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-   -   125g (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2147993)

BossHoggin 03/20/2012 02:29 AM

125g
 
Well I guess I'll start with the background info and system specs.
The tank has been set up since september but has undergone a move. I used to run a canister because I didnt have room for a sump but juggled the house to fit it. It was well worth it, a sump has been something I have always sworn by.

Livestock:
-snowflake eel (14")

A model citizen towards a few larger left hand hermits banished from the reef tank. The shells are large enough the hermits can fully retract and thick
enough I dont think the eel could break them. It has certainly never shown the will to try, it eats well. I have contimplated more large hermits, an urchin or two and some turbo snails. Thoughts? I know its a stretch but the not having a CUC is killing me.

-male bluethroat trigger (6")

This is my "invisible fish", will readily maul the turkey baster for PE mysis from it's cave but VERY rarely comes out. I know they are shy and I suppose its a matter of time.

-emperor devil pseudochromis (labracinus melanotaenia- sumped - 6")

Pretty big apetite and quite resiliant. Gave the trigger a hard time before I could net him to the sump, I was certainly expecting it. Not generally aggressive but certainly doesnt like newcomers, espescially push-overs! He will be the very last addition I think.

Potential Additions:
-maroon clownfish. Well taken care of by a friend (~6")
-yellow tang
-any suggestions for a 6th fish? I'm 50/50 on the idea.

Specs:
-generic 125G (6'x18"x22")
-Eshopps R_300 sump/refugium (3'x16"x16")
-200 micron filter sock
-Eshopps PSK-200 protein skimmer
-2x 1050GPH Koralia powerheads
-1300GPH return pump, dialed back to about 900GPH
-100lbs of liverock
-150lbs sand
-chaetomorpha macroalgae (sump)
-6" DSB (sump)

Any input on the stocklist? I was thinking of starting sugar dosing as large waterchanges for nitrate control aren't really an option. Any other ideas of nitrate export? I will upload pictures but that wont happen until I get back from a vacation in Costa Rica.

Thanks for any advice I receive!

anbosu 03/20/2012 10:01 AM

A model citizen towards a few larger left hand hermits banished from the reef tank. The shells are large enough the hermits can fully retract and thick
enough I dont think the eel could break them. It has certainly never shown the will to try, it eats well. I have contimplated more large hermits, an urchin or two and some turbo snails. Thoughts? I know its a stretch but the not having a CUC is killing me.

The eel shouldn't bother the urchin. When it gets bigger I would expect it to take out the hermits, even the larger ones. Mine have alwasy been voracious crab eaters. I have never had an issue with one eating a snail, but I'm sure it could happen.

BossHoggin 03/20/2012 11:30 PM

Thanks for sharing your experience! I knew the hermits were a stretch but the left over food from trying to feed the recluse and the eel who can be pretty oblivious on a good day. I suppose a few more fish in the DT will help. I'm pretty open to suggestions on the 6th potential tankmate. I was looking at a butterfly since I have mild aiptasia, any suggestions on a meaner one? I think I will just end up building a basic "zapper" if it gets out of hand.

On another note; I tried feeding the trigger a good size strip of nori weighed down by a rock near his cave entrance since I've read of people having them out-compete tangs at the clip. No luck, BUT the pseudochromis continued on to eat the ENTIRE SHEET. I offered it out of curiosity, and for a fish that hammers meaty foods like a grouper he's quite the omnivore.

BossHoggin 04/01/2012 01:08 AM

I look at the picture of the green wolf eel (congrogadus subducens) on LA and have always been infatuated with it. I have considered swapping it with the yellow tang in the original stocking plan. Any advice if it would be ok with turbo snails and an urchin or two, I have had difficulty with finding information on it and these two CUC members, I know it will eat hermits and crabs. I would definetly stop at those 5 fish. Does this sound feasible? In order I plan on adding the maroon clownfish, wolf eel and then the emperor devil pseudochromis to the DT.

On another note i'm thinking of vinegar instead of sugar for the carbon dosing, simply because its easier to dose. I'm not a big fan of vodka dosing since it seems most likely to cause a cyanobacteria issue.

