A Great Way to ruin a perfect wall; My 400 Gallon Project

avansickle:

10 chromis or so for a true school would be cool. I was comtemplating that, but I would like a little more color that a school of Anthias could provide. Anyway, with descriptions like "naughty & Sexy" I'm kinda wondering what you have going on in your Tank!;)

Sorry to hear about your civil wars! I want to minimize any of that. I have never kept any wrasse of any sort, and I don't think I will now. You now, go with what you have had sucess with. Now I can do that en mass!
 
I have a school of blue-eyed cards. Wait, did I just type that earlier? Anyway - I love them. They are strong, school together, and REALLY beautiful. I've seen them called blue-eyed, threadfin, longspine or purple-eyed cardinals. They all pack around a really large samoensis I have. They look nothing like the other cardinals - their bodies are almost transparent.

Is this going to be an SPS tank (sorry if I missed it). If so, I'm a little gunshy with all the big tangs. I have several, and am giving a few away to local reefers. They are pigs. If I could do it it again, I'd establish my tank as an SPS tank first, healthy, going strong - BEFORE I add in the fish. I'm keeping my Sohal, Dussemier and Vlamingii - but getting rid of a few others (purple, yellow, kole).

They get along GREAT, it's just hard to establish a steady SPS tank when they poop like they do. And I have an incredibly large and efficient skimmer.
 
Fliger said:
I have a school of blue-eyed cards. Wait, did I just type that earlier? Anyway - I love them. They are strong, school together, and REALLY beautiful. I've seen them called blue-eyed, threadfin, longspine or purple-eyed cardinals. They all pack around a really large samoensis I have. They look nothing like the other cardinals - their bodies are almost transparent.

Is this going to be an SPS tank (sorry if I missed it). If so, I'm a little gunshy with all the big tangs. I have several, and am giving a few away to local reefers. They are pigs. If I could do it it again, I'd establish my tank as an SPS tank first, healthy, going strong - BEFORE I add in the fish. I'm keeping my Sohal, Dussemier and Vlamingii - but getting rid of a few others (purple, yellow, kole).

They get along GREAT, it's just hard to establish a steady SPS tank when they poop like they do. And I have an incredibly large and efficient skimmer.
Click to expand...

I just saw the blue eye/longspine/threadfin cards elsewhere and was going to suggest them to Ryan. Got any pics, Fliger?

Listen to this guy Ryan.
 
Hi Nathan - there are a few threads with big SPS tanks that have them. I believe Tanu, a recent TOTM had them. Just do a search, I was active in a few of them. I have 9 now. For the life of me, I don't know why they're not more popular. I have seen lots in Japanese SPS thread tanks - I think one in the SPS forum just got revived today. I did find out they're called longspine because in nature they hide behind longspine urchins. Usually they're called blue-eyed or threadfin - search those.

I had a school of six, one died in a Tunze Stream accident (ack) - and I picked up a school of four more. The 5 I had were decent size, the next four were TINY. But they all schooled up together. I love the way cardinalfish "hover" but I don't find the other cards attractive. These are cool.

I'll get some pix soon. But I've been known to promise that and not deliver. ;-)
 
Sound Advice!!!!

I am in no rush to stock the tank! Fliger, please post pictures if you find them.


I don't know if you guys have ever seen the Helfrichi goby, but they are cool. Too bad they are sooooo $$$$$$$. I can't afford any more than 2. And definetely not for about a year. Once there is water in the tank, my mermaid needs window dressings.
That will be first. But if anyone is in the market for a $150 dollar fish;Check em out.

<img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a12/ryanreeves/Helfrichi.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
 
Those are KILLER! I've never seen them. I do have a pair of Watanabei Angels that I love. It'd be nice to get some angels that are reef safe.

I tell ya - I look at my tank so often and although I love my big fish, I think my small fish get totally ignored. I think a big SPS tank with a bunch of smaller - cool looking fish is really cool. The big fish really steal the glory from the smaller fish.

I would really wait on the big tangs. Definitely get your tank going strong - like 6 months strong - then add them. They just make things more difficult. Plus they're HOGS. You will have a difficult time getting anthias to eat with such oinkers. Then they knock stuff over, freak out new additions (since they're SO big).

BTW - I love your tank and progress. It looks spectacular. And its great to have a supportive wife that doesn't look bad, either. I hear mine walking thru the door, gotta run. Can't wait to see more pictures!
 
Fliger

There is always the Bellus Angel fish that are reef safe; I personally do not care for them and for $150 bucks a pop; not worth the investment. There is a guy here in town that has 3.

I used to think that big fish were the way to go, until my friend Cort set up his 90 gallon tank. He had placed a bunch of gobies, clowns, blennies and chromis into the tank. After seeing how much action there was, it made me re-evaluate my fascination of big fish.

I am definetly taking it slow, not the 6 months of pictures before a drop of water slow but trying to outline all potential issues before they become problematic.


