anyone have a hybrid-reef tank with lion, eel, tangs, and softies?

[rcjay]

I'm going to start a new 185T 60x24x30 w 3-250W MH. It will be supported by 84gl. & 46gl. refugiums with 55gl. sump. If anyone has a similar hybrid set-up with lion, eel, tangs, angels, and softies..., I would like to pick your brain. I LOVE the aggressive predators and beautiful stocked aquarium at the same time. I believe the wastes from the lion and the eel will complicate keeping a hard and exotic corals...(?).

What are the do's & don'ts??? i.e. would I have to have calc reactr? (I will be dosing kalkw & others through drip system, should I avoid buying top-line prot. skimr cuz I have 120gl. worth of macro algaes growing?...things like that. Just to clarify: the 2 overflows will combine then run thru series into 84gl. then 46gl. refugiums then through sump then return to main tank, I'm not planning huge return pump---as I'm going to rely gravity for the water flow to reach the return pump...

Please give me suggestions and ideas on where to buy the 185T tank (I have Aqrms4u as my top choice for $2,800 for upgraded tank, exec. style cabinet, & cnpy). Thanks in advance... Jay

 

[seamonkey2]

I have a 240ga display (400ga total system) with softies, a lion, 3 trigers, few angels, a big batfish, few tangs, and a trumpet fish, all together about 40 or more fish, I hand feed few fish, very rearly turn on the skimmer and do water changes every six months or so, and feed enough so I dont have to deal with Hungry/ungry fish

my fish are nice and fat, I think that is the main reason why I dont have issues with mixing aggresive with non-aggresive fish, if they all eat good they wont fight.

I see it like this, in the wild most animals fight for territory so they have more areas to hunt, so they can eat, so.. if they all eat enough(more than enough) they fighting should be minimal, so far all of my fish leave peacefully, fat and happy, so it has worked for me

But I got around 400 Lbs. of LR, run an ozone machine 24/7 (is my believe the ozone is why my water quality is so good) a 40ga fuge with about 100 mangroves and cheato, and a 90ga sump, a kalk and ca. reactor, yeah I over did it

anyways I am also planning to get a zebra eel soon,, I do things a little different, but it works for me

good luck with your set up, I can be done

Jose

 

[clekchau]

hey jose, how's it going? you forgot to mention you have quite a few butterflies in there also, how is that baby pakistani doing?

i forgot but what softies did you have in that spectacular tank of yours?

 

[rcjay]

Thanks Jose. Some questions: #1 what kind of lights ru running? #2 where did you get the mangroves(?) and how do they compare against macro algaes as water cleaner? #3 what's a cheato? #4 any idea on who the best priced glass aquarium manufacturer?

lion with trumpet fish? must be a big trumpet.

 

[seamonkey2]

hey clekchau whats up man, yeah I forgot butterflies
man she got big and fat, the pakistani btrfl, got saddlebags LOL

lets see, devils hand, cabbage, colt, GSP, one I dont know the name, spagetti leather, and other I dont remember

thanks for spectacular comment, hey is your 600 up and running yet? see ya

rcjay, 1# all T-5 nothing else, I got about 12 T-5s cram in there, low energy compsumption, little heat put out, and good light output

2# mangroves from local vendor, pm me and I hook you up, I over do things so really I cant say what is better, the combination of all is what it makes it work great

3# it looks like brillo pads, very good nutrient exporter, under good light grows like crazy, most LFS sell it cheap, but, get it for another reefer, we usually give it away, and pass it on down the line

4# glass cages, I have seen few tanks build by them, I like what I saw, and for a custom made tank is super cheap, but as you know there are good and bad experiences, for what I have know, the guy whom owns it, will go the extra mile to make sure you are satisfied, but make sure you are CLEAR in exaclty what you want, so there will be no discrepancies.

the lion is a dwarf, the trumpet is about 6", and I hand feed both

good luck

Jose