Crakeur Posted May 17, 2003 Share Posted May 17, 2003 Hopefully, by tomorrow evening the 26 will be ordered, along with the stand/cabinet and the glass top. Once that is done, I will finalize my lights with psl. I'm going to go with a dual 150 watt hqi metal halide with dual 32 watt powercompacts (actinic). They will put legs on the lights so I can raise them up a bit off the frame of the tank. The glass top will hopefully assist in eliminating some of the evaporation and also block the harmful rays from the lights. I will probably get my live rock from seacrop as they are selling $2.00 a pound base rock and I will toss in some slab/branching and other pieces to make it look a bit more purty. Once cycled, Satchmo will bring me some southdown and some live sand and I should be raring to go. He has even offered to come help schlepp distilled water from the local drug store ( a two block walk but it will take several trips as we can only do 4 gallons each at a time). I've decided to load up on corals and inverts first so I'll be stalking the various sites that I like shopping at: Logicalreef.com (bryan has been given the heads up), spsfrags.com and I think I might give justphish a shot as everyone seems to love dealing with him. Satch said he will have some frags for me, along with a few items of mine that I passed along to him. Once the corals and inverts are in play, I will begin stocking the fish. As of now, I'm looking at a jawfish or some other sifter, possibly a green banded goby and either a mated pair of banggai cards or clowns. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas or thoughts they might want to add? Link to comment
Xavier Posted May 17, 2003 Share Posted May 17, 2003 I'd pass on the cardinals... liz and I both tried to keep them and between the two of us, all 4 didn't last long. Now, assuming you can get it to live for awhile, I wasn't to impressed with it's activity level. Very static fish. Personally.. if I were getting my fish again for the 25.. it'd be a False Perc, Green Banded Goby, and a Royal Gramma Basslet Anyone want some fish? heh heh... Link to comment
Crakeur Posted May 17, 2003 Author Share Posted May 17, 2003 Thanks for the input. I've actually had moderate success with banggais in our office tank and even had one drop eggs for the male to hold. Unfortunately, the mother fell victim to the mantis as she was too tired to do anything after dropping the eggs and the father vanished shortly thereafter. I was also thinking of possibly going with a mated clown pair but they can get pretty nasty. I want to try and avoid any aggression in what I hope will be a very happy place. That's why I am ditching the neon dottyback, even tho it is a riot to watch the little guy swim from the tank to the fuge and back again. Anyone else have any opinions? Link to comment
Xavier Posted May 17, 2003 Share Posted May 17, 2003 Well.. it wasn't that the cardinals are naturally difficult fish to keep.. I just think it's hard to get quality ones... Link to comment
Crakeur Posted May 17, 2003 Author Share Posted May 17, 2003 agreed. I found a site a while ago that sold mated tank raised pairs. The ones I had in the 180 were bought locally and we bought a bunch, maybe 6. Unfortunatley, we that tank is filled with territorial beasts so the 6 didn't stand much of a chance. I was actually surprised that we had the three that lived for as long as we did. My father is more addicted than anyone I know and he sees things and buys them, taking the lfs advice as golden. He is slowly learning how bad that is. Now he calls me before he buys anything. I talk him out of half of the things he wants to buy and then he buys most of them anyway. Link to comment
Satchmo Posted May 17, 2003 Share Posted May 17, 2003 Originally posted by Crakeur He has even offered to come help schlepp distilled water from the local drug store ( a two block walk but it will take several trips as we can only do 4 gallons each at a time). ...getting progressively drunker with each pass. I have a fold-up bagladyesque cart we can lug the water in if you don't mind looking like a freak in your own neighboorhood. Or we can use a Radio Flyer. Get some oversized lollypops and beanies with little propellers on them. If you decide to go with the Banggais, let me know. There's a guy in the Jersey reef club who breeds them. They'll be cheaper and healthier than what you'll find in stores. Justfish is an awesome stop for janitorial stuff. As for the other fish -with the two of us lighting fires under Dave's ass, we could probably get him back down here for another tranny trip. If you're gonna do the southdown bed, you may want to reconsider the jawfish. They prefer a courser substrate to dig their subways and they make a mess with fine sand. Just picked up an Orchid Dotty. Insane violet color and they mind their own business. Midas Blennies are also one of my faves. Let me bring by the dry SD before you add water. Otherwise you'll be looking at a tank full of milk for two weeks. We'll add a gallon or so of the LS once you're cycled. I'm hoping that by vicariously setting up your tank I can kill the jones to set up another of my own. Should have stuck with the drugs, it was a much cheaper habit. Link to comment
lizbeth Posted May 17, 2003 Share Posted May 17, 2003 Ok, I'm green with envy. I really like those bowfronts. If you can get the tank raised cardinals they probably would be fine. The ones we got did not eat well (or at all). I also talked to someone else that bought them when Xav and I did and their's kicked the bucket too. Bad batch I guess. Aside from the fact that they are very common I love my clowns. They are so active and friendly! A few weeks ago I put a scooter blenny in with the clarkiis and after the initial run around by the female she's leaving it alone. So I'd vote for some clowns! Link to comment