So what is up with the blue eye/longspine/threadfin cardinal fish?
 
I'm the same with the small fish thing, maybe one or two big fish but mostly small fish. Thats my plan, one larger fish and alot of little ones
 
Hey Servo, you're probably getting used to hearing this but your trim work around the tank inside is awesome! I am doing the same thing with a 180 (same, just much smaller scale) and a seperate room in the garage for the tank with the being visible from the living room. Your idea for the access from the front of the tank is just what my wife and I have been trying to figure out. Thanks for posting all this information!
I am curious if you'll have problems with the a/c unit dripping and venting into the garage causing heat/humidity problems in there. I've been looking to doing the same thing but don't want to make it even hotter and more humid in there than it already is.
 
Thanks for the kind words springerhd.

I haven't quite had the experience with the A/C. This has been a slow arduous task. But, I am not in a race! I want a "perfect" system (if there is such a thing in a closed environment). Anyway, on the back of the A/C unit, I could hook up a hose and gravity drain it outside. I haven't quite gotten there yet. I hope it isn't a problem. Melev has the same type of set up, and the water seems to burn right up on his compressor. I'm not sure if it is the weather/humidity here or what, but I am not really that concerned about heating up the garage! I don't know if it will cause a humidity problem. If it does, I can always crack the garage door. Let me know if you want any more pictures in the future.
 
I looked for pictures of the top of your tank but didn't see any. Do you have cross braces on yours? Oceanic sent me my 180 with no cross braces at all, saying it has thicker glass and is safe. Just wondering if yours is the same.
 
Springerhd, be grateful you got a tank without cross braces. Does it have some glass glued along the top edges (euro-bracing) or does it have a steel frame around the top perhaps?

I'm surprised you got something other than you expected. It would have seemed more likely you'd special-request the tank you received.
 
They asked if I wanted perimeter bracing which I assume would be several inch wide strips of glass running along the inside perimeter of the tank. Instead there's nothing. It could be a steel frame, and I definitely like the thought of no cross brace in the way. I'd just never seen something like this before and as I get closer to putting water in it I keep worrying about one of the sheets of glass blowing out due to inadequate support. I was just wondering if servo's tank is the same or is it normal perimeter bracing or with cross braces. It's probably unneeded worrying but I'd feel better to see someone else with the same thing.
 
His tank is an oceanic, so his answer should be ideal. Mine is by InterAmerican, and has perimeter bracing.
 
The tank is an Oceanic Pro Line stainless steel tank. It is framed out in steel. There are cross bracing in addition to a complete steel skeleton. It is a "custom" tank because of the re-enforcement and isn't a standard Oceanic. I wasn't given the option of perimeter bracing when I ordered it through the LFS, but it sounds like that is what I have. The guy that I bought it from was more interested in making the sale than explaining my options. I'm not sure of what you purchased. The bottom line is that our tanks are covered for 5 years. (apart from the disasters of a tank breaking!) I'll post some overhead pictures tonight or tomorrow for you.
 
The stainless steel framed tanks are expensive. I got an estimate on a 225g from Oceanic and lets just say it was about 3x as much. Why did you decide on that heavy duty type frame??
 
SERVO said:
The tank is an Oceanic Pro Line stainless steel tank. It is framed out in steel. There are cross bracing in addition to a complete steel skeleton. It is a "custom" tank because of the re-enforcement and isn't a standard Oceanic. I wasn't given the option of perimeter bracing when I ordered it through the LFS, but it sounds like that is what I have. The guy that I bought it from was more interested in making the sale than explaining my options. I'm not sure of what you purchased. The bottom line is that our tanks are covered for 5 years. (apart from the disasters of a tank breaking!) I'll post some overhead pictures tonight or tomorrow for you.
Click to expand...

I thought that was only if it was on an oceanic stand?
 
Typhon said:
The stainless steel framed tanks are expensive. I got an estimate on a 225g from Oceanic and lets just say it was about 3x as much. Why did you decide on that heavy duty type frame??
Click to expand...

Nice retort Nathan!:lol:

Actually, I wanted something that was exceptionally durable. We are putting in Tunze streams with the wave box (I'll need the addition with the size of my tank). That is a lot of force splashing against the wall and I didn't want to risk failure. Ultimately, I thought it prudent to spend the extra money on the tank to try to avoid catastropy. Expensive? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would have never imagined that I would spend that much money for 5 pieces of glass and some silicone! ;)

springerhd; You are exactly right! I made the assumption that you also were swindled into paying more that you should for a stand. I looked at that as a reluctant investment. Afterall, it is a fantastic piece of mind to have that type of security. When you are of the age were buying disability and life insurance becomes priority, you tend to start thinking very conservative about all "big investments".:p


Ricardo, how could I have forgotten about my maroon clown that is hosting my Euphilia!?!? See the previous pictures of some of my corals.

Look out for more pictures soon!:strooper:
 
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