Mr Salty!

[55 gal newbie]

thanks for the help with my last post cocerning the brown algea,i have 1 more quick question for you. since i have got my tang two weeks ago i have been leaving the light on all the time!if i turn it off when i go to bed when i get up he is laying on his side in the live rock and is really white , after i turn the light back on he is fine he turns yellow and swims around within about 5 min.i dont want to leave the light on all the time but i am worried im killing the tang when he looks all white,what do you think about this?and how long should the light be on?also will this make the brown algea worse with the light on?thanks for the help

 

[mr . salty]

Leaving the lights on over a marine tank for much more than 8 hours per day is eventually going to cause algae problems...The tang loosing color at night is normal..At night thier matabolism slows down and this causes this lightening of color.Yellow tangs will also develope a white stripe down thier lateral line at times...Aslong as he perks up after the lights are turned on he is OK,but if this loss of coloration is noticed during the day,then it may be a sign of illness...

 

[55 gal newbie]

yes ,he does get that white line.do you think i need to have a timer for my lights?also i need a suggestion for a clean up crew for my 55 gal i want a brittel star but heard they can catch the tang,and how much is to much of a clean up crew ?the tank has been up since 8-1-02 i am new at this and really dont know what you use for a clean up crew,thanks for the help

 

[sandy]

Hmmm. So... how long do you leave your lights on Mr. Salty? Mine go one around 8am and off around 9pm. Is that too long?
Fish seem fine. Don't have an algae problem. But then again it's only 60 watts in a 50 gal long.

 

[55 gal newbie]

wow maybe i dont have enough light then i only have a 40 watt in a 55 gal long

 

[sandy]

My tank is now... ummm 9 months young. First I'm going to have a sump built and have a quality protein skimmer. Then I'm upgrading the lighting. 60 is not nearly enough. My tank does get some indirect sunlight about 3 hours each day I'm home to open the window. Eventually I may go with some corals. For now I have:
55 gal long, 100lbs+ LR, 4" DSB
2 Perc Clowns (False) "Harry & Ron" (lol or Ronnie or Harriette)
1 Royal Gramma - "Hermie"
1 Yellow-Tail Damsel - "Wanda"
1 Yellow-Head Sleeper Goby - "Sam"
2 Scooter Blenny "Rocky and RJ" (rj = rocky, jr.)
2 Cleaner Shrimp (Simon da Shrimp and Serena)
3 Pepperment Shrimp
2 Fighting Conch
1 Queen Conch
1 Serpent Star
1 Chocolate Chip Star
1 Large Duster Worm
Various small hermits and snails
and
20 gal w/ 15lbs LR, 1" Sand
Mantis Shrimp - "Cuddles" tee hee

 

[osiris]

I have been following this board for quite a time. I do believe that I have hit the wrong place.
Just a while back, I have witnessed several people getting " a good talking to", for having a tang in a 55. Moderators, and hobbiest were saying that a 55 is too small for a tang.
Looking back through the posts, there are members like Wrassecal, Streamboat, and others that have been chastised for having a tang in a 55. Now the moderators and others are not saying a word about it.
Has it now become prudent to have a tang in a 55 gallon tank?

 

[55 gal newbie]

im not sure what sammy means by this statement im new here?also i never new anything was wrong with putting a tang in a 55 gal tank.he seems fine and is not crowed there are only two other fish and the are damsels