Started a 56G FOWLR tank and could use some help with picking fish

kenman345

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/60#post_3546185


Hi,

If you have live rock...you have bristle worms. They usually come out at night and they are a natural part of the CUC (clean up crew). If you don't see them now, you will later on when the population grows. The only way you wouldn't have any is if you used only dry rock in your tank without any live...or had a bad tank crash that killed everything.
Well, I did only start with Dry Rock but added in about 1 lb of live rock, but I am not quite sure how "Live" it was when I added it.

Is their any way to tell? How long might it take to find out?
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenman345 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546186
Well, I did only start with Dry Rock but added in about 1 lb of live rock, but I am not quite sure how "Live" it was when I added it.

Is their any way to tell? How long might it take to find out?


Hi,

Even if you got live rock and it was uncured, it had bristle worm eggs way down inside....really, you have NOTHING to concern yourself with, leave your rock alone. If you rock was put in fresh water to soak, or completely dried it out, is the only way live rock becomes not live rock.

Because you only "seeded" your tank with 1lb of live rock, the "seeded" bristle worms and other critters that were in the live rock, may take a while for them to populate and move into the other rocks.
 

kenman345

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546187


Hi,

Even if you got live rock and it was uncured, it had bristle worm eggs way down inside....really, you have NOTHING to concern yourself with, leave your rock alone. If you rock was put in fresh water to soak, or completely dried it out, is the only way live rock becomes not live rock.

Because you only "seeded" your tank with 1lb of live rock, the "seeded" bristle worms and other critters that were in the live rock, may take a while for them to populate and move into the other rocks.
So what do they look like? What do they eat since they are a part of the clean up crew?
 

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenman345 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546188
So what do they look like? What do they eat since they are a part of the clean up crew
There are photos of bristle worms all over this site. Just use the search function. They are great scavengers that will eat left over food, dead organisms and fish poop. Newbees sometimes think they also kill fish because they will find bristle worms all over a dead fish in the morning when they turn the lights on. However, this is only a case of a fish, dead from some other cause, being scavenged by the worms. If your system is really overrun with bristle worms, there are inexpensive traps you can purchase at your lfs, but a system is only overrun if there is too much food available, and you should reconsider your tank feeding program to reduce the available nutrient to solve the problem.
 

kenman345

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeriDoc http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546189
There are photos of bristle worms all over this site. Just use the search function. They are great scavengers that will eat left over food, dead organisms and fish poop. Newbees sometimes think they also kill fish because they will find bristle worms all over a dead fish in the morning when they turn the lights on. However, this is only a case of a fish, dead from some other cause, being scavenged by the worms. If your system is really overrun with bristle worms, there are inexpensive traps you can purchase at your lfs, but a system is only overrun if there is too much food available, and you should reconsider your tank feeding program to reduce the available nutrient to solve the problem.
I don't think I have any bristle worms. I rather not introduce more live rock from my LFS, any place one can buy a few to help seed the tank?
 

geridoc

Well-Known Member
I do recall seeing some available somewhere on the internet, but I can't recall where. The easiest way to get some would be to contact a local fish club - any of the members would be glad to help you out, all you would need to do is supply the trap (cheap).
 

kenman345

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeriDoc http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546193
I do recall seeing some available somewhere on the internet, but I can't recall where. The easiest way to get some would be to contact a local fish club - any of the members would be glad to help you out, all you would need to do is supply the trap (cheap).
Hmm...I guess I'll try contacting some of the local reefers I have found on the forums, maybe one of them will help. Where does one get a trap?

EDIT: Hey GeriDoc.....you're local, any chance you can help me out?
 

geridoc

Well-Known Member
You can get a trap at most lfs. If you are on Long Island I could collect a few from my reef at work for you.
 

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenman345 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546194
Hmm...I guess I'll try contacting some of the local reefers I have found on the forums, maybe one of them will help. Where does one get a trap?

