Tangs fighting. need advise.

[sandwi54]

I dont have any super expensive corals in my tank yet so I may still get it but if it picks at the coral to much Ill sell it. If not ill start getting corals but I will be carfull. Why would the consistancy matter for the skimmer?

If you don't mind me asking, which skimmer do you have? Many manufacturers over-rate their skimmers for marketing purposes, some more than others. The cheaper ones tend to do this more than the better brands like reef octopus. For example, an "A" brand skimmer sold at $200 claims to support up to 250g, but in reality, 100g is pretty much the max it can do, or even less.

The purpose of a skimmer is to remove the dissolved organic compounds (DOC) in the water before they break down to form ammonia, by building a foam head that rises in the skimmer body with respect to the amount of organics in the water. When there is enough organics to push the foam up in the neck, the foam falls over and into the collection cup, and whatever organics that are attached to the foams are removed from the system. The problem with a skimmer too large for the system is that the neck is so wide that it take a lot of organics to push the foam head high enough to fall into the collection cup. It would take some time (a couple of days) to generate that much organics, and during that time some of the organics break down to form ammonia and feeds the nitrogen cycle. As a result it is counter-productive to have a skimemr too large for the system, since you are not removing the DOCs before they break down.

The most efficient skimmer is one that is sized according to the system and the stocking level. Having a skimmer rated for 250g on a 75g system with light stocking is close to not having one at all. You want a skimmer that is always pulling out gunks.

 

[fish clown]

If you don't mind me asking, which skimmer do you have? Many manufacturers over-rate their skimmers for marketing purposes, some more than others. The cheaper ones tend to do this more than the better brands like reef octopus. For example, an "A" brand skimmer sold at $200 claims to support up to 250g, but in reality, 100g is pretty much the max it can do, or even less.

The purpose of a skimmer is to remove the dissolved organic compounds (DOC) in the water before they break down to form ammonia, by building a foam head that rises in the skimmer body with respect to the amount of organics in the water. When there is enough organics to push the foam up in the neck, the foam falls over and into the collection cup, and whatever organics that are attached to the foams are removed from the system. The problem with a skimmer too large for the system is that the neck is so wide that it take a lot of organics to push the foam head high enough to fall into the collection cup. It would take some time (a couple of days) to generate that much organics, and during that time some of the organics break down to form ammonia and feeds the nitrogen cycle. As a result it is counter-productive to have a skimemr too large for the system, since you are not removing the DOCs before they break down.

The most efficient skimmer is one that is sized according to the system and the stocking level. Having a skimmer rated for 250g on a 75g system with light stocking is close to not having one at all. You want a skimmer that is always pulling out gunks.

I am almost completly positive I have a proclear aquatic sytems 150 gal. skimmer. I went to there site and matched the neck size with there current skimmers and that what I got. I am not 100% sure that is right because I am not sure how old that skimmer is and dont know if they changed any thing on that model(some livestock, tank and equiptment was off of craigslist).

 

[lucky_snapper]

Not trying to stirr up a hornets nest but ... watch the first few sec of this video... I do believe that there is more than one yellow in this tank and they are not ripping each other to shreds.. same goes for the blue tangs at :28 sec .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3zUal-Rm3c

Also green chromis will not "always" kill one another. I have 3 large 2.5in green chromis in my tank and have had them for almost a year and they school happily and have never shown any aggression toward any other damsels or other fish in the tank..

 

[Voxboy]

Not trying to stirr up a hornets nest but ... watch the first few sec of this video... I do believe that there is more than one yellow in this tank and they are not ripping each other to shreds.. same goes for the blue tangs at :28 sec .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3zUal-Rm3c

Also green chromis will not "always" kill one another. I have 3 large 2.5in green chromis in my tank and have had them for almost a year and they school happily and have never shown any aggression toward any other damsels or other fish in the tank..

THese are holding tanks for fish. Fish that have been just caught and in such large numbers have not got any territory to defend in these bare tanks... and are more than likely very disoriented. The fish don't stay in these tanks very long either. I'll bet half of these fish also perish within weeks of being sold and shipped around the country.

 

[Charley Diesing]

these are holding tanks for fish. Fish that have been just caught and in such large numbers have not got any territory to defend in these bare tanks... And are more than likely very disoriented. The fish don't stay in these tanks very long either. I'll bet half of these fish also perish within weeks of being sold and shipped around the country.

+1

 

[Charley Diesing]

Not trying to stirr up a hornets nest but ... watch the first few sec of this video... I do believe that there is more than one yellow in this tank and they are not ripping each other to shreds.. same goes for the blue tangs at :28 sec .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3zUal-Rm3c

Also green chromis will not "always" kill one another. I have 3 large 2.5in green chromis in my tank and have had them for almost a year and they school happily and have never shown any aggression toward any other damsels or other fish in the tank..

Almost a year isn't actually that long in the reefing world. I've read a lot about Chromis sometimes they don't always go "Cain vs Abel" right away. Sometimes it happens in a month, sometimes it takes 2 years. I have heard some success but in the long run, unless your tank is huge, just get one, unless you don't mind restocking chromis. ;p

 

[Wolverine]

Not trying to stirr up a hornets nest but ... watch the first few sec of this video... I do believe that there is more than one yellow in this tank and they are not ripping each other to shreds.. same goes for the blue tangs at :28 sec .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3zUal-Rm3c.

In addition to what Vox said about those being holding tanks, I saw several aggressive interactions just in those few second clips; two reasons to disagree with your conclusion about that video. Even if I didn't see any, fish fighting doesn't necessarily happen every second of a tanks existence. In the most aggressive tanks it would be easy to find enough peaceful stretches to fill a 3 minute video.

Almost a year isn't actually that long in the reefing world. I've read a lot about Chromis sometimes they don't always go "Cain vs Abel" right away. Sometimes it happens in a month, sometimes it takes 2 years. I have heard some success but in the long run, unless your tank is huge, just get one, unless you don't mind restocking chromis. ;p

This.
I haven't seen anyone say that chromis will "always" kill each other off. But I wouldn't put a lot of money on them not doing it eventually.

 

[fish clown]

I finnaly sold a Yellow Tang tonight and they were both healthy and in good condition and it never got to trying to kill each other.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

That is good. You are better off long term doing it this way rather than facing a major problem. This hobby is difficult enough without having to deal with avoidable issues. Enjoy your future stocking.

 

[fish clown]

I got the last tang out with time but it wasnt a terrible pain(took 45min, two people and two nets). I actuly attemted to sell my second tang and tried to get it out for over a hour and a half to catch it with no succses. When the guy from CL arived it still wasnt caught and so I tried a little longer and he had to be somwhere so he left without it. That was kinda stressfull. Is there a good thread on this or somthing you recomend becides draning the tank???