brett559
New member
I've had my 90g tank up and running for about 5 months. It was an established system that I bought from a fellow reefer. I've really enjoyed the process, and I've learned a lot.
Here's a video of the tank:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFhfSvStpQY
As for maintenance, I was doing 15% water changes every other week. About a month ago, I got some cyano and have started to do weekly 15% water changes. I think the main cause of the cyano was too much light - I have reduced my lights down to a 6-hour cycle. They used to be on for like 12 hours - what can I say, I like seeing my tank! In siphoning the rocks and sand bed, and reducing the lights, I am slowly winning the battle.
The tank also came pre-loaded with lots of aiptasia (no extra charge!) Peppermint shrimp did a great job of slowly winnowing them down. The peppermints met their demise at the hands of a new melanarus wrasse (learning process, remember!), so I tried a copperband butterfly. Within three or four days every aiptasia was gone, and I have not seen one since. The CBB eats mysis aggressively and is my wife's favorite fish. He will eat bits of mysis right from her hand.
Not every choice has worked for me. I decided to keep the foxface that came with the tank and he got spooked and fatally stung my new naso tang. I also tried a green mandarin earlier than I should have. I tried dosing with pods, but my wrasses were out-competing it. Thankfully, I was able to remove the mandarin and return him to my LFS where he was re-sold.
I've also learned to love fish traps! When I had an opportunity to purchase a purple tang for a great price from a fellow reefer, I removed my beautiful, but aggressive, yellow tang and sold it to a seasoned reefer. I also swapped out a coral beauty for a flame angel, and sold the foxface to another reefer (not liking the idea of having a venomous fish in my tank). And yes, every fish will immediately go into the trap, except the one you want.
My favorite moment was probably when I added my two clownfish. I inherited a big, healthy green bubbletip, and my kids kept asking me when the clownfish would starting "living" inside. It took a few days, but one morning when I woke up, there they were. They haven't left in over four months.
I'm still nailing down a feed schedule. I usually feed twice a day - mysis one time and formula 1 frozen/formula 2 flakes another time. Some fish will only take the frozen, but thankfully all are eating well. I also put in some nori about three times a week - the tangs and wrasses go crazy for it.
I don't see any signs of aggression. Using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, frequent water changes, and cleaning out my skimmer are keeping our water levels good. I haven't started a dosing regimen, but will occasionally add magnesium, calcium and buffer, depending on water tests.
I got into the hobby for the fish, and I have really enjoyed learning about these animals. My current stock list is as follows:
2 true perc clowns
Purple tang (about 1 year old)
Blue tang (juvenile)
Melanarus wrasse
Red head solon wrasse
Royal gramma
Purple firefish
Longnose hawkfish
Flame angelfish
Copperband butterfly
As for corals, I have large, established frogspawn, green trumpets and duncans. I have a few small SPS frags, a few acan frags and several zoa frags. They appear to be doing well, and thankfully none of my fish have taken any interest in them. I also have the green bubble tip.
So there you go. I know the true test of a tank is to have it thrive into years 2 and 3. But I am really happy with how things have turned out, and I appreciate all the help.
Here's a video of the tank:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFhfSvStpQY
As for maintenance, I was doing 15% water changes every other week. About a month ago, I got some cyano and have started to do weekly 15% water changes. I think the main cause of the cyano was too much light - I have reduced my lights down to a 6-hour cycle. They used to be on for like 12 hours - what can I say, I like seeing my tank! In siphoning the rocks and sand bed, and reducing the lights, I am slowly winning the battle.
The tank also came pre-loaded with lots of aiptasia (no extra charge!) Peppermint shrimp did a great job of slowly winnowing them down. The peppermints met their demise at the hands of a new melanarus wrasse (learning process, remember!), so I tried a copperband butterfly. Within three or four days every aiptasia was gone, and I have not seen one since. The CBB eats mysis aggressively and is my wife's favorite fish. He will eat bits of mysis right from her hand.
Not every choice has worked for me. I decided to keep the foxface that came with the tank and he got spooked and fatally stung my new naso tang. I also tried a green mandarin earlier than I should have. I tried dosing with pods, but my wrasses were out-competing it. Thankfully, I was able to remove the mandarin and return him to my LFS where he was re-sold.
I've also learned to love fish traps! When I had an opportunity to purchase a purple tang for a great price from a fellow reefer, I removed my beautiful, but aggressive, yellow tang and sold it to a seasoned reefer. I also swapped out a coral beauty for a flame angel, and sold the foxface to another reefer (not liking the idea of having a venomous fish in my tank). And yes, every fish will immediately go into the trap, except the one you want.
My favorite moment was probably when I added my two clownfish. I inherited a big, healthy green bubbletip, and my kids kept asking me when the clownfish would starting "living" inside. It took a few days, but one morning when I woke up, there they were. They haven't left in over four months.
I'm still nailing down a feed schedule. I usually feed twice a day - mysis one time and formula 1 frozen/formula 2 flakes another time. Some fish will only take the frozen, but thankfully all are eating well. I also put in some nori about three times a week - the tangs and wrasses go crazy for it.
I don't see any signs of aggression. Using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, frequent water changes, and cleaning out my skimmer are keeping our water levels good. I haven't started a dosing regimen, but will occasionally add magnesium, calcium and buffer, depending on water tests.
I got into the hobby for the fish, and I have really enjoyed learning about these animals. My current stock list is as follows:
2 true perc clowns
Purple tang (about 1 year old)
Blue tang (juvenile)
Melanarus wrasse
Red head solon wrasse
Royal gramma
Purple firefish
Longnose hawkfish
Flame angelfish
Copperband butterfly
As for corals, I have large, established frogspawn, green trumpets and duncans. I have a few small SPS frags, a few acan frags and several zoa frags. They appear to be doing well, and thankfully none of my fish have taken any interest in them. I also have the green bubble tip.
So there you go. I know the true test of a tank is to have it thrive into years 2 and 3. But I am really happy with how things have turned out, and I appreciate all the help.
