Noobie

[Krusnik]

Hi everyone! I just recently jumped into the hobby about a month or so ago. I've always loved watching the salt water fish and reefs at the Shedd Aquarium here in Chicago when I was younger and have always wished that I had the time and money to start and keep my own little slice of the ocean. After doing a lot of research and lurking on this forum and Chicago reef and watching hours of youtube videos I decided to jump into the hobby. After speaking with my LFS they suggested I use seeded media in conjunction with live sand and Bio-Spira. I kept an eye on my parameters and within a week or so the tank had fully cycled.

 

Equipment List

Tank: 20 Long tank donated by Sister-In-Law

Main Light: Hipargero LED  2 Kessil A80 Tuna Blue

Filtration: HOB Penn Plax Cascade 200

Heater: 300W Heater (forgot the brand)  Cobalt Neotherm 100W

Refugium: Finnex HOB 1 gallon refugium

Refugium Light: ACKE 24w LED grow light

Circulation:  SUN JVP 110 AI Nero 5

Substrate: 20lbs of Caribsea Arag-alive Fiji Pink, ~20lbs of dry rock

 

Stocking list:

All casualties to Marine Velvet (June 10th)

2 Oscillaris Clowns

1 Orchid Dottyback

1 Dwarf Coral Beauty Angel

 

2 Longfin Clowns

 

Clean up crew:

7 assorted hermit crabs

2 Astrea Snails 

2 Turbo Snails

1 Margarita

 

Corals:

Pulsing Xenia

Duncan

Hammer

Candy cane Coral

 

 

If anyone has any tips or suggestions please feel free to post them. Since I'm fairly new I'm hoping to learn from ya'll and hopefully have this tank with my for years to come.

 

[seabass]

to Nano-Reef.com.

[Tamberav]

Nice start!

 

It looks like you already have all those fish in there...which is really fast stocking and may come back to bite you in the ass (I hope not). I would not add any more as all those fish will become increasingly aggressive as they age and all grow to a good size.

 

Will look nice when filled in with corals...I like the caves with a more open area to the right.

[colinadam]

Another Chicago area Nano tank! Always a good thing. What LFS is your go to? 

 

I like the aquascape, lots of potential with it and coral placement. Be careful with the xenia, it will grow like a weed, keep it isolated. 

 

Nice fish list, should be colorful with a lot of movement. 

 

What are your future plans with corals? 

 

 

[seabass]

2 hours ago, Tamberav said:

I would not add any more as all those fish will become increasingly aggressive as they age and all grow to a good size.

I agree.  That's a stock list that I'd cautiously recommend for a 40 Breeder.  Coral Beauties can also become coral nippers.

[Krusnik]

6 hours ago, Tamberav said:

Nice start!

 

It looks like you already have all those fish in there...which is really fast stocking and may come back to bite you in the ass (I hope not). I would not add any more as all those fish will become increasingly aggressive as they age and all grow to a good size.

 

Will look nice when filled in with corals...I like the caves with a more open area to the right.

I realize that now. I fell into the typical trap of being a bit to impatient with my fish stocking. I got nervous when I initially realized this and began a daily, sometimes twice daily parameters check. No issues with water quality thankfully but I'll continue to monitor these guys on a daily basis.

 

 

4 hours ago, colinadam said:

Another Chicago area Nano tank! Always a good thing. What LFS is your go to? 

 

I like the aquascape, lots of potential with it and coral placement. Be careful with the xenia, it will grow like a weed, keep it isolated. 

 

Nice fish list, should be colorful with a lot of movement. 

 

What are your future plans with corals? 

 

 

I'm about 10-15 minutes from Aquatica in Tinley Park and Chicago Reef in Orland park. I'd like to check out Gingerbread tropical fish and coral as well. I read that about xenia, so I actually moved the rock it is on farther away from the rest of the rock work last night. As for future corals, I have my eye on either a torch, hammer, or frogspawn. I'd also love an anemone if at all possible.  Maybe a monti or a birds nest near the top of the caves or something.

