let alone 2. I've lost fresh water fish before but they showed signs for a few days first. In this case it was hours after they were swimming around and eating.
I got an anemone but I was under the impression clowns were immune to them.
After talking in depth to a Freind about every single detail about my tank we discovered that this "cool new growth" that was on one of my rocks was aptasia (the devils sunflower)
one of two things I believe happened.
1. The clowns tried to host the anemone (candy) and due to their size, they may have gotten poisoned.
2. The clowns got hit by the aptasia.
Then, because I needed a disaster to get my mind off the clowns, I started learning how much aptasia sucks. I read horror story after horror story about how this stuff has taken over tanks and done major $$$ worth of damage. Being an extreme optimist I thought, hey I don't have much in the tank so starting over now would not be that bad. Plus I'd rather have many problems and learn from them now then later when I've got a grand in the tank.
So the one rock was the only one I saw that had the saltwater cancer. I set up a 10 gal QT and put the aptasia rock in it. Two days later....
Huh? I didn't remember buying worms, where did they come from? After a 2 visit with the iPad I found out that they were bristle worms, but not fire worms. And that if I touch them they will eject their spines in me. I read about 50 stories on bristle worms and it seemed like everyone has their own opinion on the usefulness and dreadfulness of these ugly things. I decided to get rid of them after the story of a guy starting to lose fish and then one day sees a 6 inch monster in his tank.
Since it is 1:15 am here I will continue the saga at another time.
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GatorBen
Community Member
Long story short, I lost the aptasia and bristle worm battle and bleached the rock.
I met a guy locally that was just trimming some things from his tank and selling the tank propagated frags for very reasonable prices.
Which much research and adding a little at a time I have added the following animals and coral to my tank.
3 blue green chromis
1 diamond goby
1 six line wrasse
2 skunk cleaner shrimp
5 peppermint shrimp
1 emerald crab
2 cleaner clams
Candy anemone
Plate coral
Xenia
Star polyp
Orangish pale colt
Purplish pale colt
A zoo colony
Multiple snails and crabs
I met a guy locally that was just trimming some things from his tank and selling the tank propagated frags for very reasonable prices.
Which much research and adding a little at a time I have added the following animals and coral to my tank.
3 blue green chromis
1 diamond goby
1 six line wrasse
2 skunk cleaner shrimp
5 peppermint shrimp
1 emerald crab
2 cleaner clams
Candy anemone
Plate coral
Xenia
Star polyp
Orangish pale colt
Purplish pale colt
A zoo colony
Multiple snails and crabs
Attachments
Electrobes
Valuable Member
Hi Ben,
The Candy Anemone is actually called a Condylactis (Condy for short). This is one of the few anemones that reefers really shouldn't have as they often mistake it as a great clownfish home... it usually is not. It tends to eat/kill them. They will host in things like a Hammer Coral.. mine currently are hosting in a large frogspawn (A close relative of Hammers).
The Candy Anemone is actually called a Condylactis (Condy for short). This is one of the few anemones that reefers really shouldn't have as they often mistake it as a great clownfish home... it usually is not. It tends to eat/kill them. They will host in things like a Hammer Coral.. mine currently are hosting in a large frogspawn (A close relative of Hammers).
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GatorBen
Community Member
Thanks E,
that may explain what happened to my clowns. The condy looked like it was dead one day then the next it was bigger than ever. I have a tank with a lionfish, starfish, and sally lightfoot, shoud i put the condy in there to eliminate any problems in the reef tank?
that may explain what happened to my clowns. The condy looked like it was dead one day then the next it was bigger than ever. I have a tank with a lionfish, starfish, and sally lightfoot, shoud i put the condy in there to eliminate any problems in the reef tank?
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GatorBen
Community Member
I'm back after a few days of crazyness. I also added (they are in the pics above) two rock anenomes. One is green and the other is white. I was cruising through craigslist and found a guy selling liverock for $3 a lb. Since he lives a few miles away I figured this would be better than paying shipping and curing the rock. Come to find out it's a guy who I hung out with in highschool and he just closed his shop due to management problems. So after talking to him for a couple of hours, he informed me that I needed more live rock so that as I add coral and they grow I'm not redoing the reef. Plus I don't think coraline will grow on lavarock. If anyone knows for sure let me know. So I got about 70lb of liverock to add to the other that I have. My theory is to place the lavarock an some of the dryrock (if that is the term for it) on the bottom and inside of the reef. Then place the better looking coraline infected rocks on the top and front. So I will still have a great deal of biological filtration but it will look alot more like I want it to. So it appears that I will have a long night ahead of me as I remove all the coral and rearange the reef. Hopefully I will be alot closer to my intended look after tonight. I will post pictures for all who are intrested.
