Upgrading tanks

[True Percula]

Hi,
I am planning to upgrade from a 29 gallon to a 40gallon(36x12x20)...I am gonna use the current water from my 29gallon and miz more saltwater to fill it up...My question is would 130watts pc lighting be good enough for LPS and mushroom corals....The corals i have on my 29gallon right now is hammer coral,hammer coral frag, and mushroom coral...Here is another question I am planning to buy a niger trigger and a yellow tang and i have in my 29gallon right now a mandrian and pair of black clowns would the 40gallon be good enough to house those fishes. below are lists of what my 29gallon consists of
130watts pc lights
mandrian fish
pair of black clowns
40+pounds of liverock
35 pounds of livesand
mushroom coral
hammer coral
hammer frag
pengiun 330filter
very strong powerhead
hermits
snail
protien skimmer
And if anyone have a bigger undrilled tank that they would like to trade a 29gallon and 29gallon stand..please PM me

 

[zoltetov]

If I'm speaking out of turn, please forgive me, but, since you asked for thoughts, here's mine.

With the exception of the Niger trigger, yellow tang, and mandarin, your current and new set ups are perfect. (This is all assuming you move into a 40g. If you move into a larger set up, it changes things...) (I'm not sure about your lighting, so i'll leave that for someone else to discuss.)

1. The trigger: For starters, triggers can grow up to a foot in length. They need a much larger tank to settle into than 40 gallons would provide. That's not to mention that they tend to not be as compatible with reefs or tiny fish like clowns that could fit easily into their teeth-filled mouths.

2. The mandarin: Mandarins are small fish that need large amounts of live rock and a THRIVING refugium. They live almost entirely off of pods and can go through a TON of them in a very short period of time. 40lbs of rock isn't going to cut it. Even if you had a large enough tank, you'd want it to be well enough established first. If you don't mind throwing down 20 bucks or so every few weeks to seed your tank with pods, then go for it. Otherwise, you might not own this fish very long.

3. Yellow tang: larger tank thing. Tangs are swimmers. Swimmers need lots 'o room to swim. 36" isn't a real large area.

Anyway, those are just my thoughts. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[zoltetov]

oops.

oops.

My post was so incredible, i had to post it twice. or something like that.

 

[True Percula]

O if the mandrain aint gonna live i would like to trade anyone for anything sw related its a mistake soo dumb that i bought it please pm me ASAP..I thought my tank would house a mandrian since my glass is full of pods every morning but i was wrong...please Pm me if you want him ASAP

 

[bawla47]

Richard, you need to do your homework. Impulsive buys are the worst thing you can do, be it fish or coral. you have to find out what are compatible, there special needs and requirements, and be certain your able to provide it the right enviroment.


for certain, the mandarins got to go.

ANY trigger, id stay away from. they are too big, predator fish, and they will account for a heavy bioload.

id advise not to get any tang for this tank, they need ATLEAST 48" because of being agile swimmers. Sure its possible to cram a small one in there, but he wouldnt be very happy and your not going to be providing the best enviroment for him to thrive.


this would be MY fish stocking list if i had a 40.

watchman goby
2 false percs
purple firefish
6 line wrasse
3 chromis

 

[True Percula]

Yea i just figured that the mandrian got to go i guess i will have to sell him...Anyone want to buy?

 

[jman77]

I had a mandrain in a 15 gallon with a 4 gallon fudge and he stayed fat. Moved him to a 40 gallon breeder with a fudge and he is fat and happy I think you will be fine with a mandrain and a 40g tank. I would give him plenty of live rock to hunt on, and add a HOB fudge to the tank

PS ,,,, i you keep the mandrain , stay away from the 6 line wrasse if your moving to a 40 gallon.

 

[ek9vboi]

It seems like you have no idea what you are doing at all. I surpise your tank is where it is... I would advise you not to get a bigger tank seeing that you can't even maintain ur current tank.

 

[zoltetov]

that's right, because only experts like you actually have a tank.

