My 150 gallon mixed reef - What next?? - Page 4

Palting · 02/24/2013, 06:25 PM

I was no longer going to add any more fish to the reef, but I just could not resist this guy. Even the fact that he is called a Blue Streak Devil did not dissuade me. His better name is Blue Velvet Damsel, Paraglyphidodon oxyodon . He actually glows under the actinics, as you can see. At about 1" length, he would just get eaten in the FOWLR, so to the reef he goes. They supposedly grow up to 6".

Palting · 03/04/2013, 02:47 PM

Another month. The Blue Streak devil seems to be behaving himself. He hangs out on the upper part of the tank, close to the Oregon Tort staghorn where the PJ cardinals hang out. They seem to be buddies LOL!! I suppose being the tiniest of all the fish in the tank, he can't really act like the devil. Kids have called him Solid Snake. Figure that out

I'm on the search for coral to fill in the low light moderate flow areas of the tank. Mushrooms, ricordeas and mini maxis seem to thrive in these areas of the tank. I even have ricordeas growing in absolute shade. Now to find ones with colors different from what I already have. Found a minimaxi that is similar to my favorite gold and red one, but this one is more banana yellow with red and green highlights. Here it is:

Palting · 03/16/2013, 07:58 PM

The newest 'nem is coloring up nicely as it settles in. I'm calling it "Golden rainbow".

rogermccray · 03/18/2013, 10:39 AM

very cool looking!

Palting · 03/18/2013, 07:46 PM

Thanks, Roger. Looking for livestock to fill in the shady parts. Mini-maxis seem to prefer the shady parts in the tank, scooting over to the overhangs or to the rock/substrate interface, so they seem to fit the bill.

Palting · 03/23/2013, 10:30 AM

The more or less monthly FTS:

borderreef · 03/23/2013, 05:59 PM

I love this tank! And I totally agree with you considering the substrate. I think the natural look is much nicer than the "prestine" white. My substrate is too fine to get the same colored look as yours, but I like the drifts made by the powerheads. That's as natural as I can get. For whatever reason, I've never had much luck with the sps, and I envy the growth in your tank. I see the coraline growing on the back of the tank again. I hope you are not going to remove it. Thanks for the updates. Keep it up!

borderreef · 03/23/2013, 06:00 PM

Btw, how many minimaxis do you have in there now?

Cmoua · 03/23/2013, 10:59 PM

Wow, your tank is stellar! Here's an idea of what to do next...Upgrade! Go bigger, that's what I would do. Unfortunately I am still stuck in the "how to get these sticks to grow" stage.

The layout and corals look very natural, enjoy what you have achieved.

Palting · 03/24/2013, 12:10 AM

Thanks, guys.

I have 5 minimaxis, borderreef, all in different color combinations. I'm looking to fill in the shadier arts of the tank, and they seem to like those areas well. Other candidates I'm keeping an eye out for at the LFS are ricordeas and acans, with colors that are different than the one's that are already in the tank.

cugly · 03/24/2013, 01:54 AM

Looking better everytime. ..keep it up.

biggles · 03/24/2013, 02:13 AM

Really nice mixed reef you have, it's looking at displays like yours that remind me why i never end up with SPS only tanks despite intending to at the start - thanks for the inspiration.

Palting · 03/24/2013, 07:21 PM

The mixture of SPS, LPS, softies and inverts really makes a mixed reef more interesting, IMO, Andrew.

I know urchins eat algae, including coralline algae, but it's the first time I've seen it eat nori. Tangs are messy eaters, ripping the nori sheets. A piece got away and got tangled in the spines of this long spine urchin. I watched fascinated as it rolled the nori piece along its spines, like dozens of little chopsticks, finally getting it to it's mouth and started munching on it.

lluv24 · 03/24/2013, 07:28 PM

Nice

biggles · 03/26/2013, 02:10 PM

Cool pic of the urchin eating nori, if i'd seen that i prob would have pulled it off him thinking it was simply stuck there and he couldn't get rid of it lol. Can i ask how much carbon you're running in the sump, i need to grab some before i go to the LFS as i want to get some interesting movement in the tank, my SPS only is pretty but the novelty wears off quick and it's already boring me being so static.

Palting · 03/26/2013, 02:42 PM

I would have removed it too, when that I saw that nori piece get caught at the very end of one spine, and then the spines started twirling like crazy. I watched it, thinking it was trying to get rid of it, until I realized it was actually moving it towards it's mouth. It was pretty neat to watch, looking like dozens of chopsticks manipulating a noodle

. And it was sitting in a high flow portion of the tank to boot!