 

 

3 hours ago, seabass said:

I agree.  That's a stock list that I'd cautiously recommend for a 40 Breeder.  Coral Beauties can also become coral nippers.

I really should have done more research. I saw the sticky'd post about fish and what size minimum tank some where and got really excited. I really should have tempered my enthusiasm some. Hopefully I won't have too much trouble with my fish.

[Superdave]

So are all of those fish currently in the tank?  If they get aggressive, you can always just take them back to the LFS.  Many will give you some credit.  Or you could trade with other reefers.   

 

Do you have anything in the HOB filter?  

 

Seems like a nice set up thus far--good luck!

 

[Krusnik]

16 minutes ago, Superdave said:

So are all of those fish currently in the tank?  If they get aggressive, you can always just take them back to the LFS.  Many will give you some credit.  Or you could trade with other reefers.   

 

Do you have anything in the HOB filter?  

 

Seems like a nice set up thus far--good luck!

 

Yup they are all currently in there.. Thankfully they all get along. Except for my male ocillaris, the female goes after him from time to time. I'm guessing she's just asserting her dominance?

 

As for my HOB I have the stock carbon insert and replaced the filter floss type of material with fluval biomax. I also have 4 ceramic marine pure balls from the local fish store in the refugium as well. Debating on getting more.

[LazyFish]

You have th he angle with the dottyback and they haven't killed each other,? What one did you add first? I have a cherub instead of a beauty but the angle and the dottyback still tried to kill each other. 

The female is just being bossy. 

[Krusnik]

1 minute ago, LazyFish said:

You have th he angle with the dottyback and they haven't killed each other,? What one did you add first? I have a cherub instead of a beauty but the angle and the dottyback still tried to kill each other. 

The female is just being bossy. 

I added the Angel first.  When the dottyback was added they kind of had a stare down and the dottyback ran into one of the rocks and hid there. I was a bit concerned as to what was going to happen next. They initially were a bit hostile to one another kind of how like the female oscillaris would be aggressive to the male but it has since stopped. I've seen them swimming within inches of one another and they just let each other be.

[Superdave]

Dotty backs can get very aggressive as can the ocellaris, so just don't be surprised if it goes bad and be ready to get one or more out because they can kill surprisingly quickly.  Don't think I'm being a downer, I just want you to be prepared.  

 

I personally would ditch the ceramic rings--your live rock will be sufficient.  Floss, in my experience, is nice as it can be easily rinsed and replaced over time.  

[Krusnik]

I'll keep an eye on them and track their behavior. Thanks for the tip! I had originally wanted a mandarin and then read about their care requirements... Yeah that tempered my eagerness real quick.

[Tamberav]

I had an orchid who went batshit one day after being fine a year. They are bit of a wildcard like sixlines. 

 

My female clown is mean as shit too but I have had her for 5 or so years now so shes mature and thinks about babies. 

 

I like my semi aggressive fish but they can be huge butts. 😛

[Krusnik]

Yikes! I hope mine stays the way it is as I'd hate to get rid of it. Last time I was at my LFS and looking at Frogspawns and hammers they had just taken delivery of Long tail clownfishes.. Man they were gorgeous. The price though... not so much..

[colinadam]

I was just at Aquatica on Sunday! 

There are some good spots on the NW side, check out Wojtek Reef and for sure check out Reef Geeks in Northbrook. It's a haul but the prices will make it worthwhile. 

I am really close to another good spot called Seven Seas, I like their frag prices. 

[Krusnik]

Thanks for the recommendations! I will definitely check those places out! I was there with my son. I was trying to see if he'd be interested in reefing as well. So far it looks like he's interested. But then again we know how kids can be. One moment excited, the next... off playing Fortnite again... 

[seabass]

51 minutes ago, Krusnik said:

Last time I was at my LFS and looking at Frogspawns and hammers they had just taken delivery of Long tail clownfishes.. Man they were gorgeous. The price though... not so much.

Sounds like you won't be getting them; but considered it (maybe if they were cheaper).  However, your tank won't support another clownfish (incompatibility).  Just thought I'd mention it in case they ran a sale, or you saw a designer clownfish you really liked.

