Long time lurker, figured it's about time for a first post. :wavehand:
OK, there isn't a "noober than noob" section so I'm posting here.
I'm looking into getting into the hobby again, but am planning on taking it slooooooow. That's largely due to money and a possible upcoming move, but I figure the time I take to save up a decent "tank fund" will be doubly rewarding if I spend the time researching and planning. So, I'm looking at starting putting things together in a year, maybe a bit sooner. I want to start biggish, to let me learn the basics without running too much risk of water quality issues or such nuking everything. I also want to end with something significant, satisfying, and available room and time occupying so that maybe, probably, perhaps, potentially, possibly, perchance I won't be immediately tempted to go bigger and drive myself into dark alleys doing unspeakable things for new tank money.
I have a little experience with a FOWLR SW tank. A roommate decided to get into fishies, but basically just went into the LFS and waved his credit card around. I was the one poking around in books and the nascent interwebs saying "I don't think that Emperor Snapper is a good idea with those chromis and cardinals." , "Well, if they died of natural causes, wouldn't there be corpses? But, yeah, the snapper looks great. And fat.", and "Gold-Stripe Grouper? Don't you remember the snapper incident?" Eventually, he started listening and things went pretty well. I also had success with a 40 gal FW tank.
So, now (damn, that was a wordy intro, eh?) I'm thinking about a FOWLR for my first foray back into things and officially "MY" first SW. I'm in FL, grew up here, pretty much constantly in the Atlantic as well as a good bit of time snorkling and fishing over in the Bahamas. So looking at the "Caribbean Fish" section of LiveAquaria is attractive, being almost "local". So with this tentative idea of a Caribbean/West Atlantic theme tank, I've got some questions:
Anyone have any experience with their Haitian LR? Got pics? What kind of critters tagged along? If it's so light, what poundage per gallon do you recommend? Why does it cost twice as much as some stuff from the other side of the effing planet? Also, curious about the FL live sand they have. The shell-y stuff in the pic looks good, but how do fish like it? How does it look in a real-life tank? (Pics please) Also curious about how jawfish like it. I've heard and read (here mostly) how LS isn't usually worth it but I haven't seen similar sand "dead" and I figure if it looks really nice and works for my critters, maybe it's worth it.
As for the critters, well, CUC I'll figure out later, but I'm thinking of this as a potential fish list for a long tank in the 100 - 150 gal range:
Yellowhead Jawfish (Clearly a factor in my decision on the FL LS. Being mainly shell, does it help or hinder these guys in burrow construction and contentment?
Chalk Bass 2or 3
Neon Wrasse
Royal Gramma or Black Cap Basslet
Caribbean Blue Tang
Blue Angel (If I got a 1 <sup>1</sup>/<sub>2</sub> - 2" juvie, how long until it gets near it's 1' max adult size? And for reef compatibility it says "with caution". Is there a dwarf angel of Caribbean/West Atlantic origin that would be better in there? (I might want to add corals at some point if things go well and apparently the Blue can be a muncher. Not a deal breaker, but I might want the option open at some point. Actually, if the Blue isn't known to be too bad to corals, I wouldn't mind one and a dwarf species)
I thought there were damsels (that were relatively mellow) and some gobies native to the Caribbean/W. Atlantic. I swear I've seen some at Live Aquaria that I don't see now.
What about stock order? I'd think getting the smallest/youngest specimens of each that I could and putting them in pretty much in order of smallest to largest max size would work as none I have in mind ATM seem terribly aggressive.
Anyone see any compatibility issues that I don't? Anyone see any other issues that I'll need to address when planning the equipment and setup for these guys?
Looking forward to becoming a more-involved member and hearing your input to help minimize the surprises and screw-ups that are sure to come. .:thumbsup:
Cheers! :beer:
OK, there isn't a "noober than noob" section so I'm posting here.
I'm looking into getting into the hobby again, but am planning on taking it slooooooow. That's largely due to money and a possible upcoming move, but I figure the time I take to save up a decent "tank fund" will be doubly rewarding if I spend the time researching and planning. So, I'm looking at starting putting things together in a year, maybe a bit sooner. I want to start biggish, to let me learn the basics without running too much risk of water quality issues or such nuking everything. I also want to end with something significant, satisfying, and available room and time occupying so that maybe, probably, perhaps, potentially, possibly, perchance I won't be immediately tempted to go bigger and drive myself into dark alleys doing unspeakable things for new tank money.I have a little experience with a FOWLR SW tank. A roommate decided to get into fishies, but basically just went into the LFS and waved his credit card around. I was the one poking around in books and the nascent interwebs saying "I don't think that Emperor Snapper is a good idea with those chromis and cardinals." , "Well, if they died of natural causes, wouldn't there be corpses? But, yeah, the snapper looks great. And fat.", and "Gold-Stripe Grouper? Don't you remember the snapper incident?" Eventually, he started listening and things went pretty well. I also had success with a 40 gal FW tank.
So, now (damn, that was a wordy intro, eh?) I'm thinking about a FOWLR for my first foray back into things and officially "MY" first SW. I'm in FL, grew up here, pretty much constantly in the Atlantic as well as a good bit of time snorkling and fishing over in the Bahamas. So looking at the "Caribbean Fish" section of LiveAquaria is attractive, being almost "local". So with this tentative idea of a Caribbean/West Atlantic theme tank, I've got some questions:
Anyone have any experience with their Haitian LR? Got pics? What kind of critters tagged along? If it's so light, what poundage per gallon do you recommend? Why does it cost twice as much as some stuff from the other side of the effing planet? Also, curious about the FL live sand they have. The shell-y stuff in the pic looks good, but how do fish like it? How does it look in a real-life tank? (Pics please) Also curious about how jawfish like it. I've heard and read (here mostly) how LS isn't usually worth it but I haven't seen similar sand "dead" and I figure if it looks really nice and works for my critters, maybe it's worth it.
As for the critters, well, CUC I'll figure out later, but I'm thinking of this as a potential fish list for a long tank in the 100 - 150 gal range:
Yellowhead Jawfish (Clearly a factor in my decision on the FL LS. Being mainly shell, does it help or hinder these guys in burrow construction and contentment?
Chalk Bass 2or 3
Neon Wrasse
Royal Gramma or Black Cap Basslet
Caribbean Blue Tang
Blue Angel (If I got a 1 <sup>1</sup>/<sub>2</sub> - 2" juvie, how long until it gets near it's 1' max adult size? And for reef compatibility it says "with caution". Is there a dwarf angel of Caribbean/West Atlantic origin that would be better in there? (I might want to add corals at some point if things go well and apparently the Blue can be a muncher. Not a deal breaker, but I might want the option open at some point. Actually, if the Blue isn't known to be too bad to corals, I wouldn't mind one and a dwarf species)
I thought there were damsels (that were relatively mellow) and some gobies native to the Caribbean/W. Atlantic. I swear I've seen some at Live Aquaria that I don't see now.
What about stock order? I'd think getting the smallest/youngest specimens of each that I could and putting them in pretty much in order of smallest to largest max size would work as none I have in mind ATM seem terribly aggressive.
Anyone see any compatibility issues that I don't? Anyone see any other issues that I'll need to address when planning the equipment and setup for these guys?
Looking forward to becoming a more-involved member and hearing your input to help minimize the surprises and screw-ups that are sure to come. .:thumbsup:
Cheers! :beer:
