Chilla's 90g Tank

[chillaxr6]

Well since nearly everyone has a look at my tank thread i thought id update with how my tank is going atm after running trouble free for nearly 2 months . . .

some nice pics of inhabitants and full tank views . . .
some zoos
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/PICT0013.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/PICT0003.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
snowy my snowflake eel and the pink xenia type thing . . .<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/PICT0016.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
a tank view
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/PICT0002.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
some corallimorphs
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/PICT0008.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
more inhabitants
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/PICT0005.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
my six line wrasse and corallimorphs in the background
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/PICT0010.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

i currently have 10 chromis, 3 yellow tang, 1 bird nose wrasse, 1 six line wrasse, 2 sand gobies and 1 snowflake eel and about 5 hermits and 6 snails. Everything is going well and interacting nicely with nothing too violent or territorial to the point of killing things . . . my yellow tangs fight for like 5 secs then cruise around . . .

hope you guys like my tank . . . its been running 2 months and ive only just added things like the corallimorphs in the last 2 weeks. Im running 5 ft of 10k sylvanias and coralstar fluros which seem to be working nicely. I dont know what else would go really nicely in the tank coral wise as im not planning on spending up really big on MHs . . .

[MyMonkey]

Nice tank. What are the dimensions?

[chillaxr6]

72 x 14 x 20 inches

[MyMonkey]

Very nice. 6 foot long 90. Great Tank.

[melev]

What lighting are you using? Looks nice.

[chillaxr6]

Well everything is going well and things are growing and multiplying in the tank so here are some pics to judge how well my tank is going . . .
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/jan%2019/jan198.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/jan%2019/jan195.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/jan%2019/jan192.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/jan%2019/jan197.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/jan%2019/jan194.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/jan%2019/jan192.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/jan%2019/jan191.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

here is something else i cant quite identify and there is tonnes of these spreading throughout my tank. I found one major area here but all over all my LR there are starting polyps or foundations of these . . . im hoping they are good and will continue to prosper as they are kinda interesting and are all over the place so it will add lots of color to my tank . . .
<img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/my%20tank/jan%2019/jan193.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

MELEV : im just running some VHO 10k fluoros ( not sure of the watts, ill check that up over the weekend ) . . . not expecting too much corals as i know i aint running MHs . . . my up coming wedding has put a dampener on spending :( anyway here is the lastest on how its going . . . im looking at getting an anemone and some clowns and then see how it runs for a few months . . . the corallimorphs seem to be thriving in my tank . . . the red ones have grown like 200% from when i bought em like 1 month ago . . . Anyway there's chilla's tank :)

hope im getting there slowly . . . im impressed with my first attempt and 3mnths old . . .

[Lpsfanatic338]

I like the school of Green chromis

[Andrew]

Looks good... just alot of fish for that small of a tank. ( tang wise )

[melev]

How many VHO bulbs are you running, and how long are the bulbs? That way we can determine the wattage you are using to see if it is enough for an anemone.

[chillaxr6]

im running a 3 ft 10k and actinic as well as 2ft 10k and actinic fluoro bulbs . . . Its a start . . . I went with the recommended lighting my mate runs and saw how good a tank he was running . . . i think everything was easy to care for expensive . . .i was looking at running something easy to learn with and then upgrade to the magical and entrancing full blown reef

im happy with a few easy corals like corallimorphs and zooanthids and maybe even a little anemone or not sure what they are called but they are balls of polyps with neon green and blue polyps. My mate is having great success with them under the same light . . .

im basic in my needs and have found to be entranced and captivated by what i have achieved in the 3mnths . . . one day ill get a full blown reef system . . .

thanx again for everyone's help and guidance in this my first endeavour . . .


ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS WHAT THE PINK THINGS ARE??? They are appearing everywhere in my tank . . .

[steveboo]

nice tank I like the eel

[mhhauser]

Really nicely done lots of diversity

[PatMayo]

I am concerned that the tank has only been up 2 months and then to add an anemone that soon may not be in the best interests of the anemone. I was under the impression that a tank should be up somewhere close to a year before anemones's are added. I suppose that may also depend on what type of anemone. Is this not true?

