72 Oceanic Reef Ready Bow Front Evolution...

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

Prorapter,

 

I did research a lot in regards to fighting red slime and hair algae. Here is the order in which I picked up my cleaning crew.

 

10 margarita snails (smal to medium) These guys are really active at night and they eat algae off the rocks mainly.

 

5 astral snails (medium size) These guys are active during the night and day and do a good job like the margarita snails, but they go on powerheads and glass.

 

3 emerald crabs (small size) These guys are non stop picking stuff off the rocks, they didn't do nothing to the hair algae, but I did find one on my red calepera algae cleaning it.

 

1 yellow tang (small size) This guy nips on everything including the red slime and brown algae. Mostly just the rocks and sandbed not too much of the glass.

 

1 black hawaian algae blenny (medium size) This guy is picky since he was raised with mysis at my LFS so it took him a while to start on algae, he prefers the hairlike algae on the glass and nips occasionally on the rocks; was expecting more from this guy, kind of let me down.

 

1 lettuce nudibrach (very small) Really good at algae on the glass, powerheads and rocks, you'll find him everywhere and he's cool looking like a piece of lettuce.

 

1 Kole tang (medium size) This guy is extremely shy and hides a lot then he got courage after seeing all the chromis out and swimming. He's an expert at nipping on the glass for algae and all over the rocks, he even nips on a section of my coral that was damaged and was growing hair algae he cleaned that up.

 

1 chevron tang (small) Mostly loves the algae on the rocks not too much on the glass and he picks at the red calerpa I have on the right side of the tank.

 

1 blue tang (very small) This guy goes around and nips on floating debris mostly does occasionally nip on calepera algae bubbles.

 

That makes up my aglae crew, I have various small blue leg and only 2 red scarlet hermits; also have 4 nassiril snails from my previous setup.

 

My best defense came from RED SLIME REMOVER by Ultra life. I had to dose twice and then I changed out 40 gallons of my water volume, remember I only have a 72 gallon.

 

I also have a Deltec Phosphate reactor with rowaphos. I think the reason I got my outbreak is that my tank is still maturing and I added the phosphate reactor in the middle of my cycle, you are suppose to start it off from the beginning so it has a better chance of keeping equilibrium in the water.

 

I do know that my nitrates were bad and that was a huge mistake on my part because I didn't stay up on my water changes; I was doing it only once per month when I use to do it once per week.

 

I did place an order for a hair algae slug but he hasn't arrived that is why you see three bushes of hair on my rocks, yuck.

 

Hope this helps you out...

 

Mike

Edited November 6, 2005 by mikeguerrero

[dragon79]

Oh good--finally, a stocked pic on page 5...jeeze, never thought it would come ....

Awesome tank Mike...keep it up, grow dem frags and send them to li'l brother so he give them to me .

 

so true, grow them out and give them to me big bro. Rbaby, you still need to come over with those zoos

[Fishfreak218]

can u give me a list of what kind and how many fish you have????

[Nosferatu]

Just out of curiousity, do you have any idea what the final tab on this has turned out to be? I don't mean with rocks and stuff, just the equipment. Always nice to know what a dream costs

[Fishfreak218]

Please...............MikeGuerrero

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

FishFreak,

 

Sorry I didn't reply earlier, just been busy with work so here is my list:

 

2 percula clowns (transferred from 12 gallon cube)

 

1 orchid dottyback (transferred from 12 gallon cube)

 

1 six line wrasse (transferred from 12 gallon cube)

 

1 yosha goby (transferred from 12 gallon cube; one died 2 weeks later)

 

1 blue tail damsel (transferred from pico tank into sump)

 

8 blue/green chromis (purchased new)

 

1 black hawaiian algae blenny (purchased new)

 

1 yellow tang (purchased new)

 

1 kole tang (purchased new)

 

1 chevron tang (purchased new)

 

1 blue tang (purchased new)

 

My last fish comes in Friday; I ordered the Tomini Bristletooth tang.

 

Total of 19 fish with one in the sump. All my fish are the smallest I could get...

 

Once my tomini comes in it will be 20 total....

 

Mike G.

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

Nosferatu,

 

It's very easy to quote you more or less what I spent on equipment alone for this tank; my wife reminds me all the time whenever we argue.

 

$3,500

 

Mike

[c3po]

It's very easy to quote you more or less what I spent on equipment alone for this tank; my wife reminds me all the time whenever we argue.

$3,500

 

Mike

 

Pffft. Tell her you'll take up Race car driving instead! give her heaps!

[Babycakes]

Nosferatu,

 

It's very easy to quote you more or less what I spent on equipment alone for this tank; my wife reminds me all the time whenever we argue.

 

$3,500

 

Mike

 

that's why you NEVER tell your significant other how much $$$ you've spent! it's like a general reefkeeping rule

 

 

btw, your tank is looking excellent

[91lxracer]

Not true... Find them a hobby that they can pour all their money into and then they don't notice as quickly!

