New to Reef Central

[MPrado]

Hello everyone

I am fairly new to the aquarium world but I've loved marine life as far back as I can remember. I currently have two salt water tanks, a 125 gallon (rectangular) tank and a 55 (cube) tank. Here is a list of the livestock that I have:

125 gallon tank
Fish
-Vlamingi tang (juvenile)
-Niger trigger
-Blue tang
-Foxface rabbitfish
-Black cap basslet

I recently lost a Flame angel and a Coral beauty out of nowhere. I've tested my water and everything checked out OK. I had all 7 fish together with no issues for over 6 months so I found it odd to have them both die : (

Coral
-Frogspawn coral
-Flower pot coral (currently recuperating from a near death)
-Zoas
-Leather (good size)

I used to have a lot of zoas but the hermit crabs keep eating them. I only have this problem on my 125 gallon tank.

I have a sump with bio balls and floss. In the sump I have a protein skimmer that is working perfectly and I have a UV sterilizer as well next to the sump. I have a 500 gph power head and a good pump. I know that I need to have at least 50+ critters to keep it clean but right now I probably don't have enough.

55 gallon tank
Fish
-Golden maroon clown fish (female)
-2 blue chromies
-Mandarin fish
-2 Blue cheek gobies (I got them 2 days ago)
-Flame angel

Coral
-Lots of Zoas
-Lots of ricordia

I have yet to have any issues at all in this tank other than the clown hosting on the flower pot (now in the 125 gallon tank). I have a hang on back protein skimmer but I do not have a UV sterilizer like I do in my 125 gallon tank. Instead I have a refugium sump with algae and 1 mangrove growing in there. I have about 20 critters in there including an emerald crab.

Please guys feel free to comment or give me any advise on anything. I really want to pair up my clownfish but I know it could be bad, what would be the best way to do it? I also would like to get a bubble-tip anemone for my clown but would it be safe to put in there? I look forward to hearing from you guys!

Mat P.

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[MPrado]

more pictures...

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a165/mateo-prado/photo3.jpg

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http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a165/mateo-prado/photo.jpg

[nanojg]

Great looking tanks and livestock!

how are you feeding the manderin and two gobies in your 55 gallon? I have never kept a manderin, but my blue cheek goby would not eat prepared food and starved to death. Those 3 fish will wipe out a ton of pods in no time at all.

[MPrado]

I ran a risk when I bought the Madarin cause I did not have copepods in my tank at all. I made sure when I bought him that he was mid size that way he woulf be able to fit brine shrimp in his mouth.

Later on I bought copepods and I've noticed that they are breeding in my refugium so I never have issues with him eating.

For the bluecheeks, I had an algae issue in my tank where the algae would grow on the sand faster than my critters could eat it. With the bluecheeks there I dont have the issues and they seem to like eating that. I am sure they eat copepods as well but they love that sand lol

[nanojg]

Yeah, mine would spit sand around all day long, really fun to watch...and messy, but he never seemed to eat anything and died within a month or two. Mine was huge, about 4-5" long so it could really make a mess. It would scoop up a bungh of sand and swim half way up and spit it out everywhere! It was an impulse buy, so I didnt research how hard they were to feed.

[MPrado]

I've seen them eat brine shrimp as well, it seems they are getting enough food but I will keep an eye out for this. Thanks for sharing your experience with me.

[SweetTang]

Nice tanks man...and looks like you have a great set up for both. I would suggest maybe getting rid of the bio balls eventually. You won't need them once your LR is nice and established and with coral. My Bioballs became nitrate factories after a while.

Also my Blue Cheek/Sand Sifter Goby eats pretty much anything I put in the tank....I am fortunate with that. What is your substrate in your 50? Is it Crushed Coral or Pebbles? I would be a little concerned with the Gobies....If they try to "sift" the coarse rubble through their gills, it could cause some problems. Keep an eye on them. I switched from CC to sand for that reason, at the advice of a tenured reefer.

Great Looking tanks though man.....look forward to updates as it grows!

[MPrado]

Great tips man, I have "black sand" but it has a lot of small pebbles in there. About the bio balls, I plan on doing a refugium just like the one I have in my 55 gallon tank.

I plan on pairing up my clown but being a maroon it will be a challenge. Once I start the process I will take pics and let you guys know how it went.

[CHG107]

Enjoyed looking at your pictures, looks like a great tank!

[MPrado]

Thank you kind sir, I will keep updating you guys with more.