Good point. I havent put up any pics in a while. Let me go take some.
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- Thread starter Mikilios
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Good point. I havent put up any pics in a while. Let me go take some.
mallorieGgator
New member
Cool thread! We're staring at an empty 55 gallon until we can save up some money to get our sump. Nice to follow this thread and live through you for a bit until our tank is set up. 
Cool thread! We're staring at an empty 55 gallon until we can save up some money to get our sump. Nice to follow this thread and live through you for a bit until our tank is set up.
Thank you so much for the feedback. My goal in keeping up on this thread is to log my progress so anyone (including myself) can follow it and perhaps gain insight from it. I haven't even ran a freshwater tank by myself before, let alone a marine system (although the "family" had a freshwater tank as kids). So as challenging as this hobby is, I like it, and did hours and hours of research online before starting into it. So far everyone seems happy.
Tank update...
More livestock today. There were a couple of tank raised b&w percula clowns at the local lfs that had been there for a week (and looking healthy and well) and so I purchased them for a nice low price of $35 each. On top of that, I picked up another 12 nassarius snails for added sand stirring critters. The clownfish are currently acclimating, but looking lively, healthy, and spunky. :dance:
Ha. No. It is a work in progress. The problem was I didn't get my cleaning crew up to snuff quick enough, so after the diatom bloom, the green hair bloomed in a matter of several days. So now its been a work in progress to get it back to where I want it. But, I dont want to add too many cleaning crew and then have them die off due to starvation. The tank is actually improving every day as far as the GHA. It is easily reduced to 1/3 of where it was at peak. I've also noticed that in the last 3-4 days the green hair algae is no longer spreading quickly. I think my tank has "balanced" itself out on the nutrients feeding the GHA. All is well. =) (Note: I have been manually removing the green hair by hand, about 30 mins a day every couple of days. I could clean it all out myself, but I want to leave enough for my critters to eat, so I do it bit by bit to make sure I am not shorting them on food source. The Emeralds LOVE IT).
And truth be told, I think if I could "mow the lawn," so to speak and keep one rock neat and tidy, I probably would like to keep 1 are of rock with green hair algae (at least until my tank is full of coral). I do like the added movement in the sytem.
And the fun continues
And the fun continues
So tonight I look in on my tank to find that the cleaner shrimp have been mating. One of them is carrying hundreds of eggs. I guess they are content with the new home. Also, there has been an addition of 3 corals to the system (that I have not mentioned yet). One candy cane coral, one green favite, and 1 red mushroom rock. I will post pictures sometime soon.
The fish are all doing well. The YWG and Tiger Pistol continue their relentless reconfiguration of the tanks substrate, while the B&W perc?s are lively and well. Everything in the system seems to be getting along and not making my life too difficult.
The chaeto in the refug has doubled now in mass. It wont be too much longer before I have to take some out of the system, because my refug just isn't very big.
The green algae problem is slowly abating. I am finding all of the new growth of the gha seems to be on the glass, or on the powerheads, or the drain pipe. All is well thus far, and for this I am grateful.
One piece of bad news to report.... I did find an aiptasia of fair size today. I will have to move quick on it come tomorrow to drop it dead.
And the fun continues
So tonight I look in on my tank to find that the cleaner shrimp have been mating. One of them is carrying hundreds of eggs. I guess they are content with the new home. Also, there has been an addition of 3 corals to the system (that I have not mentioned yet). One candy cane coral, one green favite, and 1 red mushroom rock. I will post pictures sometime soon.
The fish are all doing well. The YWG and Tiger Pistol continue their relentless reconfiguration of the tanks substrate, while the B&W perc?s are lively and well. Everything in the system seems to be getting along and not making my life too difficult.
The chaeto in the refug has doubled now in mass. It wont be too much longer before I have to take some out of the system, because my refug just isn't very big.
The green algae problem is slowly abating. I am finding all of the new growth of the gha seems to be on the glass, or on the powerheads, or the drain pipe. All is well thus far, and for this I am grateful.