BossHoggin 04/09/2012 01:36 AM

5 Attachment(s)
Round One:

BossHoggin 04/09/2012 01:40 AM

5 Attachment(s)
Round 2:

BossHoggin 04/09/2012 01:43 AM

2 Attachment(s)
Round 3:

BossHoggin 04/09/2012 01:06 PM

Got cut off by back-ups....
An update: something happened to the reef tank while I was gone, not sure what. Increase in algae, the bleaching of my toadstool and a bit of deterioration of my open brain coral's tissue (both are doing better). Other corals: huge torch coral, horde of purple mushrooms, 3 colonies of zoanthids, pulsing xenia, 2 kenya trees, chili coral, green star polyps, tree coral (Paralemnalia sp.), 2 maxi mini carpet anemones, 3 rock flower anemones, birdsnest (SPS), pink and purple rim montiporas all doing fine. Running chemi-pure elite and have changed 60G in WC's in the last weekish. Had no new additions in a year, exponential coral growth. I did add the The tank is on the rebound. I have shots of all my fish stuff besides my reef DT because it's not looking "picture perfect".

The friend holding the maroon clownfish broke down his tank. Jesus basically hated his tank. He gave me: the chili coral, 2nd mini maxi, 2nd kenya tree and a zoa colony, a blue/green chromis, an ocellaris clownfish, bangaii cardinal, firefish, mandarin dragonette and roughly 40lbs of liverock. I put the rock (holding some bleached grape caulerpa), the chromis, the firefish, the bangaii and the clownfish into my QT which is running a Fluval FX5, heater and airstone. The mandarin is in my 14 month old reef tank for as long as it's plump. I can see very little caulerpa alive, hoping the caulerpa doesn't bounce back because virtually all of it is clearly dead. After a decent lights out period and thorough scrubbing and rinsing of the rock I hope to introduce this rock to the 125 without a caulepra infestation. Coincidentally I am contemplating a foxface, which I believe would certainly keep any traces of caulerpa in check. For the record my fish list changes a lot.

My PSK-200 skimmer had a warped magdrive, causing it to never run great. I brought it in to my LFS to sort it out. After some deliberation, and the factor of how much I have spent there they upgraded me from my PSK-200 to my S200. I went from an ok skimmer to a quality one double the price; me gusta. Oh, and a timeless portrait of the pseudochromis is a worthy mention.

BossHoggin 04/09/2012 04:04 PM

Two days after the new additions all tanks are doing great. The presence of the maroon clownfish seems to help the trigger feel more secure, it has been out cruising for the better portion of the day. Still scared of people. The mandarin ate Hikari spirulina brine shrimp out of nowhere today! No special treatment to get it to either. On top of that I believe it did not eat anything but pods in it's last home.

A video of the trigger:
http://s1066.photobucket.com/albums/...0409150924.mp4

Juniorchicken 04/10/2012 11:10 PM

Nice setup, IMO the stocking list looks good. Looking forward to pictures of the mixed reef if you decide to post them.

BossHoggin 04/11/2012 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juniorchicken (Post 20123275)
Nice setup, IMO the stocking list looks good. Looking forward to pictures of the mixed reef if you decide to post them.

Thanks! It's funny you mention the stocking list...
I impulse bought a fish on Monday with a purpose in mind: a HUGE pajama cardinal (have yet to get a solid measurement of it). It's purpose? I figured there was a chance it's advanced body language could communicate the "all clear" to the bluthroat after seeing the maroon clownfishes presence perk him up. I was right! Watching it's behavior in the LFS I could tell it had some serious attitude, coupled with it's freakish size (is there a hidden tropical sea near Chernobyl?) and health I figured it was worth a shot.

Now all my fish in the DT are a lot more active and feeding is entirely different. I can drop in the food and back off; the cardinal, clownfish and trigger eat a lot better. I think the turkey baster scared the fish, leaving them a lot more passive during feeding time. But until now, I have had to spot-feed the trigger to ensure he gets enough to eat, as he slimmed down in his initial couple weeks. He was reluctant to come out at all, let alone eat.

Pics of the reef will be up soon, it is starting to look normal again.

So to recap my current fish:
-snowflake eel (18" now, it has grown a little over an inch a month!)
-male bluethroat triggerfish
-pajama cardinalfish
-maroon clownfish
-emperor devil pseudochromis

There is two more fish I am looking at:
-foxface lo
Realistically the last fish.
-slingjaw wrasse (epibulus insidiator)
Biggest measured was 16" I believe, I assume an average captive specimen to be a fair bit smaller. Saw one at a LFS long ago, never found an ID on it. Seeing it eat was amazing and it had a ton of personality.

Bacon_Boss 04/14/2012 10:44 AM

Lets see the Singapore Angel!


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