135G CUBE in progress!
- Thread starter i2ik
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i2ik
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6858123#post6858123 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jacmyoung
Great tank Richard, and an expensive looking one, especially with a "student budget"
I had a few questions when you have time:
1) Why do you need so much flow in the tank if it is a FOWLR? Do butterflies do better under high flow?
2) How have you decided to have many butterflies in the tank as the main attraction?
3) How do you plan to keep a clown tang, I heard they are very difficult?
My tank had a major crash of unknown reason, now it is re-established, I am looking into butterflies as well. I'd love to know how yours doing and what you feed them, and what other tankmates you plan to add later.
Flow is something i find out very important since i dont want any detritus getting on the bottom and for the fishes to swim, i guess its better to have lots of flow. For my choice of pump, i find out that the Dart would be an economic choice with only 160W and the OM will improve a lot the flow. Its "almost" like having 4 tunze pushing at 1500GPH each time the valve open. I would also like to dry to keep 3-4 SPS and see if its ok with the butterflies and angels.
I think the main attraction is yet to come when i will be getting an angel. I recently got been looking a lot about butterflies and angels which are more rare to see in an home aquarium since most of the people i am seeing are having reef. Butterflies are very special fishes, especially if you have a couple. They will hang around all the time together and seem very peaceful as a fish. Relaxing to watch them, perfect to watch them on a study break
The biggest problem with the clown tang are that they are very agressif! They can be a real killer and thats my biggest fear. For now, i will be seeing what i will be keeping in this tank since its going to be very hard to not overload this tank... so much fishes that i want, not enough space so i will deal with it somehow...
You are right, being a student is hard to keep up in saltwater, especially in this forum when looking at people having 300G and up! But on the other hand, you need to know that i havent been buying new clothes since almost a year
. I dont have a car like most of my friends would have, i guess its only a question of how addicted we can get in this hobby and at this point, i am very deep to get out haha! For now, i guess i will be chilling and appreciate my tanks, hopefully after university is done, i will be able to get a MUCH bigger tank! 
AngelReefer
In Memoriam
very nice
i2ik
New member
wow its nice hearing people that appreciate my tank
I will be trying this week or the other some SPS and see how my butterflies react and if everything goes fine, i might have a few (3-4) SPS but they will have all the space to get mature/show piece.
I am not thinking about having a CA reactor and all that, but if i will have to, i might end up with a Schuran Pico or the Jetstream 1
I will take some pictures of my new butterflies tomorrow: 2 small Golden butterfly.
I will be trying this week or the other some SPS and see how my butterflies react and if everything goes fine, i might have a few (3-4) SPS but they will have all the space to get mature/show piece.
I am not thinking about having a CA reactor and all that, but if i will have to, i might end up with a Schuran Pico or the Jetstream 1
I will take some pictures of my new butterflies tomorrow: 2 small Golden butterfly.
Richard, is there a reason why you plan to have butterfly fish pairs not 3 or more of each variety? Will they do fine in a tank with much less flow?
If eventually tangs and triggers are added, will they out-compete the butterflies for food? I wonder if it is possible to have butterflies of varying specimen in a species tank, no other fish, but haven't found anyone who does that.
I do understand that since reef tanks can not have butterflies, and fish-only tanks tend to have aggresive fishes. I wish you all the success cuz I think butterflies are a joy to have.
If eventually tangs and triggers are added, will they out-compete the butterflies for food? I wonder if it is possible to have butterflies of varying specimen in a species tank, no other fish, but haven't found anyone who does that.
I do understand that since reef tanks can not have butterflies, and fish-only tanks tend to have aggresive fishes. I wish you all the success cuz I think butterflies are a joy to have.
tang_man_montreal
New member
I think the reasoning is because some butterflies, like Golden butterflies (chaetodon semilarvatus) mate for life and a such, "school" together constantly.
IMO, this is even more beautiful than having several different species intermixed together.
Rich, I've told you before, and I'll tell you again. I bow to your efforts. You have a truly magnificent set up that many of us can only dream about.
IMO, this is even more beautiful than having several different species intermixed together.
Rich, I've told you before, and I'll tell you again. I bow to your efforts. You have a truly magnificent set up that many of us can only dream about.
i2ik
New member
Thank you Vince, i gotta tell you that without you, i would not understand that much this hobby. From the start of my reef tank, i learn a lot from your setup and as you can see, my setup is looking a lot like yours lol Thanks for sharing me some of your knowledge and helping me out when i need it!
Talking of semilarvatus, here you go
My new tankmates
They are all 4 swimming together which is very nice to look at I always wanted those butterfly which are my favorite so far 
Thanks for sharing me some of your knowledge and helping me out when i need it!Talking of semilarvatus, here you go
My new tankmates
They are all 4 swimming together which is very nice to look at
I always wanted those butterfly which are my favorite so far
tang_man_montreal
New member
Lookin good!
i2ik
New member
Actually i cant tell what sexe they are. I think its only a matter of luck. If its not a couple, i guess they will be best buddies 
Butterflies are not very an agressif species compare to tang but for sure the different color help even if they have the same shape. Butterflies can get along pretty well in a tank if the space is there.
