40 Gallon Eel Tank
- Thread starter toruk
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cougareyes
New member
Congrats, what made you decide on a zebra, where are getting him from
Well a lot of things...
The first is I know that this tank and the tank I upgrade to will not be my last. I like zebra eels because whether I decide to get a FOWLR predator tank or a full on reef tank in the future I know the zebra eel can go in either. I don't have to setup a separate tank just for him. I know in the next 10 years I will be moving at least a couple times and I wanted an eel that would be versatile with what I could keep with it. With the zebra, I can literally keep them with anything.
I also realized that realistically that I could be waiting for the goldentail for 2week or 8months. The goldentail is not my dream eel so I really wasn't willing to wait months and months for an eel that may or may not happen. I'm not that pressed.
Lastly and probably least important I have come to really like my cleaner shrimp and I don't want them to get eaten :lmao:.
As far as where I got him from... I will tell you when he gets here. I did some real digging to find him so hopefully the vendor comes through. Took a little bit of a risk in buying him but it was worth it IMO.
Update: The cleaner wrasse came back into view! I was sure he was dead? He was laying on the sand yesterday so I let him be. Today he was swimming around but he looked like he was trying to gasp for air at the surface. I turned the powerhead to the surface hoping that was the problem. If its not I have to figure out what's wrong with him. I am just glad he is not dead. I have no idea where he has been the last like 4 days though.
Also my Aquamaxx is coming today! I am super excited for that I have heard nothing but good things about the skimmer. Do you guys think I need the aquaclear and the skimmer because I was going to take the aquaclear with the carbon and filter floss of the tank. Pics as soon as everything comes in!
The first is I know that this tank and the tank I upgrade to will not be my last. I like zebra eels because whether I decide to get a FOWLR predator tank or a full on reef tank in the future I know the zebra eel can go in either. I don't have to setup a separate tank just for him. I know in the next 10 years I will be moving at least a couple times and I wanted an eel that would be versatile with what I could keep with it. With the zebra, I can literally keep them with anything.
I also realized that realistically that I could be waiting for the goldentail for 2week or 8months. The goldentail is not my dream eel so I really wasn't willing to wait months and months for an eel that may or may not happen. I'm not that pressed.
Lastly and probably least important I have come to really like my cleaner shrimp and I don't want them to get eaten :lmao:.
As far as where I got him from... I will tell you when he gets here. I did some real digging to find him so hopefully the vendor comes through. Took a little bit of a risk in buying him but it was worth it IMO.
Update: The cleaner wrasse came back into view! I was sure he was dead? He was laying on the sand yesterday so I let him be. Today he was swimming around but he looked like he was trying to gasp for air at the surface. I turned the powerhead to the surface hoping that was the problem. If its not I have to figure out what's wrong with him. I am just glad he is not dead. I have no idea where he has been the last like 4 days though.
Also my Aquamaxx is coming today! I am super excited for that I have heard nothing but good things about the skimmer. Do you guys think I need the aquaclear and the skimmer because I was going to take the aquaclear with the carbon and filter floss of the tank. Pics as soon as everything comes in!
cougareyes
New member
I put seachem matrix biomedia in my ac, it gives me more surface area for added biological support, along with a bag of chemipure blue. I use blue because it's a smaller volume than the other chemipures and I like the phosphate control to help minimize algae. The ac also allows me a place to put a filter pad, I also like running a poly filter. I made an insert for the ac that allows me to place the filter pad in a spot that forces water through and then under and up through the matrix then the blue.
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So you think I should run both? I got to get pictures of this thing its freaking HUGE! It was a pain to put together but it works pretty damn well. Of course this is my first skimmer but it look slike it is already making foam. The foam is still real watery though. We will see. I am very happy I got this thing though.
cougareyes
New member
Running a tank with live rock and a skimmer is completely adequate. The key is to have enough rock, at the bare minimum I would suggest the 1 lb a gallon standard. You also need very good flow, so a power head at each end, I have 2 x 1200gph. You want strong flow through the rocks for filtration. And an over powered skimmer.
The ac hob is not required but if you like running chemical filtration to polish the water, minimize phosphate and further reduce organics then it gives you a place to put it. Mechanical filtration with a filter pad also polishes the water, and if you are diligent in replacing it can help maintain lower nitrates. You could also use the space to add additional biological filtration, like seachem matrix or marine pure. These products provide a huge surface area to grow beneficial bacteria. This is why I like running the ac.
The ac hob is not required but if you like running chemical filtration to polish the water, minimize phosphate and further reduce organics then it gives you a place to put it. Mechanical filtration with a filter pad also polishes the water, and if you are diligent in replacing it can help maintain lower nitrates. You could also use the space to add additional biological filtration, like seachem matrix or marine pure. These products provide a huge surface area to grow beneficial bacteria. This is why I like running the ac.
cougareyes I first want to thank you for all your help. You have been great in walking me through this process. I think longterm I would like as little equipment as possible while maintaining good water quality. I am going to keep the AC on the tank for now. Just as the skimmer breaks in. I do want to remove it long term I just don't know how necessary it is. I do need to get more water flow in this tank so I guess that is the next investment. Thankfully it seems all my major purchases are all taken care of.
