ClaytonG Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 This was originally going to be my first saltwater aquarium, but the stand had to be custom ordered through Marineland and took just over three months to show up. I had the tank within a week but it just set up at my LFS since I had no use for it until the stand came in. It was leak tested on Dec. 12th and was wet on Dec. 14. I used the same method as my last build but included a few chromis this time. I started with 35 lbs. of "B" grade live rock, which was started from dry rock in my LFS tanks and had only been in there for 3 months. As well as another 20 lbs. of premium live rock that they had cure for 6+ months. Then I added Smart Start by Tender Living Care to provide the tank with nitrifying bacteria. Equipment- 75 Gallon Marineland Corner-flo Aquarium 30 Gallon Sump/Fuge Red Oak Stand 2 Kessil A350W w/ Goosenecks 6" Reef Octopus Needle Wheel Skimmer Finnex Fugeray Mag Drive 9.5 Future Equipment- Neptune Apex 3 Vortech MP10wES 2-Part Dosing pumps BRS Biopellet Reactor BRS Carbon Reactor Planned Livestock left to acquire: Flame Angel Yasha Goby w/ Randal's Pistol Shrimp White Tail Tang Lemon Peel Mimic Tang Current Livestock- 2 Green Chromis Maroon Clown Bonded Pair Purple Tang Coral- SPS: Green Hydro Sunset Monti Green with Blue Polyp Monti Orange Monti Montipora Undata Sour Apple Birdsnest Birds of Paradise Birdsnest Ponape Birdsnest Pink Thick Branching Birdsnest Purple Stylo Neon-Green Spongodes Green Cup Coral Superman Monti Shamrock Monti Green Slimmer Rainbow Monti Green Monster Green Digi Green Milli Blue Milli Multi Color Mili Pink Lemonade Acro Green Digi Blue Digi Orange Digi Mars the Red Planet Acro Green Stylo Rainbow Stylo Crayola Acro Cranberry Acro Green with Blue polyp Acro Pearl Berry Acro Blue Polyp Green Acro Cali Tort Meteor shower cyphastrea Hawkins Blue Echinata LPS: Neon Green Wall Hammer Kryptonite Trumpet Coral Hollywood Stunner Neon Green Torch Rainbow Maxi Mini Flame Scoly Warpaint Scoly Purple with green tentacles Plate Red Brain Elegance Purple with Green short Tentacle Fungia Orange Short Tentacle Fungia Zoa/Paly/Coralimorphs: Knockout Zoa Armor of God Paly Dragon Eye Zoa Green Giant Paly Gold Ricordia Rainbow Yuma Superman Mushroom Neon Green Mushroom Purple Mushroom Inverts- Green Bubble Tip Anemone Rose BTA Neon Green Long Tentacle Anemone 3 Emerald Crabs Skunk Cleaner shrimp GOPR9143.jpg by ClaytonG-US, on FlickrGOPR9455 by ClaytonG-US, on FlickrGOPR9460 by ClaytonG-US, on Flickr 1 Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Looks spankin clean! Link to comment
jball1125 Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Nice start. Look forward to more. Link to comment
Lawnman Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Looking great Clayton. The poddle wants your attention lol 1 Link to comment
ClaytonG Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Looking great Clayton. The poddle wants your attention lol Yeah the poodle acts like she never gets attention. Don't let her deceive you... Pictures.... The clam is pissed because I turned the lights on at 1 AM to get some pictures without the sun make an awful reflection. GOPR9619 by ClaytonG-US, on Flickr GOPR9622 by ClaytonG-US, on Flickr GOPR9623 by ClaytonG-US, on Flickr GOPR9625 by ClaytonG-US, on Flickr GOPR9640 by ClaytonG-US, on Flickr GOPR9639 by ClaytonG-US, on Flickr GOPR9637 by ClaytonG-US, on Flickr GOPR9630 by ClaytonG-US, on Flickr GOPR9641 by ClaytonG-US, on Flickr 1 Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 I thought this tank was still cycling? Hmmm carnation corals are pretty delicate alright. Link to comment
ClaytonG Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 It's been wet since the 14th and I used the bottle nitrifying bacteria to skip a full cycle, plus everything was live and kept submerged in transit. I wouldn't have even bothered attempting the carnation coral if I hadn't started culturing phyto. I'm dropping in enough to tint the water green every three days and so far I haven't seen any decline in it. Time will tell. Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 It's been wet since the 14th and I used the bottle nitrifying bacteria to skip a full cycle, plus everything was live and kept submerged in transit. I wouldn't have even bothered attempting the carnation coral if I hadn't started culturing phyto. I'm dropping in enough to tint the water green every three days and so far I haven't seen any decline in it. Time will tell. Ahhh I see. That makes perfect sense haha. Link to comment
