Custom 29 gallon rimless build

[BLUEaquarium06]

So update/ more solid idea of where I want this tank to go. I still want a reef tank, to focus more on corals then anything else. But I think I want one centerpiece like fish. Not necessarily something that is big huge and always visible, but something that is very unique and not many people have. Right now I'm strongly considering a blue dot jawfish. I just started planning out a mesh top that I should have one way or the other. But what do you guys think of that? Or do you have any other ideas? Has anyone here kept them?

[Sniperhank]

They are great fish, but need a deep sandbed. I don't really remember much, but I think that it needs to be 6 inches deep.

[BLUEaquarium06]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

They are great fish, but need a deep sandbed. I don't really remember much, but I think that it needs to be 6 inches deep.

Is there any other unique reef safe fish out there? The more research I do on the blue dot jawfish the more difficult it seems they are to keep, with 3-4 feedings per day and apparently how accomplished jumpers they are. I could go down to a yellow headed jawfish, everything I see says those are easier, with less feedings per day and burrowing horizontally instead of vertically. But they aren't quite as wow as I was looking for

[bribo12]

Jaws are the worst jumpers out there! Not really a tough to keep fish but if there's a hole they'll find it. One of my favorite reef fish ever is the yellow assessor. Not a super outgoing fish but they swim upside down!!! Plus they're a golden yellow which is awesome

[Barliman]

Subbed, even though I'm a freshwater guy, because I'm interested in your experiences with that Seachem Tidal filter.

[paul87]

Sorry to hear about the clown jumping. It stinks to loose livestock for sure. However that HOB filter looks pretty legit. Are far as fish, there are many options. In small tanks, flaming prawn goby always comes to mind. There are also done dottybacks our there that are really pretty that would work as long as they aren't housed with peaceful fish in a smaller tank. If you want to go all out.... candy basslet! 😉

[BLUEaquarium06]

Originally Posted by paul87

Sorry to hear about the clown jumping. It stinks to loose livestock for sure. However that HOB filter looks pretty legit. Are far as fish, there are many options. In small tanks, flaming prawn goby always comes to mind. There are also done dottybacks our there that are really pretty that would work as long as they aren't housed with peaceful fish in a smaller tank. If you want to go all out.... candy basslet! 😉

You know you joke haha, but I am starting to seriously consider one. They are beautiful beautiful fish, and I want something that is a serious wow factor that makes the tank special haha. I can get one for about $650 so it'd be quite the commitment and I would wait until after March buttttt it's tempting

[BLUEaquarium06]

Originally Posted by Barliman

Subbed, even though I'm a freshwater guy, because I'm interested in your experiences with that Seachem Tidal filter.

Haha thank you, and I've only had it for a little over a day. And it is by far the best HOB I've ever owned. It's easy and sleek, I'm more than happy with the purchase and well worth the price

[BLUEaquarium06]

Stopped at the lfs this morning and picked up a couple small frags, I am starting to really like the way it's coming together. I need some more colors but it's starting to actually look like the beginning of a reef tank

[Sniperhank]

Blasto and a bird's nest?

[BLUEaquarium06]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Blasto and a bird's nest?

yup, pink thick branch birdnest and a blasto. Now the list is
1) hammer coral
1) zoa colony
1) blasto
1) birdnest

Im thinking of getting a branching purple monti. and im not sure what else, any suggestions on other corals that would go well with my current set up?

[Sniperhank]

I'd wait and see how things go before adding more.

[paul87]

I would recommend Zoas. They are a hardy coral and can create beautiful colonies fairly quickly compares to other corals. Another hardy good growing coral are duncans. Euphyllia such as hammers are pretty tough as well though most don't take very well to Alk swings.

[BLUEaquarium06]

I think I may invest in a new protein skimmer, the aquatic life worked okay, so I did a couple modifications and it worked great for like a few days, and now it's worse than ever...

[BLUEaquarium06]

Also I am battling a pretty big algae issue, I don't understand why because all my parameters are pretty good lol and I've been very consistent with water changes this time around. So I don't know how to go about fixing this

[BLUEaquarium06]

Well yesterday I started work at a horrible terrible place, and it really is a horrible place... Petco... They hired me to help with their horrendous aquatics department, like I said yesterday was my first day and there was literally no training. It was literally like okay fix this mess... Well I've started by changing up some of the things they were doing... Ammonia is through the roof and the first thing I did was remove 76 dead fish from the tanks... The were using a swing arm hydrometer to measure salinity in the salt tanks. So I had a refractometer ordered. The other thing is I going out that once every other week they were removing their filter media and soaking them in vinegar... Not really sure why. So this should be a really really interesting project and I hope I can help them become a respectable place to purchase fish both fresh and salt water.

[TMaier]

You are trail blazing over there and setting things right. It's amazing how much the big box stores can be helped or hindered based on staff and training. I would have expected you should have been trained. If you check with your division leaders this is probably a person who is not following corporate policies. But with economic pressures most places are understaffed and underpaid. This is not conducive to training and good animal husbandry. They are fortunate to have you.

No let me restate that. The fish are fortunate to have you there.

[BLUEaquarium06]

It has been crazy with work, but today I finally get to do some work on the tank. I'm going to see if I can pick up a coral or 2 and some new members of a clean up crew. A screen top is in the works now. It's going to be made of military grade aluminum, laser cut into 3 sections with the middle section having a hinge door for maintenance and such. An mp10 is on it's way with a new eshopps internal nano protein skimmer.

[BLUEaquarium06]

So quick update and a couple pics. I picked up a beautiful Duncan at the lfs and it's doing great. In sadder news I think my hammer has brown slime disease... It's been closed for about 2 days now after it was doing so well as my first coral in this tank. Parameters are all good and every other coral is doing brilliantly and growing.. I can see a small amount of slime coming from it should I remove it or is there a way to treat it?
picked up a couple new hermits and snails
pic was before the Duncan opened up completely

[Sniperhank]

Sloosh the hammer in some old tank water to get whatever is on the hammer off of it and see how it does.