How big is the tank? With the dragonete I wouldn't expect the guy to eat white worms.. you seem to have experience culturing small creatures and that is exactly what I think you will need to do with copepods to keep that fish happy. It's pretty easy to do tho. I have a 100g tank and still culture copepods as I just like having that piece of mind that he will never run out of food. Getting a captive bred one from biota would raise your chances of success with a dragonete though pods will still be his primary source of food.
Poor Mans 29 gallon Reef
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Great scape !
My better half thinks i have a budget tank as well.....
My better half thinks i have a budget tank as well.....
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Rugops
Well-Known Member
That tank itself is 29 gallons. I have noe experience culturing pods but at least I wont be stocking it much. 2 clowns, a stacki damsel and maybe a fork tail blenny or royal gramma and the dragonette.
I know one person who has been successful and I just thought I would take a chance. I am culturing them as we speak.
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Rugops
Well-Known Member
Heyo!
So today I moved my white worm culture into a larger bin (a 2.5 gallon plastic tank I had lying around). I put a little more water than I wanted though but they should be ok. Lota of tiny worms and spring tails. A good sign!
So today I moved my white worm culture into a larger bin (a 2.5 gallon plastic tank I had lying around). I put a little more water than I wanted though but they should be ok. Lota of tiny worms and spring tails. A good sign!
Gumbies R Us
Certified Noob
Great looking aquascape!!Hey guys,
So far I added the sand for like two days ago (3/9/23) and I have been adding a brine shrimp cube to feed the bacteria I added (microbe-lift special blend water care). The ammonia is like ~0.25 atm (salifert). The pump is to filter the sediment that won't settle and it has done really well. I am running the skimmer too.
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Rugops
Well-Known Member
Hey guys! So after 3 weeks, my parameters have balanced out. Here are the parameters based on the salifert tests.
1.025 salinity (specific gravity)
0.03 ppm PO4
0.0 NH3
10.3 ppm KH/Alk
350 Ca
450 Mg (need increase for a reef tank)
8.2 pH
30 ppm NO3
I will be running a FOWLR tank for the time being. I will be adding pods and chaeto to the tank though.
I will be discussing how I am using my pumps. It is primitive but I had them lying around.
1.025 salinity (specific gravity)
0.03 ppm PO4
0.0 NH3
10.3 ppm KH/Alk
350 Ca
450 Mg (need increase for a reef tank)
8.2 pH
30 ppm NO3
I will be running a FOWLR tank for the time being. I will be adding pods and chaeto to the tank though.
I will be discussing how I am using my pumps. It is primitive but I had them lying around.
OP
OP
Rugops
Well-Known Member
I have just started keeping tabs on my parameters. Its pretty decent. I haven't done any water changes and their ok.
On the other hand, I made a thread (check out "Are these parameters ok for a FOWLR tank" or something like that in my profile) and we figured out that the Mg was super low. It wasn't a user error and rather that the IO bucket which I am using is really old probably. The design is not like the newer one andI will get a quick pic tomorrow.
I have been dosing 150 mL of Mg a day. Some say that is quite high - well it seems my pods (Tigriopus californicus) which I got from Woody's Seahorse and Supply in Portland, OR - have not reacted in any adverse way so I have been able to raise the Mg from 450 to 850 and I have to get another bottle of it *why don't you just get reef crystals dumb dumb*.
Now I have to raise the Ca. Its ok where its at but I would like to just have it higher just because I don't want to have to dose it slowly when my corals come in.
Torch corals:
So, like I just said, I am looking for corals now. I am trying to start up Euphyllia garden but torches are pretty dang expensive. Like there are tiny 1" frag for ludicrious prices.
I have resorted to going to Petco. I saw a pretty big frag of one at one the ones I have and I was thinking about it but I am going to wait. I think I have like 3 petcos, 3 petsmarts and a little mall pet shop that does saltwater fish and live rock but no coral.
I would prefer to get them from hobbyists than stores though. Someone offered to sell my a NY Knicks for $80 and he sells them big too.
I have looked at the Ebay auctions but they aren't any better to be honest.
For anyone near Vancouver, if you are willing to ship to me in WA or OR, let me know.
On the other hand, I made a thread (check out "Are these parameters ok for a FOWLR tank" or something like that in my profile) and we figured out that the Mg was super low. It wasn't a user error and rather that the IO bucket which I am using is really old probably. The design is not like the newer one andI will get a quick pic tomorrow.
I have been dosing 150 mL of Mg a day. Some say that is quite high - well it seems my pods (Tigriopus californicus) which I got from Woody's Seahorse and Supply in Portland, OR - have not reacted in any adverse way so I have been able to raise the Mg from 450 to 850 and I have to get another bottle of it *
Now I have to raise the Ca. Its ok where its at but I would like to just have it higher just because I don't want to have to dose it slowly when my corals come in.
Torch corals:
So, like I just said, I am looking for corals now. I am trying to start up Euphyllia garden but torches are pretty dang expensive. Like there are tiny 1" frag for ludicrious prices.
I have resorted to going to Petco. I saw a pretty big frag of one at one the ones I have and I was thinking about it but I am going to wait. I think I have like 3 petcos, 3 petsmarts and a little mall pet shop that does saltwater fish and live rock but no coral.
