my tank looks pretty cool for being 1 month old, however now i am very sad. the only things left i plan on putting in the tank are a red gorgonian, a deresa clam, and another irridescent frogspawn. I wish i could get more put i believe i stocked to my limit. right now, fishwise i have a purple tang, a fiji foxface, a midas blenny, a rainfordi goby (my favorite fish), a candy hogfish, a flame angel, 2 true percula clownfish, and 2 purple firefish in a 75 gallon tank. think its stocked enough?
i hope that got a picture in the thread. if so i will put more in if not could someone tell me how to put a picture in the thread? thanks. i also have 4 scarlet hermit crabs, 1 sand sifting starfish, 2 common cleaner shrimp, 2 strombus conches, 1 zebra turbo snail, 2 hawaiian feather duster worms, and i did have x-mas tree worms but they had gorilla crabs in them so i got rid of them. also many corals.
my tank
- Thread starter conner
- Start date
israelnajar
Active member
The easiest way I found to put photos is to use www.photobucket.com once you have your pic or video uploaded to that host it has a link where you can post embedded photos or just the link.
well i just wrote down that i had a list of my corals on this thread so here goes... tell me if i'm going to fast for 1 month.
MUSHROOMS:
1 rock green frilly mushrooms
1 rock brown mushrooms
1 rock green ricordea mushrooms
a couple sprinkles green and blackish mushrooms
2 red mushrooms with green lines
POLYPS:
something related to a xenia.
star polyps. (1 big, 3 frags).
button polyps
yellow polyps
something kind of like button polyps, but green.
LEATHERS:
1 toadstool with frags
1 finger leather that looks like staghorns
1 leather frag (species unknown).
1 large leather (i think it is finger).
LPS CORALS:
1 pagoda coral
1 closed brain coral (species unknown).
1 torch coral
1irridescent frogspawn. (hey whoever took the other one good grab(my dad wanted it)).
1 hammer coral
1 neon trumpet coral
1 pipe organ coral
SPS CORALS:
1 neon merulina (or something like that).
1 montipora capricornis
1 x-mas tree worm rock.
GORGONIANS:
1 yellow gorgonian
1 blueberry gorgonian.
and that's it. think i got enough? i got no room for more left. the last thing i am planning on putting in my tank is a deresa clam from Rob. (until something goes to the great happy reef in the sky, or whatever). ok, if you had the time to read all that wow!
MUSHROOMS:
1 rock green frilly mushrooms
1 rock brown mushrooms
1 rock green ricordea mushrooms
a couple sprinkles green and blackish mushrooms
2 red mushrooms with green lines
POLYPS:
something related to a xenia.
star polyps. (1 big, 3 frags).
button polyps
yellow polyps
something kind of like button polyps, but green.
LEATHERS:
1 toadstool with frags
1 finger leather that looks like staghorns
1 leather frag (species unknown).
1 large leather (i think it is finger).
LPS CORALS:
1 pagoda coral
1 closed brain coral (species unknown).
1 torch coral
1irridescent frogspawn. (hey whoever took the other one good grab(my dad wanted it)).
1 hammer coral
1 neon trumpet coral
1 pipe organ coral
SPS CORALS:
1 neon merulina (or something like that).
1 montipora capricornis
1 x-mas tree worm rock.
GORGONIANS:
1 yellow gorgonian
1 blueberry gorgonian.
and that's it. think i got enough? i got no room for more left. the last thing i am planning on putting in my tank is a deresa clam from Rob. (until something goes to the great happy reef in the sky, or whatever). ok, if you had the time to read all that wow!
GreenUku
New member
Wow, you got stocked up pretty quickly.
Of all the advice you can get about a reef tank, the single best piece is probably go slowly. Unfortunately, almost everyone has to learn that lesson the hard way...
What you need to focus on now is maintaining stable water parameters (temperature, salinity, pH, Calcium level, Alkalinity level, nitrates, etc.)
A good reference for those parameters is this article by Randy Holmes-Farley:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
Also be consistent about water changes and always use reverse-osmosis / deionized water for top-off and making new saltwater if possible.
If you keep that in check, you should be able to sit back and watch your corals grow.
ps. What kind of lights do you have?
Of all the advice you can get about a reef tank, the single best piece is probably go slowly. Unfortunately, almost everyone has to learn that lesson the hard way...
What you need to focus on now is maintaining stable water parameters (temperature, salinity, pH, Calcium level, Alkalinity level, nitrates, etc.)
A good reference for those parameters is this article by Randy Holmes-Farley:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
Also be consistent about water changes and always use reverse-osmosis / deionized water for top-off and making new saltwater if possible.
If you keep that in check, you should be able to sit back and watch your corals grow.
ps. What kind of lights do you have?
gregrunningbird
New member
Conner,
So good to see you posting again. I have looked for news from you for a long time...I am new to the hobby, too, and enjoy hearing about new tanks!
You and I are truly lucky to live today when we can enjoy our own coral reefs IN THE DESERT!
I hope you have enjoyed this hobby as much as I have...NOW for answering your questions: I won't always be able to answer them, but I am sure that those who read this FORUM can...but you gotta post! Every time I am about to give up on a problem, I post here and get some answers or links to others who have advice. The NMOK has been my strongest support by far.
Your stock list in truly enviable, hope I can see it one day! As for numbers of fish and corals, I see accomplished reefers putting this much into new set-ups ON THE WEB all the time...just keep the posts coming if you see something outta line, and perhaps I or others can help. I have a tank with much less stock, let's compare stories at 6 months and a year...deal?
About your set-up again...VHOs?, Protein skimmer?, circulation?, KH?, Calcium?, Phosphates?
So good to see you posting again. I have looked for news from you for a long time...I am new to the hobby, too, and enjoy hearing about new tanks!
