Maxxs' 220g Journey...!

[maddmaxx]

thanx for the kind words..

i figured the long post would defer some, but thier loss, theres always a story to the pics...

its goin good, the tank when thru the initial diatom bloom about a week ago. seems to be dying off on its own now. only weird thing that happened is every couple days, seems like the water gets a lil cloudy. but clears up with in a day or two..

ummm the one vid i mentioned was 2 days before hurricane sandy hit the jersey coast. so thats 5 months old. but that tank was up for a bout 6yrs or so... also the 40B was taken same day as the big tank. so that too is 5 months old.

The last vid i posted was of the new 220, and was taken almost two weeks ago..

 

[frog.pauley]

WOWOWOW! That is a bounce back! I feel like a complete @#$ for my tantrums over my tank crashing! That is inspiration enough for me to get back at it!

 

[maddmaxx]

mid way thru my 3rd week of cycle..only thing detectable is nitrite at 1 or just under. so at the end of the 4th week ill add a CUC... most likely gunna get the crew from reefcleaners.org...i honestly cant wait to put some life in this thing. getting tired of watching the diatoms die off.. lol..

and the one thing i dont like about koralias..no matter how i position them. i always have a spot that the sand was blown away infront of the tank. i can point them anywhere and some how between them and my returns, a spot in front of the tank always gets sand blown down to the bottom glass pane...i hate it lol

 

[worm5406]

What did ammonia do?

John at reefcleaners does a good job. Good choice!

 

[danfeig]

Brian,

Welcome to the large tank forum! I thoroughly have enjoyed reading your blog.

I enjoyed reading about the trials and tribulations that you have faced and how you have "picked yourself up" and are moving on. It's funny how life seems to throw us a lot of curve balls. It's a true testament to ones character when they are able to do what you have done or are in the process of doing.

My heart really felt for you after seeing the pictures of your old tanks and of your house.

Your new system looks great and I look forward to watching it develop!

You've been doing this for a while but if you ever get stuck, need another hobbyist opinion.... just ask.

Thanks again for sharing everything with us!

 

[maddmaxx]

What did ammonia do?

John at reefcleaners does a good job. Good choice!

ammonia read 0..never detected it yet, even after some flakes and the diatom bloom starting to die off for a couple days now, still at 0...

and ive heard many a good things about reefcleaners, so im gunna get a snail and hermit package and some pods to help seed the tank..

 

[maddmaxx]

Brian,

Welcome to the large tank forum! I thoroughly have enjoyed reading your blog.

I enjoyed reading about the trials and tribulations that you have faced and how you have "picked yourself up" and are moving on. It's funny how life seems to throw us a lot of curve balls. It's a true testament to ones character when they are able to do what you have done or are in the process of doing.

My heart really felt for you after seeing the pictures of your old tanks and of your house.

Your new system looks great and I look forward to watching it develop!

You've been doing this for a while but if you ever get stuck, need another hobbyist opinion.... just ask.

Thanks again for sharing everything with us!

mucho appreciate the kind words...the only thing im kinda iffy on still is the stocking list. corals i got a pritty good handle on what i will keep and want, but fish is always the problem...i like yellow tangs, hippo tangs, powder blue tangs (nemesis)..but i dont want to flood the tank with tangs tho. but i wud have to go wit a couple yellow tangs, ya gotta ya kno? but even say i throw 4-5 tangs in there, is that too much? how many other fish can go in? ive always kept my fish total in my 125 system at around 12 fish,,,most i ever had at one time i think was 15, at most..so a bigger tank with bigger sump, more rock, idk haha

 

[danfeig]

mucho appreciate the kind words...the only thing im kinda iffy on still is the stocking list. corals i got a pritty good handle on what i will keep and want, but fish is always the problem...i like yellow tangs, hippo tangs, powder blue (nemesis)..but i dont want to flood the tank with tangs tho. but i wud have to go wit a couple yellow tangs, ya gotta ya kno? but even say i throw 4-5 tangs in there, is that too much? how many other fish can go in? ive always kept my fish total in my 125 system at around 12 fish,,,most i ever had at one time i think was 15, at most..so a bigger tank with bigger sump, more rock, idk haha

LOL,

Pal, I can't help but laugh. I have Tang Heaven. Probably over 30 tangs, with two (I like pairs) of every variety that I keep. I even keep two of your nemesis fish together successfully and will soon be introducing two Achilles. You can check out my build, A Reef Tank in the Desert.

So I am incredibly biased... I love tangs. Don't get me wrong, I have some cool Anthias, Wrasses, Clowns, Gobies, etc. But for me, the Tangs are the most fascinating fish to watch.

