I would for sure be in for a ricordia buy. I have to travel through Columbus next week so i will likely stop in. I picked up a 75g that i now have running, it needs stock. I am struggling on what to do as the theme for it. My 125g is LPS and soft coral (mostly zoos), l for sure am not doing SPS again but need to come up with something.
Bare bottom???
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coralreefer
No Pistons
I'm jealous...haven't been to Columbus in years....my bank account probably thanks me too.
Looks like a ricordea buy is in the works I'll pm you later...some friends just pulled up so I don't have much time tonite.
Surprisingly I'm having good luck with SPS this time around...mainly focusing on caps/encrusting types but some sticks too (now knocking frantically on wood). Like you I'm not entirely sure what theme I want for the 120. I know rics and may get back into more zoas again. As long as the supply stays good I'm going for a lot favia/brain/chalice types never had a good selection before and I'm really digging the colors. Acans too but they're still rare around here.
Looks like a ricordea buy is in the works I'll pm you later...some friends just pulled up so I don't have much time tonite.
Surprisingly I'm having good luck with SPS this time around...mainly focusing on caps/encrusting types but some sticks too (now knocking frantically on wood). Like you I'm not entirely sure what theme I want for the 120. I know rics and may get back into more zoas again. As long as the supply stays good I'm going for a lot favia/brain/chalice types never had a good selection before and I'm really digging the colors. Acans too but they're still rare around here.
solareclisped
Member
If the ricordia buy is far enough in the future I might be interested in going in too. It will take me several months to get this tank set up though. Where do you get most of your corals from?
I setup a 75g with sand, part of the water came from a water change on my 125g, transferred live rock from my other 75g, 125g and bought a couple new pieces of new live rock so there was no cycle, it is running. I very much like the look of sand on the bottom better and I like the small sand creatures - I always setup my sumps with a filter tray to catch the garbage, maybe a bit lazy but the 2 6100s blowing across the nearly bare bottom of the 125g keep it very clean very easily - this was the reason for BB. I did not do BB this time by request of the wife.
I am in on a ricordia buy although between the reef shop I normally hit in Ann Arbor, the one in Toledo and the one in Cincinnati, my needs may change by the weekend.
I am in on a ricordia buy although between the reef shop I normally hit in Ann Arbor, the one in Toledo and the one in Cincinnati, my needs may change by the weekend.
coralreefer
No Pistons
Cool I'll need a couple months too. I'm thinking since there are 4 of us maybe we could do a couple of orders from different places. Are you planning on cleaners when you're ready? Maybe we could get something together with them too.
Most of my SPS and some LPS corals have come from RC members, mainly spinnerbait and copps...everything else is from Berts.
Shameless plug for Jim but I've been really impressed with the availability of "high end" frags at decent prices I've seen in the past several months. Years ago I never dreamed I'd walk into a LFS around here and see some of these corals... especially nice sizes and at a price I can afford...hope it keeps up. :beer:
Eh Jake I don't like the look of barebottom either. I always have plans of adding sand after the rock sheds out...still have a 50 lb bag of Southdown and 20 lbs of pink "something or other" just waiting LOL. Just got use to doing it this way I guess.
Happy shopping Lloyd :celeb3: No matter what you find you'll always "need" a couple more...at least I do.
PS: Speaking of ricordea. Bert's had a huge colony of orange/lt blue rim this weekend...first one I've ever seen there. It's pricey but I did a quick count and it had at least 12-14 polyps...so per polyp it's a good deal. Was tempted but too close to some I already had.
solareclisped
Member
I will need cleaners after I get it set up. It will probably take till june or july before I get it setup and running. So another month or so after that for cycle. But I am definately interested. What do you all think about LED lights? I dont know what kind of light to get. If I do MH is 150 enough for the 30 gallon tank...I believe it is 20" deep.
HitmanHoos
New member
I would think 150 watt MH would work. 250 for sure. You can get used ballasts pretty cheap on here in the for sale forum. I have no experience with LEDs so I personally would go MH. T5s would work as well, it all depends what coral you want to keep.
solareclisped
Member
I am mainly going with zoas and mushrooms but would eventually like a smaller clam.
coralreefer
No Pistons
Mine has a 175 MH and I keep a BTA, SPS down to LPS, zoas and 'shrooms. I do have a good reflector so that may make a difference.
I've seen some nice T5 tanks and starting from scratch I'd consider them but the MH ballast came with the tank...and the electricity is free
My thought on LED is it's still an evolving technology and pricey unless you DYI plus I remember how PCs were going to revolutionize the hobby :spin2: so I'm still watching them for now. A good friend recently switched to a DYI LED set up and I'm anxious to see how it goes.
I got a T5 setup on a 75g now 6x54w= 324w.
I got a MH + PC (96x4 PC + 150x3 SE MH) = 834w.
The 324w is over 4 feet = 81w per foot.
The 834w is over 6 feet = 139w per foot.
In all fairness the 6 tank may be a bit bigger back to front or deep.
Regardless the T5 lights are way, way, way brighter on the 75g than the 125g lights.
I am looking for 2 x36" 6x39w sets for the 125g.
I do not know about LED, but then I had PC, VHO, MHs, prior T5 so I did not know about T5 either. I was way impressed.
I got a MH + PC (96x4 PC + 150x3 SE MH) = 834w.
The 324w is over 4 feet = 81w per foot.
The 834w is over 6 feet = 139w per foot.
In all fairness the 6 tank may be a bit bigger back to front or deep.
