Adding color to FOWLR

sgdeb

sgdeb

Member
Hi, Guys. (This is my first post - may have correct 'etiquette' to learn here...)
I have 2 tanks: a 45 gal FOWLR (estab. 10/04) and a 20 gal reef (estab. 05/05). Of course, my reef is ongRowing, and very fun and interesting; but my FOWLR is...
Don't get me wrong... the tank is sporting the MOST LOVELY LR ever --- with lots of nooks and crannies. There are a couple FILTER FEEDER (hitchers) within the rock, which are growing fairly quickly, along with my 4 fish: valentini toby puffer, yellow tail blue damsel, falco hawkfish, lemonpeel angel - and a tuxedo urchin..... BUT THAT'S IT!
I can't even get colorful algae to grow!
There must be something COLORFUL and interesting I can add to this tank...right? I find we spend lots of time, now, staring and the newer, smaller tank.... I think my toby is the biggest deferral --- eats crustaceans.... I want to add featherdusters.... But what else? Any suggestions?
Please share ideas!
Deb
 
sgdeb

sgdeb

Member
Thanks, inverts are a nice thought, but a puffer (no matter how small) prohibits this, as they love to feed on crustaceans (most inverts). In fact, most hermits and snails (aside from nassarius, which move quickly and hang out under the substrate) don't last very long with Toby. In fact, a pincushion urchin lasted a year in there - died during a move; I got another, which immediately got stuck in an upside down position, which made it vulnerable to Toby's attacks -- thank goodness, we saw her!
As I stated in my post, I have a couple hitchhiking filter feeder worms that have gotten quite large, with no problems from Toby; so, I plan to add some featherduster worms and am not concerned for them.
I received a response from this same post in another site to which I have been a member for more than a year, and are wonderfully helpful to amatuer or experienced SW aquarists... It's been suggested by one of the "gurus" that I look into zooanthids... I think it's a good idea, and I have some in my existing reef tank that I can move over and try... What do you think?
Thanks for your help!
Deb
 
celacanthr

celacanthr

Active Member
Sorry i didn't read the whole post, but
1)this is a saltwater forum, but this part of the board is really for off topic discussion
2)I think you may be pushing your bio limit
3)macro algae, might be a way to go.
4)do you have enough light for the zoo's?
 
sgdeb

sgdeb

Member
No, I will have to replace the lighting - no problem.
My biolode is good -- could actually add 1 more fish; but, corals really don't have a bio effect... I just don't want to add anything that would not be compatible with what's currently there.
Thanks for the help! (How does one know that a section called THE AQUARIUM isn't for AQUARIUM talk? I guess I do have a new etiquette to learn on this site. Sorry for being confused... But appreciate the help from ya'll anyway!)
Deb
 
sweetdawn

sweetdawn

Active Member
you are falling into the trap you add the zoos upgrade the lights before you know it you have two reef tanks
 
sgdeb

sgdeb

Member
I want to take this opp to apologize for posting in the wrong forum. (Altho my first post apologized for unlearned etiquette, it seems all forums operate differently.) I will move this thread (parts that need continuing) to the proper forum. Thanks to all of you that tried to help!
Perhaps we speak in another thread!
Take Care -
Deb
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top