Reefer 170 Setup for Anemones / Clowns!

[Kinetic]

Finally got my tank set up. The display tank came cracked, so Red Sea sent me a new one that just arrived this week. Everything plumbed and ready to go.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4387/37107622471_15a2f75dd5_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4439/37107615551_c0e928e42d_b.jpg

Equipment list:
A few things are actually in a closet to the right of the tank. All plumbing goes under the floor so it's hidden. You can see, however, the cable raceway. Unfortunately the cables (chiller power, neptune pmup power, and optical sensor for ato reservoir) were too short to go under the floor through the crawlspace.

Red Sea Reefer 170
AI Hydra 52 HD
Skimz QuietPro 4.0 DC Return Pump
Skimz QuietPro 2.0 DC gfo/carbon reactor + chiller pump
Simplicity 120 DC Skimmer
TECO SeaChill TR10 Chiller
Jager 175watt Heater
Neptune Apex Jr. Controller with EB4 (for heat/chiller control and ATK)
Neptune ATK for topoff from LPDE 5 gallon reservoir (Araven colorclip airtight food container, bpa free). Extra Neptune optical sensor to notify me when ATO reservoir is empty
BRS Mini Reactor (for GFO/Carbon)
Maxspect Gyre XF130
AirWaterIce Typhoon III RO/DI with chloramine block
Possible Algae Reactor if needed


Inside

10 lbs. marcorock key largo dead rock
25 lbs. Tropic Eden Mesoflakes
Aquaforest Reef Salt


Current Status
Cycling with Dr. Tim's One and Only with dosed Ammonium Chloride (1.2ppm). Week 3 of the rocks cycling, but only day 3 of the rocks being in brand new water inside the actual tank. I'm guessing a few more weeks before any significant bacteria will populate.

Livestock

My plan is to keep one H. Magnifica, let it establish itself well, and then introduce a small clutch of ocellaris (I'm thinking 8).

Think the tank will handle it? I have the option of plumbing a pretty big sump to increase water volume and allow for a much larger skimmer if needed.

[CoralsAddiction]

Not sure which I like more: your setup or picture quality
:thumbsup:

[Kinetic]

Not sure which I like more: your setup or picture quality
:thumbsup:

Haha thanks! Glad you like it =)

I think once the tank cycles, it's going to be hard to keep it this clean for the photos.

[Kinetic]

Question:

My concern is a H. Magnifica could outgrow my tank. It could cover the whole tank. If I'm lucky, and can keep it healthy without feeding too much, the size would stay manageable.

I don't mind it dominating the whole thing and killing any corals that just got in its way, but it might not be smart in the long run.

I love the way they look, and I want to make sure the ocellaris I get will accept it as a host naturally, but it might not be practical.

What do you guys think?

My other option is to keep some BTA's and most likely have a bunch of clownfish that host the maxspect gyre pump instead ;)

[BeachVacationer]

Very nice setup! Impressed that you drilled a hole in your floor!! I thought of doing that but the better half nixed that idea.

[Kinetic]

Very nice setup! Impressed that you drilled a hole in your floor!! I thought of doing that but the better half nixed that idea.

Thank you!



It’s not so bad drilling holes. Structurally fine, and easy to use wood filler to patch up later. Super clean way to do it :)

[Jasanden]

I e had my Mag for about 7 years maybe longer. Was about 6" when I got him went up to 12" with feeding. Then I had an episode when I neglected the tank and Nem suffered. Shrunk back down to about the original size before I got everything back in check. Since then I don't target feed the Mag regularly. I broadcast feed the tank and he gets what gets. Has stayed roughly the same size for about 3 years now.

[Kinetic]

I e had my Mag for about 7 years maybe longer. Was about 6" when I got him went up to 12" with feeding. Then I had an episode when I neglected the tank and Nem suffered. Shrunk back down to about the original size before I got everything back in check. Since then I don't target feed the Mag regularly. I broadcast feed the tank and he gets what gets. Has stayed roughly the same size for about 3 years now.

Interesting. Is the Mag 12" at the base, or opened up at the top? Or about the same I guess?

[Kinetic]

So my ammonia levels never go down, and my nitrites never go above 0 or barely detectable.

So last night I added a 4oz. bottle of IO Bio Spira. Before adding it, my ammonia was probably just around 2.0 ppm (or a bit higher) using Red Sea and Salifert tests, and nitrites were undetectable using salifert.

Today, less than 24 hours later, ammonia is down to 0.3 ppm and nitrites up to 0.5ppm (maybe more, hard to tell with this Salifert test)! Wow.

For sure the bio-spira worked. I just got another bottle of Dr. Tim's one and only as well (my third 4 oz bottle), and dumped that in today after testing as well. Why? I don't know, just because I wanted to make sure I had some bacteria that was alive.

Either my past 2 bottles of Dr. Tim's One and Only were very dead, or Bio spira is just a lot faster with processing ammonia. Either way, it's still cycling and we'll see how it all goes.

My latest bottle of Dr. Tim's One and Only had a bunch of junk at the bottom of it. I shook the bottle a bit before adding the whole thing, but this time there was quite a bit of brown debris at the bottom that I haven't seen with past bottles. BIO SPIRA went in brown, but didn't have big bits of gunk.

[Kinetic]

Bump!

Question:
8 ocellaris + 1 H Magnifica too much for this tank?

If it's just an anemone tank, do you foresee me needing to dose Alk/CA/Mg like on a SPS tank? I've never had an anemone only tank.

[Kinetic]

Cycling Complete for 5 days
Good news, my tank cycled well! For 5 days now, I've been able to dose 2ppm of ammonia and have levels come down within 12 hours to 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites. My Nitrates were 50ppm, but after three 50%+ water changes, I'm down to 10ppm. I didn't have any containers big enough to do anything bigger than that. I used two 18 gallon tubs, which I premixed about 16 gallons into one, and drained the same amount into the other.

There's no green algae anywhere, which I guess is good. Nothing really was put in the tank that could've had algae hitch hike over. But there is a film of transparent stuff, that looks a bit brown when I scrape it off with my flipper magnet. My skimmer started picking it right up. That's a good sign. No clean-up-crew until I build up a good amount of algae...

Algae Reactor done
Finished building my algae reactor. My chaeto should be arriving tomorrow from reefcleaners.org. Once I have that in the reactor, I'll take some photos of the final product and post the specs. It's not the prettiest, but it should work well.

NoPo4-X
I decided to try some NoPo4-x, since it came with my Red Sea Mature kit, and I ended up not using it. I think it's just vinegar to be honest. Anyway, I'm on day 3 of using it. Hasn't really helped nitrates, though hard to tell since I'm doing huge water changes. But today I'm done doing big water changes, and I'll see if the NoPo4-x does anything with the remaining nitrates. I'm getting the chaeto tomorrow, so I'm thinking of just not using it anymore and saving it for later if my nitrates aren't able to come back down.

At this rate, I probably will have a ULNS tank and not even need a CUC =P

Lights on
Turned the lights on! Here's a properly white balanced photo of it:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4443/37439787656_9d51ab8c78_b.jpg

[kciN]

One day I looked to do a clownfish BTA tank with the reefer 170. I look forward to future updates for this build. Looking really good so far!

[Kinetic]

One day I looked to do a clownfish BTA tank with the reefer 170. I look forward to future updates for this build. Looking really good so far!

Thanks! Yeah, I have decided to not get a H. Magnifica, and stick with some BTAs instead for this size of tank.

[Kinetic]

Full system setup. Main display tank with sump, and in the adjacent closet is the carbon reactor (brs mini), Algae Reactor (AquaMaxx XL with custom aluminum heat control), and chiller. Also in the closet is a 5 gallon HPDE ATO reservoir with the ATK PMUP, OS-1 level sensor for low water. The ATO reservoir is fed by my RO/DI.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4447/23654055648_e6783d9b87_b.jpg

Algae Reactor

All the parts used for this algae reactor:
AquaMaxx Reactor XL:
https://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx_Fluidized_GFO_and_Carbon_Filter_Media_Reactor_XL_Chemical_Reactors-AquaMaxx-UJ5313-FIFRISCR-vi.html

LED Grow Lights:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRHQMYH/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Clip on Fan:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012BKZC86/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Aluminum tube:
http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-4689-8379-6-sq-wall-sq-tube-6063-t52-aluminum.aspx

Heatsinks:
http://www.heatsinkusa.com/4-850-wide-extruded-aluminum-heatsink/

Just added some chaeto from ReefCleaners.org. I decided to go with them because the chaeto is grown in a fishless system. I'm crossing my fingers it's also GHA, Bubble Algae, etc. free. When I put the chaeto in, there was a bit of sand in the chaeto, as well as a few big amphipods. Didn't see any nuisance animals.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4490/37458517306_3dae0532f1_b.jpg

Here's a look at the sleeve I put together for the LED lights. I'm probably overly scared of heat problems with these Amazon grow lights, so I bought a 5.75"x19" square aluminum tube and stuck the lights on the inside of it. I probably should've gotten a 6" tube because it's a tight squeeze getting the reactor in and out with the LED lights.