One piece of bad news to report.... I did find an aiptasia of fair size today. I will have to move quick on it come tomorrow to drop it dead.
Molting.... the false alarm
Molting.... the false alarm
Every time one of the emeralds or the shrimp molt into their new skin, it freaks me out. I come home and see what appear to be the grissly remains of one of my beloved little critters. The shrimp are the worst... their exoskeletons always seem to get sucked into the power heads and caught in the grill (reminds me of the front end of a vehicle after a long road trip with the dead insects). Anyway, Poseidon has molted for the second time in 3.5 weeks. He's becoming... LARGE... so quickly. :lol: He makes very noticeable jumps in size each time. Now I get to go pull the "dead crab" out of the water. The shell looks so perfectly intact after he slips out of it. Amazing...
Anyhow, here are the updated pics I promised. I must also say, I am surprised to have found that large piece of Favia for only 60 bucks. It is basically a 6-7 " diameter piece of flat live rock covered in the stuff. Lucky find. =) I knew exactly where to put it when I saw it in the LFS... and it fit like a glove.
Molting.... the false alarm
Every time one of the emeralds or the shrimp molt into their new skin, it freaks me out. I come home and see what appear to be the grissly remains of one of my beloved little critters. The shrimp are the worst... their exoskeletons always seem to get sucked into the power heads and caught in the grill (reminds me of the front end of a vehicle after a long road trip with the dead insects). Anyway, Poseidon has molted for the second time in 3.5 weeks. He's becoming... LARGE... so quickly. :lol: He makes very noticeable jumps in size each time. Now I get to go pull the "dead crab" out of the water. The shell looks so perfectly intact after he slips out of it. Amazing...
Anyhow, here are the updated pics I promised. I must also say, I am surprised to have found that large piece of Favia for only 60 bucks. It is basically a 6-7 " diameter piece of flat live rock covered in the stuff. Lucky find. =) I knew exactly where to put it when I saw it in the LFS... and it fit like a glove.
Attachments
5 weeks
5 weeks
The tank is 5 weeks old now, and things are looking good. Everyone seems to be happy (the cleaner shrimp, and several types of snails have laid eggs). Water params have been good, and the GHA has been on the decline steadily. I'm fairly certain the tank has finaly "balanced out" and the small amounts of algae still growing are being taken care of by the cleaning crew.
5 weeks
The tank is 5 weeks old now, and things are looking good. Everyone seems to be happy (the cleaner shrimp, and several types of snails have laid eggs). Water params have been good, and the GHA has been on the decline steadily. I'm fairly certain the tank has finaly "balanced out" and the small amounts of algae still growing are being taken care of by the cleaning crew.
Pics
Pics
Yesterday I went to the LFS and picked up not 1, nor 2, but 3 new fish. YIKES. I only feel ok about this because I know the bio-load change will be no different then when I dropped in the two clowns at the same time.
Here was the purchase...
1 yellow clown goby
1 green clown goby
1 Allens Damsel
All three have acclimated well, and they all ate within 15 minutes of being put into the DT. I suppose there was definitely some risk with not using a QT period with the new additions, and a smarter man/woman would have done so, but I was thorough in my examination of the fish before they were picked out at the LFS (and I guess in my mind it works as a half-a*# rationale). Furthermore, I went with three in one purchase because the two clown gobies really only count the same as one of my B&W clownfish as far as bioload, and the tank showed no ill effects from a week and a half ago when the clownfish were put in. Anyway... there is a brief summary of my thought process. I am happy with the Allens Damsel because it is a gorgeous blue splash of color in the tank, and my readings have said that they tend to be noticeably less aggressive then many other types of Damsels. All pluses for me.
Pics
Yesterday I went to the LFS and picked up not 1, nor 2, but 3 new fish. YIKES. I only feel ok about this because I know the bio-load change will be no different then when I dropped in the two clowns at the same time.
Here was the purchase...
