The All-in-One Aggressive reef-tank build!

[T-T-Trigger]

edit: i just renamed the thread to get more attention hehehehehehe

I know this makes little sense if you haven't read my other threads sorry but,

finally got the reef, mantises, and big fo moved. trouble is... well... there was trouble. tried mixing the hawk with the titan again - only this time there were injuries, mostly to titan.

so i changed my mind about the setup. other factors were a) i never get to see the undy b) the stocky hawk was getting pushed around big time by titan (and other hawk obv.) c) the fimbriated eel was getting pushed around by everybody (!) he stopped free swimming at feeding time just stuck his head out of his hole waiting for it. d) i dont want two big tanks where one just has one fish and the other has a big boss and i never get to see the others (and they aren't enjoying life either).


So, i decided i have to remove the giant hawk (that was a very very hard decision, i sat and stared at him for like an hour straight), but i know of a better home for him - and I have to chalk it up to being my "achilles heel fish" LOLOL thats pretty funy. Anyway here is what happened.

I went with the 100rr again for the titan and the whitemouth - (it was plumbed ready to go and made the move easier than using the 135) and most of the live rock. removed the stocky hawk, fimbriated and undulated and will house them in the 65 - in 29 temporarily (pics to follow).


the mantises went into the lower divided 4ft 50g (60g? idk) tank, left side will be mangrove / macro-algae / peacock mantis. right side will be reef / dsb / zebra mantis.



PHEW!!!!!!!!!! STILL WITH ME??


the 100 titan/eel tank will eventually be tied into reef/refugium - in fact, all the plumbing is done for that! i just have to open the drain line, plug in the return pump and voila! But for now they are both running individually.

Last, but not least i had the 3rd mantis, he got his own 5g minibow on top of what is essentially my "entertainment center" for this fish room. I put a couch facing the tanks, a tv, a stereo, and a PS2 :rollface:


Pics when i catch my breath........ I still have a lot to do, doors, a little plumbing, some mangrove placing/lighting, hook up the skimmer, finish the hood, clean up the 65 for the misfit tank (29g now), kill some farkin aiptasias, clean the 135, and on...

...and on

...and on it goes. :fun5:



IF ANYONE READ ALL THAT - merci beaucoup...

 

[danorth]

Where did the giant hawk go to?


Mangroves, I want to learn how to keep them and use them. Once you get that going, please post. I want to lower my nitrates still...and have 2 big bunches of cheato so far. I'm going to have 50 gallons of it before I part with it!!!

 

[JustinReef]

Yeah too bad about the hawk!

danorth-Mangroves are easy to keep really but won't do much for nitrates unless you keep a very large amount. They look great though!

 

[T-T-Trigger]

Anyone want pictures?? sorry, but i lost my camera

 

[T-T-Trigger]

Just kidding!


but be gentle I am far from finished, as always i suppose...


finally!! (anyone wanna buy a 135 )

this is the overall JUST after introduction into the top tank (the bottom tank had been running for a day already.

 

[T-T-Trigger]

from right to left bottom tank


lighting:

reef critters acclimating well (edit: zebra mantis, l. maculata is also in this tank (hence the DSB)):

dwarf lion on the move, i LOVE this guy!

macro/mangrove tank:

peacock happy in mangrove rock support:

sump (skimmer will go in back section):

 

[T-T-Trigger]

Garish 29 holding tank till 65 is ready for them:

btw, above tank holds the undy and fimbriated too, will be less than a week dont call the PETA please!


slightly injured hawk, but was best to remove him:

29 is actually on the 65 stand already in place, sump is ready too:

and lastly, way up high, is my little n. wennerae mantis in a 5g minibow, finally he doesnt have to share!! will be improving this tank too as time goes by i am sure:

 

[Grouperhead]

Looks good, really good. Sucks that the giant didn't work out, but oh well. Those two mantis tanks of the bottom of the titan's tank are sweet. Those are going to be fun to watch. Let's see some more pics of the whitemouth, that thing is awesome.

 

[T-T-Trigger]

wow, that took a little while,

hope you all at least found it entertaining.

 

[T-T-Trigger]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13431015#post13431015 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Grouperhead
Looks good, really good. Sucks that the giant didn't work out, but oh well. Those two mantis tanks of the bottom of the titan's tank are sweet. Those are going to be fun to watch. Let's see some more pics of the whitemouth, that thing is awesome.

thanks! Duly noted about the whitemouth. any other requests?

 

[Grouperhead]

What kind of dwarf lion is that? Doesn't really look like a normal fuzzy?

 

[Mike5252]

Nice Mantis!

 

[T-T-Trigger]

that is a dendrochirus barberi, Hawaiian dwarf lion.

thx mike.

 

[Grouperhead]

Did you get him directly from a Hawaiian diver or from lfs? Very cool looking lion, don't think I've seen one before.

 

[danorth]

Looks great! I will miss that giant hawk though, but at least you got to post some nice pics of it first.

Thanks Justin regarding the mangroves. I will stick to my cheato tub then.


p.s. TT, my titan is starting to be a jerk as well. Nothing is allowed by the 'cave' (hole in rock!)....even the big queen has to turn and flare out when approaching it.

 

[JustinReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13432102#post13432102 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danorth
Looks great! I will miss that giant hawk though, but at least you got to post some nice pics of it first.

Thanks Justin regarding the mangroves. I will stick to my cheato tub then.


p.s. TT, my titan is starting to be a jerk as well. Nothing is allowed by the 'cave' (hole in rock!)....even the big queen has to turn and flare out when approaching it.

Well you should get some mangroves though if you like the look. They are really cool trees and a nice addition to a fuge or even the DT if its open topped.


Pics look great so far!

 

[T-T-Trigger]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13431666#post13431666 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Grouperhead
Did you get him directly from a Hawaiian diver or from lfs? Very cool looking lion, don't think I've seen one before.

No, every once in awhile they get mixed in somehow - the times I have seen them (in a store) they have always been the same price, and usually in the same tank as dwarf fuzzies


here are some eel pics today, everyone is still acting funny from the move (except the mantises).

more... ???

encore! encore!!!

 

[Grouperhead]

That whitemouth is absolutely stunning. Is he pretty active during the day? I can't get over how friggin sweet he is. Very jealous

 

[T-T-Trigger]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13432102#post13432102 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danorth
Looks great! I will miss that giant hawk though, but at least you got to post some nice pics of it first.

Thanks Justin regarding the mangroves. I will stick to my cheato tub then.


p.s. TT, my titan is starting to be a jerk as well. Nothing is allowed by the 'cave' (hole in rock!)....even the big queen has to turn and flare out when approaching it.

I know, i know, like i said i stared at that tank for an hour chewing it over in my head. I drove over 2 hrs rd. trip to get it! traded my tess for it! believe me i was dissapointed that it had to go, just could not keep it solo. c'est la vie. my brother's friend in auburn has a 350-ish tank with a couple bamboos and big lionfish - said he would take it.

the titan's wound is getting more serious, which is unexpected - water quality should be really good - kept up with h2o changes on temp tank, and did a 30% change when going into the new tank.

what do you think? These shots show it almost worse than it looks in person:

 

[Grouperhead]

T-T, is he still eating and doing everything else normally? I've seen some triggers that have gotten pretty beat up before, and they have all come back with a little tlc (mainly daily water changes.) Fish are real tough critters as we all know, and triggers are some of the toughest. Feed him good and often and keep his water as pristine as you can, that's the best advice I can give (which I'm sure you are already doing.) Hope he gets better, he is really coloring up very nicely.