No More Fish!

[afilter]

Just finished feeding tonight and studying fish while they ate. I have come to the conclusion that I do not need anymore fish. Now I just need to tell myself that every time I walk into the LFS.

Actually considering my Maroon's and PBT still have some growing to do I am probably stocked to the max anyway. Besides my new project is to add the appropriate lighting and get an anenome for my clowns and start into the world of corals.

Here are a couple of current pics:

 

[StripesTheEel]

Looks great dude.. Looks like your hard work has paid off..!

 

[MyMonkey]

Very nice indeed.

 

[Hara]

Congratulations, it looks wonderful. And nice to hear someone actually say "no more fish". Of course, now you have set the stage for MTS...

 

[Konrade]

I like that rockwork. Nice tank

 

[afilter]

Thanks all,

I use a lot of large flat pieces of lace rock for base along with some tufa and coral skeletons. The lace gives a larger surface area for bacteria and lots of hiding places for the fish. Also in the taller tank it allows me to build up the rock for the drop off(cliff) effect.

 

[austinsdad]

I took my QT tank down when I got to that point. It helped me not buy anymore fish. However, some swear by QTing new coral too - of course w/out any traces of copper.

Guess you gonna be updating lighting now for your coral? BTW, good luck w/that coral beauty and the new coral.

Nice tank? Do you clean your back glass?

 

[afilter]

Yeah, the QT is gone and truned into a sump/fuge. Do not plan to QT corals as this is the first I have ever heard of it. Just planned on doing a 2-4 hr(depending on water conditions) drip acclimation.

Actually, I broke down and bought my fist coral (candy coral) last night. Placed it in top 1/4 of tank right under the T-5 fixture. It opened up after about 1.5 hours. I will be closely monitoring the coral Beauty. Adding corals will be a slow process as I upgrade lighting and watch the CB.

I am in the process of updating all the lighting. For cost and the ability to spread out the cost over time I am going with the new coralife slim T-5 double fixtures. I have found the 48" for $52.99/ea at an LFS. They are on 56W, but I have concluded(reading and advice) because of the output they are more equivalent to a pc 130w. My plan is to get 3-4 which will easily fit on my tank and replace the strip lights I have now. The one I do have so far has made a tremendous difference.

Coraline growth has alrady started to take off since I set up the tank. The 3 flower anenome which I have had for some time and I always thought looked now look even better.

No, I do not regularly clean the back glass, just sides and front. This is a new tank w/ overflow that replaced my 11 yr old 75g.

 

[austinsdad]

Do not plan to QT corals as this is the first I have ever heard of it.

See some of Rev's posts. Poor guy, I think he introduced some kinda parasite with new coral. Yeah, probably a low probability there, but it could happen it seems. I never QT coral either.

Also wondering how urchins do with various coral.

BTW, how long have you had your flame scallop? That's a hard one. Good luck.

 

[afilter]

Thanks, I will check into it. Corals are a whole new world for me. I guess I can actually call my tank a reef set up now though.

As for the flame scallops I did just lose one last weekend. They are difficult, the longest I have been able to keep one going is about 10 months. I like to target feed them, but they do not always like the area I place them and are very good swimmers. The ones I have lost usually end up getting themselves behind the rock work and then probably do not get an adequate food supply. The ones that have lived are the ones that stay on the front of the rock work.

I will probably not get any more if these do not make it. They are always so tempting, because one of my LFS carry them relatively inexpensive. They are cool when you can see them.

 

[austinsdad]

Corals are a whole new world for me.

I'd recomend Eric Borneman's, "Corals, Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History" book for reading.