ClaytonG Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 So I've been doing some searching and thinking about future stocking plans. Corals wise I'm still up in the air. Definitely plenty of LPS, some SPS, NPS, and softies. Here are my thoughts on fish stocking any recommendations, thoughts, comments are welcome. Purple Tang Coral Beauty (going to be very cautious with my clams) Flame Hawk Yasha Goby w/ pistol shrimp Orange Shoulder Tang (currently in tank) (I realize that it will get big, have an exit strategy when the time comes). Shoal of Chromis (currently in tank) Maroon Clown Pair (currently in tank) Juvenile Yellow Belly Blue Tang (I realize that it will get big, have an exit strategy when the time comes). Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Flame angel nips on clams? I though it was lps/sps they nip on, not clams? lol Oh my gawd, they really do according to liveaquaria....that sucks!! Link to comment
ClaytonG Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Flame angel nips on clams? I though it was lps/sps they nip on, not clams? lol Clams are part of their natural diet. I've read a lot of reviews that are hit and miss on them. I love the color, but I may go with the Coral Beauty instead since its been less prone to nip on clams. Link to comment
ClaytonG Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Flame angel nips on clams? I though it was lps/sps they nip on, not clams? lol Oh my gawd, they really do according to liveaquaria....that sucks!! Yeah, I know Right!? I have the same love-hate relationship with the Flame Hawk. Can't have any shrimp without taking the risk of it devouring them when they molt. Most people have luck with the dwarf angels by feeding often, but what happens when someone forgets to feed for a day? I feel like it's a ticking time bomb, but I'll just have to weigh the risks. Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Yeah, I know Right!? I have the same love-hate relationship with the Flame Hawk. Can't have any shrimp without taking the risk of it devouring them when they molt. Most people have luck with the dwarf angels by feeding often, but what happens when someone forgets to feed for a day? I feel like it's a ticking time bomb, but I'll just have to weigh the risks. Yeah, coral beauty is a better choice, but again, the flame angel is much more prettier and brighter in color variations. This is why some people go softies with beautiful fishes but when a guy like you or the old me who wants to take a hit on lps/sps haha, you gotta make sacrifices. Link to comment
ClaytonG Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Yeah, coral beauty is a better choice, but again, the flame angel is much more prettier and brighter in color variations. This is why some people go softies with beautiful fishes but when a guy like you or the old me who wants to take a hit on lps/sps haha, you gotta make sacrifices. Yeah, doing some soul searching leads me to the coral beauty. I would die if my $200 squamy got eaten for dinner and soon I'll have two more clams... so I'll have to pass . Damn colorful fish and their eating habits. Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Yeah, doing some soul searching leads me to the coral beauty. I would die if my $200 squamy got eaten for dinner and soon I'll have two more clams... so I'll have to pass . Damn colorful fish and their eating habits. Yuppp, at least you can add some tangs??? What about morish idols??? I love those especially since they're an idol in "Finding Nemo" Link to comment
ClaytonG Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Yuppp, at least you can add some tangs??? What about morish idols??? I love those especially since they're an idol in "Finding Nemo" Morish idols are really difficult from what I've read and they eat coral like crazy. My LFS has one in an SPS tank but said that they would take out my LPS in a day or so. They're really picky eaters so that would be the other issue as well. I think I'm just going to tang it up. Just gotta stay under the Tang Polices radar... This is an alternative to the Morish idol. Heniochus intermedius Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Morish idols are really difficult from what