travisurfer's spiffy 20H

[travisurfer]

Ok, here it is. I finally got my tank close enough to start my thread.

 

Specs:

20H Topfin Tank with added framework on the corners

Odyssea 24" 65w PC

Moonlight from a guy over on RC

2 x 145gph Penguin Powerheads

100w Visi-Therm Deluxe Heater

15lbs Special Grade Reef Sand

 

This is my first reef tank. WOOT! Its going to be completely setup within a few weeks. Still waiting on my one week vaction full of diving and snorkeling starting tomorrow and for a surfborad to sell. But just thought I would start at the beginning. Hopefully Ill be getting some fully cured live rock from a friend of mine who has had it for a couple years. If not I'm going with HIrocks seeded with live. The same guy is also going to be giving me a free(i think) skimmer. It was for his old tank so he just wants to get rid of it. Not sure what kind it is, but it was on his 55g. As far as livestock Im looking at either:

 

2 x True Percs

or

2 x Occellaris(One black and One Orange)

or

1 x Black Perc

1 x True Perc

or

1 x Black Perc or True Perc

and

1 x Starcki Damsel or Cherub

 

Maybe a Sixline-Wrasse in one of those stocking lists. Its hard to make up your mind when there is sooooo much to chose from. Any info, choices of stocking list, comments(good or bad) as long as it isnt about Odyssea, and suggestions are more than welcome.

 

Obligatory Starting Pic(A lot more to come when I get back):

[Sebea]

The stand doesn't look like it has many supports. Are you sure it can hold the weight?

 

Looks like you are off to a good start. I'm just going to keep my mouth shut about the oddysea.

 

As for the fish, I think a cherub and a pair of clowns would be awesome.

[travisurfer]

I know the stand is good. I first had my dad sit on it to check for weight, then I had my 20H as a fw tank on it for 6months.

 

I may not be on for a week but ill bring back pics of diving and snorkeling in mexico. Adios!

[formerly icyuodd/icyoud2]

hey travissurfer, email me about your board 4 sale (if indeed it is still for sale) leighmaulson@rogers.com

 

great start on the setup, thefun begins!

[travisurfer]

Ok, I'm back from my much need vacation. The diving down in Mexico and Grand Cayman is unbelievable. There was just soooo much to see. Off the top of my head I can remember christmas tree worms on porites, eagle ray, manta ray, spotted moray eel, condylactis nems, what looked like a scooter blenny, royal grammas(fairy basslets), queen angels, many varieties of parrot fish, rock beauty angels, tons of hard corals(like brains and some others), sea fans, many soft corals and sponges, and sooo much more. I dont have any pics of my actual dives b/c I was getting certified. <<<<<<happydance. WOOOT! Anyway still waiting for someone to buy my board so I can get some live rock, a new bulb, and a pump for mixing saltwater. (icy the board is local pickup in wilmington, nc only; let me know if you're still interested).

[formerly icyuodd/icyoud2]

sounds like you had a blast!!!!!!!!!!

 

glad to here you enjoyed yourself and i guess we can forgive you for not getting pic's.

 

local pickup is out of the question. but if you'd mail it, thats another story i send bass guitars back and forth, i imagen with the oversized packed it would be approx $40-$50 us to ship.

 

i am interested though.

[travisurfer]

ok, not sure if i will ship or not yet. here is a link to the board anyway.

http://www.eastcoastsurf.com/surftalk/viewtopic.php?t=8436

 

anyway, the diving was sooooo cool. my dad has snorkeling pics so ill load those on here along with some other trip pics. the christmas tree worms would be cool for my tank but i heard they are difficult to keep. the royal grammas that i saw had crazy bright colors. sorry to keep ranting, it was just soooo cool. so im really not sure what i want for my tank anymore. are there any fish in the aquarium trade that look like a scooter blenny and come from the caribbean?