I only wish more reefers showed the responsibility that True Perc has shown. He made a mistake by getting the fish, owned up to it, and is trying to fix it. In the meantime, i doubt he will ever make that mistake again. Richard, if you stay the course and continue to do what's best for the hobby, even if you make a couple mistakes along the way, you can only do right. I've never met you, but the way you've maturely handled the mandarin thing makes me proud to have a fellow reefer like yourself. Keep asking questions and you'll be fine!

Just to legitimize this post with some real reefer advice... I think most will agree that bigger is easier, especially for a newbie.

 

[coralfarmer84]

I agree with the fact that bigger is easier, but bigger is also more expensive. If you can I'd recomend you getting a 55 gallon tank or so, that way the fish you speak of will have room to swim. Tangs like swimming room and a yellow tang in a 55 would be fine, just don't add other tangs. As for the Niger Trigger, it will not eat your other fish like someone mentioned in the above thread, they are planktovores, unlike most other triggers which would indeed reak havic on anything and everything. I think your headed in the right direction. I think the trigger would be a good choice for your scheme IF you were getting a bigger tank. The bioload is heavy. As for you lighting, you'll be fine with the mushrooms. The LPS would need to be higher up in the tank and fed from time to time IMO. When I had my 55 i had around 150 watts of PC and did not have success with many LPS pieces. Hope this helps, just keep researching as you are and you'll be fine.

 

[Kogo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7366350#post7366350 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zoltetov
I only wish more reefers showed the responsibility that True Perc has shown.

sadly, this is not the case.

if you search Richard's post history, you will see that he has a pattern of obtaining random livestock, creating upgrade scenarios and purchase requests that never materialize. the members of FMAS and other followers of this board have been very patient, helpfull, and generous in thier dealings with him. we all wish him well and encourage him to continue responsibly with this hobby.

however, i believe that in order to be most helpfull to him we should all encourage him to be resposible with the aquarium he already has, refrain from bimonthly sales and "upgrades / trades" and not allow him to be dependant on the kindness of other reefers to support the basics of his hobby.

my advice to Richard, would be this:

1. dont buy any more living creatures until you have adequatly provided a home for the ones you already have.

2. save your money... eventualy you will have the $$$ for the equiptment you need, and you will have a healthy thriving 29g ready to be filled with frags that you can afford, because you saved your money.

my advice to reefers who wish to encourage / help richard.

1. do not sell anything to richard. let him save his money, do his research and purchase what he needs on his own.

2. if you want to give him stuff, give him books and information that will help him become a more knowledgable reefer.

3. once his tank is properly set up with proper equiptment, all his bulbs are working, the algea is gone and the entire system has been stable for 2 months (this would demonstrate his resposibility) i say give him (not sell) any frag that can be adequatly kept in his system, on the condition that it not be sold or traded for at least six months.

i think if we all get on the same page, we can benifit richard by helping him learn resposibility and self discipline. this will help him not only in the area of aquaculture but also in all other areas of his life as well.


just my .02

 

[True Percula]

Kogo thanks for you support...but i have all the equipment i need name it and i might have it...I am looking for liverock...if i had a camera i would take a picture and show yall how it looks now its very clean thanks to my protein skimmer...Do anyone have Liverock for sale?

 

[ek9vboi]

do u have a skimmer?

 

[True Percula]

Yes i do a berlin airlift 60 skimmer

 

[redboxer13]

I think the Trigger may need a tank thats a little bigger. As for the madrin, besides eatting pods, mine loves live brine (what fish doesn't) and frozen Red Blood Worms.

 

[KING OF THE REEF]

keep in mind however red, not all mandarins will eat brine or frozen food. some are not trained to do so. i know in the past i had to trian mine and it took a few weeks to a month

 

[redboxer13]

Agreed, it took at least a good month for my mandarin to switch over.

 

[Kogo]

ive had my mandarine for about 4 months now, and just saw it eat mysis for the first time last week. originaly he was purchased to combat flatworms ( and did this very well ) and has been living and growing on whatever he has found in the tank. i have never realy fed anything (maybee some live brine once) specificaly to the mandrin.
of course i started with the smallest one i could find, and i believe that helps alot due to thier reduced caloric needs compared to a larger specimine. and, im told that the smaller ones are more likely to feed on frozen foods as well.