I've read and they eat coral like crazy. My LFS has one in an SPS tank but said that they would take out my LPS in a day or so. They're really picky eaters so that would be the other issue as well. I think I'm just going to tang it up. Just gotta stay under the Tang Polices radar... This is an alternative to the Morish idol. Heniochus intermedius Damn, I could've sworn it was reef safe back when I was working at a saltwater lfs, a customer told me he has moorish idols in his reef tank. Very hardy he explained with thriving sps in the tank...weird!!! Then I just checked on liveaquaria...and it says not reef compatible....wth!!! lol I think one convict tang is enough What about powder blue tang? Heniochus intermedius is not too pretty. Link to comment
Arkayology Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Even though the rock was live and everything, I would still slow down on the stocking. I would hate to see everything crash. As for your stocking, I would have to say it is very ambitious. I would also discourage more than one tang in your tank, which is not big enough for the tang you currently have imo. But hey, that's just my opinion. Good luck with things here. I'll keep a look out for what happens. Link to comment
ClaytonG Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Even though the rock was live and everything, I would still slow down on the stocking. I would hate to see everything crash. As for your stocking, I would have to say it is very ambitious. I would also discourage more than one tang in your tank, which is not big enough for the tang you currently have imo. But hey, that's just my opinion. Good luck with things here. I'll keep a look out for what happens. I'm not adding anything else for another month. I don't plan on keeping the orange shoulder in here for it's entire life, once it gets larger a few years down the road I'll give it a new home. 1 Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I'm not adding anything else for another month. I don't plan on keeping the orange shoulder in here for it's entire life, once it gets larger a few years down the road I'll give it a new home. Yuppp. Soo have you thought of a powder blue tang??? I know you're going to upgrade so no worries Link to comment
Arkayology Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Yuppp. Soo have you thought of a powder blue tang??? I know you're going to upgrade so no worries lol Link to comment
ClaytonG Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Damn, I could've sworn it was reef safe back when I was working at a saltwater lfs, a customer told me he has moorish idols in his reef tank. Very hardy he explained with thriving sps in the tank...weird!!! Then I just checked on liveaquaria...and it says not reef compatible....wth!!! lol I think one convict tang is enough What about powder blue tang? Heniochus intermedius is not too pretty. Powder blues aren't friendly with others. It's seems I'm pretty much limited to what I've got on the list at the moment. Still just thoughts, just trying to narrow it down. Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 lol lolol what's so funny? Powder blues aren't friendly with others. It's seems I'm pretty much limited to what I've got on the list at the moment. Still just thoughts, just trying to narrow it down. Man, this sucks!! Jkjk 1 Link to comment
ClaytonG Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Man, this sucks!! Jkjk I know right!? I'm going to consult some with my LFS about their tangs. They've got multiple species in their 300 gallon display. I'm really curious how they all interact now. I'm also torn on my flow options... I can get 3 MP10Wes or I can get an MP40wes and an MP10wes. I think the 3 MP10's would be the better option. I checked my glass thickness since it's close with my current vortech and it's good to go. Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I know right!? I'm going to consult some with my LFS about their tangs. They've got multiple species in their 300 gallon display. I'm really curious how they all interact now. I'm also torn on my flow options... I can get 3 MP10Wes or I can get an MP40wes and an MP10wes. I think the 3 MP10's would be the better option. I checked my glass thickness since it's close with my current vortech and it's good to go. yeah Mp10s!! 1 Link to comment
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