Homer's New Tank Diary

cjml

cjml

Member
I agree fake reef looks good! And no worry about cycling!! Cool tank!!
ML :happyfish :happyfish
 
clsimons29

clsimons29

Member
Originally Posted by Bot587
what size tank is it again?
Sorry for taking so long to reply, just got back in from a trip. It is 60"x36"x20" appox 187 gallon tank.
 
bocfuss

bocfuss

Member
How did you get your snails to school like that? J/K. Thanks for keeping a journal, I wish I would have done that.
 
clsimons29

clsimons29

Member
well this morning the crabs and most of the snails have scattered but a few of the snails are still clustered together in about the same spot. The fish seem to be doing great and are swimming all over the tank and checking everything out. I tried to feed them this morning "prime reef' flake food by ocean nutrition but they aren't feeding on it yet? Will they eat it when they are good and ready or should I look for a different food?
 
clsimons29

clsimons29

Member
Well I found about 6 little bristtle worms on one of my pieces of LR today. One of them was about 3" long! I understand these critters are okay but isn't there a fish that will eat these guys if they start becoming a problem? My fish still did not go after the flake food this morning but the small one did eat some blood worms I had yesterday. Also I am planning my another fish next week as long as everything still checks out okay and suggestions on my next fish for a peaceful reef?
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
you may want to consider a QT tank, and wait at least 2 weeks between fish (4-6 weeks if QTing them) so your tank can adjust to bioload.
as for food, keep alternating a little bit of different stuff. if they ate blood worms then keep that in the rotation for sure.
 
clsimons29

clsimons29

Member
Added a few more blue/green chromis and another bunch of hermits and turbos. Everything is testing out fine and fish are acting healthy, wealthy, and wise! We also got my skimmer hooked up and running and my bubbler. I am looking at putting some type of background on the tank but do not want to paint or make permanent as I will eventually turn this tank back into a wall unit(acrylic). I also have limited access to the back of the tank because of the wall, any suggestions on what I should use for the background or on where I can get these artificial formed rock background inserts I have heard about?


 
sleasia

sleasia

Active Member
you can try reefreplicas.com or also I know acrylicaquariums.com which is acrylic tank manufacturers ATM...they also will custom make them for you..but they are probably pricey.
 
zanski

zanski

Member
I wouldnt do a fake reef background, IMO just doesnt look good at all. They make a DARK blue mirror background that i have and i LOVE IT.
 
clsimons29

clsimons29

Member
Well I finally was able to pick up my lights (used) today! I got a PFO system with 2 400W MH and two sets of 95W PCs. One of the MH bulbs was broken so these pics are with 1 MH bulb working. I have got some work to do on the canopy also. I will be out on another trip for a week so we will put some new stuff in then. :happyfish



 
clsimons29

clsimons29

Member
Originally Posted by Sharkboy13
how deep is that sand bed?
Hey just got back in from CA again, shouldn't have to travel again for awhile.
The bed is a mixture of live sand and crushed coral and ranges from 3"-6" across the tank. Thanks for the comments.
 
clsimons29

clsimons29

Member
Well haven't posted in awhile but wanted to update on progress so far. Will post some new pics tommorow morning.
1)I got my canopy on and took the front off and added hinges and locking bars to give me easy access.
2) Having some temp probs and narrowed it down to my cansister filter pump which is thermally protected but not air cooled like the pump to the sump, so I shut it down until I can pick up a chiller, looking at a 1/3 HP for the tank but not sure on which is best? Suggestions? low noise level is key.
3) Added a feather duster and green brittle star last week and noticed a snail hitchhiker.
4) Added some more live rock and have coraline algea growing like crazy but calcium level is getting low-under 350.
5) Added blue background
6) just made an order to SWF.com;
- 5 peppermint shrimp
- 1 cleaner shrimp
- 1 arrow crab
- 10 nassarius snails - I think this is what the hitchhiker is
- 10 blue leg hermits - adding to what I already have
- 10 turbos snails - adding to what I already have
- 50 empty hermit crab shells
- 1 mushroom polyp - green ricordea
1- argamilk - fix my calc levels
1 - spectrum marine fish formula
should get everything by Friday I hope.
Will post some new pics tommorow.
 
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