Building my 56 gallon Column reef tank

[spanko]

The color in coral comes from the symbiotic zooxanthellae living inside their tissues. These algae supply food to the coral. Depending on the intensity and color spectrum of the lighting the coral are under drivesthe amount of algae cells at the surface of a polyp. Lower lighting will produce the more brown colors coming from larger quantities of the algae at the surface. Higher lighting will produce the colors we see because the algae are not as dense at the surface of the polyp.
This is a rudimentary explanation of what drives coral color. I encourage you all to do more research on this.

 

[monsinour]

so no one is recomending a bulb change? I take it that wont help at all then. OK, does anyone here have a coral that would be clasified as blue? where did you get it? how much was it?
What are those blue and black smallish fish that I see in the fish stores, a dottyback maybe?

 

[mtalica]

Hey Monsinour. I am building a reef with the exact same tank you have. I was wondering, where did you get your canopy? I cannot find one that is the right size anywhere. Thanks
Oh, P.S. I am new to the forum but have been reading through this thread the last few days and it was so informative I just had to join. Thanks to everyone involved here.

 

[btldreef]

I don't necessarily think I bulb change would do much. However, I do prefer the 420nm actinics to the 460nm's as well and the added bonus is that they help the corals a little more.
As for the blue and black fish, it's probably a Common Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) or a Neon Blue Goby (Elacatinus oceanops).
You could also think about a Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus) or the one and only peaceful damsel there is, a Blue Sapphire Damselfish (Chrysiptera springeri) if added last a Jewel Damsel (Microspathodon chrysurus) might also work. I believe Florida Joe has one, they're rare so you might want to ask him how his behaves.
For corals that are blue, it's easier with SPS to find a true blue. Blue Tubbs zoanthids and blue mushrooms (non ricordia) are a true blue. Blue sponges, although harder to keep are another option.
You could also look for a designer acan that is blue, or really search for a nice Scoly piece, but you'll pay dearly for it.
I had a very small piece of blue platygyra that was beautiful a few years ago, wish I still had that.
When you're tank is more ready, you can add blue by adding a clam as well or a Linkia starfish that we've discussed in the past. Honestly, getting a true blue isn't easy other than the basic mushrooms and zoanthids, but it's not impossible.

 

[meowzer]

Why not get a yellow tailed blue damsel.....they are not as bad as other damsels...and you don;t get any bluer LOL

 

[monsinour]

Quote:
Originally Posted by mtalica http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/700#post_3343256
Hey Monsinour. I am building a reef with the exact same tank you have. I was wondering, where did you get your canopy? I cannot find one that is the right size anywhere. Thanks
Oh, P.S. I am new to the forum but have been reading through this thread the last few days and it was so informative I just had to join. Thanks to everyone involved here.
the canopy was found at a LFS that they had made for someone who never picked it up. I got a great deal on it and I dont think I could have found it anywhere else really. It sure saved my arse from having to make one. Feel free to post whatever questoins you have in your build thread as it will make it easier for you to find the answers. Also feel free to refer to this one for equipment I got and ask whatever you would like.
I have a feeling the starfish will be the likely blue addition when its time. How long am i looking at and what specifically do they eat? copepods like the mandarin? Do I have to worry about them getting big and eating fish?

 

[mtalica]

I appreciate it. I set mine up...I think around 4 months ago as a FOWLR setup as I didnt have the money at the time to go full reef. Just bought my first lights today. Went with the Coralife 08605 Aqualight T5 HO quad bar. Came with 2 daylight 10K 31w bulbs and 2 blue acitinics as well as 2 directional LED lunar lights. I was psyched when I found it because all the light have seperate power and switches. I am really excited to finally get my reef going. Will post some pics when I can pry the camera away from my wife. She is goin nuts takin pics of our Dwarf Flame Angel (Jason) under the new lights. And yes, we name our fish....LOL.

 

[btldreef]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/700#post_3343415
I have a feeling the starfish will be the likely blue addition when its time. How long am i looking at and what specifically do they eat? copepods like the mandarin? Do I have to worry about them getting big and eating fish?
The need an established tank because they can't handle fluctuations in water parameters and because they're filter feeders. I think February/March would be okay to start thinking about getting one, they're not always easy to find, depending on the store. No, Linkia's do not eat fish.

 

[spanko]

From Bob Fenner......
"There are a great many seastars sold as Linckia/Linckia spp. that are decidedly of other genera. Some are not peaceful bacterial et al. detritus feeders as the "true" Linckias of many colors (and at least two species). Do make sure and get a positive identification to species, and research the nutritional, and system size and type needs before purchasing stars. The true Linckias are good choices where available in initially healthy condition, and placed in established, large systems (at least a hundred gallons) with plenty of live rock, detritus to feed on, and not too many competitors. Named in honor of J.H. Linck who wrote a monograph of seastars in 1733. Tropical Atlantic and Pacific.
Linckia laevigata (Linnaeus 1758), Linckia, Linckia... Seastar. Blue and greenish ones. Also found in other colors, brown, tans, violet to burgundy, even mottled... And there are other species of the genus offered to the trade. This animal is very (95+ % IME) often doomed from the retailer to aquarists... having suffered too much damage and neglect in the process of collection, holding, shipping... Look for damage and avoid such obviously poor specimens. In the wild this is an algae, bacteria, detritus feeder... that needs space (hundreds of gallons) and mulm (muck, dirt, call it what you will, on the bottom of its system to survive. My advice, look to other genera, species of seastars. "

 

[mtalica]

Tank with new lights. Going to see how things go and maybe get my first frag next week.