With such a high bio load you may still have a lot of parameter changes. Ups and downs etc .

I hope it works well for you. It looks like it is on it's way to being a fine tank.

What type of skimmer do you have on your system.

Regards,

Pat

[chillaxr6]

i hope people dont frown upon me as im not really running a complicated reef or by no means the best setup reef tank.

PatMayo : I currently am not running a skimmer as i dont really have anything in my tank that directly needs the water quality to be perfect as i see it . . . it is a basic FOWLR and some corallimorphs atm . . . will be looking at getting one in the next few months. I had a stocking plan of fish and stuff i wanted and have asked everywhere timing on everything and am pleased so far with the results . . . Anemone and Flame angel are last on my list . . .

Melev : I looked in the lighting fixture and my fluoros have a 4 x 65w fuses so i wonder since im not technically minded about the lights if they are equal to 260w 5ft VHOs . . .

steveboo : not a bad buy for $35 . . . found snowflake eels somewhere else for $130 here in sydney . . .

I was just wondering about the anemone as im not putting it now but i will be in the future and was thinking if i might have to change my lights to get one to live and grow. I researched a bit before my journey started and think i have a good foundation. Ive made some mistakes and always learning but my parameters seem to be running pretty good and constant . . . Slowly but surely is the way ive done things and wonder really is do i have a huge bioload???

Curious about bioloads as its suppose to be max 1 inch per gallon and i got a 90g so the way i work it i got 90 inches i can have of fish right??? So roughly i got . . .

9 x chromis = 2 x 9 = 18
1 x golden sleeper gobie = 4
2 x mis damsels = 2 x 3.5 = 7
3 x yellolw tangs = 3 x 4 = 12
1 x 6 line wrasse = 3
1 x female bird nose wrasse = 7
1 x snowflake eel = 15

grand total = 18 + 4 +7 + 12 +3 + 7 + 15
= 66 inches / 90 gallons + 35g sump

all i will be adding to this tank is an anemone maybe in another 3 mnths or longer ( 6mnths running ) and adding a couple of clowns. Im letting the rest of the tank grow and the pink things are spreading everywhere all my LR has it and one patch is growing slowly but more so than anywhere else . . .

[PatMayo]

I don't think inches is the correct way to look at it. You have to look at adult size of the fish. Also what type of waste they put into the tank. Some fish are real polluters as compared to others.

Melev would be the better one to ask regarding this.

Without a skimmer you are still in danger of overloading the tank even as it sits. There is no way for me to know for sure but based on my experience over the years, too many fish and overfeeding are the main ingredients to tank failures, high algae content and crashes. (I know I was one of those guys for a long time before I finally GOT IT.)

Anyway, I would be very careful with your feeding and I would do water changes of at least 30% monthly.

Keep the filters clean etc.

Regards,

Pat

[Ritten]

Chilla, nice clean tank. Love the layout and the diversity of fishes.

[melev]

Are these PC bulbs, or VHO bulbs? 64w each isn't a size I recognize.

And Pat is correct - that is not the rule (1" per gal). More like 1" per 5g, <i>merely as a guideline</i>. It does come down to the type of fish you want to keep, and how messy an eater it is.

[chillaxr6]

filters are cleaned when 60 - 70 % dirty and keeping up with water changes :) everything seems to be going well except the goby drops sand over everything . . . i think i need to get a turkey baster to clean up my LR . . .

[chillaxr6]

well its been another month and well i guess im lucky so some others around this reef central plaza . . . I went to pay my mate for parts and equipment in setting up my tnak back in late october and i mentioned whats the best way to put some LR into the tank thinking i might buy a little more . . . he goes just put this stuff in as its base rock and monitor it as there wont be much die off but check water parameters and do a water if need be . . . but keep an eye on things . . . well ladies and gentlemen here is the new aquascaping of Chilla's 90g . . . ooh he saved me $150 on LR . . .