Regardless the T5 lights are way, way, way brighter on the 75g than the 125g lights.
I am looking for 2 x36" 6x39w sets for the 125g.
I do not know about LED, but then I had PC, VHO, MHs, prior T5 so I did not know about T5 either. I was way impressed.
solareclisped
Member
Well I ended up buying a coralife 150w clamp-on MH light. Got a good deal on it. I will use the PC fixture that came with the tank for actinics. If I dont like how it looks I will sell it and do something else. I have done t5 in the past when I had the 120 set up. I had the aquactinics constellation on it and I really liked it but I want to try MH I think on this tank for now. I will start a build thread soon and quit hijacking this thread. Sorry.
solareclisped
Member
As far as BB versus sand bed...I want sand because I like the look of it but worry about the ill effects later. Has anyone tried this?
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=11371
I have it on my planted tank and it is doing great. Just wondering if it would do good in a saltwater sand bed to help circulate fresh water into the sandbed and help prevent issues. The only thing that worries me is if I get a burrowing fish or something is it gonna mess it up. Just a thought.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=11371
I have it on my planted tank and it is doing great. Just wondering if it would do good in a saltwater sand bed to help circulate fresh water into the sandbed and help prevent issues. The only thing that worries me is if I get a burrowing fish or something is it gonna mess it up. Just a thought.
Baldwin,
You use to be local to the WV area, weren't you?
I was in Gahanna yesterday.
It appears this thread has turned into a catch all.
I stopped at Coral Reef in Perrysburg, use to be in Toledo in a bad part of town, Fish Drs. in Ann Arbor and Phishy Business in Columbus. When travelling I normally always seek out the local places and try to hit them. You may find this hard to believe but WV of all places has the best prices.....when they have livestock available.
Fish Drs in Ann Arbor (normally go there for both coral and fish) was receiving 2 shipments on Thursday so I went there a day early, Coral Reef (usually there for fish) also was low on fish and Phishy business had a lot of stuff but at prices that were more than I would ever pay (I would order on line, pay the shipping and save the $100). Perhaps spoiled due to the area - I do not know. They had a lemon peel angel that I wanted, just not $69 for it.......and they wanted $59 for a fire shrimp. I wanted to move the rock so I could just see what a $59 fire shrimp might look like. The last time I was there the display had a ricordia wall, it was gone and they said had been for 3 years so i guess it has been a while. I was going to get ricordia but they too were high and the selection was not the normal. THey had several different color variations of hammers, torches, etc, but they were like $30 a head, I had a $10 a head piece in the Jeep from Fish Drs so hard to pay triple. I really had a pocket full of money and if they would have bundle priced a few things would have for sure did some buying but a $1 does not go far there and the guy said they were the lowest in Columbus........with that being said the staff is knowledgable, the selection is big and obviously well cared for.
Definitely made me appreciate the local shops although often slim on livestock a lot more.
....................need to get off here and feed my $1500 purple tang.... I only say that because 50 cent piece sized ones were $249 and mine is 5-6x bigger.
You use to be local to the WV area, weren't you?
I was in Gahanna yesterday.
It appears this thread has turned into a catch all.
I stopped at Coral Reef in Perrysburg, use to be in Toledo in a bad part of town, Fish Drs. in Ann Arbor and Phishy Business in Columbus. When travelling I normally always seek out the local places and try to hit them. You may find this hard to believe but WV of all places has the best prices.....when they have livestock available.
Fish Drs in Ann Arbor (normally go there for both coral and fish) was receiving 2 shipments on Thursday so I went there a day early, Coral Reef (usually there for fish) also was low on fish and Phishy business had a lot of stuff but at prices that were more than I would ever pay (I would order on line, pay the shipping and save the $100). Perhaps spoiled due to the area - I do not know. They had a lemon peel angel that I wanted, just not $69 for it.......and they wanted $59 for a fire shrimp. I wanted to move the rock so I could just see what a $59 fire shrimp might look like. The last time I was there the display had a ricordia wall, it was gone and they said had been for 3 years so i guess it has been a while. I was going to get ricordia but they too were high and the selection was not the normal. THey had several different color variations of hammers, torches, etc, but they were like $30 a head, I had a $10 a head piece in the Jeep from Fish Drs so hard to pay triple. I really had a pocket full of money and if they would have bundle priced a few things would have for sure did some buying but a $1 does not go far there and the guy said they were the lowest in Columbus........with that being said the staff is knowledgable, the selection is big and obviously well cared for.
Definitely made me appreciate the local shops although often slim on livestock a lot more.
....................need to get off here and feed my $1500 purple tang.... I only say that because 50 cent piece sized ones were $249 and mine is 5-6x bigger.
Baldwin
New member
Lol, I couldn't agree more everything is higher here, i believe the readon is because there are a lot of newbies in the area who dont know how much something should be. There are also a lot of rich people. I live a couple 100 yards from phishy but i never buy anything there however i do look a lot. The great thing about living here is once you meet a few people who are big in the hobby you learn where you can get the good stuff cheap. I have a friend that lives about 5 minutes from me and phishy who orders wholesale fish for me and his friends whenever someone wants anything. I got a picasso trigger the other day for $14. Ive gotten clowns for $5. I know another guy who runs a coral business out of his basement. He gets some really high end aussie stuff and does 6 frags for $100 plus a free bag of reef crystals. So you really just have to make connections and stuff can be dirt cheap here. That being said Fuji and Phil are great tools and very knowledgeable in this hobby, so I would def. support them ad much as possible.
Baldwin
New member
Also a great point.
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