1 yellow clown goby
1 green clown goby
1 Allens Damsel
All three have acclimated well, and they all ate within 15 minutes of being put into the DT. I suppose there was definitely some risk with not using a QT period with the new additions, and a smarter man/woman would have done so, but I was thorough in my examination of the fish before they were picked out at the LFS (and I guess in my mind it works as a half-a*# rationale). Furthermore, I went with three in one purchase because the two clown gobies really only count the same as one of my B&W clownfish as far as bioload, and the tank showed no ill effects from a week and a half ago when the clownfish were put in. Anyway... there is a brief summary of my thought process. I am happy with the Allens Damsel because it is a gorgeous blue splash of color in the tank, and my readings have said that they tend to be noticeably less aggressive then many other types of Damsels. All pluses for me.
Attachments
Tank update
Tank update
Things are going well, for the most part. I must sadly say that the yellow clown goby died two days after purchase... I am not sure what killed him exactly... I came in to find the large emerald crab feeding on him, but I think something else was the cause. The first day in the tank the YCG seemed healthy and perky, but on the second day he hardly moved, and stayed hidden. On day three, he was dead. The green clown goby on the other hand, is doing very well. He has chosen a favorite spot in the tank full of bolt holes, and he eats heartily. I think I will get him another green clown goby buddy shortly before he is "too established."
Also found a couple electric blue hermit crabs and frogspawn with four heads, and added them into the tank. LOVE the way those electric blues look.
The algae war seems to be over now. Poseidon wanders through the whole tank to find adequate food, so I may have to start supplemental feeding for him soon. It is amazing that he has molted twice and has doubled or tripled in size. The guy is a beast... lol. ALL 3 cleaner shrimp are now carrying eggs (the fish will get some nice feasts in the days to come).
Anywho... sad to see the yellow clown not make it... and even though I found Poseidon eating the dead body, I am certain he was only taking advantage of a carcass in the form of a meal. It is the green clown goby who shares the same area of rock with where Poseidon holds up 90% of the time, so if Poseidon were truly a fish killer, the green clown goby would have been the dead one, not the yellow clown goby who remained in the piece of live rock that was furthest from Poseidons "territory."
Tank update
Things are going well, for the most part. I must sadly say that the yellow clown goby died two days after purchase... I am not sure what killed him exactly... I came in to find the large emerald crab feeding on him, but I think something else was the cause. The first day in the tank the YCG seemed healthy and perky, but on the second day he hardly moved, and stayed hidden. On day three, he was dead. The green clown goby on the other hand, is doing very well. He has chosen a favorite spot in the tank full of bolt holes, and he eats heartily. I think I will get him another green clown goby buddy shortly before he is "too established."
Also found a couple electric blue hermit crabs and frogspawn with four heads, and added them into the tank. LOVE the way those electric blues look.
The algae war seems to be over now. Poseidon wanders through the whole tank to find adequate food, so I may have to start supplemental feeding for him soon. It is amazing that he has molted twice and has doubled or tripled in size. The guy is a beast... lol. ALL 3 cleaner shrimp are now carrying eggs (the fish will get some nice feasts in the days to come).
Anywho... sad to see the yellow clown not make it... and even though I found Poseidon eating the dead body, I am certain he was only taking advantage of a carcass in the form of a meal. It is the green clown goby who shares the same area of rock with where Poseidon holds up 90% of the time, so if Poseidon were truly a fish killer, the green clown goby would have been the dead one, not the yellow clown goby who remained in the piece of live rock that was furthest from Poseidons "territory."
Thanks for the heads up. I will keep my eye on him... after all, he is a big s.o.b. now. LOL The other emerald Percy... he hasn't even molted yet. Go figure....
blackx-runner
New member
I think its usually not recommended to get 2 of the same, or similar species Gobies. They could have had a little death match in the tank. I could be wrong as I am just learning myself.
I think there is a fish compatibility thread somewhere, maybe try asking over there to see if the different gobies you got are usually fine together.
I think there is a fish compatibility thread somewhere, maybe try asking over there to see if the different gobies you got are usually fine together.
