Buffy's 1st Ever SW Build - Reef Tank

[carey]

Ahhh i totally understand. lol I have enough money to start a new build and get some fish OR I can buy new bulbs for the 125g. Money is getting a bit tight.

You could start off with some clown fish, easy to care for and easy to feed. And unless you pick out some designer clowns they are pretty cheap too

 

[Buffy]

I want the Maroon with yellow stripes.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Not good being broke. There is no emergency in starting this project, just remember, there is no way to stop unless you sell off your live stock or worse let them die. I had financial problems right after 9/11 and I couldn't maintain my reef. I watched it slowly decline and years of work go out the door. It, and I, are back now, but only after spending lots of $$$ and a lot of time.

 

[Buffy]

Oh, I don't plan on stopping at all, just going alot slower than others is all.

 

[Buffy]

And I'll be ordering from Diver's Den, so I got to make all those arrangements when the time comes.

I'm still not kosher with my readings cause I'm not 100% sure what I need to stay at or how to stay at it.

 

[Grizz]

I'm still not kosher with my readings cause I'm not 100% sure what I need to stay at or how to stay at it.

If there's a Magic bullet in this hobby It's PWC'S Take care of your water and most of the rest will care for itself. Your ready

"Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still." ~Chinese Proverb

 

[Mike-words]

Salinity 1.025 :-(
Temp 82.4 :-(
Ammonia 0
pH 8.0 ?
No2 0
No3 160 :-(

Have you gotten the new no3 tests

 

[Buffy]

Have you gotten the new no3 tests

No, must not have done enough pwc's I guess. Looks like I still need to do more. Unless the 2 tiny tiny star fish and the 1 snail are doing it.

 

[Mike-words]

Did you have the lfs check your water for you. I have my lfs check mine arpox once a month or if I get a strange reading just to make sure my tests are still accurate.

 

[Gregcoyote]

You will get to where the coral will alert you to any water issues. Some of mine are more sensitive than the test kit is.

 

[Buffy]

Did you have the lfs check your water for you. I have my lfs check mine arpox once a month or if I get a strange reading just to make sure my tests are still accurate.

Yes I did. Before when I was questioning the results. I'm just going with the flow for now. hahaha no pun intended.

You will get to where the coral will alert you to any water issues. Some of mine are more sensitive than the test kit is.

That's what I figure will eventually happen.


Well I was trying to figure out what to get first..............No decision LOL, just sooooo many beautiful corals and fish.

Not going to make it up there til at least next weekend anyway.

I am leaning toward the yellow striped maroon clowns and an anemone they can host.

With this being the first stock going into the tank, do they need to be quarantined? The 3 other critters in there were hitch hikers.

Also I'd kinda like to get an algae eater of some sort, am thinking I have some hair algae, don't know bout a couple of the "strings" though so I don't know if it be Aiptasia. Not able to get pics.

Nite all and thanks

 

[Mike-words]

And the lfs result was.

 

[TLTGF]

I would 100% definitely QT the new additions, even if they are the 1st tank, there is no telling what they may be carrying with them, and I'd hate to see that tank sit empty for another (6) weeks waiting for some parasite to die, so the tank is livable again.

Also, I didn't recall anyone else stating this... maybe they did, but Maroon clowns are the most aggressive type of clown... just putting that out there for you.

 

[huma-huma]

was just getting ready to mention the aggressive tendencies of the MaY clowns, i have a full grown adult that literally steals krill from my triggers and the triggers dont even try to get it back...thats saying something to me lol

 

[Grizz]

I would 100% definitely QT the new additions, even if they are the 1st tank, there is no telling what they may be carrying with them, and I'd hate to see that tank sit empty for another (6) weeks waiting for some parasite to die, so the tank is livable again.

+1 Better to get into the habit now and not take any chances

 

[Buffy]

And the lfs result was.

It's earlier in thread. differences were

ammonia 1.0 them, me <.25 but not 0
ph 8.8 them, 8.2 me
nitrite 0 them 0 me
nitrate 10 them 80ish me

if I remember correctly. I decided to wait and just do a few more pwc's when I had a chance and see what happens.

I would 100% definitely QT the new additions, even if they are the 1st tank, there is no telling what they may be carrying with them, and I'd hate to see that tank sit empty for another (6) weeks waiting for some parasite to die, so the tank is livable again.

Also, I didn't recall anyone else stating this... maybe they did, but Maroon clowns are the most aggressive type of clown... just putting that out there for you.

K, good, wasn't sure if needed to qt the very first ones into the tank but wanted too anyway and wanted to double check. I do realize Maroon are the most aggressive types. Still want them, but still researching them before buying. Not 100% I'm getting them yet, JUST STILL WANT lol

Trying to research (as time permits) what they would host and what to feed them and what they host and how often.