I also added my yellow tang from my other tank a couple of days ago. Hopefully this tank rearange will alow all the fish to have more reef to claim for their own and help everyone get situated at the same time.
I also added my yellow tang from my other tank a couple of days ago. Hopefully this tank rearange will alow all the fish to have more reef to claim for their own and help everyone get situated at the same time.
spsboss
unregistered
Good Luck with the re modeling, that is the one part I love the most about the tank is re doing the rock work.
Just keep in mind that when placing the rocks you will need to have shelf for coral that require high light as opposed to coral that require low light. So pick some of the coral you have a idea about and want in your tank and then from there you can make the rock work.
Just keep in mind that when placing the rocks you will need to have shelf for coral that require high light as opposed to coral that require low light. So pick some of the coral you have a idea about and want in your tank and then from there you can make the rock work.
skinz78
10K Club member
Looking good so far. One suggestion that I have is to remove all of the lava rock. Lava rock is a melted together mish mash of who know's what and can cause a lot of harm to a reef tank over time. Do a search on it and I'm sure you'll find some horror stories.
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GatorBen
Community Member
I just got a 28 gal nano cube I traded for on Craigslist. He let it go very cheap because of an aptasia and manjo prob. Is has a hippo tang and a clown in it.
I may seem like an idiot for taking this on but I feel the fish have a much better chance with me. Plus these are both fish I was going to add to my 75gal in the near future. My theory is that I will first finish my 75gal reef rebuild, then add the tang and clown so that all fish can have an equal playing field when staking out territory. I will leave one end of the reef incomplete because after the aptasia is eradicated, I would like to add a couple of the very well seasoned rocks from the cube.
Since I have some time on my hands I figure this could be a great way to learn a great deal about aptasia removal and get the fish I was going to get anyway, and hopefully add a few very seasoned rocks to my reef.
I currently have 3 of the infested rocks in a 5gal bucket with a power head and no light.
And this 10 gal treatment tank.
This rock had about 15 quarter sized aptasia and about 12 dime sized manjos. I'm using aptasiaX and am about to try lemon juice to see if it works instead of getting more aptasiaX.
I've already treated the 2 in the bucket and there seem to be no sign of anything big left. My theory is to get rid of all the big ones and then put the treated rock in a 20 gal with a few peppermint shrimp. If they keep in gone for a few weeks then I'll ad it to my 75 gal, where I have more peppermints.
Also there are a bunch of bristle worms in these rocks. I thought about adding something to thin these out before I add them to the 75 gal. I think arrow crabs are ugly and I have a six line in the 75g. Anything out there small and peaceful for bristles?
??Anybody have any opinions or helpful info on any of that so far?
I'm trying to be as detailed as possible without writing a novel so let me know if my rumblings don't make it clear.
Since this is my 75 gal thread I'll try to not go too much into the 28g, only as it pertains to the 75.
I'll start a new post later for the 28g.
So I set up the 28g Just like the guy had it except I left 3 rocks out for treatment. I took all the water etc.
??if I use the 28g as a quarantine tank and make sure the fish are well, then transport them to the 75g, is there a chance I'll get aptasia going in my 75?
I think I may already have some from before. I'll post picks when the lights come on.
I may seem like an idiot for taking this on but I feel the fish have a much better chance with me. Plus these are both fish I was going to add to my 75gal in the near future. My theory is that I will first finish my 75gal reef rebuild, then add the tang and clown so that all fish can have an equal playing field when staking out territory. I will leave one end of the reef incomplete because after the aptasia is eradicated, I would like to add a couple of the very well seasoned rocks from the cube.
Since I have some time on my hands I figure this could be a great way to learn a great deal about aptasia removal and get the fish I was going to get anyway, and hopefully add a few very seasoned rocks to my reef.
I currently have 3 of the infested rocks in a 5gal bucket with a power head and no light.
And this 10 gal treatment tank.
This rock had about 15 quarter sized aptasia and about 12 dime sized manjos. I'm using aptasiaX and am about to try lemon juice to see if it works instead of getting more aptasiaX.
I've already treated the 2 in the bucket and there seem to be no sign of anything big left. My theory is to get rid of all the big ones and then put the treated rock in a 20 gal with a few peppermint shrimp. If they keep in gone for a few weeks then I'll ad it to my 75 gal, where I have more peppermints.
Also there are a bunch of bristle worms in these rocks. I thought about adding something to thin these out before I add them to the 75 gal. I think arrow crabs are ugly and I have a six line in the 75g. Anything out there small and peaceful for bristles?
