280g FOWLR Tank Diary

[kylev]

When I bought my hammer coral it had a little dead spot on it thats recently been slowly getting bigger, but the rest of it seems to be doing great. Does anyone have any ideas? Im thinking somethings got to be picking at it since the rest looks good. I'd guess it'd all be doing bad if it was due to water params or lighting I bought a torch at the same time and its since doubled and the frogspawn I have has over tripled in size, so I'm not sure what's going on here.

 

[rcreations]

About the wrasses, my yellow wrasse went missing for 2 weeks, then came out like nothing happened. Give them some more time.

 

[kylev]

Thanks RC its always good to hear from ya. It's really not even the money its more of how cool they are and the awesome color they bring to the tank. I almost like the females just as much as the male so would hate for the one to sex over. Now I did add an orchid dottyback quite a few weeks back that hasnt been seen. Maybe too small of a reclusive fish for my tank??

 

[rcreations]

Do you see the flame wrasses anywhere? I just remembered from when I had mine, but these don't sleep under the sand. They usually lodge themselves up in a rock. They form sort of a caccoon around themselves when they sleep.

 

[kylev]

I have not been able to see them but i will really look for them when i get home today. I probably have 300+ pounds of LR so there's good odds I won't be able to find them. I also just added another 70+ pounds of LR to my sump the other day so I'm hoping I can work my nitrates back down to zero, which probably puts me at about 200 pounds in the sump.

 

[kylev]

I've got a 2"x2" patch of cyano growing on my sand bed that is slowly growing, what should I do to stop this? I've been doing a lot of w/c's lately to help lower my nitrates so I'm not sure what other actions to take.

 

[kylev]

I've started a thread in the fish discussion but to those of you with sohal experience (RC) how good do you think my odds are for success with allready having the hippo and purple? Should I play it safer and go with the achilles? I'd just really like to have a sohal but dont want to make a stupid decision

 

[kiefers]

Hello and all I have to say is LOVE THE TANK and the TRIGGERS!! I too have a Lemonpeel and I have to monitor closely at times. I put a nori strip in at times to give him something to pick at. I have also fed, a couple of times a day, in little amounts of mysis and flakes, (key word, small amounts) Try the nori algea strip and see what happens. will be following. (psst....... go with the achillies tang, but your triggers are by far the prettiest fish I have seen yet.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kylev http:///forum/thread/374812/280g-fowlr-tank-diary/500#post_3366653
The mushrooms are back to normal and are looking great again. I have caught the lemonpeel nip at zoas several times though so I do have a fish trap on the way to remove him. He hasnt done a lot of damage yet just likes to nip at them occasionally. If he stuck to the large colonies I would think about letting him stay but I can see some bite marks on some of the smaller more expensive frags. He hasnt killed anything yet just taken few chunks out. Hate to remove this fish cause he adds such great color but its not worth the harm to the corals.

 

[rcreations]

I tell you what happened to me. I had a large Naso Tang, then I added the Sohal. Well, it got really bad for the Naso, the poor thing got to the point where it had to stay in a corner or the Sohal would attack it. Had to give the Naso away.
So this is my experience with the Sohal... it'll go after similar type fish like the Naso and Foxface. It'll also go after fish that are large and it finds threatening. It never bothers with smaller fish or triggers and for some reason he respects my queen angel. Those two have never had any run-ins at all.
I think if you go for it, buy a Sohal that is considerably smaller than your other tangs.

 

[kylev]

Kiefers- Thanks for the kind words and I do feed nori and the tangs love it, and I couldn't be happier with the triggers. I was never a big trigger fan but the crosshatches have won me over
RC, I'm having a tough time making this decision. I would hate to have to remove one of my other tangs or make their life hell because I like them a lot. The tangs and the triggers would be the only large fish I have. This is probably the hardest addition decision I've had to make. If the Sohal worked out it would be amazing but there's also so much potential for chaos.

 

[rcreations]

I understand how you feel. The Sohal is a tough one to recommend mainly because it comes with risks. But if it works out, it's a gorgeous fish and a striking presence in the tank.
I think with these fish it's just a matter of having the right combination of tank mates. I got mine cheap because the ex-owner said it killed half his fish tank including a bunch of tangs and he just wanted the Sohal gone. Yet for me, it only really had a problem with the Naso... could just be the fish I have in my tank work with a Sohal.

 

[kylev]

If I didnt have any other tangs it would be a simple decision I just cant sacrifice the tangs I have. Plus I'd hate to grow attached to him then have problems a year down the line. Might have to go with the achilles

 

[kiefers]

tell you what my dobermin lovin friend..... I will be more than happy to assist you in your tang/trigger evacuation situation so you can get the fish you like.
I'm here for ya pal!! I love the triggers, if you haven't noticed.

 

[kylev]

haha thanks Kiefers, but I think I'll play it safe with the achilles
On another note. My DT tested today at temp 80, spec gravity 1.025, AM 0, PH 8.34, Nitrites 0, Nitrates ~30, Phosphates 0, Calc, 520, alk 9, but my acans have been closed up for a few days now, any ideas? I have two ati 48" 6x54 T5HO's. They are in the same spot they always have been and were steadily looking great before. Everything else in the tank is thriving

 

[kylev]

I diced up and frooze some fresh squid this wknd for an occasional treat and was wondering if there is any seafood I shouldn't feed? I have a lot of access to fresh seafood living in the pacific northwest and would love to stock up on some nice treats this summer. Possibilities are salmon, clams, halibut, perch, crab, prawns etc... All of course would be straight from the bay with no additives.

 

[kiefers]

We do that, we go to the asian store and buy a variety pack of what you just said and chop it. We soak it dice it and freeze them in ice cube trays. My wife uses it more than I do but the critters seem to love it. I feed mine something different everyday some times 2 times a day. mysis, plankton, cyclops, scallops, little pitch (and I mean little) of flakea and pellits, and sometomes brine shrimp, once again little. So my point is I feed a variety of stuff to keep them interested.

 

[kylev]

sounds good thanks Kiefer

 

[rcreations]

About the acans not opening. A lot of coral, especially the more finicky ones, really require 0 nitrates. Not sure if you can actually have 0 nitrates with big fish like the 2 triggers though.

 

[kylev]

Tested today and i've got the nitrates back down to around 5-10 so thats relieving. The acans were doing great for a couple months with all the current fish except for the flame wrasses which are currently still just the one visible female

They are also starting to come back around a touch so hopefully they will pull through. I'm thinking the achilles will be the last fish and possibly a black and white clown pair.

 

[rcreations]

Wow! Flame wrasses still haven't shown up? Stupid question but have you checked the floor?