D
rlablan
Active Member
Its hard to address all the questions you had in the video but i'll try... I can't remember them all now. hahah
What are the supplements? It was hard to read. From what I saw.. they are kent brand. That's about it.
Generally, you should never dose for something that you are not testing for. What do you think you need the supplements for?
Corals-
I do not run skimmers. I have 2 tanks, no skimmers. Both loaded with corals. I keep softies, like you.
You do not need a skimmer. But skimming will cut down on water changes, reduce the waste in the tank, and help with water clarity.
A skimmer is never a bad idea. For what you are doing, it's not a necessity
The corals that you have are star polyps (pink I think), and Zoanthids (zoas). They are easy to keep corals and don't require perfect water or lots of intense light.
I have 1 of each of those lights that you pointed out. The black one is a Coralife lunar light and the gray is just a coralife PC fixture. (1 on one tank, the other on the other tank). They are both great fixtures. Especially for someone who likes softies. I keep leather, shrooms, zoas, galaxia, Green star polyps. acans, gorgonians and a sea fan... plus more. You will do well with them. Then when you're ready, you can upgrade the light to keep more corals.
Good luck with the damsel. Catching a damsel will probably require that you remove the rock and get him, or that you get him at night. Wait til he is "sleeping". keep the light 100% out in the room. Shine a flash light in his face and it'' stun him momentarily and allow you to scoop him up and out.
[hr]
Your tank looks healthy and happy. seems very stable, with good coraline growth. I didn't even see any nuisance algeas or anything. Good job!
Just don't buy any more damsels.
What are the supplements? It was hard to read. From what I saw.. they are kent brand. That's about it.
Generally, you should never dose for something that you are not testing for. What do you think you need the supplements for?
Corals-
I do not run skimmers. I have 2 tanks, no skimmers. Both loaded with corals. I keep softies, like you.
You do not need a skimmer. But skimming will cut down on water changes, reduce the waste in the tank, and help with water clarity.
A skimmer is never a bad idea. For what you are doing, it's not a necessity
The corals that you have are star polyps (pink I think), and Zoanthids (zoas). They are easy to keep corals and don't require perfect water or lots of intense light.
I have 1 of each of those lights that you pointed out. The black one is a Coralife lunar light and the gray is just a coralife PC fixture. (1 on one tank, the other on the other tank). They are both great fixtures. Especially for someone who likes softies. I keep leather, shrooms, zoas, galaxia, Green star polyps. acans, gorgonians and a sea fan... plus more. You will do well with them. Then when you're ready, you can upgrade the light to keep more corals.
Good luck with the damsel. Catching a damsel will probably require that you remove the rock and get him, or that you get him at night. Wait til he is "sleeping". keep the light 100% out in the room. Shine a flash light in his face and it'' stun him momentarily and allow you to scoop him up and out.
[hr]
Your tank looks healthy and happy. seems very stable, with good coraline growth. I didn't even see any nuisance algeas or anything. Good job!
Just don't buy any more damsels.
stanlalee
Active Member
the phytoplex is definately not needed (will do more harm than good on your set up) and the essential elements wont do a thing either. you might try a miniscule amount of phytoplex when your sump is established IF you set up a fuge for pods in it but there are MUCH better live phyto options available (still not needed). you do need to maintain calcium and alkalnity with supplements IF they are depleting with your current water change regime. The skimmer is not NEEDED either but it will help water quality. the corals wont die, you dont need to do anything in particular other than keep alkalinity,calcium, nitrate and phosphate levels within reason. you have low demand corals presently, probably as hardy and tolerant as the fish. those you have might even do better with higher nutrients to a degree. looks like the damsel is getting picks on NOT the trouble maker. If it were really being a damsel your clown would be in a corner and your royal gramma in a hole in the rock. It will dominate eventually and turn the tide but now its obviously low in the pecking order. seems to be a perception issue here, the clown is clearly the trouble maker (and not unusual to be the case). Clowns and damsels share a simular nitch (and clowns are in the damsel family) which is why the clown doesn't like the new comer damsel and tolerates the royal gramma. Removing the damsel is not going to be easy, really cant help there (somebody will probably have some trap methods). the male clown definately DIDN"T die from old age. they can live for 30+yrs and 15yrs is nothing. where the male and female laying eggs? more often than not the female decides the male is not man enough for her. four years seems like a good run for the blenny (not sure of the life span but thats about the time mine always end up missing) but in a tank that size they have to feed off algae sheets to survive. looks like your tank is mature enough where you dont have much available algae. the vertex skimmers work great but the pumps are known to occasionally have issues so be careful who you buy from. I cant suggest where due to forum rules but the initials of one vendor known to back these skimmers vigurously initials are PA and located in IN. the eco thing is not doing a thing either, long been deemed snake oil although its probably got a nice healthy floura of bacteria so might as well keep it on (kind of an eye sore though, move it to the sump when you get it set up).
speg
Active Member
I wouldn't bother adding those additives. Water changes should do you well. Why are you looking to make a extra sump? Refugium?
Check out the Aqua C Remora skimmer for that tank. Would work perfectly as a hang-on-the-back skimmer.
I think you're stacked on fish, but you could shove a bunch more coral in there!
Check out the Aqua C Remora skimmer for that tank. Would work perfectly as a hang-on-the-back skimmer.
I think you're stacked on fish, but you could shove a bunch more coral in there!
flower
Well-Known Member
Just saying hello!
I love the caves you made. You have like 0 algae, no wonder the Blenny withered away. The sides have some coraline but the back is like a new tank..how did you manage that? My tank back and sides are just covered in coraline and green algae, the fish like to pick at it.