Attached to two sides are 4.8" x 8" heatsinks. Lots of thermal paste + some JB weld to hold them on. Cured for 24 hours.

Lastly, very quiet low powered clip on fan above. So this is probably the coolest algae reactor in the world LOL.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4505/23654050748_e2e711f26a_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4513/37458505046_8e1a41d56f_b.jpg

Here it is all assembled:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4482/23654043068_34d4e4867f_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4501/36837256743_7255f9352e_b.jpg

And a fun glorious photo down the tube with the lights on:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4492/36796353214_0c37cf8939_b.jpg

[D-Nak]

The system is coming along nicely! I wish I made more progress on my system so I can have you over. :beer:

I think you should stick to your original plan of housing a magnifica. You'll be much happier. Trust me! I'll keep an eye out.

One thing you'll need to change though -- you'll need to find a flat rock to place on top of your rock structure. Mags don't like porous rocks like pukani because they can't spread their foot out. I often describe it as looking like a fried egg because they try to expand their foot on the surface of the rock as much as possible. If you don't have a flat rock, they'll continuously move, and will eventually make it to the wall of the tank, which isn't visually appealing.

[Kinetic]

The system is coming along nicely! I wish I made more progress on my system so I can have you over. :beer:

One day it'll happen! ;)

I think you should stick to your original plan of housing a magnifica. You'll be much happier. Trust me! I'll keep an eye out.

One thing you'll need to change though -- you'll need to find a flat rock to place on top of your rock structure. Mags don't like porous rocks like pukani because they can't spread their foot out. I often describe it as looking like a fried egg because they try to expand their foot on the surface of the rock as much as possible. If you don't have a flat rock, they'll continuously move, and will eventually make it to the wall of the tank, which isn't visually appealing.

My only concern is the tank dimensions are too small (24"x20"x20"). I've read a lot of people's mags don't really grow that big, but it might be way too big for this tank? I fit stays within 10" I think that would work... I could probably start with a smaller one and not feed it manually after it got to a good size.

And yeah, I was thinking the rocks wouldn't work. I'll look for a smoother flat one if I get the mag!

I'll keep looking around for one.

[Kinetic]

Just got notification that LA has some:
http://m.liveaquaria.com/product/631/?pcatid=631


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kinetic]

The system is coming along nicely! I wish I made more progress on my system so I can have you over. :beer:



I think you should stick to your original plan of housing a magnifica. You'll be much happier. Trust me! I'll keep an eye out.



One thing you'll need to change though -- you'll need to find a flat rock to place on top of your rock structure. Mags don't like porous rocks like pukani because they can't spread their foot out. I often describe it as looking like a fried egg because they try to expand their foot on the surface of the rock as much as possible. If you don't have a flat rock, they'll continuously move, and will eventually make it to the wall of the tank, which isn't visually appealing.



Do you think this pedestal rock would work? Or too porous.

http://www.marcorocks.com/reef-ledges/pedestal-rocks/new-pedestal-rock-frag-top/

[D-Nak]

Just got notification that LA has some:
http://m.liveaquaria.com/product/631/?pcatid=631


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Too bad you can't see what it actually looks like. I know that some people have received nicely colored ones from regular LA.

[D-Nak]

Do you think this pedestal rock would work? Or too porous.

http://www.marcorocks.com/reef-ledges/pedestal-rocks/new-pedestal-rock-frag-top/

I think its too porous. They don't like anything with holes or deep crevices.

Something like this is good:

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/1800x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/f/i/fiji_premium_rock_2.jpg

Think old school Fiji slab rock.

[Kinetic]

Too bad you can't see what it actually looks like. I know that some people have received nicely colored ones from regular LA.

Yeah I've been seeing people get a lot of really beautiful mags on LA recently (I'm pretty sure I saw you comment on a recent one as well). I will probably wait to see one in person first though. No need to rush into it, though I'm guessing I'd be pretty happy with one from LA.

I went down to Aquatic Collection today to pickup some PE Mysis and cipro. Got 7 tabs in anticipation. Talked about you too with Joe haha. He said you're the anemone guru of the bay area!

And wow, that red carpet is gorgeous. Still not sold. Looks really great. Not too big, which I think is good. There were a bunch of mocha looking clownfish in the basket with it, but none of them seemed at all interested in it for some reason. Anyway, it looks pretty healthy and nice.

I think its too porous. They don't like anything with holes or deep crevices.

Something like this is good:

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/1800x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/f/i/fiji_premium_rock_2.jpg

Think old school Fiji slab rock.

OK I'll look for a slab like that. How big do you think it should be ideally? I guess with plenty of room to grow, like 10"? That'll take up half my tank haha.

[Kinetic]

I've been looking for a flat rock that'll fit my tank, but haven't found anything at a LFS that will work.

I ordered some shelf rock from BRS (5lbs) so we'll see what I get. Hopefully something works, otherwise I'll take an existing rock, rock rubble, and a bunch of epoxy and create something myself.

I decided to get a rainbow BTA for now until I find a H. Mag.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4471/37366027590_d8172fce1b_b.jpg

[MMOORE0324]

Looking great! Did you ever get your 120 skimmer dialed in?

[Jasanden]

Interesting. Is the Mag 12" at the base, or opened up at the top? Or about the same I guess?

He was 12" spread out but like stated by another guy the base spreads out as well. Maybe 8". He's currently at about 6" now. And I agree with the other post stick with the Mag. So much more pleasing to see a clown in its natural host plus they're just beautiful Nems. I do think your better of finding one at a local fish store because they are poor shippers. Once established they are pretty bullit proof. I'll see if I can find any pics.

[Jasanden]

http://rs588.pbsrc.com/albums/ss326/jasanden/P1150268.jpg?w=480&h=480&fit=clip
http://rs588.pbsrc.com/albums/ss326/jasanden/P1130554.jpg?w=480&h=480&fit=clip

[Kinetic]

Looking great! Did you ever get your 120 skimmer dialed in?

I'm getting there. I have to close the wedge pipe all the way, and I was able to get the skimmer to skim wet. I want to get a balance and so I've been tinkering with it to try to get darker/drier skim, but it's not doing well. The sound is too loud, in my opinion, with the wedge + air requirements. There's a chance the Reefer 170's sump water level is just too low for it to run optimally. I'm doing a water change today and I'll use the water changed out to see if the water levels quiet it down. If not, I'm going to try replacing it with a NYOS Quantum 120 to see if that'll help with noise.

[Kinetic]

Today's the day:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4489/37538582140_0c1f11b6b4_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4503/37796870161_69b7517ede_b.jpg

Packing list:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4466/37087267694_07da49e349_b.jpg

Free food! Awesome SA! I already prepped PE Mysis, ON Reef Flakes, but this is going to be great to add to the diversity.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4484/37796864631_d834b064c3_b.jpg

Damn, this is the scary part. I am always nervous. What you want: cutest damn ocellaris the world ever did see. What you don't want: DOA =( =( But the shipping box was awesome and no problems with delivery so should be good...

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4499/37538566240_51209d9046_b.jpg

First one out! WHEW! He's alive and f***ing beautiful.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4489/37538559190_d229d620a2_b.jpg

Next came the mocha caramel. He's not a misbar, just weird distortion from the double bags:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4451/37538553580_4720807428_b.jpg

I have a pair of mocha gladiators as well. The idea is that the female will be largest, though not by much, and there will be a quickly set hierarchy for minimal bickering. We'll see. Alpha male might be a tough one to assert:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4504/37538547470_c7a5680f70_b.jpg

Fancy White aka Gladiator. Are you not entertained?

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4488/37540190860_a1924f6dca_b.jpg

[Kinetic]

They all made it! Floating for temp. Sustainable Aquatics specifically says not to drip acclimate these guys. I am skeptical but they have quite the reputation and these guys are so healthy. So a quick float and I'll transfer (with fish net) to the display soon after.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4485/37540195310_2084752410_b.jpg

All done floating, and added the Fancy White Extreme and the Vivid Fancy first. The Vivid Fancy is a bit larger than I was hoping for. I hope he doesn't become a problem. Fancy White Extreme is the smallest. These guys came together instantly. So funny that they just wanna group together. Cutest damn things ever.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4460/37766243122_17ccf798ec_b.jpg

OK, I couldn't keep taking photos between each intro, so here are the rest of the photos. it's really hard to take a group photo of these clowns. It's a circus!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4479/37128155643_2602a6692f_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4463/37766235212_927a927e83_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4503/37128136183_c367757f30_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4506/37128142003_e5c8b6df3a_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4464/37766214762_0ba0b5d19b_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4505/37766231812_a7f24f5ea8_b.jpg

I tried to label them, a few times. I'm actually not entirely sure which one is the fancy extreme white and the fancy white (aka gladiator). They're both amazing. I think the Extreme is a bit smaller. They do look slightly different, but not sure what is more extreme than the other.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4448/37088976734_35ae468512_b.jpg

That's it for now! More photos once they settle down and I have more time (and patience) to get a good group photo and get good shots of each from the sides.

