snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I just had some water parameter tests at my lfs today. Everything was great. So i went ahead and added a couple frags today. 
its only been three weeks for me. I feel like we do things a little backwards as aquarists. I am starting to think corals should be established before fish are added.
its only been three weeks for me. I feel like we do things a little backwards as aquarists. I am starting to think corals should be established before fish are added.
fattytwobyfour
Member
I'm kind of coming to that conclusion too snake. I don't have any fish right now, & I'm thinking it might be better to let my coral grow and get more established before adding more fish. That way when I do add fish again, it'll seem more like an environment.
bang guy
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529141
Question: do corals add waste that needs to be broken down? Also if you add fish will you not be adding ammonia to the column this causing mini cycles or need to have bacterial blooms?
Yes, corals produce waste. For light loving corals nearly all of the waste is consumed by the zooxanthelle.
I would suggest ghost feeding the tank before adding a fish. Start small and then over the period of a week increase the amount of food to what you would be feeding a fish. This is allow the bacteria population to grow to meet the demand of a new fish and there will be no mini-cycle.
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529141
Question: do corals add waste that needs to be broken down? Also if you add fish will you not be adding ammonia to the column this causing mini cycles or need to have bacterial blooms?
Yes, corals produce waste. For light loving corals nearly all of the waste is consumed by the zooxanthelle.
I would suggest ghost feeding the tank before adding a fish. Start small and then over the period of a week increase the amount of food to what you would be feeding a fish. This is allow the bacteria population to grow to meet the demand of a new fish and there will be no mini-cycle.
E
eric b 125
Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lubeck http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529128
What convinced you to wait six months for corals though?
I'm not exactly sure. For some reason I just had that number in my head that that's how long I should wait. I figured that I would have all the fish I want QT'd and in the DT by then so I won't have to worry about two tanks. Also, the system will have a chance to stabilize and there will be less likelihood that it will be thrown off balance.
Originally Posted by Lubeck http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529128
What convinced you to wait six months for corals though?
I'm not exactly sure. For some reason I just had that number in my head that that's how long I should wait. I figured that I would have all the fish I want QT'd and in the DT by then so I won't have to worry about two tanks. Also, the system will have a chance to stabilize and there will be less likelihood that it will be thrown off balance.
E
eric b 125
Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529137
I am starting to think corals should be established before fish are added.
Why do you think this?
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529137
I am starting to think corals should be established before fish are added.
Why do you think this?
E
eric b 125
Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529165
I'm actually beginning to think the same thing as Seth, My reasoning is that corals do not increase the bioload as much as fish. This will gradually increase the bioload that a tank can handle.
Ghost feeding, as Bang Guy pointed out, and slowly adding appropriately sized fish also gradually increases the bioload.
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529165
I'm actually beginning to think the same thing as Seth, My reasoning is that corals do not increase the bioload as much as fish. This will gradually increase the bioload that a tank can handle.
Ghost feeding, as Bang Guy pointed out, and slowly adding appropriately sized fish also gradually increases the bioload.
sweatervest13
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric B 125 http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/660#post_3529018
Sweatervest: you have two Photon 32's above your 125, yeah? When you ordered them did you get a custom color? What optics did you go with? How do SPS fare with these lights?
Yes I do. I would say that the 2 units fit very well over the 125g. I did the standard layout with 90 degree optics. So far I have seen some pretty decent growth with the lights, BUT... My system was not SPS stable when I added the lights. My Alk and Calcium were going up and down from me dosing by hand. I have since stepped up my game and I am really trying to get a very stable system that can have SPS corals thrive.
I will say this. I bought some MP40's last July (2012) and the guy threw in a bunch of corals to make the deal happen. One particular coral was put in the tank and just kind of held on. No real growth. I added the lights and started to get things much more stable and now I am seeing some amazing growth. I have a purple monti that is taking over the middle of the tank. I need to frag it and try to open up some real estate.
I would recommend the Reefbreeder Photon units for the price, all day, everyday.
HTH's!!!
Originally Posted by Eric B 125 http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/660#post_3529018
Sweatervest: you have two Photon 32's above your 125, yeah? When you ordered them did you get a custom color? What optics did you go with? How do SPS fare with these lights?
Yes I do. I would say that the 2 units fit very well over the 125g. I did the standard layout with 90 degree optics. So far I have seen some pretty decent growth with the lights, BUT... My system was not SPS stable when I added the lights. My Alk and Calcium were going up and down from me dosing by hand. I have since stepped up my game and I am really trying to get a very stable system that can have SPS corals thrive.
I will say this. I bought some MP40's last July (2012) and the guy threw in a bunch of corals to make the deal happen. One particular coral was put in the tank and just kind of held on. No real growth. I added the lights and started to get things much more stable and now I am seeing some amazing growth. I have a purple monti that is taking over the middle of the tank. I need to frag it and try to open up some real estate.
I would recommend the Reefbreeder Photon units for the price, all day, everyday.
HTH's!!!
E
eric b 125
Guest
Sounds good man. Thanks for your input. I need to get some ideas as to optics and color.