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/dec16%202006/dec1603.jpg" border="0" alt="Image hosting by Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/dec16%202006/dec1608.jpg" border="0" alt="Image hosting by Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/dec16%202006/dec1609.jpg" border="0" alt="Image hosting by Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/dec16%202006/dec1607.jpg" border="0" alt="Image hosting by Photobucket"></a>
my latest addition to the tank is called humpy
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/dec16%202006/dec1610.jpg" border="0" alt="Image hosting by Photobucket"></a>
my clown in the anemone ???
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/dec16%202006/dec1613.jpg" border="0" alt="Image hosting by Photobucket"></a>

[MyMonkey]

What kind of fish is "humpy?" Nice tank. Nice BTA too.

[chillaxr6]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6780949#post6780949 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MyMonkey
What kind of fish is "humpy?" Nice tank. Nice BTA too.

Heniochus varius, Humphead Bannerfish

[ChunksInClemson]

Chilla, are you still running the same lights? Have you changed anything before adding the clown and the BTA?

[Are Grimstad]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6556875#post6556875 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chillaxr6
Curious about bioloads as its suppose to be max 1 inch per gallon and i got a 90g so the way i work it i got 90 inches i can have of fish right???
So by that rationalization a batfish (http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=58) poluts its enviroment just as much as a snowflake since they are the same lenght?


Or even bether..
A hornshark (http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=760) is 4' when fulgrown, that makes about 48" ..which means that I can hold almost two of them in my 75g tank
luckily they are only 12" when u buy them ..so I can actually hold 6 hornsharks in my tank..

[sttroyiii]

You might want to try using a turkey baster to blow the sand off of your LR. It will help the coralline and other stuff take over quicker.

[chillaxr6]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6782944#post6782944 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sttroyiii
You might want to try using a turkey baster to blow the sand off of your LR. It will help the coralline and other stuff take over quicker.

i never knew that and im definitely gonna turkey baster now . . .
not sure about lengths as my snowflake is a big boy . . . pushing 16 - 17 cm when before he was only 10cm . . . everything is going well :)

i changed nothing before putting in the BTA . . . it is going really well and scares me everytime it shrinks which is once a day around 5:30pm which is when i get home from work. . . 20 mins later its opened up like a flower and im hoping it splits as my female cinnamon aint letting the little guy clown in so i wouldnt mind having 2 anemones . . .

still not sure about the lighting melev and can say its 4 x 65 watts and not MH :) . . . everything is growing well and with the extra LR i got should be super sweet soon . . . im really impressed with this my first attempt . . .

[melev]

4 x 65w would be PC bulbs, typically 24" long.

[chillaxr6]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6789751#post6789751 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
4 x 65w would be PC bulbs, typically 24" long.

one day ill take a few pics of my lights so you can see what im running as i sound like a complete idiot when i reread my posts about the lighting . . . i took my mates advice about the lighting and as such havent had much algae blooms and admittedly cant put in light intensive corals . . . but i am happy with what i got . . . maybe after a year or so i might upgrade to MH and maybe leave this setup the way it is and start another tank . . . im very much addicted to the hobby so im guessing another tank setup :)

[chillaxr6]

well its been too long since my last update and well so much has been happening its not funny . . . well im now married and have moved house which involved a 6hr operation to move the tank to its current location floors down and into my own house :)

anyway along the way in the past year nearly i lost a few fish due to an outbreak of whitespot and the move. I have been surprised as what is still living in my tank after 1yr . . . my snowflake eel has grown to nearly 20 inches, i still have some hermits which have grown 3 fold over in size and one of my original snails which came on the original live rock is still growing . . . over all my tank has changed and the anemone split a few months ago and im really glad the corallimorphs have taken off with some splitting / breeding two fold. anyway here are the last pics of my tank and hope you guys like the changes and inhabitants of my 90g tank. Excuse the pics as they were taken late last night and not sure how the camera works as the pics were a bit blurry . . . oh well enjoy . . .

<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/PICT0037.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/PICT0035.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/PICT0067.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/PICT0066.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/PICT0057.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b152/chillaxr6/PICT0071.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>