[Fishfreak218]

FishFreak,

 

Sorry I didn't reply earlier, just been busy with work so here is my list:

 

2 percula clowns (transferred from 12 gallon cube)

 

1 orchid dottyback (transferred from 12 gallon cube)

 

1 six line wrasse (transferred from 12 gallon cube)

 

1 yosha goby (transferred from 12 gallon cube; one died 2 weeks later)

 

1 blue tail damsel (transferred from pico tank into sump)

 

8 blue/green chromis (purchased new)

 

1 black hawaiian algae blenny (purchased new)

 

1 yellow tang (purchased new)

 

1 kole tang (purchased new)

 

1 chevron tang (purchased new)

 

1 blue tang (purchased new)

 

My last fish comes in Friday; I ordered the Tomini Bristletooth tang.

 

Total of 19 fish with one in the sump. All my fish are the smallest I could get...

 

Once my tomini comes in it will be 20 total....

 

Mike G.

Thanks alot....sorry for being so impatient but one of the reasons why i erplyed again is b.c. this thread was at the bottom of the Members Tank section and so i wanted to bump it up so you could see it....very sorry....but thank you VERY much...that helps alot........and also..... are those all going to satay in their for good or are they in there till they grow out????? just wondering b.c. i am doing a 75g. and want to get an Idea...on what i want....how do you like the Deltec Skimmer??? i am either going to get a Deltec or a Euro-reef skimmer.....well thank you

josh

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

I used liveaquaria and LFS to determine what I would place in my 72 gallon reef. I went as small as I could go and I know they will grow with time.

 

I cannot answer what the future holds for a larger tank; as I haven't even completed this one yet; it's only been 3 months....

 

Mike

 

P.S I don't have any experience with Euroreef but have heard they are really good. I had the money to invest in top quality equipment and DELTEC came up the most against all others in it's class.

 

Since I have a huge bioload with fish and plan on stocking my tank heavily I went over the standard recommendation on all my filtration equipment, giving me more insurance on performance.

Edited November 8, 2005 by mikeguerrero

[Fishfreak218]

that skimmer.....can it be HOB of the tank or dies it have to be in a sump

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

Fishfreak,

 

My skimmer is the AP-600 Deltec; you can place it inside the sump or external. You can use gravity or a pump to feed the skimmer.

 

And it's rated for up to 200 gallons in normal stocking; 130 gallons of heavy stocking; so I'm clearly under rated for the size tank I have.

 

Mike

[i have crabs]

I want to say something, but I am speechless. Your tank is beautiful. I just looked through all 9 pages of your thread, and I never do that.

[Fishfreak218]

im so sorry for keep on pestering you but i didnt quite understand....see my tank is already bought and doesnt have an overlfow and is tempered...so i will not have a sump....so is it HOB style and in the sump style???? like i could just hang it on the back of my tank like a HOB filter...(example: Aquaclear)

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

Cliff,

 

Thanks for the compliment, more to come as my tank is not complete in terms of corals; fish yes, corals no...

 

Fish,

I believe that Deltec puts out a really good HOB skimmer, check there website;

 

http://www.deltecusa.us/

 

If they don't just go to www.marinedepot.com and find HOB skimmers under their search engine.

 

I will be posting a new picture of my tank as my TANGS AND SNAILS HAVE TOTALLY CLEANED UP MY TANK; I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW CLEAN IT LOOKS COMPARED TO MY LAST PICTURE THAT I POSTED HERE.... STAY TUNNED!!!

 

Mike

[p.o.t.u.s]

well, post it Don't leave us hanging...I love your aquascaping BTW! Nice work!

Edited November 10, 2005 by p.o.t.u.s

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

Here you are P.O.T.U.S a full tank shot, you can see that my tangs have eaten all the hair algae from the lost picture I posted... I'm really happy with how tidy they are in this reef...

 

Mike

 

 

[angelfishlover]

looks Good. Just note the regal will need a bigger tank in the long run (125+). And 20 fish seems like alot for a 72. I'm starting an 80 and I'm just gonna have 8 or 9 fish.

[lgoins]

It's so young and already looks awesome, nice work

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

Yes 20 fish does seems excessive, but remember that 15 of them are very small bioload contributors.

 

Also I've dedicated myself to water changes every Sunday relgiously. And I invested in a prestine filtration system for this amount of fish.

 

So far so good; I'll keep everyone updated on any demise in my fish or corals due to the amount of fish.

 

The only really pigs of my tank are my 8 chromis that go nuts as soon as I approach the tank.

 

Mike

Edited November 11, 2005 by mikeguerrero

[Micro-Reefs Aquariums]

Here is an attempt wth free video hosting. It's only 30 seconds of my tank but I happen to capture all 5 of my tangs and I think you might enjoy it.

 

Meet the blue tang, yellow tang, kole tang, chevron tang and the tomini tang; my little school of chromis are cool.

 

Keep in mind that my tank is really new, only been up and running 3 months. I still got a long way to go before it's completely mature with corals and critters.

 

Enjoy,

 

Mike G.

 

http://media.putfile.com/TangVideo

Edited November 12, 2005 by mikeguerrero

[Izzue]

Cool vid Mike-- tks for sharing

They all look real happy to me-- and appear to be playing in the water movement...

With some maturity that will be an award winning setup Keep up the great work

 

Izzue

[angelfishlover]

Any updates mike?