EDIT: Hey GeriDoc.....you're local, any chance you can help me out?
Give me a few days to look in my basement. I may have a bristle worm trap down there. I am getting ready to break down my reef at work, so it is a good time to trap a few for you. I'll look for the trap, and let you know.
 

kenman345

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeriDoc http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546247
Give me a few days to look in my basement. I may have a bristle worm trap down there. I am getting ready to break down my reef at work, so it is a good time to trap a few for you. I'll look for the trap, and let you know.
Awesome. If you want to donate or need help with any of that breakdown equipment or fish, let me know. I am happy to help you move items if needed. How large is your office tank?

Update on the tank though, I ordered a door sensor and some lights so I can hook up an automatic lighting system for my stand that enables when I open the stand door. Gonna save me a ton on batteries in the long run and overall should be a nice addition to it.

I finally started using my Protein Skimmer after moving the drain tube to output inside the tank for now. It almost flooded my room before but after some tweaks it seems my precaution is overkill as i can now make adjustments slow enough to not cause an instant flood. Still have yet to order the float switches I need for my ATO Reservoir and my Skim container, but that will come soon enough.

I also added another PC4 to my configuration so I can really make sure things that should be managed are connected to it. I now have 2 empty sockets, but that will likely change soon enough. I know I need a fan, possibly two if I rig something to aerate carbon over the skimmer reservoir. Wiring is still in the process of being completed, which will likely be done after I finish the lighting system I wanted. I want to finish labeling the ports and securing drip loops to ensure that they cannot simply unwind themselves and become unsafe.

I also had to add my Firefish last weekend to the tank as my GF and I needed to go on a trip and I could not find someone to feed two tanks properly, and I don't have a feeder that can feed the fish such a small amount if they are only 1 or 2 fish per tank. It was an emergency and the fish looked completely healthy after two full weeks so I had to do it to ensure they would make it through the long weekend. have a sponge filter cycling the tank now after cleaning it after the fish. I have 2 clownfish that are supposed to come this Saturday for the Quarantine Tank. I will be keeping these guys inside the QT for 4-6 weeks to ensure that the Display Tank is fine with the new additions. I am supposed to get a small LED Lighting system (cheap $28 marineland one) that I will use to mount to the QT stand and give myself a better top view of the QT fish while they're in there. I have a metal screen meant for a similarly sized reptile terrarium that i will now be using with the light. In all, this is as far as I think I will take the QT to, and eventually use the equipment for my freshwater tank (lighting). With lights, an ATO, pump and heater, that's all it really needs to be suitable. I am going to be hooking up a food feeder though with some of the dry foods that the supplier feeds these exact fish with while they are there. I also have a cheap tank divider ready in case I see a lot of aggression between the two and may replace it with an egg crate divider once I see I need it and that they wont be able to swim through it (or at least one wont be able to).
 

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenman345 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546250
Awesome. If you want to donate or need help with any of that breakdown equipment or fish, let me know. I am happy to help you move items if needed. How large is your office tank?
Thanks for the offer, but my son will help me. The system is a 40 gallon breeder with a 20 gallon sump. The fish are going to my 220 system at home, and the inverts, corals and anemone are going to my son's tank. The lr is going into the 220 or into the 110 gallon sump we are building in the basement.
Update on the tank though, I ordered a door sensor and some lights so I can hook up an automatic lighting system for my stand that enables when I open the stand door. Gonna save me a ton on batteries in the long run and overall should be a nice addition to it.

I finally started using my Protein Skimmer after moving the drain tube to output inside the tank for now. It almost flooded my room before but after some tweaks it seems my precaution is overkill as i can now make adjustments slow enough to not cause an instant flood. Still have yet to order the float switches I need for my ATO Reservoir and my Skim container, but that will come soon enough.

I also added another PC4 to my configuration so I can really make sure things that should be managed are connected to it. I now have 2 empty sockets, but that will likely change soon enough. I know I need a fan, possibly two if I rig something to aerate carbon over the skimmer reservoir. Wiring is still in the process of being completed, which will likely be done after I finish the lighting system I wanted. I want to finish labeling the ports and securing drip loops to ensure that they cannot simply unwind themselves and become unsafe.