 

[monsinour]

"hundreds of gallons" = not in my tank. gravy. so now what? I think i am done trying to get blue into the tank. the wife will just have to live with whats in there. Maybe the coral beauty will suffice.

 

[btldreef]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/700#post_3343864
"hundreds of gallons" = not in my tank. gravy. so now what? I think i am done trying to get blue into the tank. the wife will just have to live with whats in there. Maybe the coral beauty will suffice.
What about the other options I listed? Although, I do think that maybe you should give up on the blue issue, LOL

 

[mylady]

I think I already said that! I'll survive without any blue in the tank.

 

[mproctor4]

Quote:
Originally Posted by MyLady http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/700#post_3343958
I think I already said that! I'll survive without any blue in the tank.
I'm sure you would survive buy why not get what you really want? We just added some blue symposium (spelling???) to our tanks. They are small frags so not a ton of color yet but from what we hear they grow quickly. The LFS had several pieces of them in his display, all of them were in the same light but setting at a different angle and they all looked different depending on how the light hit them. In my hubbie's tank they are a dark blue, in mine they are a lighter blue. Not very expensive either--always a plus. I've been on the blue hunt also.

 

[monsinour]

Just got back from the LFS and they are still waiting on the blue zoos. But I did get my daughter a replacement orchid. She goes into the tank in 2 hours or so and I will have pics then.

 

[flower]

Back in the day when I first set up my tank. I got some true blue mushrooms..they are very blue and the rock was covered. I paid $10.00 per mushroom the rock cost $85.00.
I still have the rock and the mushroom detach and grow in all kinds of places in my tank. You can’t really see them because after time..coraline algae covers everything…it’s blue and purple. Nothing blue shows up at all in the tank.
I got some good advice once..My friend told me if I didn’t like something in the tank..wait a bit, it will change on its own. She spoke the truth. Web worms, too many little white starfish, no blue in the tank..it is changing all the time and I didn’t have to do a thing.

 

[monsinour]

How come all the really pretty blue fish are ones that can't go in our tank? LOL The blue fish I've seen that COULD go in, I thought weren't very attractive. No Dori, no damsels etc. of course the whole reason hubby even got interested in salt water fish was because he saw an harlequin shrimp at the LFS and thought it was the coolest thing ever (which ALSO come in blue LOL) and we can't get one of those either. Eh, no biggie. I like to look at the tank but I'd rather our daughter and my husband get what they want because they are the two that are really into the whole thing and get all excited about it. If it doesn't have fur, I just don't get all that excited about it, sorry. Fur and feathers actually, I love birds. Sheesh, my luck he gets all into something with animals and it's not one I'm big into. LOL but now we have a very well rounded household. He knows a ton more about anything that stays wet than I do and I know more about things that are furry or feathered than he does. All we need is a reptile/amphibian expert in the house and we'd be all set to open our own pet store! (no taratantulas allowed)
psr scorpions

 

[mylady]

Aw crud, didn't realize my husband was logged in here under his name instead of mine. Sigh, oh well, the previous post was actually from me. Sorry to confuse.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by MyLady http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/700#post_3345073
Aw crud, didn't realize my husband was logged in here under his name instead of mine. Sigh, oh well, the previous post was actually from me. Sorry to confuse.

LOL...The hubby part gave it away! Since you said you likd birds...I have a blue front amazom parrot, I bought him as an egg. His name is JellyBean Jorge, and he is 3 years old, he hatched on mothers day May 13th 2007
So there are lots of things to talk about on this site.

 

[mylady]

He's beautiful. I'd love a cockatoo one day. I used to have a lot of birds. I started taking in unwanted birds in high school. I ended up with 18 besides the 3 I already had of my own. I had two cockatiels and a sun conure. I also worked at a pet store where we raised all of our own birds so I had plenty of experience with military macaws, indian ringnecks, quakers, cokcatiels, finches, etc. I also love Pionus. If we didn't have the dogs and the cats that I think would eat a bird, I'd have more. That and we don't have the room. My do Lady who we just lost was a bird eater. Hubby bought me a little blue parakeet when we were living together and he came home to find an empty cage and a few feathers. That was it. Lady was then pretty sick for a few days.
I think if Percy had his way he'd have fresh fish for dinner. He is captivated by the fish in the tank. He tries to bat at the fish in our daughters 5 gallon tank and the clown fish taunt him in hubby's tank. He's run full speed at the salt water tank, leapt, hit glass and slid down once.
The orchid dottyback is finally feeling confident enough to show himself today. I kept joking to hubby because of how well he hid at first and how we couldn't find him that maybe the other one hadn't been eaten and we'd see 2 orchids swimming around in there. He didn't seem to find that funny at all for some reason LOL.