About a month ago I found a 90g for sale on CL and I bought it and it's contents because when I seen it I felt sorry for the fish. Anyway, there was 1 hippo tang about 5" and 1 Yellow tang about 5-6" and a Domino Dansel about 5".
The 90 was not in great shape and needed to be resealed if I was going to consider using it and the rock and everything in the tank was covered in aiptasia and there was no way I was going to try and set it up and deal with that. So scrubbed and rinsed a few of the rocks, bought some new sand and put that and the 2 tangs in a 40B. For filtration, I used a HOB bio-wheel cartridge filter, HOB PS and added in a Hydor 750/850 powerhead.
As for the damsel, I immediately gave it away because it was very aggressive and it is currently living in a sump by itself. Not the nicest way to live out ones life but it is fed and still alive and that is better than the alternative.
Anyway, the 2 tangs were a bit neglected and the hippo had gray blotches around his eyes and it looked as if the gray was starting to spread to the rest of the body. My research had revealed that it may be related to malnutrition and considering that the prior owner was feeding them freshwater tropical fish flakes and koi pellets. I believe my research and assumption of malnutrition may be right. Anyway, I picked up some herbivore reef frenzy and brown seaweed and within the month both fish are less skiddish. The hippo is even greeting me when I walk up to the tank and his/her gray spots appear to be getting better. The yellow still hides when I get near but is getting braver every day. I think it is starting to understand that I am the food source.
The question I have is: How long can I keep them in the 40B without causing detrimental lasting effects? I ask because I am currently in the planning stages of a 250 cube build but that is 18 months (Jan 2016) away from coming a reality and operational.
As for the 40B. Water tests are not bad, Nitrates are 10-15ppm but are getting better, ammonia/Nitrite/phosphates are at O ppm and PH is about 8.1. I am doing 5g/bi-weekly WC's. I did them weekly when I first set it up just to be sure but everything is very consistent and I feel that there is little chance of a cycle or spike if I am consistent with my maintenance.
Thanks for reading,
Tom G
The 90 was not in great shape and needed to be resealed if I was going to consider using it and the rock and everything in the tank was covered in aiptasia and there was no way I was going to try and set it up and deal with that. So scrubbed and rinsed a few of the rocks, bought some new sand and put that and the 2 tangs in a 40B. For filtration, I used a HOB bio-wheel cartridge filter, HOB PS and added in a Hydor 750/850 powerhead.
As for the damsel, I immediately gave it away because it was very aggressive and it is currently living in a sump by itself. Not the nicest way to live out ones life but it is fed and still alive and that is better than the alternative.
Anyway, the 2 tangs were a bit neglected and the hippo had gray blotches around his eyes and it looked as if the gray was starting to spread to the rest of the body. My research had revealed that it may be related to malnutrition and considering that the prior owner was feeding them freshwater tropical fish flakes and koi pellets. I believe my research and assumption of malnutrition may be right. Anyway, I picked up some herbivore reef frenzy and brown seaweed and within the month both fish are less skiddish. The hippo is even greeting me when I walk up to the tank and his/her gray spots appear to be getting better. The yellow still hides when I get near but is getting braver every day. I think it is starting to understand that I am the food source.
The question I have is: How long can I keep them in the 40B without causing detrimental lasting effects? I ask because I am currently in the planning stages of a 250 cube build but that is 18 months (Jan 2016) away from coming a reality and operational.
As for the 40B. Water tests are not bad, Nitrates are 10-15ppm but are getting better, ammonia/Nitrite/phosphates are at O ppm and PH is about 8.1. I am doing 5g/bi-weekly WC's. I did them weekly when I first set it up just to be sure but everything is very consistent and I feel that there is little chance of a cycle or spike if I am consistent with my maintenance.
Thanks for reading,
Tom G