I was expecting to get those fish tomorrow but I didn't get any delivery e-mail today and the withdrawal from my bank account is still "pending".
On a side note: I gave my resume to a couple of places today and was told by both spots that I should expect a phone call later this week to set up interviews. I'm really hoping to get a gig at either spot.
I was expecting to get those fish tomorrow but I didn't get any delivery e-mail today and the withdrawal from my bank account is still "pending".
On a side note: I gave my resume to a couple of places today and was told by both spots that I should expect a phone call later this week to set up interviews. I'm really hoping to get a gig at either spot.
sweatervest13
Active Member
That is great news!!! Good luck!!
Sounds like the fish will be delayed. Weird.
Sounds like the fish will be delayed. Weird.
E
eric b 125
Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529318
That is great news!!! Good luck!!
Sounds like the fish will be delayed. Weird.
Thanks man. Either gig would be a game-changer for me.
Got home after my morning bike ride and the fish were on my porch. They look good.
It would have really been nice to have gotten some shipping notifications but the website did give a delivery schedule and it was accurate.
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529318
That is great news!!! Good luck!!
Sounds like the fish will be delayed. Weird.
Thanks man. Either gig would be a game-changer for me.
Got home after my morning bike ride and the fish were on my porch. They look good.
It would have really been nice to have gotten some shipping notifications but the website did give a delivery schedule and it was accurate.
sweatervest13
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric B 125 http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529336
Thanks man. Either gig would be a game-changer for me.
Got home after my morning bike ride and the fish were on my porch. They look good.
It would have really been nice to have gotten some shipping notifications but the website did give a delivery schedule and it was accurate.
Originally Posted by Eric B 125 http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529336
Thanks man. Either gig would be a game-changer for me.
Got home after my morning bike ride and the fish were on my porch. They look good.
It would have really been nice to have gotten some shipping notifications but the website did give a delivery schedule and it was accurate.
E
eric b 125
Guest
So I acclimated for a little over 4 hours. They are in the QT now and are sticking together without any aggression issues so far. They are the perfect size for this.
I put a piece of an algae sheet on a magnetic clip and I'm watching them investigate it as I type this. They still aren't sure what to do with it but they are showing interest which is nice.
I put a piece of an algae sheet on a magnetic clip and I'm watching them investigate it as I type this. They still aren't sure what to do with it but they are showing interest which is nice.
E
eric b 125
Guest
DT FTS
L side
R side
Weird angle
L side
R side
Weird angle
E
eric b 125
Guest
I just got home from walking the dog, sat down to post those pics, and the tangs are nipping at the algae clip! Most of the algae sheet had broken off and they were nipping at what remained in the clip. I took the sheet that was floating around out of the tank but there's a bunch of tiny floaters that are still in there. Two of the tangs look great but one has a bit of a sunken stomach. The once with a sunken stomach is nipping at the clip, too, so hopefully tomorrow it'll look better.
Since they all look very healthy, I began lowering the salinity straight away. The SG is at 1.017 right now. I will go the rest of the way down to 1.009 by tomorrow night.
Since they all look very healthy, I began lowering the salinity straight away. The SG is at 1.017 right now. I will go the rest of the way down to 1.009 by tomorrow night.
E
eric b 125
Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lubeck http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529399
Eric have you been ghost feeding your DT? Do you have cuc yet? The tangs look good did you get them from p&$co? So far my two tangs look good and have been eating very well.
I do ghost feed the DT. I have a CUC which was pretty beefy when I bought it but I've lost a bunch of astrea snails that have gone over the falls and gotten stuck in the full siphon drain.
I can't figure out what's up with that green algae that's on my rocks. I was hoping that it was the beginning of coralline but I'm starting to doubt that. It could be a myriad of things that I've slacked on over the past few weeks but getting the tangs has motivated me to get my butt into gear.
That is where I got them from. They all look great this morning, much less stressed than yesterday and their white lines (what are those called again?) have faded. I am just a little concerned about the one that has a sunken belly. I'm going to offer a few different foods today and see if I can't get it eating. They are still sticking together with no aggression issues.
Originally Posted by Lubeck http:///t/389056/taking-a-new-direction/680#post_3529399
Eric have you been ghost feeding your DT? Do you have cuc yet? The tangs look good did you get them from p&$co? So far my two tangs look good and have been eating very well.
I do ghost feed the DT. I have a CUC which was pretty beefy when I bought it but I've lost a bunch of astrea snails that have gone over the falls and gotten stuck in the full siphon drain.
I can't figure out what's up with that green algae that's on my rocks. I was hoping that it was the beginning of coralline but I'm starting to doubt that. It could be a myriad of things that I've slacked on over the past few weeks but getting the tangs has motivated me to get my butt into gear.
That is where I got them from. They all look great this morning, much less stressed than yesterday and their white lines (what are those called again?) have faded. I am just a little concerned about the one that has a sunken belly. I'm going to offer a few different foods today and see if I can't get it eating. They are still sticking together with no aggression issues.