Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
I love seeing these gorgeous fish living with aquarists that give them a home they can obviously prosper in. Well done.
We are going for a different look!
- Thread starter oO BRIGHTY Oo
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
OP
OP
oO BRIGHTY Oo
Aquarium Advice Freak
I'm glad you guys are enjoying the pictures! Thank you for the kind words!
Here is something funny I noticed, our algae blenny has been leaving his lip marks on the glass!!
Here is something funny I noticed, our algae blenny has been leaving his lip marks on the glass!!
Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
Mine does that as well. My Kole Tang is pretty good at it too.
Nu-Nu the eel
Aquarium Advice Addict
oO BRIGHTY Oo said:
Lol thats cool!
flyingazel
Aquarium Advice Regular
Your sailfin is a great looking one! Nice job on the tank, it really came together very nicely. Hope all of the set backs where well worth it, seems like it is!
OP
OP
oO BRIGHTY Oo
Aquarium Advice Freak
Thanks flyingazel! Our tang is in really good health right now and looks stunning, although is starting to get a bit aggressive towards the banner fish, which could mean me parting with the tang!
The tank is doing really well and I'm so glad I've stuck at this as its such a part of our lives and I get so much enjoyment out of it, want to get a deck chair for Christmas so i can just relax right in front of the tank and fish gaze! The Koran and the banner are such tarts, they love being watched!
The tank is doing really well and I'm so glad I've stuck at this as its such a part of our lives and I get so much enjoyment out of it, want to get a deck chair for Christmas so i can just relax right in front of the tank and fish gaze! The Koran and the banner are such tarts, they love being watched!
flyingazel
Aquarium Advice Regular
Really fun to read through the pages and watch how you have updated your tank! Sweet SW!
Cichlid-dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2011
- Messages
- 1,565
Ive been through this thread a ton of times. Your tank is my favorite one on this site. It is just so beautiful and i love the ship. Keep up the good work and keep those pics coming!
OP
OP
oO BRIGHTY Oo
Aquarium Advice Freak
Ok so with our beast of a sailfin tang taken back to our LFS, we decided to go for something that won't grow as nearly as fast or big.....meet our Rusty Angel named.......Rusty (what else!?)
Apologise for the mucky picture but had just fed them so food all over the place!
Settling in nicely!
Apologise for the mucky picture but had just fed them so food all over the place!
Settling in nicely!
Sharkbait54
Aquarium Advice Addict
Loved the tang, but it's a beautiful replacement is this a fowlr tank?
OP
OP
oO BRIGHTY Oo
Aquarium Advice Freak
Yes it's a FOWLR but we do have one mushroom which came in on our LR and is our miracle survivor, when we got our 1st butterflyfish it nipped it to what we thought death, until my wife found it had made its way into a shell, so when we relocated tanks we encouraged it out of the shell and now it's thriving!
The tang was stunning, it was in perfect condition too, grew so fast in our tank but couldn't have that much aggression, wasn't enjoying my tank anymore, so we evolve the dynamic of the tank.
Does anyone else use New Era Marine Grazers?
The tang was stunning, it was in perfect condition too, grew so fast in our tank but couldn't have that much aggression, wasn't enjoying my tank anymore, so we evolve the dynamic of the tank.
Does anyone else use New Era Marine Grazers?
OP
OP
oO BRIGHTY Oo
Aquarium Advice Freak
I know nothing about keeping corals but we have a mushroom that we got on a piece of live rock that has been through all sorts of dramas in its life. But today I've noticed something that I'm pretty happy about but know nothing as to how
If you look closely at the picture there is a tiny mushroom sprouted right next to it! Please can someone shed some light
If you look closely at the picture there is a tiny mushroom sprouted right next to it! Please can someone shed some light
TLTGF
Aquarium Advice Addict
Mushrooms will split and reproduce often under the right parameters, and are generally quite hardy. Given enough time you'll be overrun with them.
OP
OP
oO BRIGHTY Oo
Aquarium Advice Freak
Well that's good news, would live to be over run with them! Also means my water must be pretty good!
Would love to try and do corals but wouldn't have a clue where to start!
Would love to try and do corals but wouldn't have a clue where to start!
OP
OP
oO BRIGHTY Oo
Aquarium Advice Freak
So mine being currently a FOWLER, what will I need to do convert into keeping corals?! Totally clueless!!
TLTGF
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well... that's a really big question. There is a lot of factors that go into giving a specific answer, but I will give you some general ideas. Mind you that I've only been reefkeeping for a little over a year, so I'm no expert, but I'll tell you what myself and others seem to believe works.
There are (4) main factors:
With corals, like you said, water quality is certainly important. The tricky part is that depending on what corals you have can change the way you think about your water. In general, "Beginner" corals such as Mushroom, Zoanthids, Palythoas, and other soft corals like "Leather" corals, can live and thrive in "dirty" water. On the other hand as you go up the so-called difficulty scale, it is often said that Corals such as LPS (Large polyp stony) and mainly SPS (Small polyp stony) need much cleaner water with very low phosphates and Nitrates present.