[Kinetic]

Quick unboxing video. I wish I was able to add a soundtrack or do some color corrections. I used iMovie, though if anyone has suggestions let me know:

https://youtu.be/joWXZgoJ67Q

[JustAClownFish]

Question:

My concern is a H. Magnifica could outgrow my tank. It could cover the whole tank. If I'm lucky, and can keep it healthy without feeding too much, the size would stay manageable.

I don't mind it dominating the whole thing and killing any corals that just got in its way, but it might not be smart in the long run.

I love the way they look, and I want to make sure the ocellaris I get will accept it as a host naturally, but it might not be practical.

What do you guys think?

My other option is to keep some BTA's and most likely have a bunch of clownfish that host the maxspect gyre pump instead ;)


This setup is really expensive and I wouldn't want to 'waste' it on one anemone that is insanely hard to keep. Also, 8 clownfish in that tank? Wouldn't they eventually kill each other? Honestly, I like the BTA'a idea way more! A whole tank filled with exotic bubbly bubble tips sounds more enticing. In the Reef Hobbyist Magazine, they covered an exotic BTA only tank. They had the craziest colors I've ever seen. Like purple/green and ice blue tips and stuff like that. Or yellow/red.


BTW: May I ask why you chose the Maxspect Gyre? How is the flow pattern of this powerhead? I have one mp10 and can't get a nice flow pattern in my tank. Maybe I should consider another PH so I can use the mp10 for my nano I'm going to set up this weekend.

[JustAClownFish]

I just double checked and everywhere online it says don't put more than 2 clownfish in a small tank and they need to be of the same species. Since you have 6 fish they might pair up so you have 3 pairs.

[Kinetic]

This setup is really expensive and I wouldn't want to 'waste' it on one anemone that is insanely hard to keep. Also, 8 clownfish in that tank? Wouldn't they eventually kill each other? Honestly, I like the BTA'a idea way more! A whole tank filled with exotic bubbly bubble tips sounds more enticing. In the Reef Hobbyist Magazine, they covered an exotic BTA only tank. They had the craziest colors I've ever seen. Like purple/green and ice blue tips and stuff like that. Or yellow/red.

Well, expensive relatively I guess? My last system was considerably more and, to be honest, not very successful despite that. But you're right, just having one anemone might not be the best. So yeah, going with finding a few BTA's intsead and maybe, just maybe, the ocellaris might take one as a host.

Do a search on clown harems! Yes, there is overwhelming evidence that pairs do best in a specific territory, and our non-ocean sized tanks are definitely small enough to be one entire territory. But, there are a handful of successes with "harems" or "groups" of 5+ that are all young and small, introduced at the same time. Usually, however, they're all from the same clutch of babies. In my case, I'm trying something a bit different, all being from different clutches (except the mocha gladiators). And also, I'm hoping that the mocha gladiators being a pair already will help the top spot (female) already be defined early so aggression for that position won't happen. The alpha male spot might not have a problem either, since the pair is already established. But regular squabbles should be fine. I'm very aware of the problems this can have, and I'm 100% ready to intervene when needed. I'm not going to be in denial of really poor behavior, and am ready for it. The upside is that I may be able to have quite a diverse group that accept a BTA host (though let's be real, they're going to host my damn gyre pump instead).


BTW: May I ask why you chose the Maxspect Gyre? How is the flow pattern of this powerhead? I have one mp10 and can't get a nice flow pattern in my tank. Maybe I should consider another PH so I can use the mp10 for my nano I'm going to set up this weekend.


Well, a couple years ago the Gyre pump had a crazy sale, and I purchasd it. Fast forward a few years and I decided to go with that. I have two MP40s too from my last system, but the gyre has been great. One pump, massive water movement, no dead spots. It's less of "streams" of flow, and seems to actually move the water as a mass with some momentum. So far so good, though I don't have any SPS yet (gotta get BTAs, let them stop walking around so it's not complete genocide). But the water flow is pretty intense. I'm sticking with it for now, and have no indications or problems that I can see right now.

[Kinetic]

I just double checked and everywhere online it says don't put more than 2 clownfish in a small tank and they need to be of the same species. Since you have 6 fish they might pair up so you have 3 pairs.

not that my tank is this big, but here is proof that not "everywhere online":
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1259398

smaller:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2601139

[JustAClownFish]

Well, expensive relatively I guess? My last system was considerably more and, to be honest, not very successful despite that. But you're right, just having one anemone might not be the best. So yeah, going with finding a few BTA's intsead and maybe, just maybe, the ocellaris might take one as a host.

Do a search on clown harems! Yes, there is overwhelming evidence that pairs do best in a specific territory, and our non-ocean sized tanks are definitely small enough to be one entire territory. But, there are a handful of successes with "harems" or "groups" of 5+ that are all young and small, introduced at the same time. Usually, however, they're all from the same clutch of babies. In my case, I'm trying something a bit different, all being from different clutches (except the mocha gladiators). And also, I'm hoping that the mocha gladiators being a pair already will help the top spot (female) already be defined early so aggression for that position won't happen. The alpha male spot might not have a problem either, since the pair is already established. But regular squabbles should be fine. I'm very aware of the problems this can have, and I'm 100% ready to intervene when needed. I'm not going to be in denial of really poor behavior, and am ready for it. The upside is that I may be able to have quite a diverse group that accept a BTA host (though let's be real, they're going to host my damn gyre pump instead).





Well, a couple years ago the Gyre pump had a crazy sale, and I purchasd it. Fast forward a few years and I decided to go with that. I have two MP40s too from my last system, but the gyre has been great. One pump, massive water movement, no dead spots. It's less of "streams" of flow, and seems to actually move the water as a mass with some momentum. So far so good, though I don't have any SPS yet (gotta get BTAs, let them stop walking around so it's not complete genocide). But the water flow is pretty intense. I'm sticking with it for now, and have no indications or problems that I can see right now.



I'll look into that more! By everywhere I meant all sources I usually obtain my information from. I didn't have success with more than two clowns either.


What you said about the 'streams' of flow is exactly what's annoying me in my tank. I want ocean-like water movement and I think from what I can see on Youtube the Gyre does what you said - move 'masses' of water. It also agitates the surface at the same time. Might be worth a try!

[Kinetic]

I'll look into that more! By everywhere I meant all sources I usually obtain my information from. I didn't have success with more than two clowns either.


What you said about the 'streams' of flow is exactly what's annoying me in my tank. I want ocean-like water movement and I think from what I can see on Youtube the Gyre does what you said - move 'masses' of water. It also agitates the surface at the same time. Might be worth a try!

Yeah definitely try the gyre. It isn't void of streams, it's just much more distributed. You can definitely use momentum with MP40's or other powerheads to get a gyre going, or even a pulse mode to create back and forth rocking. I used an MP40 to create waves in my 48" tank back in the day, I could get the water to slosh out of the display =P

But the gyre seems to get the momentum going well with more even flow. I'm actually playing with alternating modes right now (though the alternate flow speed is much less since the impellers are running backwards to their design, but it creates a bit of turbulence for awhile instead of a constant gyre).

[D-Nak]

I just double checked and everywhere online it says don't put more than 2 clownfish in a small tank and they need to be of the same species. Since you have 6 fish they might pair up so you have 3 pairs.

They're all the same species. Color morphs don't determine how they will pair. Since there are six fish, one will become female, one will become the dominant male, and other four will be lower in the hierarchy (and may remain "sexless" for a while and may even have slower growth).

[D-Nak]

Yeah definitely try the gyre. It isn't void of streams, it's just much more distributed. You can definitely use momentum with MP40's or other powerheads to get a gyre going, or even a pulse mode to create back and forth rocking. I used an MP40 to create waves in my 48" tank back in the day, I could get the water to slosh out of the display =P

But the gyre seems to get the momentum going well with more even flow. I'm actually playing with alternating modes right now (though the alternate flow speed is much less since the impellers are running backwards to their design, but it creates a bit of turbulence for awhile instead of a constant gyre).

For anemone tanks, I definitely like Gyres better. I had tanks with MP40s and you can't put nems right in front of them because the flow is too narrow. With the wider flow of the Gyre, you can actually place nems very close to them, and they are fine. I've also gotten nems stuck in MP40s but never in a Gyre (fingers remain crossed).

[D-Nak]

The tank is coming along nicely! And the photos continue to amaze me. The clowns are a nice pick up! I've got my eyes peeled for a magnifica for you. :thumbsup:

[JustAClownFish]

Does the gyre stir up detritus? One dude on Youtube whose review I just watched said it creates dead spots and he doesn't have that problem with a vortex due to the even spread wall of water it pushes forward.

[Kinetic]

The tank is coming along nicely! And the photos continue to amaze me. The clowns are a nice pick up! I've got my eyes peeled for a magnifica for you. :thumbsup:

Thanks man! I always appreciate your help and input.

[Kinetic]

Does the gyre stir up detritus? One dude on Youtube whose review I just watched said it creates dead spots and he doesn't have that problem with a vortex due to the even spread wall of water it pushes forward.

