Carey's 40b Reef Build

[mr_X]

I don't think the light is suspect if it went that quick. How long did it take to lose it's zooxanthellae?

[carey]

It started the next day after I brought it home. It never opened or extended it feeder tentacles since I got it. Could it have been on its way out when I got it?

[mr_X]

I don't know. How is your alk?

[carey]

Last time I checked it was a little low from where I usually keep it, it was at 8 dkh. I like to keep it a little above 9dkh.
Little odd since everything else is looking good. :-(

Oh got a new acan last night at our reef club meeting from the raffle, nice to win coral. lol

Been thinking of what fish to add to this tank, I generally get fish at the end of the month when I get paid...
What do you guys suggest? It's an open top tank and so far I have:
Pair of true Perc Clowns
Pixie hawfish
Hawaiin Hawkfish
Golden headed sleeper goby
I've had so many fish that I think I have gone through most of the regular fish you see in the trade, so was looking for something different maybe....But not too expensive.
I was throwing around the idea of a firefish and a blenny....I know, I know they arent "different" but I am scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as ideas lol

[Tate]

What about some sort of anthias? Some of them have some really appealing colors

[bribo12]

I wouldn't put anthias in a 40 breeder. How about something not 100% reef safe like a Toby puffer? Go a little crazy you know

[carey]

LOL, yeah I would love anthias, BUT I too think the tank isnt suited for three, which is what I MAY do in the 180g at some point. I kept one square back anthias but it looked so lonely I bought him a mate and that was good, they were some of my favorite fish in the 125g. I miss them :-(

The puffer is out, right now the 40b is the only tank I have a good amount of coral in, what with the file fish in the 180g eating 95% of my corals. Soo the 40 is it for now as far as a serious attempt at a coral tank. lol
There is still the 60g rimless to conisder as my future coral tank since it has the uber radion light and the vortech. I currently have a but over 100lbs of misc live rock just piled in there for now lol, havent had a chance to get them all organized, set up out side the tank and mortared together. Very excited to try my hand at a very tall, slim rockscape. I think I have an eye for rockwork using regular means but with mortaring it should be a whole new experience, I will be able to do stuff i only thought of as impossible previously.

Thanks guys, if you can think of anything else post it here please. Open to any and all suggestions.

[Criptix]

I am a fan of the Fire Fish but aren't they jumpers?

[carey]

Yeha, thats not the first time i've heard they can jump. I had one in the 60g cube for a good long while and he never jumped. I'm thinking more and more I wanna go with another firefish. I'd like a purple one but they are like $25 around here while a regular red one is only $10 or less. It will depend on where I am on payday as far as having the money for a purple and of course if the shop has one. lol

[redsea]

I am loving my Purple Firefish, Carey. The colors are great! I really loved my red one too when I had him back in 2008. Firefish overall are such fantastic fish companions. Just make sure that the little guy can't jump out....(fish these days! LOL)

[Macscale]

If you have the money at some point, Helfrichis. I just love their colors. Red is my least favorite because the colors get kind of boring, I hate too put a living creature down though.

[kdpuffer]

Why not get a transparent mesh screen lid and open up the world of possibilities?

[carey]

I have the mesh screening on my 90g and 180g. The only issue I would have is the 40 is kinda low, so you can see right in from the top. Maybe I'm being stupid, but I kinda dont like the look if it, I think it detracts from the rest of the tank. lol

All is well in fishy land as far as an update.
The pop eye is going away on the hawkfish, almost gone now. I lost the brain, as expected, just threw it away yesterday. :-(((
But otherwise all the corals are doing fine.

[redsea]

That's great to hear about the Hawkfish!

[carey]

Thanks Red! I was so certain I was gonna be scooping his dead little body out one day soon but he's a tough lil guy. He's begging for food again and finding the food perfectly so I guess it the blindness was only temporary.

I am going to pick up a FREE sump tomorrow for the 60g rimless.

Guy from my reef club has one thats already partitioned out and has a sump sock holder built in so I jumped at the offer. Gonna give him a bag of reef crystals too, I hate taking stuff for free. lol

Still havent gotten to the rockscaping in the 60g. Maybe this weekend. I hurt my back soo bad this week and was in bed for most of the week so I have a lot to do!

[Darylb]

Carey how is the sleeper head goby? Iv always liked the look of them but read that they can be a nightmare in a reef tank by spitting the sand everywhere

[carey]

That lil gold headed sleeper IS a pain. lol I am constantly blowing sand outta corals. He is an awesome little fish though, just deal with it I suppose. lol
The small toadstool is constantly full of sand in its "cup", the turkey baster works ok to get it blown out. i wasnt so lucky with the 4 headed candycane coral I had though, he filled the cups of those polyps full everyday and no matter how much I blew the sand out they didnt make it. :-(
I'm hoping to pick up a fish or two this weekend! I am picking up that used sump later today and then will probably go out to lunch with some friends...so not sure when I can get out to orlando to get em. lol
Gonna take some pictures in a bit of the 60g, it's still just a holding tank for the live rock but its still very pretty on it's new stand. )

[redsea]

Congrats on the free sump....free is always good! And that is so exciting about the new fish? Do you have any ideas on what you want, or are you just going to get what speaks to you? lol

I wish you a speedy recovery for your back.