Xavier Posted May 18, 2003 Share Posted May 18, 2003 how's your scooter doing?.. eating prepared food yet? Link to comment
Crakeur Posted May 18, 2003 Author Share Posted May 18, 2003 thanks for all the advice. Unfortunately, my dad went to place the order for the his and mine tanks and the store was closed so hopefully tomorrow, after all the festivities, he can get out there and take care of it. Otherwise, I'm going to make the run on Monday evening. I'm still unsure as to clowns or cards but I think all will depend on the corals I get. If I can get myself something nice for the clowns to host in, I might go with them. Long time before my new tank will see fish so all will be decided after much thinking. I'm off to tweak my speech for tomorrow's event. Link to comment
kennerd Posted May 20, 2003 Share Posted May 20, 2003 Hey, Crak. I can swing by with a half dozen 5 gal buckets of RO/DI, and I am breaking down my 12 and you can have the rest of what's left of the sand bed (8-10lbs.). It's Southdown and been in the tank for 8 years now. Been giving scoops to folks that swing by for frags the last few months. Play nice and I may even mix some salt in there for you, or bring one or two buckets from my big tank water change to kick-start the cycle. Satch: throw your sand in, then lay a long sheet of saran wrap over the top of the sand, lay rocks on the corners, and pour the water in slowly. onto the saran wrap. Once full, slowly roll up the saran, and you're golden. All I ask in return: couch to kick back and watch the Knights with you boyz. FWIW: We cut back to 3 day weeks (Tues/Wed/Thurs) June through August, so let me know your schedule. Link to comment
Crakeur Posted May 20, 2003 Author Share Posted May 20, 2003 wow, you cut back and I'm thinking of bringing work out to the hamptons with me (going to rain all weekend anyway). I appreciate the offer and I might just take you up on the sand. To have you schlepp all that water would be too much to ask. Maybe I'll throw the wife out for the day, send her out east early and have you guys over for a late afternoon set up, beer a thon (real booze in my case) and a viewing of knights. I'm so anxious to get this thing going that I almost decided to scrap the big tank and just empty my old 7 gallon and restart it. thank god I got that silly, inexpensive plan out of my head. Link to comment
kennerd Posted May 20, 2003 Share Posted May 20, 2003 Well, I don't have a place out on the Hamptons to go to.....pop & I take the summer to do our own things: he owns 17 cars to work on, and I'm rebuilding my house and gardens bit by bit. I'll just pull up in my Tahoe and you kids can unload the water at your door and I'll park. No sweat. I'll even swing out and throw Satch in the trunk...you know: chauffeur him Joisey-style out of the meadowlands. Getting ticked off here, the email notification isn't working for me today. Link to comment
kennerd Posted May 20, 2003 Share Posted May 20, 2003 FYI: I have to get you a picture of my cinnamon clown bedded down in his golden toadtstool leather. Looks as cool as a carpet anemone, without the hassle. Link to comment
Jahkaya Posted May 20, 2003 Share Posted May 20, 2003 Carkeur: When you say "finalize my lights with psl" do mean wait for a quote? Also what is your opinion of going 20000k instead of adding the additional actinic? Link to comment
Jahkaya Posted May 20, 2003 Share Posted May 20, 2003 Sorry to misspell your name. Talk about a reeftard! Link to comment
Crakeur Posted May 20, 2003 Author Share Posted May 20, 2003 jah ya bastard, don't ever misspell my name again. ok, got that off my chest. I'm going with the mh/actinic combo because I like the dawn/dusk look and because I can reduce some heat by using the actinics a bit longer than the halides (12 hour/10 hour is my intention - I've noticed the algae doesn't grow in my tank now that I have turned the halides off and only have an actinic running). As for finalizing my psl order, I have a price and they can do everything I want. I am just waiting to place the order after I order the tank. In case I end up scrapping my dreams and sticking with the tank I have, I don't want to end up owning a light that's way too big and powerful. Link to comment
Satchmo Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 Knights? Did I miss something? In any event, count me in for the alcoholic aquarists' ribbon cutting. Ken- just got home now, tonight never would have worked. The past 2 weeks have sucked. I should be free tomorrow night -expect a call. You haven't ordered this thing yet Crak? Figured it would have been here by now. Link to comment
Crakeur Posted May 21, 2003 Author Share Posted May 21, 2003 I was going to piggyback on the large order we were making for the office but now it looks like the window guys will be able to work around the tank. Incidentally, you should stop by the office one day and check out the giant black tang and the hybrid achilles/mimic that we just picked up. Stunning. I am placing the order tomorrow, after I meet with the window engineers. Aparently the building management got a bit nervous when they heard that we were going to set up a second 180 and make the transfer of livestock over a one week period. Two tons of water in one corner made them nervous. Go figure. One final bummer. I just saw the ipsf.com no longer ships sea bunnies outside of california. I was hoping to get a pair in the fuge and a pair in the tank. C'est La Vie. Link to comment
kennerd Posted May 21, 2003 Share Posted May 21, 2003 Saw someone on RC selling bunnies. I'll do a quick search over there. Link to comment
Crakeur Posted May 21, 2003 Author Share Posted May 21, 2003 don't bother ken, I won't be needing them for a while. Link to comment
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