I had vortex's in tanks and there were plenty of dead spots. I had 80x turnover and still had dead spots. I used smaller powerheads in the back of my rockwork and corners to try to kill them all.

Deadspots will mostly be caused by your rockwork or other obstructions. Moving more water will help, either it be a gyre or not. My rockwork is pretty minimal, so I don't have any deadspots that I can tell. I have had mysis in the corners and behind the rock, even in the caves of rock, and they flow out pretty quick after I turn the gyres on.

I was only feeding one small fish, so I could count the number of mysis that were left in the tank when my pumps were off. They were always accounted for when the pumps were on (and trapped in the dumb mesh of the gyre pump). My poor nassarius snails have nothing to eat, though secretly I spot feed them one mysis a day lol.

My BTA finally ate two whole mysis yesterday, lol. I'll try again next week with mysis and probably some crushed raw shrimp.

[Kinetic]

I'm leaning towards just getting a bunch of BTAs and hoping the ocellaris take to them later on. But, just in case a H. Magnifica pops up anytime that fits the bill, I have some tonga shelf rock. One piece is about 9" x 7", which I think would both fit my tank and a smaller magnifica. So I put a smooth layer of TLF aquastick putty to smooth out the surface. Once it cures, I have some small rock rubble pieces I can then attach this piece to my current rockwork to make a pedestal for a mag.

I also have that gigantic piece too, that's about 15" diagonal. It probably would just shade everything on one side of my tank, but I'm keeping it for any possible tank upgrades for the mag.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4485/23988299638_2b50dcd1c3_b.jpg

[CoralsAddiction]

The setup is looking great! I hope everything works out for you. I just don’t understand why things are so much different when it comes to clownfish behavior in captivity. They are found in groups quite often in the wild and usually smaller babies join a resident group without a problem. While I have not done it personally, keeping a small group of 4-6 clowns would be quite natural. Yet there are more reports of failure than success. It’s such a paradox. It will take countless of success stories to change the general perception that keeping more than 2 clowns in one tank is not ok. Which is why I’m rooting for your success.

[Kinetic]

The setup is looking great! I hope everything works out for you. I just don’t understand why things are so much different when it comes to clownfish behavior in captivity. They are found in groups quite often in the wild and usually smaller babies join a resident group without a problem. While I have not done it personally, keeping a small group of 4-6 clowns would be quite natural. Yet there are more reports of failure than success. It’s such a paradox. It will take countless of success stories to change the general perception that keeping more than 2 clowns in one tank is not ok. Which is why I’m rooting for your success.

Thanks so much for the support. Hoping this will all work out as well. I'll keep updating the thread ;)

[MMOORE0324]

How is the Nyos breaking in?

[Kinetic]

How is the Nyos breaking in?

Hey Matt,

Progress I guess. The amount of bubbles in the body is really great (especially compared to the Simplicity I was using). The skimmer cup has no skim yet, there doesn't seem to be enough bubbles to make it over the top into the collection area, but the cup middle (riser part) is pretty dirty. I have the water/bubbles stop right where the cup meets the body (as most people have recommended), but might raise it up so the bigger bubbles break over the top. Though I could just be more patient and wait it out.

I currently have the air open all the way, and the wedge pipe is closed about 3/4 of the way up (using the threads as an indicator).

[MMOORE0324]

Hey Matt,



Progress I guess. The amount of bubbles in the body is really great (especially compared to the Simplicity I was using). The skimmer cup has no skim yet, there doesn't seem to be enough bubbles to make it over the top into the collection area, but the cup middle (riser part) is pretty dirty. I have the water/bubbles stop right where the cup meets the body (as most people have recommended), but might raise it up so the bigger bubbles break over the top. Though I could just be more patient and wait it out.



I currently have the air open all the way, and the wedge pipe is closed about 3/4 of the way up (using the threads as an indicator).



Nice, sounds like it’s getting there. As you may know from my thread that you commented in, I was torn between the Nyos 120 and Simplicity 120. I went with the Simplicity just based off of some comments on here regarding both and also for the fact that replacement parts for the Simplicity appeared to be very available and cheaper. Now that my skimmer has broken in, I’m getting very dark skimmate, my tank is still really lightly stocked, but pretty happy with it. One thing that I’m not super happy about is the amount of micro bubbles it produces out of the wedge pipe. Not a super big deal as I’ve got a pretty good bubble trap, but hopefully those will calm down as time progresses.

Now more importantly, how are the clowns doing? Do you plan to attempt to breed and raise fry?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kinetic]

Nice, sounds like it’s getting there. As you may know from my thread that you commented in, I was torn between the Nyos 120 and Simplicity 120. I went with the Simplicity just based off of some comments on here regarding both and also for the fact that replacement parts for the Simplicity appeared to be very available and cheaper. Now that my skimmer has broken in, I’m getting very dark skimmate, my tank is still really lightly stocked, but pretty happy with it. One thing that I’m not super happy about is the amount of micro bubbles it produces out of the wedge pipe. Not a super big deal as I’ve got a pretty good bubble trap, but hopefully those will calm down as time progresses.

Now more importantly, how are the clowns doing? Do you plan to attempt to breed and raise fry?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



I was the same way with the Simplicity at first. It’s not bad at all, but I don’t think it fit my system well. The wedge pipe had to be 100% closed for it to come close to working, and the noise was just too much. The NYOS is not without noise, just a deeper hum. I like it better.

The NYOS produces denser micro bubbles, but very little micro bubbles escape the body like the Simplicity. Never was an issue since the reefer bubble trap is great, but yes, way more. My skimmer chamber had little bubbles caught on everything. My Simplicity leaked bubbles out of the volute intake area mostly and the wedge pipe.

I think Simplicity is still great for the price. NYOS slightly overpriced but still great.

[Kinetic]

Not going to be breeding the fry. At least no plans. Just going to enjoy them! They’re all doing great. Gave away the Vivid Fancy and got another Fancy White Extreme and Fancy White Gladiator from the same clutches as the other two. All clowns are now super calm and non-aggressive. It’s great!

[Kinetic]

Building the base for the Magnifica's pedestal. Added a small rock to make the highest point, not a point. Tomorrow I will attach the final flat tonga shelf rock to the top of this:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4493/38097858391_f2cd24b317_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4508/38067057492_4e2668c138_c.jpg

There are plenty of contact points for the flat shelf rock to sit on that. I have the largest stick of reef epoxy to get this all to stay.

Plan:
Remove shelf rock from RO/DI tub tomorrow morning (it's been in there for a week now while I dose lanthanum chloride to pull as much phosphates out as possible)
Rinse with a bunch of RO/DI and let dry for most of the day (12-ish hours)
Use a whole stick of reef epoxy in big globs at the contact points, adding small dabs of cyanoacrylate (super glue gel) on the epoxy to help it cure when underwater
Hold rock in place with my hand for about 30 seconds, hope the clowns don't nibble me too much
By Friday, when the H. mag arrives, the epoxy should be all cured and holding tight

[ReefMaster48]

First off, great pictures!!!

Secondly, great tank! Looks awesome!

[Kinetic]

First off, great pictures!!!

Secondly, great tank! Looks awesome!

Thanks! Hope to get the tank slowly stocked up to get some better photos of it not just empty ;)

Currently: rainbow BTA, 7x clowns, 1 geometric pygmy hawkfish

Probably done with fish, but going to be getting a green bta and the h magnifica! I'll give those nems a month or more to settle down and then look into getting a few sticks of SPS.

Dreading the day where I'm going to be testing Alk/Ca daily. I'll have to invest in a dosing pump at some point...

I'm wondering if the Neptune Trident that's coming out will be overkill for my tank. But maybe super worth it.

[CoralsAddiction]

By Friday, when the H. mag arrives, the epoxy should be all cured and holding tight

Nice. Looking forward to some pics of the mag. Did you buy it online? Was it WYSIWYG?

[Kinetic]

Pretty saturated photo of my Rainbow BTA. I could post a not-so-saturated shot, but this kind of shows off the colors he's getting back since being shipped. He's a bit pastel colored when fully inflated during the daytime, when the evening comes around and blues are dominating, he's a pretty dark color.

And of course, with my luck, he stays behind my rockwork facing the back wall, where it's almost impossible to see him. LOL.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4456/38100749071_cb25e986d5_b.jpg

And a video of it waving around:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmljkNfAVQ8

[Kinetic]

Nice. Looking forward to some pics of the mag. Did you buy it online? Was it WYSIWYG?

The mag is actually from user Gig'em! He had two that were in his frag tank that he was eventually going to sell, but wasn't really promoting them. I reached out after finding out he used to treat them well with cipro and sell them afterwards, having huge success even after shipping once it was treated.

He had one that was purple base with white tips and looked beautiful. 3" is tiny enough to fit well and grow a bit in my tank!

[Kinetic]

I'm deciding on which rock to use for the H. Mag. The first one below is larger by about 1" shortest diameter, and 2" longest diameter. Good for the nem to grow a bit. The second is big enough (reportedly) to hold it with 2 - 3" extra space to grow. Obv. I could just go with the larger, but aesthetics mean a lot too. Maybe there isn't enough of a difference, but what do you guys think. A or B?