I also had to add my Firefish last weekend to the tank as my GF and I needed to go on a trip and I could not find someone to feed two tanks properly, and I don't have a feeder that can feed the fish such a small amount if they are only 1 or 2 fish per tank. It was an emergency and the fish looked completely healthy after two full weeks so I had to do it to ensure they would make it through the long weekend. have a sponge filter cycling the tank now after cleaning it after the fish. I have 2 clownfish that are supposed to come this Saturday for the Quarantine Tank. I will be keeping these guys inside the QT for 4-6 weeks to ensure that the Display Tank is fine with the new additions. I am supposed to get a small LED Lighting system (cheap $28 marineland one) that I will use to mount to the QT stand and give myself a better top view of the QT fish while they're in there. I have a metal screen meant for a similarly sized reptile terrarium that i will now be using with the light.I wouldn't use a metal screen on the tank - it will corrode in the salt environment. The best cover is egg crate that you can get at Home Depot in the electrical supply department. In all, this is as far as I think I will take the QT to, and eventually use the equipment for my freshwater tank (lighting). With lights, an ATO, pump and heater, that's all it really needs to be suitable. I am going to be hooking up a food feeder though with some of the dry foods that the supplier feeds these exact fish with while they are there. I also have a cheap tank divider ready in case I see a lot of aggression between the two and may replace it with an egg crate divider once I see I need it and that they wont be able to swim through it (or at least one wont be able to).
 

kenman345

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeriDoc http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546254
I have a metal screen meant for a similarly sized reptile terrarium that i will now be using with the light.I wouldn't use a metal screen on the tank - it will corrode in the salt environment. The best cover is egg crate that you can get at Home Depot in the electrical supply department.
So you're saying don't use the metal cover at all? I have some supplies from my big tank screen cover to make a top for it, but i figured it wasn't worth my time and I wanted to save some supplies for if i wanted to fix up some mistakes I made on the big tank one. I guess I'll make a screen cover for now on the QT.

Do you think it'll be okay for a day or two to use while I find the time to make some cuts and make the cover?

What do you think of the other parts of my progress? Any comments or recommendations?

I got the Marineland LED light in and it should work just fine for the time being on the Quarantine tank. Testing it at my office, it seems to give off enough light from about 20" above. I will see how it turns out when I hang it above the tank. I will definitely be needing to find something to protect the LED's though as their is no plastic covering over them right now.

EDIT: I feel like I forgot to say thank you for the assistance, I really do appreciate the community helping out, I am happy to do the same if needed
 

kenman345

Member


This is the stand I have (taken from the Petsmart site).

Anyone have any ideas for something I can put on the glass door to make it less see through while not making it look horrible?
 

silverado61

Well-Known Member
The only thing I can think of is replace it with wood (which won't match so won't look good.) or replace it with smoked glass.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenman345 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546303


This is the stand I have (taken from the Petsmart site).

Anyone have any ideas for something I can put on the glass door to make it less see through while not making it look horrible?

Hi,

I have the same tank and stand (got mine from *****) except my door is wood... Seth (Snakeblitz) made a canopy for me, and did a really nice job, it matches perfectly, maybe he could help you too.
 

kenman345

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/80#post_3546322

Hi,

I have the same tank and stand (got mine from *****) except my door is wood... Seth (Snakeblitz) made a canopy for me, and did a really nice job, it matches perfectly, maybe he could help you too.
Cool to know people have canopies made, can you show a pic?

Also, I was thinking maybe some static cling in black to put on the inside to help remove some light pollution. Or maybe make a small curtain I can pull to the side when i am doing maintenance. Nothings been decided yet but I am definitely on the look out
 

silverado61

Well-Known Member
2quills, Snakeblitz or even Veni Vidi Vici (He's just finishing up building a stand and a canopy for his tank) can help you get an idea on how to build a canopy. I could help but they're more qualified than I am.

As far as the tank goes, if it's not set up yet, you could just spray paint it whatever color you want. I painted the back and sides of mine black to show off the colors inside the display better. Cling wrap will just bubble over time and a curtain will just fade in color.
 
Top