[ClowningAround]

oh man, i cant wait to see those pics. i just watched the IMAX coral reef adventure and it is pretty cool seeing stuff that you always see on this website in the actual wild or on tv like i saw it being there are no reefs near NYC haha.

 

The tank does look pretty darn spiffy if i must say so myself

[travisurfer]

ok, ive finally gotton around to getting some pics up.

pelican macro:

pool dive for certification:

dolphin that i swam around with:

welcome to mexico:

finally, a reef pic:

and another one:

stingray macro:

another reef pic:

fish macro:

cool picture of the sun and clouds:

[andykee]

awesome pics! especially the bandito with the gun

[travisurfer]

ya that guy was pretty awesome. he had a nice little perch to watch all the tourists come in.

 

 

anyway, im really leaning towards getting a cherub. i just have to find out if hed be ok with one or two clowns.

[annamarie421]

That fish macro is great! Can't wait to see some tank related updates!

 

Anna

[travisurfer]

tank updates may be coming rather slow since im still waiting for some cash. im going to put an ad in the paper for my board so hopefully ill be able to order a pump and bulb this weekend, then rock the next.

[clown fanatic]

am i just crazy or are the 1st three reef pics the same? maybe i missed something.. those are some great photo's you got there, the one with the sun peakin out of the clouds is now my new desktop.

[travisurfer]

urchin:

these were all taken by my dad. the reef ones were from when he went snorkelling and arent of the actual things i saw. anyway, hope you guys enjoyed them.

 

they are the same. im workin on fixin it though. let me know if you want a bigger pic so you can have a better quality background. i have one thats 2000+pixels.

[travisurfer]

so my friend just gave me the "skimmer", which turns out to be a Wet Dry Pro 75 System with built in Skimmer. ive heard the skimmer part isnt that great, but i may be able to put this behind my tank to increase my water volume. ill have to find out if he wants anything for it. if its a little high(for my budget) i may just skip this filter and get a lee's countercurrent.

[travisurfer]

nvm, i dont have enough space for the wet-dry filter

[skimmer]

Sick looking pics. When I went to cabo i wanted to dive so bad. But the waves were just to perfect to leave.

[travisurfer]

haha, thatd be my problem if i went out to the tahiti area. to dive or surf? hmmmm. BOTH!!! itd just have to be a long vaction.

[travisurfer]

got a free powerhead from my friend today b/c he thought it didn't work and it was kind of old. anyway, cleaned it up and got a hose for it. it will be used to keep my water aerated and for wc's. i also ordered a sunpaq dual daylight bulb today. all thats left after that is live rock. WOOT!!! may also add a cpr or possibly a CSS if i can find one used for a good price.

[Pet-Lover]

2 x True Percs

or

2 x Occellaris(One black and One Orange)

or

1 x Black Perc

1 x True Perc

or

1 x Black Perc or True Perc

and

1 x Starcki Damsel or Cherub

 

you could get 4 fish at the max even 5 if u do water changes weekly or something or very small fish.

[travisurfer]

it will probably only be 3 fish max. i dont want to overdue it. the only way i would do 4 is if i got a pair of percs and a pair of neon gobies. i may end up doing this b/c pairs are soooo much cooler. that with a cleaner shrimp pair would be sooo cool. also forgot to add that i put my surfboard in the paper so hopefully it will sell by the end of the week.

[Pet-Lover]

yeah having those 2 pairs is good but best to intoduce the pairs or all the fish at once. i know i had 3 fish in my nanocube taking a risk in my 12 gal nanocube and they were doing great but after 2 months one of the clown started to "kill" the other one (died after 3 months)so i ended up having 2 fishys.

[travisurfer]

id probably have to intro the two gobies first, then the clowns due to aggression. still planning and will most likely change my mind again anyway. i think a clown pair and a cleaner shrimp pair alone would be cool too. ill just have to see how it goes.

[Pet-Lover]

cool.

 

i guess its a good start saying this is your first tank and take baby steps.

 

I wish they would sell things cheaper where i live or else i would be starting up a 20H same time as you.