New to RC

[-BlackJack-]

Hey, I'm new to RC and I live in Sierra Vista.

Looking for reef help in the local area, and people to give some opinions/input on setting up my system, and ideas for future upgrades.

Nice to meet everyone!

 

[philblumenfeld]

Welcome!

Well, you have come to the right place, we love to give advice.

 

[shuskins]

Welcome! Is your tank set up yet or in progress?

 

[-BlackJack-]

It's already set up. I guess I should probably put a list of accessories/occupants in my sig, but here they are in the mean-time.

Equipment:
60g (tall) Hex
Penn Plax Cascade 1000
Prizm skimmer (hate it)
Current 150w HQI/Moon/transition lighting
Hydor Koralia #2 and #3 powerheads
chiller - home built (see video contest) fridge/coil/bath/pump

Environment:
crushed coral substrate
60-70# Fiji LR
unknown amount of Agracrete (sp?)

Occupants:
1 GBTA
1 blue-green chromie
1 cleaner shrimp
20 mixed hermits/astreas
green zoanthids
red palythoas
purple mushroom

 

[McCrary]

Cool, its good to have another reefer in the area. I like the fact that the tank is so lightly stocked, too many people cram lots of fish into a hex. If you have any questions don't be shy.

 

[-BlackJack-]

thanks everyone....

For starters, I plan to let this baby run for awhile as is, but at most I'm going to add is possibly a Caribbean Blue Tang and a pair of Gold-stripe Maroon Clownfish. Should be about it until I get into a larger system.

On second thought, I think a Tang would grow to big....maybe a dwarf Flame Angel. Have to put in more research.

 

[Bifferwine]

I would pass on the tang for now, they don't do as well in tall tanks. They really need a lot of lateral space for swimming, but a pair of clowns or a flame angel would be good choices.

 

[McCrary]

Yea, tangs do need a lot of space and they like to swim back and forth, round tanks aren't too great for that. Maroon clowns also get extremely aggressive and may not be the best choice for a smaller tank. Try a pair of percula or ocellaris, they are much more peaceful.

 

[-BlackJack-]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12626602#post12626602 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by McCrary
Try a pair of percula or ocellaris, they are much more peaceful.

Guess beauty has a price. I like the percula and ocellaris, but I really think they're overdone. The maroon clowns are really the centerpiece of the reef setup I'm going for, hence the GBTA, but maybe you could recommend a more suitable tank mate for the Premnas Biaculeatus (maroon clown).

Some research I stumbled on indicates:

<a href=http://www.tropicalfishdata.com/marine/clownfish/maroon_clownfish.html target=_blank>TropicalFishData</a>Compatibility: Damsels, Dartfish, Dragonets, Filefish, Foxface, Gobies, Grunts, Jawfish, Hawkfish, Parrotfish, Pseudochromis, Puffers, Squirrelsfish, Tangs, Wrasse, Live Corals, Live Rocks and Invertebrates.

I know that's probably not totally conclusive because every source seems to have similarities, yet also diverse opinions in some instances.
Case in point: the same article says the clown is good in a tank without an anemone which is good (it says) because anemones are difficult to keep alive even for the advanced aquarist.

I have had no difficulty keeping this anemone going (I'm nowhere near an advanced aquarist), and I have a total of 2 months experience. I just read, research, read some more, and execute instructions from the most successful experiences.

I forgot a Jawfish was on my list as well. I'm not seeing the Dwarf Flame angel in that list though

 

[McCrary]

Maroon clowns are pretty aggressive, so anything that stays out of their way would be good. By buddy has a pair in his 90 and the female is like 5 inches long and defends their anemone like crazy. If a hand goes near their side of the tank it is probably going to get bit. Anemones are pretty variable in their hardiness and most people have very good luck with ones that are not wild caught.

 

[-BlackJack-]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12627749#post12627749 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by McCrary
Maroon clowns are pretty aggressive, so anything that stays out of their way would be good.

sound advice.

Oh, here's a couple pics of my setup. Not impressive by any stretch, but we're getting there.

First pic, the "dormitory" style fridge is my home-built chiller. Temps stay around 76-78 mostly. before the chiller, it hovered more around 80-82

Second pic, I don't know why, but the water always looks clearer in person. I can't take aquarium pics worth a crap for some reason.

 

[McCrary]

Dude, it looks good, but you are going to be severely limited in what fish you can have due to the dimensions of the tank.

 

[-BlackJack-]

you're right. hmm....back to the books for more info. Guess I'll just stay with varieties that don't need as much space (smaller less active types) and like you said, stay out of the clown's way. Looks like a small group of 3-4 blue/green chromis are in order for starters

Thanks very much for the input.....

 

[-BlackJack-]

anyone think a 4" Coral Beauty (full grown?) would be ok in this tank (especially with maroon clowns)?