I calculate carbon need at 1/2 cup per 50 gallons, so it's 2 cups for an approximately 200 gallon system. Maybe more or less, depending on the carbon you use and how nitpicky you go about it. I just read a thread where people were arguing about what exactly is "one cup". LOL!! I just use a name brand carbon, I even forget the brand at the moment, and 2 kitchen measuring cups of that and replaced monthly more or less is good enough for me.

biggles · 03/26/2013, 03:00 PM

Thanks Palting, i'll use Rowa carbon and go with half a cup. Lol about the 'cup' argument - i don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy this hobby, i'm not in it to have a sump display of equipment constantly tweaked and stressed over. I am always amused at the ' i added this stuff and now things are bad so i will add that stuff to deal with this stuff that i added to deal with the other stuff i previously added......' - less you do the less you can stuff up.

phantomg23 · 03/26/2013, 03:27 PM

how about a nice blasto colony for the sand bed? or a plate, they fill nicely

Palting · 03/26/2013, 04:44 PM

Thanks, Phantom. I'm holding the open and well-lit substrate in reserve for some clams, either crocea or derasa. I already have one lonely crocea, I think the tank will look better with at least one more. I already have one blasto, and it too requires moderate to high light.

I am, however, looking for low light and low-moderate flow coral suggestions to place in the shadier and less well-lit portions of the tank. So far, I'm considering acans, 'shroom, rics, duncans, in different colors from what's already in the tank.

phantomg23 · 03/26/2013, 06:09 PM

what would look really cool is a ric garden, but not on the main rock pile. Like drill holes into the rock to fit frag plugs and then put them in and let it fill. that would look great imo

jason angel · 04/08/2013, 06:01 AM

Congrats on the ROTM Palting!

Palting · 04/08/2013, 06:33 AM

Thanks, Jason.

SushiGirl · 04/17/2013, 09:16 PM

Beautiful tank!

Palting · 04/18/2013, 10:35 PM

Thanks, SushiGirl.

greg1786 · 04/19/2013, 01:49 AM

What a great tank and a great thread. I noticed in one of your first posts in this thread you mentioned a tenuis. Any chance you have a time elapsed pic of it small and what it has grown to be. Or even just a shot up close of it now. I bought a tiny frag at a swap in late january and had some die off in the first two weeks from the base up leaving me with about a frag 1/4" after i cut the dead skeleton away. 3 months later it has turned a beautiful blue color with a hint of yellow at the base and has grown to be just under an inch long. Id just like to see a nice big colony from a healthy tank so i know what to look forward to! Btw congrats on the ROTM

02/24/2013, 06:25 PM	#76
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	I was no longer going to add any more fish to the reef, but I just could not resist this guy. Even the fact that he is called a Blue Streak Devil did not dissuade me. His better name is Blue Velvet Damsel, Paraglyphidodon oxyodon . He actually glows under the actinics, as you can see. At about 1" length, he would just get eaten in the FOWLR, so to the reef he goes. They supposedly grow up to 6". __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

03/04/2013, 02:47 PM	#77
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Another month. The Blue Streak devil seems to be behaving himself. He hangs out on the upper part of the tank, close to the Oregon Tort staghorn where the PJ cardinals hang out. They seem to be buddies LOL!! I suppose being the tiniest of all the fish in the tank, he can't really act like the devil. Kids have called him Solid Snake. Figure that out I'm on the search for coral to fill in the low light moderate flow areas of the tank. Mushrooms, ricordeas and mini maxis seem to thrive in these areas of the tank. I even have ricordeas growing in absolute shade. Now to find ones with colors different from what I already have. Found a minimaxi that is similar to my favorite gold and red one, but this one is more banana yellow with red and green highlights. Here it is: __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

03/16/2013, 07:58 PM	#78
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	The newest 'nem is coloring up nicely as it settles in. I'm calling it "Golden rainbow". __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

03/18/2013, 07:46 PM	#80
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Thanks, Roger. Looking for livestock to fill in the shady parts. Mini-maxis seem to prefer the shady parts in the tank, scooting over to the overhangs or to the rock/substrate interface, so they seem to fit the bill. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

03/23/2013, 10:30 AM	#81
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	The more or less monthly FTS: __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

03/18/2013, 10:39 AM	#79
rogermccray Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,050	very cool looking!

03/23/2013, 05:59 PM	#82
borderreef Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: east brookfield, ma Posts: 572	I love this tank! And I totally agree with you considering the substrate. I think the natural look is much nicer than the "prestine" white. My substrate is too fine to get the same colored look as yours, but I like the drifts made by the powerheads. That's as natural as I can get. For whatever reason, I've never had much luck with the sps, and I envy the growth in your tank. I see the coraline growing on the back of the tank again. I hope you are not going to remove it. Thanks for the updates. Keep it up!

03/23/2013, 06:00 PM	#83
borderreef Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: east brookfield, ma Posts: 572	Btw, how many minimaxis do you have in there now?

03/23/2013, 10:59 PM	#84
Cmoua Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 80	Wow, your tank is stellar! Here's an idea of what to do next...Upgrade! Go bigger, that's what I would do. Unfortunately I am still stuck in the "how to get these sticks to grow" stage. The layout and corals look very natural, enjoy what you have achieved.

03/24/2013, 12:10 AM	#85
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Thanks, guys. I have 5 minimaxis, borderreef, all in different color combinations. I'm looking to fill in the shadier arts of the tank, and they seem to like those areas well. Other candidates I'm keeping an eye out for at the LFS are ricordeas and acans, with colors that are different than the one's that are already in the tank. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

03/24/2013, 01:54 AM	#86
cugly Dansreeftank Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: chula vista Ca Posts: 1,388	Looking better everytime. ..keep it up. __________________ 48x30x20 Leemar rimless starphire panels, lit by an Ati hybrid powermodule, apex controller with apex dos, ghl dosing, mp40qd and tunze. And korallen skimmer.