You and I are truly lucky to live today when we can enjoy our own coral reefs IN THE DESERT!
I hope you have enjoyed this hobby as much as I have...NOW for answering your questions: I won't always be able to answer them, but I am sure that those who read this FORUM can...but you gotta post! Every time I am about to give up on a problem, I post here and get some answers or links to others who have advice. The NMOK has been my strongest support by far.
Your stock list in truly enviable, hope I can see it one day! As for numbers of fish and corals, I see accomplished reefers putting this much into new set-ups ON THE WEB all the time...just keep the posts coming if you see something outta line, and perhaps I or others can help. I have a tank with much less stock, let's compare stories at 6 months and a year...deal?
About your set-up again...VHOs?, Protein skimmer?, circulation?, KH?, Calcium?, Phosphates?
deal.... ok, i have a question. i just spent 45 minutes emptying 5 gallons of my tank water and making the new water perfect, so i feel i should ask... why are water changes nessecary in a saltwater aquarium? i know in freshwater aquariums it is to get rid of nitrates and phosphates and whatever, but in saltwater aquariums i have enough live rock to get rid of all that.... i think.
israelnajar
Active member
They are necessary to replenish trace elements. Water changes are not a good way to reduce nitrates in saltwater(althought they do help), skimming, growing macro are better ways for that.
crazy4acros
New member
Think of it this way, "it's nice to get a breath of fresh air every once awhile". In the wild it's a never ending waterchage with every current flow. Water changes benefit reef tanks is so many levels, your corals will love you for that. I think the biggest benefit is keeping Phosphate levels manageable, you can't really tell when keeping high nutrient loving corals but you quickly realize its benefits when raising extremely low nutrient loving corals, polyp extentions and beautiful colors like a crayola crayon box. There are some practices in freshwater that will benefit you in saltwater. Water changes = happy corals.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Water changes are not a good way to reduce nitrates in saltwater(althought they do help), skimming, growing macro are better ways for that.
about that.... i do skim, and i have macro algae, and i have lots and lots of live rock. so nitrates are not a problem. but, about the trace elements, I add about 1/3 to half a gallon of distilled water every day to replenish my evaporation. (open lid and open refugium for the moment, also i am trying to get an RO filter but i have to save my allowance). is that enough?
about that.... i do skim, and i have macro algae, and i have lots and lots of live rock. so nitrates are not a problem. but, about the trace elements, I add about 1/3 to half a gallon of distilled water every day to replenish my evaporation. (open lid and open refugium for the moment, also i am trying to get an RO filter but i have to save my allowance). is that enough?
gregrunningbird
New member
Connor,
One newbie to another...read up on water changes, as in the link below, or any other number of books, web pages, or ask your favorite LFS person:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/watchgantart.htm
Perhaps you could get by...but is it worth the risk of losing even one of your favorite corals?
One newbie to another...read up on water changes, as in the link below, or any other number of books, web pages, or ask your favorite LFS person:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/watchgantart.htm
Perhaps you could get by...but is it worth the risk of losing even one of your favorite corals?
water change = nutrient export. although fuges & skimming are forms of nutrient export they are in no way the same as the constant "flushing'" in many of the worlds ocean reefs....we as hobbyists have through technology been able to keep these truly amazing organisms alive but we Have always used the NATURAL ENVIROMENT as a model.... water changes are important
unfortunately most reefs kept with basic oraganims are more forgiving and we are less apt to see direct immediate results. also most corals kept in aquaria are not RBSC(reef building stony corals ie hermatypic)...
crazy we have always had the same philosophies!
unfortunately most reefs kept with basic oraganims are more forgiving and we are less apt to see direct immediate results. also most corals kept in aquaria are not RBSC(reef building stony corals ie hermatypic)...
crazy we have always had the same philosophies!
crazy4acros
New member
Greg, very good article! Pretty much sums it up. Yo reign, you know it buddy! Great minds think alike LOL! This hobby is never ending learning, once you reach the point of keeping these creatures alive successfully, you will start to experiment with other things like parameters, lighting, filtration methods vitamin dosing etc. You will discover a whole new level for keeping these guys not only thriving but thriving up to it's full potential.
Happy Holidays! BURRRRRRP!
Happy Holidays! BURRRRRRP!
ok, i have a few more questions now... crocea clams: howe often should you feed them?
also, whoever fragged those irridescent frogspawns, what conditions were you keeping them in? i have one and it is starting to not look so good.
lastly, the most important question.
my skimmer stopped working somehow. i did not do anything to it, it just stopped working. this is my freedom filter skimmer, and all i know is it has something to do with the airflow that makes the foam. it started making a loud noise that sounds like a constant popping of bubbles. whatever it is i NEED that skimmer to work because of all my stony corals.
thanks guys.
Conner
also, whoever fragged those irridescent frogspawns, what conditions were you keeping them in? i have one and it is starting to not look so good.
lastly, the most important question.
my skimmer stopped working somehow. i did not do anything to it, it just stopped working. this is my freedom filter skimmer, and all i know is it has something to do with the airflow that makes the foam. it started making a loud noise that sounds like a constant popping of bubbles. whatever it is i NEED that skimmer to work because of all my stony corals.
thanks guys.
Conner
israelnajar
Active member
Clams I think need to be fed phyto every other day.
Regarding your skimmer. Have you tried cleaning your venturi? Thats what it sounds like to me. Probably have salt creep in there.
Regarding your skimmer. Have you tried cleaning your venturi? Thats what it sounds like to me. Probably have salt creep in there.
ok, well i had to turn the skimmer off because of coral food, but i will check on that later. also, about my clam, how much phyto do i feed it? also, the clam was set into my sand bottom where last night it kicked. it is facing the front now and i was wondering, should i put it back up, or should i move it, or what?
