Update and a couple of questions

[AndySmithers]

I haven't been here for a few weeks and I thought I would update anyone interested on my 90 that I started back in January-ish. I got a lot of good advice on this board and made a few mistakes too...

Current tank inhabitants are:
Heaven knows how many crabs, snails etc.
3 Scarlet skunk shrimp. Real characters - eating and molting regularly.
1 green brittle star ( I know these have a bad rep. but this one seems to be doing fine and he actually fights with the shrimp for bits of food!) He does a fantastic job on all the fish and snail waste and food leftovers.
3 Ocellaris clowns - all feeding very well, the largest actually feeds from my hand.
1 yellow Tang who is always eating - lettuce, spinach, sea algae salad sheets and, what I got him for originally, he is decimating my hair algae problem!

My questions are:
1) I'm on vacation in CA next week for 8 days - what's the recommendation for feeding. I have got an automatic feeded and a friend can visit at least once during the week.
Also since I've got no sump or auto-top-off device yet I'm planning to do a water change this weekend, fill the tank to the brim, set the skimmer to the lowest setting, and just leave it at that.
2) I've had problems with territorial fish in the past (1 damsel killed the other two and then turned on my single large clown - he had to go!). I'm really not in to watching fish attack each other - that is NOT relaxing like this hobby is supposed to be. What other fish would anyone recommend for this (now) peaceful tank?
3) I've got 330W of PC (4x10K and 2xActinic) - where would be a good place to start with corals? mY ultimate target, like most people is to have a well-stocked, healthy (but peacful!) reef tank.

Ideas?

 

[fishfreek]

First thing I would say is to try not to change your regular program before a trip. Usually changes cause problems.

Ill give you an example. I went on a trip last year this time and bumped the AC up from 74 to 78 to save some $ while I was gone. The net result was my tank overheaded due A) neighbors deciding my plants in the house could use some more light and B) Higher AC setting.

Net result. Lost 1 of my two maroon clowns, lost a cleaner shrimp that I had for over a year and lost a coral.

I would not worry about feeding the tankwhlie your gone. Feed it good up till your ready to leave and they should be fine while your gone. HIDE the food so your friend does not decide they are hungery. Ask your friend if they can come over every other day to top off your tank with fresh clean water. Prepair the water if possible in buckets or water jugs. Mark on the tank where the full water line should be and have them slowly add water every other day so it stays full.

Adding excess water will cause the SG to flux cause it will go from the regular level to a lower level at the outset of your trip and then it will slowly rise beyond the normal level toa level above the normal SG level by the time you get back. When you get back you will refill the tank all at once thus another SG change.

Having someone come over on say day 3, 5, 7 of your trip would keep your SG from fluxing that bad.

As far as a peaceful fish have you looked at the chromis species? They are a family subset of the damsel but they are the most peaceful of the damsels and infact should be kept in groups because they will school. A school of 4 would be nice in your tank.

Other cool fish are gobies. I have a pair of yellow gobies. These are bottom dwelling fish that will dig burrows in your sand bed. They are quite full of personality aswell.