A
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4570/38129763331_8d916950fa_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4546/38129755831_137e279ab7_c.jpg

B
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4499/38129749091_aaacb549a0_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4499/26353207099_8eccc6a293_c.jpg

[CoralsAddiction]

Both are good. B stands out more I think.

[Kinetic]

H. Magnifica has arrived from Gig'em! Some poop in the bag but nothing else. Color looks really great. I'm concerned about the mouth, looks to be inside out. When he first arrived, mouth was visible, but after a float acclimation, he looks gross.

Should I put him in a treatment tank with cipro now?

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4567/37434782154_0cf9967532_b.jpg

[D-Nak]

Assuming it was properly QTed the first time, I don't think you need to treat with Cipro. Looks like the mag didn't like being in the bag for an extended amount of time. You can either set up a QT tank for observation, if you have one, or put it in the DT and let it acclimate to your tank.

Me personally, I'd turn off the flow in the DT and see if it attaches to the rock you picked out.

[Kinetic]

Assuming it was properly QTed the first time, I don't think you need to treat with Cipro. Looks like the mag didn't like being in the bag for an extended amount of time. You can either set up a QT tank for observation, if you have one, or put it in the DT and let it acclimate to your tank.

Me personally, I'd turn off the flow in the DT and see if it attaches to the rock you picked out.

Thanks Derrick! I will probably QT him for the afternoon first just in case. I have it setup anyhow. I just hope that extra QT won't add additional stress.

I'm assuming he should be fine as long as he doesn't have a bacterial infection? This is just a show of being upset and not necessarily infection that needs cipro?

[D-Nak]

I'm assuming he should be fine as long as he doesn't have a bacterial infection? This is just a show of being upset and not necessarily infection that needs cipro?

Yes, I think it's safe to assume that it doesn't have a bacterial infection because it was already treated successfully once, and it hasn't been exposed to other nems. Mags ship poorly and oftentimes invert their stomachs. I think the waste fouls the water and makes conditions even worse. Once it's in a tank, it should begin to perk up -- stomach will contract and tentacles will inflate.

How does it look now?

[Kinetic]

Yes, I think it's safe to assume that it doesn't have a bacterial infection because it was already treated successfully once, and it hasn't been exposed to other nems. Mags ship poorly and oftentimes invert their stomachs. I think the waste fouls the water and makes conditions even worse. Once it's in a tank, it should begin to perk up -- stomach will contract and tentacles will inflate.

How does it look now?

After 2 hours of drip acclimation, I put him in a breeder box into the DT instead of the QT.

I decided to lessen the potential stress of going into QT, then DT at some point. And he doesn't seem to be spilling guts and is getting better, so DT in a box it is. I was worried the clowns would dive bomb it if I put it on the rock, because they're already being "hosted" by the rock ever since I put it in (dumb dumbs).

Currently looking 50% better, especially now that it's in a running tank.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4473/24295976368_2559a83bf4_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4476/38092779946_1636e314db_b.jpg

Mouth is starting to tighten back up. No excretions of any kind. He seems to be holding on tight to the bottom of the box now.

[Kinetic]

I moved the box in front of the gyre and return, so it's getting a lot more flow over the top. Somehow a clown got in lol. I chased him out with a net.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4463/38095011946_0e97d79cff_b.jpg

The rest of them are trying to get in! Leave this guy alone people.

Mouth is probably 60% better than when it first arrived. It improved quickly, now not so much. Still waiting until 8pm (5 more hours) before deciding if he should go into TT for cipro.

[Kinetic]

OK, mouth is starting to go back in. There's a weird black dead looking tentacle or something near the mouth. Should I remove that?

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4535/38151051941_319a6ec2aa_b.jpg

Here's my setup that allows flow in, but tries to keep the clowns out:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4464/38151049851_e01b31e371_b.jpg

[D-Nak]

I would try to remove it. It could be waste or dead zoox.

[Kinetic]

I would try to remove it. It could be waste or dead zoox.

At what point should I just start to cipro? His mouth is half in now, but he hasn't gotten better. Should I just wait until the morning to see if it gets worse?

[D-Nak]

If it doesn't look better by morning you can try Cipro. Not sure if it will help though. If the nem doesn't inflate it can't take in the meds.

[Kinetic]

Good news! As of 23:45 pacific, he is twice as inflated, tentacles inflated quite a bit, and mouth is almost totally closed up now! He's a bit too big for this box now, but I'll move him onto the pedestal in the morning if his mouth is totally closed up and fully inflated. The ocellaris are so excited to get in there (one already got in twice, geeze).

What a huge improvement over the last few hours.

What would be the best way to pull him out of the box? He's holding on SUPER tight now (I tried to move him to the center of the box, he wouldn't budge). Ice cube?

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4508/24303869568_e9f0776f51_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4452/38100878106_169b315cdf_b.jpg

[D-Nak]

It’s looking a lot better!

I think it’s best to get it out of the box and onto the pedestal to allow for more water movement to help the new flush out any dead zoox and other waste.

Try to slip a gift card under the edge of the foot. Once you get one part off, it’ll be easy to get the rest of the foot detached.

[Kinetic]

It’s looking a lot better!

I think it’s best to get it out of the box and onto the pedestal to allow for more water movement to help the new flush out any dead zoox and other waste.

Try to slip a gift card under the edge of the foot. Once you get one part off, it’ll be easy to get the rest of the foot detached.

His mouth isn't fully closed, and the ocellaris are ready to pounce. Think it's good to get him out now? or should I wait so that the ocellaris don't harass it too much?

[D-Nak]

Just wait until tomorrow to see how it looks. It’s best if the mouth is fully closed and tight.

[Kinetic]

Just wait until tomorrow to see how it looks. It’s best if the mouth is fully closed and tight.

Sounds good! Thanks!

[D-Nak]

How does it look this morning (afternoon LOL)?

[Kinetic]

Woke up this morning and the mag was very inflated, tentacles totally fluffed out, and mouth closed tight. So excited!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4467/38172381071_c8d529abe1_b.jpg

The LED's were still super dim as they just came on, so I turned off all the flow and placed the mag on the pedestal. Here's his mouth and the clowns immediately took to it.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4444/37461979894_6f400945be_b.jpg

Sun came out while waiting for the mag to grip the rock (left the pumps off for almost 50 minutes before he decided to plant his whole foot down and do the fried egg thing):

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4561/38172376301_8d6ae07fec_b.jpg

Since the flow was off, took the chance to snap a photo from above

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4498/37461967884_9d75ea8698_b.jpg

Turned on the flow after almost an hour!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4566/38172371171_48363b68af_b.jpg

Clowns love this thing

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4537/38116274236_becae1b9b1_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4526/38140515932_73af88bf5a_b.jpg

Lastly some shots from the side

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4500/38116266586_164b46036b_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4466/38116262976_b06cb92613_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4542/38116258386_909c9b9c74_b.jpg

As of 5 minutes ago, the female finally decided to join in on the fun, and promptly kicked everyone out! Rude!

Video uploading to Youtube:
https://youtu.be/fTd_WuBArS4

[CoralsAddiction]

Nice. There you go. It was just stressed from shipping I suppose. Best of luck.

[Kinetic]

Nice. There you go. It was just stressed from shipping I suppose. Best of luck.

Definitely from shipping, but made quite a bit of progress since. I was pretty stressed myself =P Super happy with how it turned out!

Now the female and alpha male have kicked out all the little guys from the anemone. Bummer. I guess I'll need to make another pedestal and find another mag for the little guys? ;)

[D-Nak]

Yes, I agree. Looks really good.

[D-Nak]

Definitely from shipping, but made quite a bit of progress since. I was pretty stressed myself =P Super happy with how it turned out!

Now the female and alpha male have kicked out all the little guys from the anemone. Bummer. I guess I'll need to make another pedestal and find another mag for the little guys? ;)

Hopefully the mag will expand more. That way the smaller fish can hide on the opposite side.

[Kinetic]

Hopefully the mag will expand more. That way the smaller fish can hide on the opposite side.

It's really interesting. it'll go from having a really wide base and stay short on the rock, to standing really tall so the base is totally showing and looks kind of like a vase.

When it's like a vase, the male and female will do circles around the base, and the little males will sneak in on top. Haha!

[CoralsAddiction]

I guess I'll need to make another pedestal and find another mag for the little guys? ;)
Hit me up closer to Thanksgiving and I might be able to bring my Mag to Livermore if you want to buy it.
Need to find my wild Onyx clowns a gig.

[Kinetic]

Hit me up closer to Thanksgiving and I might be able to bring my Mag to Livermore if you want to buy it.
Need to find my wild Onyx clowns a gig.

I really doubt I can add another mag to this tank. One is pushing it already ;)

I'm hoping the small clowns will eventually realize bubble tips below are just as good?

I might do an experiment and put the alpha male and female in a breeder box for a day and see how the little ones do over time. I wonder if the start off all the same size in the anemone, one will grow to the female and another alpha male, but they'll all be accepted in the anemone host...

