Packohotdogs
Aquarium Advice Activist
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2012
- Messages
- 164
So, I have had my SW 12 gallon Fluval Edge running since June 2012.
It started as Fish only (with fake coral decorations). I also have a CUC, 2x Ocellaris Clowns and a Purple Firefish. I may have been a tad overstocked, but all did well. Then "floaty" my firefish bit the bullet back in late august. No cause noted, as my water chemistry has been pretty good. Always ran high nitrates at about 40-60ppm, but all fish were good.
I then removed the decorations and invested in slowly added to 15 lbs of Real reef rock, cleaner shrimp and a new Royal Gramma. It now looks great. I started getting after my filter on a more regular basis, and doing bi-weekly water changes in an effort to lower my nitrates. After the agressiveness, I am back to weekly 20% changes and I have been running <5 ppm nitrates ever since.
Then, I'm sad to say, my Royal Gramma passed after only 3 weeks. No idea why, but he was eating great, and very social with the clowns. I felt terrible, even though I had done nothing wrong.
So, I have decided that I will stick just with the two clowns for now and START A REEF!!!!! I bought a small Zoa rock last night. They came right out within 5 minutes and look stunning. I am going back to get something else after work... maybe a mushroom.
I am unsure of how good my lights really are, and want to get some advice from you guys. I am running the the stock Fluval Edge LED's, but also added two Ecopico LED strips; one 453nm acetinic and one 10000K white to the stock light. My rocks only go about 50% up to the top of the tank. I also have a Koralia Nano 240 PH.
With this set up, could I try things like Hammer or Frogspawn? Any other cool beginner corals you guys would reccomend? I am going to stick with the Zoa's and Mushrooms until I get the hang of it.
Sorry for the long post, just wanted to update you guys... I may start a build thread also.
It started as Fish only (with fake coral decorations). I also have a CUC, 2x Ocellaris Clowns and a Purple Firefish. I may have been a tad overstocked, but all did well. Then "floaty" my firefish bit the bullet back in late august. No cause noted, as my water chemistry has been pretty good. Always ran high nitrates at about 40-60ppm, but all fish were good.
I then removed the decorations and invested in slowly added to 15 lbs of Real reef rock, cleaner shrimp and a new Royal Gramma. It now looks great. I started getting after my filter on a more regular basis, and doing bi-weekly water changes in an effort to lower my nitrates. After the agressiveness, I am back to weekly 20% changes and I have been running <5 ppm nitrates ever since.
Then, I'm sad to say, my Royal Gramma passed after only 3 weeks. No idea why, but he was eating great, and very social with the clowns. I felt terrible, even though I had done nothing wrong.
So, I have decided that I will stick just with the two clowns for now and START A REEF!!!!! I bought a small Zoa rock last night. They came right out within 5 minutes and look stunning. I am going back to get something else after work... maybe a mushroom.
I am unsure of how good my lights really are, and want to get some advice from you guys. I am running the the stock Fluval Edge LED's, but also added two Ecopico LED strips; one 453nm acetinic and one 10000K white to the stock light. My rocks only go about 50% up to the top of the tank. I also have a Koralia Nano 240 PH.
With this set up, could I try things like Hammer or Frogspawn? Any other cool beginner corals you guys would reccomend? I am going to stick with the Zoa's and Mushrooms until I get the hang of it.
Sorry for the long post, just wanted to update you guys... I may start a build thread also.