[Krusnik]

Would have love to, but you are right. What stopped me was knowing that it would have been irresponsible putting another clown the tank at this point. Like you said incompatibility. I'll just keep yearning for that mandarin that my tank will more than likely never be able to support. 

[seabass]

That's one of the gotchyas of reef keeping.  Fish that require a bigger tank or aren't reef safe.  Corals that require a lighting upgrade, or more powerful wavemaker.  A clam or NPS that requires special feeding.  Special diets for harlequin shrimp, or some other consideration for another creature.  Corals that have sweeping stingers, and others that relentlessly try to overtake your rocks.  That's not even mentioning pests.

[Firefish15]

Welcome to the forum! Nice looking setup so far! Yeah, that was pretty fast stocking, but you know that already. One thing with the Hipargero (I've got one on my 10g) is that it probably won't have enough spread to keep many corals on the edges of your tank. I bet some discosomas would be happy though.

What do you have in your fuge?

[Krusnik]

3 minutes ago, Firefish15 said:

Welcome to the forum! Nice looking setup so far! Yeah, that was pretty fast stocking, but you know that already. One thing with the Hipargero (I've got one on my 10g) is that it probably won't have enough spread to keep many corals on the edges of your tank. I bet some discosomas would be happy though.

What do you have in your fuge?

Thanks,

 

Yeah i noticed some dark spots in the far corners of my tank. Playing with the idea of getting a second one, or picking up a used Kessil a80 Tuna. As for my fuge. I have some chaeto in there. Already had to harvest some out about a week ago. Did wonders for my Nitrate levels though! Went from 30-40ppm to near undetectable! A lot of people were saying that it wouldn't have an effect just due to the small size. So glad that this little thing prove them wrong though!

[Firefish15]

Haha, yeah it's pretty crazy what chaeto can do. I've got an AC70 I modded into a HOB fuge, and it does a good job as well.

If you got an outlet splitter, you could run the 2 Hipargeros on the same timer unit. Should work pretty well.

[Krusnik]

27 minutes ago, Firefish15 said:

Haha, yeah it's pretty crazy what chaeto can do. I've got an AC70 I modded into a HOB fuge, and it does a good job as well.

If you got an outlet splitter, you could run the 2 Hipargeros on the same timer unit. Should work pretty well.

I was playing with the idea of doing the AC70 mod but then I priced it out. AC70 is 50 plus. The Finnex HOB refugium was only 30 iirc. So i thought why not? Funny you mention a splitter. I actually have the Hipagero on a timmer that happens to have more outlets 🙂. So I may go that route.

[Clown79]

Welcome to Nano

 

Fish are funny and we all have different experiences with them.

My female clown isn't aggressive with fish, bossy with her mate but no aggression...she takes her aggression out on me instead..just a heads up, they do bite. 😁

 

Like mentioned, you don't need the bio media, you got plenty of rock. Floss can be beneficial, most of us run it and change it twice a week. It's a good idea to buy bulk sheets or pillow floss, it's a lot cheaper than the inserts.

 

 

Another hipargero would be good on a long tank. Gives you more light spread for more coral options.

[Krusnik]

On 5/22/2019 at 12:52 AM, Clown79 said:

Welcome to Nano

 

Fish are funny and we all have different experiences with them.

My female clown isn't aggressive with fish, bossy with her mate but no aggression...she takes her aggression out on me instead..just a heads up, they do bite. 😁

 

Like mentioned, you don't need the bio media, you got plenty of rock. Floss can be beneficial, most of us run it and change it twice a week. It's a good idea to buy bulk sheets or pillow floss, it's a lot cheaper than the inserts.

 

 

Another hipargero would be good on a long tank. Gives you more light spread for more coral options.

I woke up today to a milky-ish water.. Grew concerned and then remembered reading you guys mentioning floss. I made a quick run to the LFS, grabbed some pillow floss and got rid of my bio media. After about 20 minutes noticed the water quality was back to where it was. 

 

Thanks again for all the tips guys 🙂