03/24/2013, 02:13 AM	#87
biggles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 3,907	Really nice mixed reef you have, it's looking at displays like yours that remind me why i never end up with SPS only tanks despite intending to at the start - thanks for the inspiration. __________________ Andrew

03/24/2013, 07:21 PM	#88
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	The mixture of SPS, LPS, softies and inverts really makes a mixed reef more interesting, IMO, Andrew. I know urchins eat algae, including coralline algae, but it's the first time I've seen it eat nori. Tangs are messy eaters, ripping the nori sheets. A piece got away and got tangled in the spines of this long spine urchin. I watched fascinated as it rolled the nori piece along its spines, like dozens of little chopsticks, finally getting it to it's mouth and started munching on it. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

03/24/2013, 07:28 PM	#89
lluv24 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: kansas city Posts: 420	Nice __________________ 200 Gallon Deep Deminsion, StarFire Glass, mixed reef. Apex, Mp40 QD x2 , 2 Radion Gen3 LED Lights,with Reeflink. Aqua Max Em300 skimmer, Trigger Emerald Sump, Next Reef Gfo & carb, Neptun Current Tank Info: 200 DD Mixed Reef;-)

03/26/2013, 02:10 PM	#90
biggles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 3,907	Cool pic of the urchin eating nori, if i'd seen that i prob would have pulled it off him thinking it was simply stuck there and he couldn't get rid of it lol. Can i ask how much carbon you're running in the sump, i need to grab some before i go to the LFS as i want to get some interesting movement in the tank, my SPS only is pretty but the novelty wears off quick and it's already boring me being so static. __________________ Andrew

03/26/2013, 02:42 PM	#91
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	I would have removed it too, when that I saw that nori piece get caught at the very end of one spine, and then the spines started twirling like crazy. I watched it, thinking it was trying to get rid of it, until I realized it was actually moving it towards it's mouth. It was pretty neat to watch, looking like dozens of chopsticks manipulating a noodle . And it was sitting in a high flow portion of the tank to boot! I calculate carbon need at 1/2 cup per 50 gallons, so it's 2 cups for an approximately 200 gallon system. Maybe more or less, depending on the carbon you use and how nitpicky you go about it. I just read a thread where people were arguing about what exactly is "one cup". LOL!! I just use a name brand carbon, I even forget the brand at the moment, and 2 kitchen measuring cups of that and replaced monthly more or less is good enough for me. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam Last edited by Palting; 03/26/2013 at 02:48 PM.

03/26/2013, 03:00 PM	#92
biggles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 3,907	Thanks Palting, i'll use Rowa carbon and go with half a cup. Lol about the 'cup' argument - i don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy this hobby, i'm not in it to have a sump display of equipment constantly tweaked and stressed over. I am always amused at the ' i added this stuff and now things are bad so i will add that stuff to deal with this stuff that i added to deal with the other stuff i previously added......' - less you do the less you can stuff up. __________________ Andrew

03/26/2013, 03:27 PM	#93
phantomg23 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 624	how about a nice blasto colony for the sand bed? or a plate, they fill nicely

03/26/2013, 04:44 PM	#94
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Thanks, Phantom. I'm holding the open and well-lit substrate in reserve for some clams, either crocea or derasa. I already have one lonely crocea, I think the tank will look better with at least one more. I already have one blasto, and it too requires moderate to high light. I am, however, looking for low light and low-moderate flow coral suggestions to place in the shadier and less well-lit portions of the tank. So far, I'm considering acans, 'shroom, rics, duncans, in different colors from what's already in the tank. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

03/26/2013, 06:09 PM	#95
phantomg23 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 624	what would look really cool is a ric garden, but not on the main rock pile. Like drill holes into the rock to fit frag plugs and then put them in and let it fill. that would look great imo

04/08/2013, 06:01 AM	#96
jason angel Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 243	Congrats on the ROTM Palting! __________________ Nobody likes an askhole. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=22572785#post22572

04/08/2013, 06:33 AM	#97
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Thanks, Jason. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

04/17/2013, 09:16 PM	#98
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	Beautiful tank! __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

04/18/2013, 10:35 PM	#99
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Thanks, SushiGirl. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

04/19/2013, 01:49 AM	#100
greg1786 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Baltimore md Posts: 1,241	What a great tank and a great thread. I noticed in one of your first posts in this thread you mentioned a tenuis. Any chance you have a time elapsed pic of it small and what it has grown to be. Or even just a shot up close of it now. I bought a tiny frag at a swap in late january and had some die off in the first two weeks from the base up leaving me with about a frag 1/4" after i cut the dead skeleton away. 3 months later it has turned a beautiful blue color with a hint of yellow at the base and has grown to be just under an inch long. Id just like to see a nice big colony from a healthy tank so i know what to look forward to! Btw congrats on the ROTM