Genera
Blink and you're dead.
I finally decided to make a thread (whoopee!)! So, basically I don't have the lastest reef controller, or the high tech T5-LED-HQI combo, or the huge sump with the over-the-top protein skimmer and reactors. Here's what I do have though, and I like it. A 90 gallon standard tank, a 14k/10k/420nm LED fixture, with a 12k T12 bulb for added intensity. 2 Hydor Koralia 850s with a controller, your average heater, and a Fluval FX-6 canister that I might get a lot of complaints about. (it works very well in my situation). I do 1x/month 25% water change with Instant Ocean salt. I have lots of DIY knick knacks too, such as a fry box, frag rack, nori/algae rock clip, a canopy, and stand for a 40B that I'm going to talk about later, etc. I don't have the tank filled all the way, only about 3/5 full, to give a shallow effect, this is where the canopy I made comes in. It covers this ~8in+ gap of airspace, which I find to look unpleasant. 120lbs+ of sand, and ~30lbs rock included. By the way, it is biotoped on a Caribbean/Atlantic estuary or lagoon.
Parameters
Sg = 1.025
pH = 8.2
NH3- = 0
NO2- = 0
NO3- = 0-5
Bottom PAR = ~100
dKH = ~9
PO43- - 0-.015
Ca = ~420
Temperature = 80°F/26.5°C
Mg = ~1300
Sr = ~0.9
I = ~0.07
Not much in the way of livestock, but here you go.
Fish- 4 Sailfin Mollies (Poecilia latpinna). Also their 30ish fry, with many more on the way. I won't be keeping all of them, so if you're in the twin cities area and would like some, feel free to ask!
Inverts-
~80 snails (Nerite, Nassarius, Periwinkle, Dwarf Cerith)
1 annoying bulletproof Red Leg Dwarf Hermit, he is by himself, as he eats the snails.
A calcified cluster of dusters (worms)
Misc. microfauna (Amphipods, copepods, decapods, isopods, etc-pods, bristleworms, tiny brittle stars, tiny snails, etc)
Coral-
Ricordea florida
Palythoa sp.
Unidentified tiny coral, I just found it a few days ago, and so far, its doing well. I assume it is the typical "LPS" coral as it has feeder tentacles, a large polyp with a mouth, sticky tentacles/polyp arms? (I touched it), and it eats pellet food and mysis. It's about 1/3in in diameter as well.
Not much other coral yet. (Probably not from the Caribbean)
Macroalgae-
Caulerpa sp.
Botryocladia sp.
Gracilaria sp.
Chaetomorpha sp.
Plans-
More rock, more light, more coral, more algae, more inverts, more fish, 1-2 more tanks. Now I'll go into detail.
I have two 40 breeders sitting around a, which I would like to connect to my main system using maxi-jets. I'm debating whether or not to make one of them into a freshwater/reptile/amphibian/plant paludarium, and only connecting one to my main system, as a reef, and keeping the 90 as a planted tank. Any opinions?
I compiled a list of fish that are coral, plant, and/or invert safe, and would most likely fit in either a 40B or 90.
Pair C. Capistratus (Foureye Butterflyfish)
Pair M. triangulatus (Saddled Blenny)
Group P. schomburgkii (Glassy Sweeper)
A few N. gronovii (Man o' War Fish) (Will get too large, unless I get a bigger system, I thought they were interesting, and I found them from divertom)
Trio S. tortugarum (Chalk Basslet)
Harem of G. loreto and G. melacara (Royal Gramma & Black Capped Basslet)
Pair S. atomarium (Greenblotch Parrotfish) (Herbivorous!)
Pair P. hipoliti (Rusty Goby)
Pair E. pandionis (Sailfin Blenny)
Pair E. oceanops (Neon Goby)
Pair M. aurolineatus (Goldline Blenny)
Also inverts/coral/algae-
A variety of red, green, and brown macroalgae
A variety of photosynthetic gorgonians
More Ricordea florida
A variety of sponges (In a 20 long dedicated/designed to house sponges?)
Pair L. grabhami (Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp)
Group P. pedersoni (Pederson's Anemone Shrimp)
A few E. crucifer (Rock Flower Anemone)
Misc. feather worms (Bispira sp, Sebastellarte sp, etc)
Limpets, and more periwinkles and nassarius snails.