Good thing is aggression is all gone, except the male and female don't let any of the others go into the anemone. Man those little dudes want in so bad.

[Kinetic]

48 hours update:

Mag goes from tall vase inflation to squat fat. It has to do with the flow in the tank. I have a Maxspect Gyre on the Ocean Gyre Current preset, which will have fairly still periods and then whips it around for a while longer (even sometimes running the impellers backwards). When it's still, the mag gets squat and fat. When the flow is high the mag gets tall and vase like. It's either the mag inflating itself, or the flow pulling it up (maybe a bit of both). The foot is truly just 3" across, but the top is easily 6 - 7".

FTS first:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4510/38163451012_39ac289e8a_b.jpg

Closeup including foot in squat mode:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4449/38163445782_7db54b32cf_b.jpg

[Kinetic]

Video of all FTS and more:

https://youtu.be/XJKIyA516Uc

[Kinetic]

I decided to put the mocha gladiators into a breeder box for a few hours to see what would happen. They happily swam into my net and didn't really care so much in the breeder box. In fact they were just wiggle dancing with each other the whole time. So dumb, it's great.

Three of the 4 remaining males eventually found themselves back into the anemone, but the fighting was pretty rough, and eventually only one was in the anemone, chasing everyone else out. Weirdly, he is one of the smaller guys. Big attitude. Anyway, they had their play time, and I let the mochas out. They swam back and reclaimed the mag. The winner of the small guys tried to wiggle dance his way to staying, but eventually he swam a few inches away and is still hovering there now.

Aggression back to normal. The pair just chases anyone out, and the rest just hover close by.

Not sure if I should feel bad for the small males, since they were perfectly fine without a mag. But watching how happy they were and how happy the female/alpha are makes me a bit sad. Let's hope the small males will take to the BTAs at some point.

The whole point of putting the pair into isolation was to see if the smaller males would all share the nem like they did in the beginning. It seems like that was just them as newbies to that world getting acquainted, then their innate aggression of territory kicked in. I probably could've given it some more time, but the breeder box isn't the biggest and the lights were starting to dim.

I'm enjoying experimenting a bit as long as it doesn't seem harmful, but I think I'll change gears soon and just let everything settle over time and mature a bit more. It's still early.

[eppersonm16]

Great idea on your chaeto reactor and thanks for posting the parts list and links to where you bought everything.

[Kinetic]

Great idea on your chaeto reactor and thanks for posting the parts list and links to where you bought everything.

No problem! I always love finding posts of DIY with all the things listed of where to get them, so hoping it helps!

So far so good!

[Kinetic]

Just turned around and one of the small males finally found his way into the bubbletip. He only stayed for a little while, and left. I think the flow is too strong. I'm thinking of turning down the flow just a tad. Though maybe I should just leave it and see if he returns.

He seemed to be pretty happy in it, but struggled to stay in when the gyre kicked in.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4493/38203288492_fb7d22354f_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4578/38203282022_ed2defe51b_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4536/38203276582_c82f492ac5_b.jpg

A further away system shot with the magnifica in full vase mode:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4519/38203298562_449efa7234_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4463/38203292342_9f318866dc_b.jpg

[MMOORE0324]

Looking great! I love how you have the gyre mounted. The mag looks fantastic

[Kinetic]

Looking great! I love how you have the gyre mounted. The mag looks fantastic

Thanks! I had to offset the gyre a bit just in case the mag gets too close to it. I have the mesh protector over it, but just wanted it as far away as possible. As the mag gets bigger, I may have to turn the gyre vertical and mount it under the return to create a longitudinal gyre instead.

The mag is still the most amazing thing I've ever kept as a reefer. So mesmerizing.

[Papermonkeys]

Is the gyre mesh something you just made custom?

[Kinetic]

Is the gyre mesh something you just made custom?

The XF-130 came with really bad foam protectors, but the new ones on the new XF-230 and Icecap Gyre 3K come with mesh guards that actually fit the XF-130. So I ordered the XF-230 set. Unfortunately, they ran out of stock of the mesh guards, and sent me FOAM guards without telling me.

After I contacted them about the problem, they sent me Icecap 3K mesh guards, that actually fit just fine, and then a week later they sent me the actual XF-230 mesh guards.

I'd order directly from coralvue's website: www.coralvue.com/maxspect-gyre-mesh-covers

Just make sure they send you the mesh ones. Or you can be safe about it and order the Icecap 3K mesh guards if you need it for a XF-130/230, they'll fit and don't have a foam version.

Now I have a ton of mesh guards for this pump.

[Kinetic]

Got some readings on my tank today using an Apogee PAR meter that my local club owns (Bay Area Reefers):

AquaIlluminations Hydra 52 HD using a SPS AB+ w/ High Peaks program, modified with a lot more whites. 9" above the water.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4553/38317501326_2026c422c6_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4580/37658614704_92b15befa7_b.jpg

Anemones:
My H. Magnifica is getting a bit over 400. The BTAs about 269.

Shaded area under the H. Mag pedestal are pretty terrible. Probably can't grow anything there (dendros probably on the list).

Back two corners of the tank are probably low enough for LPS/softies. I was thinking of a small zoa rock on one side, scoly / open brain on the other?

Probably just going to keep the lighting where it is. I'm thinking the high 200 - 300 will work well for a few sticks of SPS (as long as they don't get stung).

[miston]

following, nice setup! Those BTA shots were beautiful!

I have the idea to setup a small tank with green star polyps covering all of the live rock with a single anemone on top. Once the anemone is established wouldn't the GSP take over and surround the anenome, visually make it pop?

[Kinetic]

following, nice setup! Those BTA shots were beautiful!

I have the idea to setup a small tank with green star polyps covering all of the live rock with a single anemone on top. Once the anemone is established wouldn't the GSP take over and surround the anenome, visually make it pop?

I can imagine that looking really nice! GSP will live through anything, so I think they would get along OK with any kind of anemone. The H. Magnifica will greatly shade anything below it, but I think GSP will be good in any light. GSP does look nice! You could even get a few different kinds. I've seen some that are more purple.

I'm all for cool new ideas ;)

[dieselkeeper]

Great looking tank and anemone's. I just purchased a Mag from a LFS. The one I got was hosting a harem of clowns, had like 10 in it at once. When he removed the nem, he had to remove 3 or 4 clownfish from it. He had to do this out of the water. I would have thought the clownfish would just have fallen out. Was really fun to watch.

Question for you. My mag went through successful treatment of cipro last week. It is not sticky at all. Are Mags not sticky like other carpets? I had a haddoni that was very sticky. Any reason for concern?

[Kinetic]

Great looking tank and anemone's. I just purchased a Mag from a LFS. The one I got was hosting a harem of clowns, had like 10 in it at once. When he removed the nem, he had to remove 3 or 4 clownfish from it. He had to do this out of the water. I would have thought the clownfish would just have fallen out.

Question for you. My mag went through successful treatment of cipro last week. It is not sticky at all. Are Mags not sticky like other carpets? I had a haddoni that was very sticky. Any reason for concern?

That's a funny story about the clowns. They are basically totally on drugs when they're in the mag. It's so interesting. Poor clowns, lost their home =)

The mag is sticky, but I've never had experience with haddoni so I don't know how to compare. When I first put the mag in with latex gloves, it didn't stick at all that I could notice. I did notice that floating mysis etc. didn't really stick to it for a week, but after 2 weeks anything that touches the tentacles is grabbed.

I think your mag should be fine as long as it's inflated and the mouth is tight. It might change shapes while inflated, and it could deflate a few tentacles once in awhile (mine does because my female clown likes to bite down on the tentacles for some reason), but just make sure the mouth is tight. After a few weeks I think it'll get sticky!

Maybe @D-Nak can chime in on the normal stickiness of these mags?

[potusreef]

Awesome tank! Do you think you could take a picture that shows how the gyre is mounted?

How quiet is it?

[Kinetic]

Awesome tank! Do you think you could take a picture that shows how the gyre is mounted?

How quiet is it?

It's just on the overflow wall under the overflow teeth. Magnet on both sides. That's it. If you have a specific question about it, happy to try to get the right photo, but really straightforward and nothing tricky.

I can't hear it running, though I only run it at 20% max.

[potusreef]

It's just on the overflow wall under the overflow teeth. Magnet on both sides. That's it. If you have a specific question about it, happy to try to get the right photo, but really straightforward and nothing tricky.

I can't hear it running, though I only run it at 20% max.

Thanks. I was curious about seeing how you mounted/managed the power/control cables.

I was thinking of installing it in an Red Sea E-170, but that tank has the rear sump so I was curious if it would be possible to mount the gyre on the wall between the tank and rear sump with the cables extending over the back. Would that be possible?

[Kinetic]

Thanks. I was curious about seeing how you mounted/managed the power/control cables.

I was thinking of installing it in an Red Sea E-170, but that tank has the rear sump so I was curious if it would be possible to mount the gyre on the wall between the tank and rear sump with the cables extending over the back. Would that be possible?

I only have one cable that goes to the pump from the controller, and I just have the controller mounted behind the stand. If you have space for a chord, then you'll be fine.

