New with questions

G

gillianandjoe

New member
Hi, I am trying to convert my 55 gal FWLR tank into a reef tank, but I need to take out some of the inhabitants. My question is, who can stay, and who has to go. I am planning on starting slow, with soft corals, and maybe get into hard corals down the road. The tank currently has 1 porcupine puffer, 1 snowflake moray, 1 lunar wrasse, 1 yellow damsel, 1 neon velvet damsel, and a yellow tang. I am planning on setting up another tank, just wanted to hear some thoughts on who might be ok.
 
I am positive that the 2 damsels and the tangs can stay, and pretty sure the moray can also, but just check with someone else on that.

So all that I think you need to remove is the puffer and the wrasse and you should be set.

Chris
 
Snails, hermits, and other crabs are often at risk from wrasse. Some can be safe, but most of them I have seen for sail are usually risky.

Agreed as well the puffer does have to go.

If your wondering about reef compatible fish check out the "pocketexpert guide"s. Marine fish has a lot of different fish seen for sail and whether or not they are reef safe. The thing I like about it is they usually say why they are not safe as well and specifically what they go after. I can't just be told no, you gotta tell me why, lol.
 
I have a yellow wrasse in my reef that does not bother anything. I have heard of people keeping many different wrasses in reef tanks, six line, scotts fairy, red flasher etc. Check out some of the online places that sell fish and most will list whether or not a fish is reef safe.
 
Lunare Wrasses and the smaller wrasses are two different stories though. Six-lines were "made" for reef tanks but they will still pick on ornamental shrimps. Fairy's and Red Flashers are smaller wrasses that fair well in reef aquariums. There are people that have kept the Thalassoma sp. of wrasses in reef tanks and have kept them fed well and had success. I am generalizing when I say they aren't a good idea and you may be one of the lucky few who can keep one and it will never touch a crustacean. If you want to keep the wrasse but also keep shrimp, get yourself and nice sized banded coral shrimp. The snowflake will consume ornamental shrimps and crabs and if you remove the other fish and the damsels "claim" the tank, you will have territory issues. The puffer would be like a starving man at a buffet if corals are put into the tank. But again, this is just my opinion and there are exceptions to the rule.
 
Thanks for the replies, I have a peppermint shrimp in a little tank, that hopefully will go into the larger tank, and there are a few hermits in there now, but I don't think as many as I started with. Is there any reason that the corraline algae would grow slower in a tank with fish than in a tank with no fish? I have a ten gallon tank with rock that's going wild, and the larger tank seems to not grow algae. The lighting is similar in both tanks, flourescent, atinic, and reef glow? bulbs. Thanks, again for your posts.

Joe
 
Calcium levels? What is the substrate in each tank? If one tank is deep and the other shallow then the light is a lot closer... Couple of possibilities would have to know more details.
 
I believe higher nitrate levels can retard calcification and coraline growth. other factors are light , calcium, strontium and magnesium levels.
 
Corraline algae may be growing faster in the tank with no fish than the tank with fish because of phosphate levels. Have you measured the phosphate levels? I believe phosphate will prevent the capability of corraline algaes from utilizing calcium. So higher phosphate=lower "availability" of calcium. If i'm incorrect please correct me!

I'm sure KaptKen will at some point step in with a long post with many interesting links :rolleyes: :D
 
Good point ST. I clean forgot about phosphates. even though i'm right now changing my GBFH in some tanks. What was I thinking? you are right, phostphates are a big inhibitor. more so than nitrates.
 
The small tank has a very shallow layer of aragonite, the other has small shells, about 1.5" deep. Please forgive me for this one, but can you test for phosphates? How do I lower them? Just water changes, or is there something more I should be doing?
 
Yes! to all of the above G & J . Phosphates can be tested for,and lowered through a variety of ways. Simple test kits are in the LFS stores. Water changes with new saltwater made with RO water will lower them by dilution.(but cost you lots for salt), a refugium with macro algea will lower them by the plants absorbing the phosphates and nitrates(fertilizer) and growing under light,(the natural low cost method). or various absorbing filter media will chemically bind to take them out of the water,(also expensive but fast acting). things like POLY FILTERS(absorb lots of other nasties too), Phosphate absorbers like white beads of aluminum oxide(low capacity), or the best chemical absorber,GRANULATED BETA FERIC HYDROXIDE, (an altered form of iron rust). heres a link for a good deal on that right now. Phos Pure.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=13963&N=2004+113810

hope that helps
one hard hat to another
 
If you want to test for phosphate make sure you get a high quality test. I would suggest a salifert test kit. Little pricey, but you get what you pay for. I had 2 cheaper tests and they both gave me totally different readings. So be careful.
 
Thanks again for your posts. I will look into it a little more. My small tank has a red algae with broad leaves, and what looks like green grape? algae growing in it too, I have seen refugiums in magazines, would it be possible to use the ten gallon tank as a refugium for the 55 without drilling? Sorry if that's a stupid question, I really am new at this.
 
No such thing as a stupid question. If you don't ask and mess up on something maybe you can call yourself stupid.(but we all make mistakes) You could use the ten g with out drilling. Do you have a sump? If not and your thinking about a fuge you may be able to make a fuge in a sump. Check out <A HREF="http://www.melevsreef.com/">this website</A> if you want to learn about sumps. You will find that site useful for a couple of other things as well.
The other option you may consider is a hob fuge(hang on back). One way to do this is to convert the biggest aquaclear you can buy. Take a look around RC by searching you'll find lots of people have gone that route.
 
Welcome to the forum, Joe. Hope you can make it up to a meeting at some point! FWIW, I've had a salifert phos kit that was also crap. It's quite difficult to test for, and I find it easier to just run phos-sorb or some equivalent if it's suspect. Just my two cents, but if I was setting up another tank anyway I would move out everything but the tang. Had enough personal experiences & heard too many stories with 'reef safe' fish that were destructive in their own way and a real PITA to pull out later on.
Cheers - Mary
 
What do you do to become a reef club member? Is anyone welcome at your meetings? I am in Dover, I've done most of my shopping at either Fish Bowl, or Pet Safari (in Lewes). But I am interested in getting some real advice on controlling my tank's chemistry, better set-ups, etc..
 
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