 

[maddmaxx]

LOL,

Pal, I can't help but laugh. I have Tang Heaven. Probably over 30 tangs, with two (I like pairs) of every variety that I keep. I even keep two of your nemesis fish together successfully and will soon be introducing two Achilles. You can check out my build, A Reef Tank in the Desert.

So I am incredibly biased... I love tangs. Don't get me wrong, I have some cool Anthias, Wrasses, Clowns, Gobies, etc. But for me, the Tangs are the most fascinating fish to watch.

mannn...powder blues are my weakness, but for some reason they just never work for me..in time i would like to have 2 in a bigger system like a 450-500g...thats future talk lol... but i am wondering if i could poss get away with a powder blue and powder brown in my system eventually? and 30 tangs,,,,,,thats nothing with your system!

 

[danfeig]

I purchased the tangs together when they are small. I will put them in a QT by themselves and will feed them a ton. Mostly live brine shrimp, enriched with Selcon. I will also feed them frozen mysis soaked in garlic.

I will keep the lights off in the tank for the 1st week and will gradually put in on, increasing the rate daily.

If the Tangs are not behaving together or if one is not eating as much, stressing, etc, I will separate them with a piece of egg-crate for a few days. Just like "timeout" for little kids. Generally the shyer fish is more comfortable, will eat more and start being more playful through the egg-crate. I will then remove the egg-crate and observe for a day. If there are problems, I will repeat the process.

My Powder Blues used to hate eat other. Now, they ignore one another!

 

[worm5406]

My Powder Blues used to hate eat other. Now, they ignore one another!

My two think they are clowns and want to pal around with their buddies. The clowns push them away from the anemone, like they know what will happen. They will all swim off away from the anemone and play around and see what they can find and get into. The clowns get close to the anemone and they race back... The Tangs follow and the clowns instantly stop and push them lightly with their nose. Funny the tangs are learning the dominance dance some. HAHAHAHA

Kids... ya know... HAHAHA

 

[maddmaxx]

My two think they are clowns and want to pal around with their buddies. The clowns push them away from the anemone, like they know what will happen. They will all swim off away from the anemone and play around and see what they can find and get into. The clowns get close to the anemone and they race back... The Tangs follow and the clowns instantly stop and push them lightly with their nose. Funny the tangs are learning the dominance dance some. HAHAHAHA

Kids... ya know... HAHAHA

you have 2 powder blues in your tank?

 

[worm5406]

Sorry no... 2 blue hippo's

 

[maddmaxx]

I purchased the tangs together when they are small. I will put them in a QT by themselves and will feed them a ton. Mostly live brine shrimp, enriched with Selcon. I will also feed them frozen mysis soaked in garlic.

I will keep the lights off in the tank for the 1st week and will gradually put in on, increasing the rate daily.

If the Tangs are not behaving together or if one is not eating as much, stressing, etc, I will separate them with a piece of egg-crate for a few days. Just like "timeout" for little kids. Generally the shyer fish is more comfortable, will eat more and start being more playful through the egg-crate. I will then remove the egg-crate and observe for a day. If there are problems, I will repeat the process.

My Powder Blues used to hate eat other. Now, they ignore one another!

helpful hints on feeding and tank aggression.. id prolly try a powder blue and a powder brown together.. i think my tank may be to small for 2 powder blues and couple other tangs. ive seen a powder blue and brown in the same tank in a 125g on here (RC)...

 

[maddmaxx]

@worm. look at that thing. lil guy huh... i like getting fish that small and watching them grow. neat to observe...

 

[worm5406]

Yeah his brother is the same size.

That is why I wanted the little one like this. To watch it grow and prosper.

I had to add screen to the top of the tank because they would jump the wall and go into the overflow.

After the third time I ordered the clear netting and made it.

 

[maddmaxx]

Tested water today. nitrite went down to 0. got my phos test kit in other day. phos is at .25...forgot to mention i purchased the waste water adapter and booster pump for my BRS 4stage unit. when i assemble ill post pics...

 

[maddmaxx]

gotta get my pH up tho. its at 7.8...

 

[motomatt86]

Impressive!

 

[danfeig]

helpful hints on feeding and tank aggression.. id prolly try a powder blue and a powder brown together.. i think my tank may be to small for 2 powder blues and couple other tangs. ive seen a powder blue and brown in the same tank in a 125g on here (RC)...

On my old 150 gallon tank, I had 2 Powder Blues, 2 Gold Rim, 2 yellow, 2 Blue Hippos an Achilles and a Purple Tang. I purchased all of them small. Less than 2 inches.