One thing I have to watch for is I CAN NOT have anything that requires more than 2 feedings a day.....i.e. 1 am and 1 pm as I'm a 12 hour rotating shift worker and am gone 13 hrs at a time and if I ride in to work on my bike it's 15 hours. So I don't want to starve anything. Days off will be their "Treat" days and an "extra feeding" maybe too.

was just getting ready to mention the aggressive tendencies of the MaY clowns, i have a full grown adult that literally steals krill from my triggers and the triggers dont even try to get it back...thats saying something to me lol

Thanks. I want peaceful tank for the most part but I like those and I like the coral beauty and I like the flame angel. Am still trying to figure out those also.

+1 Better to get into the habit now and not take any chances

True......Do you qt EVERYTHING? corals, anemones. I want a couple peppermint shrimp too I think but do those get qt also and when should I get them?

I'm thinking I have something in my tank I don't want from it sitting soooo long with no bio load. I think hair algae (bunches and bunches of tiny fern type plants (no color to them) and 3 strings of something floating in the current but when I shine my lite on them they recoil back into their hole. There were 2 now 3 of them. They are on the same rock but in different locations.

Thanks all. (off to pay bills, get a few things done, to see where I sit)

After the last statement above, I will be deciding decide what's going in first and what to buy to take care of them. Will probably be posting questions for that, as I've not a clue what all this food stuff is. Also I've read that some things need different supplements so I want all that on hand BEFORE I bring home any of my new tenants.

 

[carey]

For your purposes I don't see a need for any supplements. Fish just need the appropriate food, I use New life Spectrum flakes and pellets and a myriad of frozen foods including meaty based ones and herbivore as well.

even if you were to add a few corals you wouldnt have to worry about feeding unless you get non photosynthetic ones that require actual feeding. Most corals get their nutrition from the light and from the water column. I have yet to feed my corals other than my sun polyps and I have had amazing growth with all of them. In fact I am going to be looking at fragging pretty soon as some of my zooa's are out of control. LOL

People do have different opinions on feeding corals though so be prepared for those that say you must add this and that. Also keep in mind everything you add to your tank food wise has to go somewhere so the addition of phyto or other corals foods can have an impact on your water parameters.

If youre thinking about buffers and other chemicals for calcium, magnesium, idoidine etc I would for sure take a wait and see attitude. I still don't add anything and I have a pretty good coral load in my big tank. Most salt mixes contain everything you need to keep your water stable and full of trace elements so water changes are a must as you know.

If the time comes and you have alot of corals and they are consuming more elements than you are replenishing then that would be the time to consider it.

For now just get some livestock, some simple fish and maybe a few easy corals and go from there.

Just my opinion though!

Good luck!

 

[Gregcoyote]

I think it is better to under feed than over feed. The reef itself will supply some nutrition once it is up and running. Yes, tanks that are feed constantly do grow coral and fish faster, but the bio load is enormous and has to be kept in line with a significant amount of hardware. If you can do it, a lot of little snacks works best in my opinion. I vary it a lot as well. Stock lots of different foods and mix it up. You can also add tiny bits of fresh shrimp and clams or scallops as part of your diet, and theirs!

 

[Buffy]

Thanks guys, I do plan to "keep it simple stupid" lol. No, why I was asking was because as I'm reading for the livestock and their cares it says supplements of Calcium, Strontium, Trace Elements and Iodine.

Like in:
Drs. Foster and Smith Diver's Den® - Clavularia sp.

and

Drs. Foster and Smith Diver's Den® - Heliofungia actiniformis

Getting to LFS is not easy with my schedule so I just want to make sure I have here on hand what is needed if anything to care for them. If they don't need this stuff to begin with then AWESOME, that's what I need to know.

When I decide LOL, what I want to start with, I'll post and see what you guys think of my starter choices and if I need any of the "extra" stuff for them to start with.

@Carey - So true, if anything this forum has taught me that everyone has an opinion. So I read all, and choose what may work for me. If it doesn't I'll try something else. Now....BIG question. What do you consider to be simple fish and easy corals? None of them look like that to me LOL but then again this is a WHOLE new language.

@Gregcoyote. I don't want to grow anything faster, I want them to be happy and grow yes. I will be giving them their snacks. However I don't eat shrimp or scallops....YUK, so I don't buy that stuff. Since I don't buy (actually have never bought) that stuff, I don't know what to look for to feed them.

There is sooooo much food out there. Is it possible for anyone to just kinda maybe give me a starter supply list and from where? Maybe, please, just to get me started til I get familiar with all the food stuffs out there.

LOL I got the rock part down. Time to get the food down.

Thanks guys, you've all been sooooo awesome

 

[Gregcoyote]

You will not need supplements until you acquire a heavy coral load.
I use Marine Cuisine, krill, phytoplankton and oyster eggs for the filter feeders. I will soak brine shrimp in vitamins and feed that every so often, but never just the plain frozen brine shrimp. I also use a pellitized food that sinks, like shrimp pellets for the gobies on the bottom.