Parameters are also different in that with corals, Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium also become more crucial as corals use these elements to build on. In some cases it is beneficial to switch salt brands i.e. from Instand Ocean to Reef Crystals. They generally claim that it is more beneficial. Also the Salinity will generally be higher. Normal FOWLR is 1.023 whereas a reef is 1.0255 - 1.026.
2) Livestock
It is important to consider this when thinking about growing corals because there are a vast amount of "non-reef safe" inhabitants. Some fish and inverts are knows to eat or hurt corals, or the "clean up crew" (CUC).
3) Lighting
Along with water quality, lighting might be the most important to consider. The same theme holds true however, that typically corals such as softies, mushrooms, etc. only require low lighting conditions (Some growing in dark caves). These corals can live under T8, small 1-2 bulb T5's, Compact flourescents, etc. while most LPS and SPS require very high light conditions provided typically by multi (4-8) bulb T5 units, a high quality LED system, or Metal Halides.
4) Financial Investment
I add this in, because quite honestly, it is a true factor. Creating a reef can cost a great deal of money in the corals alone. Some people offset the initial cost by purchasing frags, or fragments of a large coral, typically 1-4" depending on the type of course. Frags range from $5-50, whereas a full coral can cost $20-$500.
My 54 gallon reef contains several hundred dollars in coral. My small biocube is around the same.
The corals certainly add beauty to a tank, and I'm in no way trying to discourage, but it is nice to know where you stand.
There are many other specifics that really depend on what you are looking to house, but that should give you something to start with. A google search, and even searching the forums can provide you with 1000's of pages and articles that can break down the information much better than me.
Good luck with whatever you decide. I'll still be following along!
There are (4) main factors:
- Water Quality / Parameters
- Livestock
- Lighting
- Financial Investment
With corals, like you said, water quality is certainly important. The tricky part is that depending on what corals you have can change the way you think about your water. In general, "Beginner" corals such as Mushroom, Zoanthids, Palythoas, and other soft corals like "Leather" corals, can live and thrive in "dirty" water. On the other hand as you go up the so-called difficulty scale, it is often said that Corals such as LPS (Large polyp stony) and mainly SPS (Small polyp stony) need much cleaner water with very low phosphates and Nitrates present.
Parameters are also different in that with corals, Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium also become more crucial as corals use these elements to build on. In some cases it is beneficial to switch salt brands i.e. from Instand Ocean to Reef Crystals. They generally claim that it is more beneficial. Also the Salinity will generally be higher. Normal FOWLR is 1.023 whereas a reef is 1.0255 - 1.026.
2) Livestock
It is important to consider this when thinking about growing corals because there are a vast amount of "non-reef safe" inhabitants. Some fish and inverts are knows to eat or hurt corals, or the "clean up crew" (CUC).
3) Lighting
Along with water quality, lighting might be the most important to consider. The same theme holds true however, that typically corals such as softies, mushrooms, etc. only require low lighting conditions (Some growing in dark caves). These corals can live under T8, small 1-2 bulb T5's, Compact flourescents, etc. while most LPS and SPS require very high light conditions provided typically by multi (4-8) bulb T5 units, a high quality LED system, or Metal Halides.
4) Financial Investment
I add this in, because quite honestly, it is a true factor. Creating a reef can cost a great deal of money in the corals alone. Some people offset the initial cost by purchasing frags, or fragments of a large coral, typically 1-4" depending on the type of course. Frags range from $5-50, whereas a full coral can cost $20-$500.
My 54 gallon reef contains several hundred dollars in coral. My small biocube is around the same.
The corals certainly add beauty to a tank, and I'm in no way trying to discourage, but it is nice to know where you stand.
There are many other specifics that really depend on what you are looking to house, but that should give you something to start with. A google search, and even searching the forums can provide you with 1000's of pages and articles that can break down the information much better than me.
Good luck with whatever you decide. I'll still be following along!
OP
OP
oO BRIGHTY Oo
Aquarium Advice Freak
Wow, that certainly was pretty comprehensive! Thank you for taking the time in divulging such information! I found that very helpful, I think the only fish I have that might be wary with the corals is my banner butterflyfish but he has shown no interest in my mushrooms.
As for my lighting I know that my lighting system is very powerful and should be ample for certain corals.
What I may do for the time being is see how my new mushroom fairs and thrives and go from there, there is a stunning coral at my LFS that I always look at and could so see it in my tank, haven't a clue about the name but will take a picture of it on Sunday and I could get done feedback from you as to your thoughts!
Thanks again, much respect.
As for my lighting I know that my lighting system is very powerful and should be ample for certain corals.
What I may do for the time being is see how my new mushroom fairs and thrives and go from there, there is a stunning coral at my LFS that I always look at and could so see it in my tank, haven't a clue about the name but will take a picture of it on Sunday and I could get done feedback from you as to your thoughts!
Thanks again, much respect.
OP
OP
oO BRIGHTY Oo
Aquarium Advice Freak
Also thought I'd take another pic of my pride and joy! He is such a pest loves the attention but hates the camera!