As for the butterflies, i guess thats all i will have for this tank, maybe ad an burgees butterflies or a mitratus butterfly if i can find one at a decent price.
Other than that, i will be jumping on my next species of fish which will be the angel. I am considering getting a bigger angel along with some small one like a flame angel to add color or a multicolor angel with some other small one like that. Thinking about 2-3 small one and 1 bigger.
Butterflies are not very an agressif species compare to tang but for sure the different color help even if they have the same shape. Butterflies can get along pretty well in a tank if the space is there.
As for the butterflies, i guess thats all i will have for this tank, maybe ad an burgees butterflies or a mitratus butterfly if i can find one at a decent price.
Other than that, i will be jumping on my next species of fish which will be the angel. I am considering getting a bigger angel along with some small one like a flame angel to add color or a multicolor angel with some other small one like that. Thinking about 2-3 small one and 1 bigger.
OceanNwisconsin
New member
can i get some more info on the faux sand bed.. im planning on my 210 FOWLR having a faux tahitian moon sand bed. and can i also get some more info on how you get and maintain your aquascaping? do you use epoxy or what? tell me all your secrets!
tank looks awesome!
tank looks awesome!
i2ik
New member
Thank you all
The fake sand bed was very easy to do. I used an epoxy called Envirotex Lite 32 oz that can cover 3'x3'. I applied it on the starboard using a flat tool to make it even everywhere. Put a lot of sand right after it and wait for 2 days. After that, i would take all the extra sand and make sure that the starboard was not having some blank spot without sand, if so, i would put back the epoxy and the sand for 1-2 more days.
For the aquascape, no secret was involve. I just put the big rocks on the bottom and the smaller over the top. Then i would carefully play with all the possibilities of the rocks before adding to it. Oh yeah, before that, i had to make some idea out on paper so i could have a picture of what i want it to do. Some people tend to just do whatever comes up on the spot which can sometimes work, but i prefer to get an idea what i will be working on for 3-4 hours. I would prefer to make it once and never touch it back, and with my actual aquascape, i am pretty satisfied. When i finished it, i show it to one of my friend for his opinion as i know that he got the eyes for suggestions. So i made some small changed and thats the way it looks now.
Angels... dwarf angels, i am planning on adding maybe 2-3 of them at the same time so that way, i will have less agression between them... (i hope) but i am aware that agression can come up later on after that. As for now, i am looking for a multicolor angel as we dont see them often here and are pretty special, a flame angel for its color, and maybe another one which i am very open for suggestions
Oh yeah, here's a picture of the epoxy's box:
The fake sand bed was very easy to do. I used an epoxy called Envirotex Lite 32 oz that can cover 3'x3'. I applied it on the starboard using a flat tool to make it even everywhere. Put a lot of sand right after it and wait for 2 days. After that, i would take all the extra sand and make sure that the starboard was not having some blank spot without sand, if so, i would put back the epoxy and the sand for 1-2 more days.
For the aquascape, no secret was involve. I just put the big rocks on the bottom and the smaller over the top. Then i would carefully play with all the possibilities of the rocks before adding to it. Oh yeah, before that, i had to make some idea out on paper so i could have a picture of what i want it to do. Some people tend to just do whatever comes up on the spot which can sometimes work, but i prefer to get an idea what i will be working on for 3-4 hours. I would prefer to make it once and never touch it back, and with my actual aquascape, i am pretty satisfied. When i finished it, i show it to one of my friend for his opinion as i know that he got the eyes for suggestions. So i made some small changed and thats the way it looks now.
Angels... dwarf angels, i am planning on adding maybe 2-3 of them at the same time so that way, i will have less agression between them... (i hope) but i am aware that agression can come up later on after that. As for now, i am looking for a multicolor angel as we dont see them often here and are pretty special, a flame angel for its color, and maybe another one which i am very open for suggestions
Oh yeah, here's a picture of the epoxy's box:
OceanNwisconsin
New member
thanks! that helps alot!
one more ? for you
did you "cure" the sand bed in FW at all before putting it in the tank with your fish?
one more ? for you
did you "cure" the sand bed in FW at all before putting it in the tank with your fish?
i2ik
New member
The sand was not live in any way, i did not rince it, the water got cloudy for about 2-3 hours but thats it.
I took about 150 gallons from my reef tank over 3 weeks doing some water change of 30G each time to fill up the cube
The cycle was minimum, and i waited a month before putting in my first fishes
I took about 150 gallons from my reef tank over 3 weeks doing some water change of 30G each time to fill up the cube
The cycle was minimum, and i waited a month before putting in my first fishes