[Kinetic]

Today's morning natural light with the bubble tips:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4531/38537293232_95f310db32_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4522/38537296762_e977631dea_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4578/38537288272_1a676a4992_b.jpg

[RottoInspired24]

Any update now? A month later [emoji16]?

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[Kinetic]

Any update now? A month later [emoji16]?

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Nothing drastic to report. I'll take photos and do a full update soon =) Everything is alive and happy.

[RottoInspired24]

Nothing drastic to report. I'll take photos and do a full update soon =) Everything is alive and happy.Haha good to know!

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[Kinetic]

A few updates:

Orchid dottybacks now have separate established burrows, but like to swim around together quite a bit. They seem to really like swimming next to snails for some reason. Anyone else notice this? Especially my big turbos.

My magnifica decided to walk around quite a bit recently. On Sunday it did a full walk around on the top of the pedestal, getting really close to my Gyre intake. I was worried (though the gyre has a mesh guard on it). Yesterday night, it fully got off the pedestal and walked down to where the BTA's are. Early morning it got back on the pedestal. Around lunch it came down to the front of the rockwork. And finally late afternoon it's back on the pedestal and has stayed there since. It inflated bigger than I've ever seen it. Probably 10" across (normally 6-7"). I'm not sure exactly what's going on. I didn't change the flow or lighting for awhile now. I don't really feed it, but I tried anyway to make sure it was OK, and it ate right away and has a tight mouth and is well inflated. I guess she just wanted a look around. Nothing died in her wake, so we're good. I hope she still likes the pedestal.

I've been feeding APBreed TDO Chroma Boost to the fish with the Neptune AFS for two weeks now. The fancy white extreme clownfish is a lot redder now, and the orange parts of the mocha davincis are really intense as well. They're all looking healthy. I think I'll continue feeding. I noticed the orchid dottybacks look a bit pinker than purple now (but that might just be my imagination). But the clowns are absolutely redder.

Sailfin blenny is still alive. I haven't seen him eat or chomp on anything. He's still small. I'm thinking of letting him out of the isolation box into the rest of the DT. I'm not sure he'll survive. He'll most likely get eaten by the Pygmy Hawkfish. I wonder if anyone has a pico/nano tank that'll take him nearby. Also, my tank doesn't have much algae these days. Might not survive if he won't eat any prepared foods.

Phosphates are still around, but low (7ppb). Nitrates aren't detectable. My chaeto has all melted away, and my nice DIY reactor is empty. I tried dosing iron, but nothing happened. I'm pretty sure my chaeto didn't make it because there's not enough nitrate. Overall, there's very little nuisance algae (just some film on the glass that I clean every 2 days), and there's no nitrates to speak of. So I guess I'll just leave things be. I was thinking of pulling my marinepure plate, but I'm scared that'll throw off the balance of everything else in my tank. It's a bit too much of a UNLS now. Not sure what to do next. Just leave it?

I've been hand dosing daily about 24mm of Alk/Ca using Aquaforest's Components. Mg has always been high, so I've been leaving that out. I'm keeping Alk at about 7.5-8.5dKH. I bought an Apex DOS that I need to pickup from a local reefer to help dose throughout the day instead of spiking it every night. I'll use that to dose the Alk/CA daily. I might pickup a BRS dosing pump and run it on a timer to dose some nitrates.

It's been cold. My 125watt heater isn't keeping up, and I have to run my house heater up to 66* so that my tank can keep up the heat when I'm away from home. I'm probably going to add another heater somehow (need to free up an outlet on the Neptune EB4).

Now for the photos:

Need to hide the plugs somehow. My Icecap Gyre batt backup is sticking out, boo:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4685/38518529525_7b2416ed1d_c.jpg

The little isolation box on the top left is where the sailfin blenny lives for now. It's covered in algae. Check out how red my fancy white ext. is now after TDO Chromaboost.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4730/39366319162_fb2ffea035_c.jpg

The Rainbow BTA is getting bigger?

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4691/38688394454_fececa8021_c.jpg

Mocha Davinci clowns are still drunk/high off of this mag:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4729/39396438471_6b73e6dd35_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4683/39366327352_355b1c77ec_c.jpg

[Jsilverman18]

That’s an awesome tank. I would love to do an anemone tank one day

[zooman72]

Still looking good!

You know what be a nice addition? A gorgonian would look great over on the left - just a thought... :)

[Kinetic]

Still looking good!

You know what be a nice addition? A gorgonian would look great over on the left - just a thought... :)

That would be nice! But not sure if I can keep a gorgonian alive in such a small tank that is a fairly ULNS. I could barely keep them alive in my previous 100g anthias tank. But that was over 5 years ago, maybe I should research on them and see if there's better success with those these days.

[Jamie1210]

That would be nice! But not sure if I can keep a gorgonian alive in such a small tank that is a fairly ULNS. I could barely keep them alive in my previous 100g anthias tank. But that was over 5 years ago, maybe I should research on them and see if there's better success with those these days.You'd be surprised! There are a lot of photosynthetic gorgs to choose from that are super easy


Sent from my SM-J327T using Tapatalk

[Kinetic]

You'd be surprised! There are a lot of photosynthetic gorgs to choose from that are super easy


Sent from my SM-J327T using Tapatalk


Awesome! Time to do some research ;) Thanks!

[zooman72]

Yeah, if you want to keep it an "authentic" Indo-Pacific biotope, take a look at Grube's gorgonian (Pinnagorgia flava), which is cultured by ORA, and pretty common. Looks really good when it "grows up", and is very easy to keep.

You could also look at one of the Caribbean species that are photosynthetic, but take care as not all are considered easy to keep. There are a few species I would recommend though - corky sea fingers (Briareum asbestinum) and knobby sea rod (Eunicea sp.) are really easy, and orange spiny (Muricea elongata) or yellow/ purple sea feathers (Pseudopterogorgia sp.) aren't too difficult either.

There are a few others I have kept relatively easily, but take a look at KP Aquatics as they have a great selection (although this is a bad time of year for them to collect) and are great to work with. It should be easy to find a Grube's, either online or ordered through a LFS.

[Kinetic]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4675/38707771035_756e9aba0a_b.jpg

In an effort to automate dosing, I picked up a Neptune DOS and will be using a dosing container I found on BRS that fits perfectly next to my Reefer 170 sump. I modified the DOS to use RO Polyethylene tubing instead of the soft tubing, and had to drill the reservoir to push the tubing through instead of using the barbed end.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4655/24736184457_c1daedb8e6_b.jpg

Materials:
Neptune DOS: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/dos-dosing-and-fluid-metering-system-neptune-systems.html
Reservoir: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/triple-liquid-dosing-storage-reservoir.html
John Guest 1/4 OD by 1/8 NPTF Adapter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YKF256/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Clear 1/4” Polyethylene Tubing: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/1-4-mur-lok-polyethylene-ro-tubing.html
RectorSeal Pipe Thread Sealant

Why the Neptune DOS?
I’ve been looking high and low for the perfect dosing pump. All had their pros and cons, but the biggest thing for me was the price. Overall, the Neptune DOS had the best results, as long as you were in the Apex controller world. Unfortunately the pump only has two heads, at quite the premium price. I decided to take the dive and just get the pump for Alk and Ca dosing. My mg never seems to fall much, and water changes have kept the levels high enough. If I end up needing to dose other things, I’ll buy another DOS.

Other pumps I considered: GHL Doser 2.1, CoralBox WiFi, Kamoer X4 WiFi, and Bubble Magus. GHL Doser seemed nice and could run on its own. For the same price as the DOS, I could get 3 heads. CoralBox and Bubble Magus were super affordable, but I didn’t like the setup problems and failures I’ve heard with Bubble Magus. Kamoer was a good price point with 4 heads, but I also heard that it was hard to setup. That was probably the dosing pump I was going to go for, but being heavily committed to my Apex Jr, I decided against it.

Why modify with RO Tubing?
I didn’t really like the idea of limp tubing being strung through my cabinet. I have clear RO tubing left over, so I decided to go that direction. I’ve also heard that the Neptune lines are hard to straighten out and remove the kinks. I did order 16 meters just to see, and it seems to be OK and kink-free.

How did I modify?
It was pretty easy to modify the DOS. I used RectorSeal Pipe Thread Sealant on the threads and screwed on John Guest adapters that have 1/8 NPTF thread that I could push my 1/4” RO tubing into. I realized that the reservoir I bought actually uses the small 1/8” airline tubing. I decided to use a hacksaw to chop that off the barbs, then used a 1/4” drill bit to widen the hole. The clear RO tubing was an extremely snug fit through the hole, enough where I wouldn’t need to use silicon or anything.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4698/38895698424_f8dbfe5dd3_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4629/38895694734_ba4c02b0bf_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4740/25733229498_fb9dc0fb74_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4751/27829494239_4ecde17c36_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4609/27829491539_ee9762c345_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4664/38710682185_97baaee6ff_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4762/39606736071_2efe716643_b.jpg

[Kinetic]

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4625/38898562404_f6f800dcc5_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4677/39606731671_1f7e37a398_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4618/27829470849_ac17421757_b.jpg

What’s next?
I need to get the 24v power adapter (oops) and then calibrate it. Then I’ll set it up to dose daily 17ml of Alk and Ca from my Aquaforest Components 1+, 2+. I’m thinking of just spreading it evenly out throughout the day. I know some people prefer to dose at night for pH swing reasons. I literally have never tested for pH, and don’t have a probe for it, so I’m just going to leave it.