I would prefer to get them from hobbyists than stores though. Someone offered to sell my a NY Knicks for $80 and he sells them big too.
I have looked at the Ebay auctions but they aren't any better to be honest.
For anyone near Vancouver, if you are willing to ship to me in WA or OR, let me know.
OP
OP
Rugops
Well-Known Member
Oh my goodness.
It has been quite a while since I updated this thread. Here we go:
Look at the progress!
I got rid of the cyano and the hair algae! I think I had my Mg at 1600+. Maybe that helped. I dunno
Before:
Now:
I turned up the whites so you could see if better. You would be surprised that a lot of these corals I got from hobbyists (for free).
I also got new fish and inverts as you can see.
Listed from their current ranking on the totem pole:
- Coral Beauty (the chronic coral and urchin nipper)
- 2 Clowns (thanks to the female)
- Ocellate Damsel (afraid of the coral beauty lol)
- Halloween Urchin
- 3 Trochus Snails
- Fighting Conch (in my sump)
- Striped Blenny (who I am currently healing up after the damsel nipped its tail).
I did have a six line wrasse but the damsel made it jump.
Corals are all happy so far.
I don't know if yall remember that nem I have but it was part of the initial stabilizing period of the tank.
Before: April 20th 2023
Now: Thank the princess for the photobomb
Its not bad. Mouth is closed and extends from time to time but usually small. The only causes could be the problem is flow or white worms that I fed it.
Really, that is it. Other than snails knocking zoas of the rock and my tiny aiptasia(s) problem. It is only growing.
I can't think of anything to add so if you want me to add anything, let me know.
It has been quite a while since I updated this thread. Here we go:
Look at the progress!
I got rid of the cyano and the hair algae! I think I had my Mg at 1600+. Maybe that helped. I dunno
Before:
Now:
I turned up the whites so you could see if better. You would be surprised that a lot of these corals I got from hobbyists (for free).
I also got new fish and inverts as you can see.
Listed from their current ranking on the totem pole:
- Coral Beauty (the chronic coral and urchin nipper)
- 2 Clowns (thanks to the female)
- Ocellate Damsel (afraid of the coral beauty lol)
- Halloween Urchin
- 3 Trochus Snails
- Fighting Conch (in my sump)
- Striped Blenny (who I am currently healing up after the damsel nipped its tail).
I did have a six line wrasse but the damsel made it jump.
Corals are all happy so far.
I don't know if yall remember that nem I have but it was part of the initial stabilizing period of the tank.
Before: April 20th 2023
Now: Thank the princess for the photobomb
Its not bad. Mouth is closed and extends from time to time but usually small. The only causes could be the problem is flow or white worms that I fed it.
Really, that is it. Other than snails knocking zoas of the rock and my tiny aiptasia(s) problem. It is only growing.
I can't think of anything to add so if you want me to add anything, let me know.
OP
OP
Rugops
Well-Known Member
Aww hes cute. I miss mine and the first thing I am going to do after I graduate is look for him, Does he bite everyone?We have an Amazon yellow nape. They are very clever birds.
His name is Taco.
and he bites! Yes, he bit that paper.
Acros
Valuable Member
Everyone, but my partner. It is weird how soft/caring the bird is with her. He has drawn blood from pretty much everyone else in the family. lol
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Rugops
Well-Known Member
It is weird. He left a pretty awful scar on my forearm after he got spooked by a passing car. He's drawn blood from my dad as he was jealous with my mom and whenever she came close, he would bite him.
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Rugops
Well-Known Member
Hey Reefers!
It has been a long while hasn't it. With school and everything else, I get a little caught up but I have finally decided to take the time and update you all!
My BTA did not make it unfortunately:
Considering it was in a sump for a long while with white light, maybe that was the cause.
BUT, I did end up getting a small Black Widow for $40 which doing better and getting big real quick:
I forgot to mention the growth of my tank, take a look!
Here it is! Gorgeous for such a small tank!
I also have started collecting torch corals. The dragon soul has already split one head which had three (the one on the left), I got it maybe 1 1/2 or 2 months ago!
So I have currently:
- Dragon Soul (4 heads)
- Purple base, green tipped with a green sheen (1 head)
- Green torch with white tip (12 heads)
- "NY Knicks" which is the tiny one
ANDDDDD:
A Dark Purple Base with Green Center with an orange sheen (aka the Malaysian Miami Torch)
I have more stuff to show but I am doing this in class (before it starts at least).
It has been a long while hasn't it. With school and everything else, I get a little caught up but I have finally decided to take the time and update you all!
My BTA did not make it unfortunately:
Considering it was in a sump for a long while with white light, maybe that was the cause.
BUT, I did end up getting a small Black Widow for $40 which doing better and getting big real quick:
I forgot to mention the growth of my tank, take a look!
Here it is! Gorgeous for such a small tank!
I also have started collecting torch corals. The dragon soul has already split one head which had three (the one on the left), I got it maybe 1 1/2 or 2 months ago!
So I have currently:
- Dragon Soul (4 heads)
- Purple base, green tipped with a green sheen (1 head)
- Green torch with white tip (12 heads)
- "NY Knicks" which is the tiny one
ANDDDDD:
A Dark Purple Base with Green Center with an orange sheen (aka the Malaysian Miami Torch)
I have more stuff to show but I am doing this in class (before it starts at least).