??Anybody have any opinions or helpful info on any of that so far?
I'm trying to be as detailed as possible without writing a novel so let me know if my rumblings don't make it clear.
Since this is my 75 gal thread I'll try to not go too much into the 28g, only as it pertains to the 75.
I'll start a new post later for the 28g.
So I set up the 28g Just like the guy had it except I left 3 rocks out for treatment. I took all the water etc.
??if I use the 28g as a quarantine tank and make sure the fish are well, then transport them to the 75g, is there a chance I'll get aptasia going in my 75?
I think I may already have some from before. I'll post picks when the lights come on.
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GatorBen
Community Member
I have something growing next to a plate coral in my tank. It looks like a zoo but it has green and red tints to it and has bubble looking things on the tips go the edges. It looks Locke manjo but colorful. I'd take a pic but my camera won't get a good enough shot to see it. Any ideas?
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GatorBen
Community Member
I think the thing growing next to my plate coral is a type of manjo. Apparently there are a few types that are pretty colorful. But I lemon juiced it.
Well I spent several hours removing all coral, rearranging and adding new rock, then adding the new fish.
This is the new arrangement. You can't see much because all I have is frags. If you go back to my first pics, you'll have to agree that this lives up to the name reef tank better than that sad pile of rocks I started with.
I tried to leave some room for additional rock and coral without giving the appearance of an incomplete structure. It looks very unstable but I did many structural things to maximize stability. As long as it is turbo snail proof I should be good.
These are the new additions. Maybe it's just me being new but I just can't picture a reef tank without a clown, hippo tang, and yellow tang.
Well I spent several hours removing all coral, rearranging and adding new rock, then adding the new fish.
This is the new arrangement. You can't see much because all I have is frags. If you go back to my first pics, you'll have to agree that this lives up to the name reef tank better than that sad pile of rocks I started with.
I tried to leave some room for additional rock and coral without giving the appearance of an incomplete structure. It looks very unstable but I did many structural things to maximize stability. As long as it is turbo snail proof I should be good.
These are the new additions. Maybe it's just me being new but I just can't picture a reef tank without a clown, hippo tang, and yellow tang.
OP
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GatorBen
Community Member
I've got a question for the long timers,
I have a Tidepool II bio-wheel wet dry sump pictured below.
I am new to SW but I assumed this was a good set up. I got it used. I have a mechanical poly filter on the top drawer, the second drawer is packed with bio balls, and the third drawer has a carbon pillow in it. The wheel is in it and it has been running for a few months. I change the mechanical and carbon out when they are dirty.
I read that the wheel can be a nitrate factory. The water looks good and the only thing is that I have to clean the green dust algae off my glass every day or two.
Any suggestions? Changes?
I have a Tidepool II bio-wheel wet dry sump pictured below.
I am new to SW but I assumed this was a good set up. I got it used. I have a mechanical poly filter on the top drawer, the second drawer is packed with bio balls, and the third drawer has a carbon pillow in it. The wheel is in it and it has been running for a few months. I change the mechanical and carbon out when they are dirty.
I read that the wheel can be a nitrate factory. The water looks good and the only thing is that I have to clean the green dust algae off my glass every day or two.
Any suggestions? Changes?
spsboss
unregistered
I would slowely get rid of the bio balls and then the wheel, I would add filter floss in the first tray, then carbon in the second and then gfo in the third.
Since you will not have the weel u can add live rock and make a fuge in that area and then in the main return area just have the pump like you do now and a bigger skimmer in there and you are set.
Since you will not have the weel u can add live rock and make a fuge in that area and then in the main return area just have the pump like you do now and a bigger skimmer in there and you are set.
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GatorBen
Community Member
Thanks SPS I've been wondering how to make a fuge but I don't have much room. I will do just that. How long should I take to remove the bio balls and wheel? I have a coralline super skimmer 65, is that good for a skimmer or should I go bigger?
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GatorBen
Community Member
I've removed the bio wheel and put in a few pounds of live rock rubble on the divided side where the wheel was. I also turned my pump off for a couple of hours and poured a bag of copepods in that area.
I need advice on if 950GPH is too much for the "refugium" to produce copepods?
From my fluid dynamics training I would say that there is at least a third of the area that is reasonably calm due to the water flow. Would it help if I put in some baffles?
I need advice on if 950GPH is too much for the "refugium" to produce copepods?
From my fluid dynamics training I would say that there is at least a third of the area that is reasonably calm due to the water flow. Would it help if I put in some baffles?