I do have 40lb of live rock but I may add a little more. I don't want the tank covered in rock though I want plenty of open space. That is why I constructed the PVC hides so I would not need a ton of it. What are your ideas on adding a algae scrubber? That was the last pice of filtration I was planning to add? I also need to secure my top better then I think I will be all set.
The zebra eel will be here Thursday :bounce3:
cougareyes
New member
I'm not a big fan of algae scrubbers, the maintenance is way to much for me. If you are thinking of the Santa Monica HOG they do take up considerable internal space. I built my own knocking off the santa monica design, it worked but as I stated above the maintenance was too much for me and I didn't like seeing it in the tank.
Thanks for the feedback I was looking at the santamonica HOG. I guess I will stick with the water changes and LR and just see how that works outs and go from there. There are so many filtration options for SW it cam be overwhelming at times.
Here is a pic of what 4 days of skimming looks like. Mind you I only have 9 barely half in mollies in the tank with 2 cleaner shrimp.
Here is a pic of what 4 days of skimming looks like. Mind you I only have 9 barely half in mollies in the tank with 2 cleaner shrimp.
cougareyes
New member
It's working, yippee. You might find this article interesting. Another case in point for running carbon or alternative in your ac.
http://glassbox-design.com/2010/dissolved-organic-carbon-doc-uv-254-aquarium/
http://glassbox-design.com/2010/dissolved-organic-carbon-doc-uv-254-aquarium/
cougareyes
New member
I'm sure you can fit an adequate amount of media in that filter. Have you ever used chemipure or purigen. Just plain carbon is good also but there are different grades, I use a rox carbon/gfo combo in a couple of my other tanks. I use chemipure elite and purigen in a couple other tanks. In my eel tank I'm going to use chemipure blue. Plain chemipure is ggod also, the chempure line you only have to replace about every 3 months. Regular carbon you need to replace every 2-4 weeks.
So an lfs rescued an hawaiin dragon eel and one of the employees took him home. The guy told me his power went out and the eel died. A friend that also works there told me that eel actually got out of the tank and died. If you do use the ac, use 1/4" netting to cover the overflow.
So an lfs rescued an hawaiin dragon eel and one of the employees took him home. The guy told me his power went out and the eel died. A friend that also works there told me that eel actually got out of the tank and died. If you do use the ac, use 1/4" netting to cover the overflow.
I currently have chemi pure elite and Phosban form two little fishes. I also have some filter floss. I am going to get the netting from BRS and retrofit a lid.
Sucks about the eel that's an expensive fish to lose. I have read zebra's usually do not try to escape thier home but I want to be sure. Especially since mines will be so very small.
Sucks about the eel that's an expensive fish to lose. I have read zebra's usually do not try to escape thier home but I want to be sure. Especially since mines will be so very small.
cougareyes
New member
Excited, got a jeweled moray in the tank today. I have to say he is quite beautiful, a very underrated eel in the looks dept. Lights haven't come on yet today and he's been cruising the caverns of the rocks all day. Hopefully I can get some pics later. He's about 9" about as thick as my middle finger, he's like a purplely golden brown with bright gold dots.
From the way I've been searching I know he must have come straight from the ocean. I know what and how to feed him but any advice if I have to feed him live o get started. What would you offer him.
I thought eels were more popular and info would have been more available, but I have found alot of conflicting info and frankly wrong info. My 3 large lfs here in town have been no use.
From the way I've been searching I know he must have come straight from the ocean. I know what and how to feed him but any advice if I have to feed him live o get started. What would you offer him.
I thought eels were more popular and info would have been more available, but I have found alot of conflicting info and frankly wrong info. My 3 large lfs here in town have been no use.
Wow awesome I had considered getting a jewel! There really is not much information on anything but the most common eels and even that is limited. Kinda wish there was a Eel subforum. Post pictures when you can.I have read that it is normal for eels to go week or even months without eating at first so nothing to get alarmed about. It seems people have better luck getting thier eel to eat squid or octopus as a first meal. You could also try live ghost or costal shrimp just to get some food in him. But its going to be a waiting game.
The only place I get eel info from is here but even so it is very limited. Usually all the info comes from one or a handful of people especially with the hard to find eels. ALthough I dont think anybody here really keeps Jewels.
The only place I get eel info from is here but even so it is very limited. Usually all the info comes from one or a handful of people especially with the hard to find eels. ALthough I dont think anybody here really keeps Jewels.
He came today! He is much bigger than what they advertised which is kind of disappointing but he was not that expensive. He is definitely over a foot but im not sure how big I will measure him when he finishes acclimating. The salinity in his bucket was quite low so it will be some time before it equalizes. Some less than good quality acclimation pics.
cougareyes
New member
Under listing sizes of eels seems to be a common practice. Let me know when you get him in, glad you understand the lower salinity needs to be acclimated up; alot of people don't.
My lfs's became no help so I ordered mine from a place I had been disappointed with in the past, so I was a little concerned. He actually came in quite small. So small I was glad I covered the eggcrate with netting, he could have actually squeezed through. He was doing a little head shake, so I dosed prazi pro. He took a few chunks of krill last night so that was good. He still hiding, so no pics.
My lfs's became no help so I ordered mine from a place I had been disappointed with in the past, so I was a little concerned. He actually came in quite small. So small I was glad I covered the eggcrate with netting, he could have actually squeezed through. He was doing a little head shake, so I dosed prazi pro. He took a few chunks of krill last night so that was good. He still hiding, so no pics.
