Recent content by Ocicat

Your tank is not nearly big enough for a panther grouper, even as the only fish. I love them, but IMO my 180 (6') is too small. LiveAquaria gives them a minimum tank size of 300 gallons, and they're in the business of getting people to buy fish. They get up to 20" and have an appetite to...

I agree... He is probably grouchy because he feels crowded. Yellowtail damsels are one of the least aggressive damsels and can be model citizens in the right environment.

Yeah, I know. I think the tusk will, too. I'm planning to get a tiger cowrie or two - I have heard they can often withstand aggressors b/c their shell is so hard and they are just strong (hard to knock off rock and glass). Also I'll probably buy a whole bunch of nassarius snails and just...

Even with bigger, semi-aggressive tankmates? Who do you think they will bother?

I'd love to hear comments/thoughts/suggestions on this stocking list for a new 180 FOWLR: 1 magnificent foxface 1 flame hawkfish 1 majestic angel 1 harlequin tuskfish 1 picasso trigger 2 flame angels 1 (__?__) tang <---- scopas, orangeshoulder, other...? 1 (__?__) puffer <--- dogface...

How do you keep an FO tank, in particular a somewhat aggressive tank (ie, with a Picasso trigger & panther grouper as centerpiece species), clean? With an FO tank, is a canister filter + a skimmer sufficient? Also, why not use LR? What advantage does FO have over FOWLR? The only thing I...

I've been planning a saltwater tank for the last few months. However recently I started considering returning to FW with it — I had a 20-gal as a kid. Looking over this forum, though, I've realized that I had no idea what I was doing when I had that tank many years ago. I'm sure what success...

Below is what a rep at Custom Aquatics suggested to me. Any thoughts on this? It looks like he is suggesting the same HQI ballast that you linked to. I'm a bit confused on that... So does that thing in the photo hold multiple ballasts? In the descrip they say that to upgrade you can just...

There are different kinds of triggers, but they are all big fish, and almost all are mean. (And one of the smaller ones --the orange-lined trigger-- is reputed to be the meanest.) They definitely aren't good for a low-maintenance tank. Even the gentler ones are likely to eat any sort of...

My DIY capabilities are pretty much nonexistent. 8O (That's why that nice plug-and-play combo hood looked so nice.) What would I have to do, exactly? Is that different from using retro kits? Dorian, thanks for the point about paying for the sleek look... I hadn't considered that. Thanks...

I don't think the canopy would block the light at all, would it? I don't mean a glass top... I mean the wood canopy to cover the top of the whole setup. It shouldn't come between the lights and the water at all.

I'm very new to this, but everything I've read says that a 55 is much too small for a tang, because they really like a lot of swimming room. Just something to consider. Ocicat

I'm planning a 180-gal (72x24x24), and eventually I will probably want to keep clams and an anemone. I'm really confused about lighting despite a TON of reading I've been doing on the subject, and any advice is appreciated. What do you guys think of this fixture...

I know what you mean!! We just moved into a new house, and our pride and joy is our maple hardwood floor....... The thought of cutting holes in it makes me shudder! That's why I was trying to think of how to run it through the wall rather than the floor, but from what I have heard here and...

How difficult is it to run a basement sump? Would I need some expensive, super-powered return pump? It would be nice to have all that room for hooking up the RO/Di unit w/an auto top-off, storing water right there by where I need it, mixing SW, etc... Plus from what I've read here, it seems...