Mespilia globulus/M. cf. globulus (Tuxedo Urchins)
Misc. Cucumbers
Brittle Stars with small central disks such as Ophiocoma wendtii
A few dozen pounds more of rock would be nice, as well as a more powerful light, to allow flourishing of light-needy corals.
Ideas/suggestions are accepted, and pictures are coming soon! The tank is cloudy due to me stirring up a bit of detritus, and should clear up in a couple of hours.
Parameters
Sg = 1.025
pH = 8.2
NH3- = 0
NO2- = 0
NO3- = 0-5
Bottom PAR = ~100
dKH = ~9
PO43- - 0-.015
Ca = ~420
Temperature = 80°F/26.5°C
Mg = ~1300
Sr = ~0.9
I = ~0.07
Not much in the way of livestock, but here you go.
Fish- 4 Sailfin Mollies (Poecilia latpinna). Also their 30ish fry, with many more on the way. I won't be keeping all of them, so if you're in the twin cities area and would like some, feel free to ask!
Inverts-
~80 snails (Nerite, Nassarius, Periwinkle, Dwarf Cerith)
1 annoying bulletproof Red Leg Dwarf Hermit, he is by himself, as he eats the snails.
A calcified cluster of dusters (worms)
Misc. microfauna (Amphipods, copepods, decapods, isopods, etc-pods, bristleworms, tiny brittle stars, tiny snails, etc)
Coral-
Ricordea florida
Palythoa sp.
Unidentified tiny coral, I just found it a few days ago, and so far, its doing well. I assume it is the typical "LPS" coral as it has feeder tentacles, a large polyp with a mouth, sticky tentacles/polyp arms? (I touched it), and it eats pellet food and mysis. It's about 1/3in in diameter as well.
Not much other coral yet. (Probably not from the Caribbean)
Macroalgae-
Caulerpa sp.
Botryocladia sp.
Gracilaria sp.
Chaetomorpha sp.
Plans-
More rock, more light, more coral, more algae, more inverts, more fish, 1-2 more tanks. Now I'll go into detail.
I have two 40 breeders sitting around a, which I would like to connect to my main system using maxi-jets. I'm debating whether or not to make one of them into a freshwater/reptile/amphibian/plant paludarium, and only connecting one to my main system, as a reef, and keeping the 90 as a planted tank. Any opinions?
I compiled a list of fish that are coral, plant, and/or invert safe, and would most likely fit in either a 40B or 90.
Pair C. Capistratus (Foureye Butterflyfish)
Pair M. triangulatus (Saddled Blenny)
Group P. schomburgkii (Glassy Sweeper)
A few N. gronovii (Man o' War Fish) (Will get too large, unless I get a bigger system, I thought they were interesting, and I found them from divertom)
Trio S. tortugarum (Chalk Basslet)
Harem of G. loreto and G. melacara (Royal Gramma & Black Capped Basslet)
Pair S. atomarium (Greenblotch Parrotfish) (Herbivorous!)
Pair P. hipoliti (Rusty Goby)
Pair E. pandionis (Sailfin Blenny)
Pair E. oceanops (Neon Goby)
Pair M. aurolineatus (Goldline Blenny)
Also inverts/coral/algae-
A variety of red, green, and brown macroalgae
A variety of photosynthetic gorgonians
More Ricordea florida
A variety of sponges (In a 20 long dedicated/designed to house sponges?)
Pair L. grabhami (Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp)
Group P. pedersoni (Pederson's Anemone Shrimp)
A few E. crucifer (Rock Flower Anemone)
Misc. feather worms (Bispira sp, Sebastellarte sp, etc)
Limpets, and more periwinkles and nassarius snails.
Mespilia globulus/M. cf. globulus (Tuxedo Urchins)
Misc. Cucumbers
Brittle Stars with small central disks such as Ophiocoma wendtii
A few dozen pounds more of rock would be nice, as well as a more powerful light, to allow flourishing of light-needy corals.
Ideas/suggestions are accepted, and pictures are coming soon! The tank is cloudy due to me stirring up a bit of detritus, and should clear up in a couple of hours.