Current cabinet mess:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4710/38898555944_27c8aba042_b.jpg

[hottuna]

Kinetic:why do u need to dose anything ? all u have is 2 anemones in there...unless I'm missing something

[OrionN]

Still looking good!

You know what be a nice addition? A gorgonian would look great over on the left - just a thought... :)
Nice looking tank. I think the empty space there looks great. I would not add anything there. Let the anemone grow a bit and your tank will be very full (and beautiful).

[Kinetic]

Kinetic:why do u need to dose anything ? all u have is 2 anemones in there...unless I'm missing something

I have three tiny 3/4" SPS frags in there. Traded / given to by friends. They're mostly brown pieces right now, hoping they color up eventually. Even so, I'm needing to hand dose 17ml of Alk/Ca a day. So either they're using it up, or something else is.

Oh, and I have 3 anemones ;)

[Kinetic]

Nice looking tank. I think the empty space there looks great. I would not add anything there. Let the anemone grow a bit and your tank will be very full (and beautiful).

Yeah, I'm thinking the same. I'm pretty happy with how the tank is now. I have some SPS that I'll let grow out. I'm only going to have 2 or 3 SPS so that I can let them grow out as much as possible, but it'll still maintain the nice negative space in the tank.

[Kinetic]

Afternoon light hits my Rainbow BTA just right.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4758/39625540392_8b52a018e6_b.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7e2vUsPx6Y

[hottuna]

How's the mag doing now ? staying put? So rare to get a good one that doesn't roam all over..Mine hasn't budged an inch since putting it in the tank a few weeks ago...

[davocean]

First time seeing this, really pretty tank, and really like the simple scape.
I also agree w/ orion, sometimes less is more, I like the open space and I'd just let the nems grow out.

[Kinetic]

How's the mag doing now ? staying put? So rare to get a good one that doesn't roam all over..Mine hasn't budged an inch since putting it in the tank a few weeks ago...

It's been about 4 weeks now since the mag moved. When it moves, it's just for a few hours when the lights start to turn off. It wanders around the pedestal and then comes back up. It used to walk once a week, but now it's stayed put for awhile. I'm not too concerned. I'm not growing anything on the sides of the pedestal (no light really), so it can walk around it without killing anything.

First time seeing this, really pretty tank, and really like the simple scape.
I also agree w/ orion, sometimes less is more, I like the open space and I'd just let the nems grow out.

Thanks! Yes, I've always liked the open scape look. Hoping to let everything grow out and have the living things create the aquascape rather than the rock.

[hottuna]

I think you and I are facing the same dilemma down the road: bta's will split and take over...eventually we'll need a new tank just for our mags...

[Kinetic]

I think you and I are facing the same dilemma down the road: bta's will split and take over...eventually we'll need a new tank just for our mags...

That will definitely be the case. I haven't fed the mag anything (on purpose) to try to keep growth to a minimum. But I also know I will be putting together a much larger system in a couple years. Like this one, it will put the focus on the mag.

A good thing about my BTAs are, they don't seem to really want to split at all. Crossing my fingers they'll just keep growing and not split all over the place =)

[davocean]

Given proper conditions a healthy BTA should not split very often.

[Kinetic]

Busted out a 60mm f/2.8 macro lens. My Mocha Davincis are looking a lot more like black davincis.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/790/27300394138_bd2af2fd10_b.jpg

[Kinetic]

Latest full tank shot. Recovering from the crazy dino battle:

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/802/26367737177_31d7be57ba_b.jpg

[RottoInspired24]

How's everything going?

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[Kinetic]

Things are great! I decided to stop tinkering with the tank for awhile, just let it settle in to a good rhythm.

Dinos are gone, as long as I keep up the NoPox dosing (using a neptune DOS, doing 3ml a day).

I don't even have chaeto or anything else running. It's purely a skimmer, filter pad in my filter cup, and nopox holding the nutrients in check. It's great.

[RottoInspired24]

Things are great! I decided to stop tinkering with the tank for awhile, just let it settle in to a good rhythm.

Dinos are gone, as long as I keep up the NoPox dosing (using a neptune DOS, doing 3ml a day).

I don't even have chaeto or anything else running. It's purely a skimmer, filter pad in my filter cup, and nopox holding the nutrients in check. It's great.Great to hear. It's so nice when things are going smoothly

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[Kinetic]

Finally, an updated photo! Here's the magnifica in its new spot. It disliked the pedestal position, walked all around the tank, and settled here for almost a month now.

Unfiltered, unedited video. I only edited by putting clips together, otherwise whitebalance etc are all done in camera (turn up the quality):

https://youtu.be/irN4j1JFJHs

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1818/42164653810_77484e974d_b.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1815/42164654110_1dc67fd9c1_b.jpg

[Kinetic]

Porcelain crabs are so cool. There's tons of poop floating around these days, so for the almost 1 year birthday of the tank, I decided to also add in this guy:

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1860/42420797880_5534b51783_h.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7rW9Y16VtQ&feature=youtu.be

[CoralsAddiction]

Looks good...I might do something similar in the next 2-4 months

[Kinetic]

Looks good...I might do something similar in the next 2-4 months

Thanks! What exactly are you planning?

[CoralsAddiction]

Thanks! What exactly are you planning?

A 50 gallon cube from SCA...
Thinking softies on the bottom and a Mag on top.

[Kinetic]

A 50 gallon cube from SCA...
Thinking softies on the bottom and a Mag on top.

Sounds awesome! Let me know if you start a tank thread, I'll definitely follow along.

[CoralsAddiction]

Sounds awesome! Let me know if you start a tank thread, I'll definitely follow along.

Will do. Thanks.

[Kinetic]

Officially no longer a harem tank. I rehomed my mocha gladiators, and added one premium davinci from Chad Vossen to pair with my very last clown.

Check out the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ3VKRL4JmM&feature=youtu.be

The new davinci is tiny, only about 1". My existing one is closer to 1.5" now. The existing one was welcome with shakes, and now they are sharing the magnifica as you can see in the video.

[CoralsAddiction]

Officially no longer a harem tank. I rehomed my mocha gladiators, and added one premium davinci from Chad Vossen to pair with my very last clown.



Does the new clown have an underbite or open mouth, or is it just the lighting that’s adding a white shade on the mouth of the clown?
I recently brought home wild caught Ocellaris clowns and one of them had swollen lips, and wouldn’t close her mouth for two days. She needed QT with antibiotics for 5 days. I used Cipro.

[hottuna]

very nice !

[Kinetic]

Does the new clown have an underbite or open mouth, or is it just the lighting that’s adding a white shade on the mouth of the clown?
I recently brought home wild caught Ocellaris clowns and one of them had swollen lips, and wouldn’t close her mouth for two days. She needed QT with antibiotics for 5 days. I used Cipro.

No underbite, but when he was in the bag and breeder box he rubbed his face white =) Hope he recovers from that soon, lol. They are so dumb.

Interesting about the swollen lips. I wonder if it could've been from trying to get out of the shipping container/bag? My clowns will constantly push and rub their faces back and forth on the sides thinking they can get out. They won't stop for days.

[Kinetic]

very nice !

thanks tuna!

[lifeoffaith]

So, it's been awhile since I've read this, and now it looks like your harem was not successful. I've been working towards a harem tank myself in a 20 gallon for a small harem. I'd intended on going with the Red Sea clowns, but I know that there is a risk to that.

[Kinetic]

So, it's been awhile since I've read this, and now it looks like your harem was not successful. I've been working towards a harem tank myself in a 20 gallon for a small harem. I'd intended on going with the Red Sea clowns, but I know that there is a risk to that.

After a year, I've come to realize through reading through many other attempts that anything under 15 clowns is a risk, and most small tanks just can't handle 15 at a time. Bullied clowns (there will eventually be one) need to be able to flee and hide. In small tanks they can't, so they eventually are killed.

The best bet is a dominant pair already established, with tiny juveniles all in the same territory. But as soon as the dominant pair establish a territory and kick juveniles out, then the juveniles will begin the process of figuring out who will dominate the new territory. It's a mess. I'm pretty sure anything smaller than a 70gallon won't do.

I'm gearing up for a 90 - 150 gallon tank sometime in the future to try it again.

[Redcar802]

Nice thread bro! I'm setting up the same tank. Rsr170, looks like multiple clowns is just not going to work then.

I'm also from the bayarea

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Kinetic]

Nice thread bro! I'm setting up the same tank. Rsr170, looks like multiple clowns is just not going to work then.

I'm also from the bayarea

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I think it *could* work, but I don't know the secret. I think I was doing OK until I got the magnifica.