I’m bored with my tank

Back where it all began

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 6, 2019
Messages
404
Reaction score
269
Location
White Plains, new york
What state or country do you live in
New York
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi, I have a 75 gallon mixed reef with 120lbs live rock from Tampa Bay and various softies, Duncan’s, leathers, etc.
my fish are one spot foxface, boxfish, Valentini puffer, Kole tang, cowfish, royal gramma.
I have various CUC and all is going fine. 2 urchins, conch, etc.
My parameters are a bit high
Nitrate 15
Phosphate 0.08
Salinity 1.026
Mag 1300
Ca 480
Alk 8.4
The question is, what can I add to “spice up” the tank? Invertebrates, etc.
I’m at a bit of a loss.
 
Do you have a sump or fuge? When I get bored I buy a fuge monster. Something that can't be in my reef. First was a green brittle star in my skimmer section. Then a marine giant hermit in return section (will need moved when it grows), and last I just picked up a wartskin angler for the fuge!
 
Do you have a sump or fuge? When I get bored I buy a fuge monster. Something that can't be in my reef. First was a green brittle star in my skimmer section. Then a marine giant hermit in return section (will need moved when it grows), and last I just picked up a wartskin angler for the fuge!
Why can’t you have a brittle star in your reef tank? I’ve had one in my tank going on 18 years now
 
If you are truly bored... Could overhaul livestock and swap out for new fish... Seems crazy to most but if you are truly bored maybe its the stock..

Or re scape the whole system!
Good idea! I did this once. Got rid of all my reef fish and got an eel, lionfish, and later on a puffer. It was a nice change but after a few yrs I switched back. Not enough movement imo
 
I would reaquascape into a ‘pillars and arches’ style. I think it adds a lot more flow. Basically, you build pillars that are different heights/widths and add arches between them. Watching the fish flash in and out is really fun!

Angelfish will always keep you interested! All of the centropyge (dwarf/Pygmy) angels will be happy in a tank that size. A mandarin would probably be happy in there as well, a tank of that size and maturity could probably sustain one with very little assistance. Blue line pipefish are gorgeous but specialized eaters. Since you have the cow/box fish already I think it’d be fine though.

Start a zoa garden! Always something to do with a nice zoa garden! Add in some rock flowers to break up the zoas here and there, maybe even a pebble of Xenia for movement!

Get more inverts! Fire shrimp are my favorite because I have trained them to be very sociable with me, swimming across the tank to ride on my arm, begging me for food, etc. Plus they’re beautiful and will give your fish an occasional cleaning. Have you checked out reef lobsters? Very cool critters!

If your corals are boring, add movement. Euphyllia and anemones are great choices to create some sway in your tank! A cramped hammer garden is always a knockout when visitors come and look at your tank! A gorgeous RBTA (or whatever color suits you) with a couple clowns is always a winner.

Starting a refugium is always good. It helps your tank and it gives you a nano tank! Like kenny90 already said, you can put some really cool species only in there! A mantis fuge, angel let, frogfish, sexy shrimp squad, pom pom crabs, basically anything too small/specialized for the main tank.

I hope this helps! I get it. Every now and then we need to shake things up and now is the time to do it! Go through and frag/sell outright any coral you’re bored of and put the funds back into buying new livestock for the tank. Participate in a live sale (AquaSD and POTO have great sales coming up!), order something off divers den, or just drive around all your LFS till you find something that speaks to you!
 
Thanks to everyone who answered my question. Each of you have a point or two I'm going to use. I had rescaped all of my rock etc.
So the idea of adding some interesting inverts, zoas, and a display fuge are top of the list. Also stars sound cool as well.
I'll snap some photos when I get home from work.
Again, thank-you.
 
Sounds like a perfect time to upgrade to a super predator tank. ;Mask
 
After thought, j went with a couple of fire shrimp, an anemome, a red serpent starfish, a brown banded serpent, a fighting conch and a couple of large blue legs.
Not horrible original, but everyone gets along and things are settling in.
The one fish I really wanted was a harlequin tusk. But too expensive and would outgrow the tank.
 
Be sure to feed those starfish every once in a while!
 
Just grab some raw clams, shrimp, scallops, mussels, something like that and feed them a small piece. Mine get fed once a week, or maybe a little less often
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
Back
Top