I need some input on my reef set up

GUILLO1 · #1 12/30/2007, 04:56 PM

I just recently found this forum and it has brought me more interest on my reef. I would like to know what else I need to have a successful reef like many others have here at RC.

I have a 135 gal tank with I'd say a 30 to 40 gal sump. I have a retro fit kit with 3 150 MH and 2 95 PC. I have a mag 9.5 for the return and 2
jhj power heads. I just put back an Aquac 120 protein skimmer that is not skiming anything at all. Its been running for about a week.

My question is what else do I need to have a successful tank that will flourish?

rwrussom · #2 12/30/2007, 05:37 PM

Sounds like reasonable equipment to get something happening. I am not sure about the overall flow, maybe on the light side.
Good water to start is key. After that, stability seems to be the biggest key to success. My tank does best when I leave it alone.

reefmaster805 · #3 12/30/2007, 08:30 PM

The flow sounds a little slow for me. Do you have some fish and live rock going also? How long has it been running? Where are you located? Im always available for consultations.

GUILLO1 · #4 12/31/2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefmaster805
The flow sounds a little slow for me. Do you have some fish and live rock going also? How long has it been running? Where are you located? Im always available for consultations.

I've been running it for over 3 years. I would just lag on the water changes and water tests.

I also have another tank at my work with only fishes. That one is 115 gal. I've had some fishes there that are about 3 years old. Again I've lagged on the water changes big time. I've been lucky I think cause I've gone like over a year without doing a water change and my fishes are healthy. The only problem I got in this tank is hair algae.

I took some pictures of my home tank but the pictures are way too big to post here. I used my Canon Rebel EOS camera and I don't have any programs to make the pictures smaller.

SolidDetail808 · #5 12/31/2007, 02:17 PM

Get a photobucket account. You can make the pics any size you want. That's what I use to post pics up here. What kind of Rebel do you have? I got the XTi. Where are you located?

reefmaster805 · #6 12/31/2007, 02:23 PM

send me some pics to reefmaster805@yahoo.com

GUILLO1 · #7 12/31/2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SolidDetail808
Get a photobucket account. You can make the pics any size you want. That's what I use to post pics up here. What kind of Rebel do you have? I got the XTi. Where are you located?

I got the XT 8.0 M.P. So you got the 10 M.P......nice. I also got the long lens to take pictures of my girls when they play sports. Its a nice camera, to much for me cause I'm not that good of a photographer. I just opened an account at photobucket.

GUILLO1 · #8 12/31/2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefmaster805
send me some pics to reefmaster805@yahoo.com

I will try and do that right now.

SolidDetail808 · #9 12/31/2007, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GUILLO1
I got the XT 8.0 M.P. So you got the 10 M.P......nice. I also got the long lens to take pictures of my girls when they play sports. Its a nice camera, to much for me cause I'm not that good of a photographer. I just opened an account at photobucket.

You can reduce the size of your pics through Photobucket. I had the XT, I traded it in for the XTi.

GUILLO1 · #10 12/31/2007, 03:23 PM

Ok lets see if this works

reefmaster805 · #11 12/31/2007, 03:26 PM

looks like it worked. Also looks like you are in need of some coral.....

em805 · #12 01/02/2008, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GUILLO1
I just recently found this forum and it has brought me more interest on my reef. I would like to know what else I need to have a successful reef like many others have here at RC.

I have a 135 gal tank with I'd say a 30 to 40 gal sump. I have a retro fit kit with 3 150 MH and 2 95 PC. I have a mag 9.5 for the return and 2
jhj power heads. I just put back an Aquac 120 protein skimmer that is not skiming anything at all. Its been running for about a week.

My question is what else do I need to have a successful tank that will flourish?

Looks like your off to a good start

. I would recommend getting a chiller some time down the road before you stock up with coral. Also, if your activly feeding your fish and such, then your skimmer should be pulling out somthing... If not then you probably need to fine tune it or look to see if there is anything wrong with it.

You will need to keep up the water changes for your coral to flourish.

GUILLO1 · #13 01/04/2008, 03:07 PM

Had some casualties in my tank yesterday. On Thursday I went up to Wet Pets and I bought a Lawnmower , a tomato clown and an Brown Tang. The Lawnmower went to my tank at work which has an algea problem and the other 2 went to my home tank pictured above.
The Lawnmower was a big sucker so I figured he would be OK. I thought wrong he was getting picked on by the other clowns and 2 stupid chromis that I have in there. To top it off a Diamond Goby that I had for over 1 year died. Don't know how that happened cause it would always go in its burrow when ever there was somethong it didn't like. The Lawnmower is no where to be seen.

I didn't think the other 2 would have any problems cause I only have 3 fishes in a 135 gal tank. Well I was wrong to....

The Percula Clown was all over the tiny tomato. He was still alive and feeding this morning but his tail and fins were all jacked up, I hope he makes it. The Brown tang is very shy and barely comes out. I hope the Yellow tang doesn't bully it too much.

Well thats how it goes in this hobby

SolidDetail808 · #14 01/04/2008, 03:32 PM

Clowns are very aggressive towards other Clowns. I had a Maroon that chased my Ocellaris all over the place. Well my Ocellaris used to jump out of the tank just to try to lose the Maroon. Well he won. He jumed out and the Maroon jump also and jump onto the floor. I didn't realize it until I saw the Ocellaris chilling in the Maroon's anemone.

audiowerks · #15 01/04/2008, 03:58 PM

Have you checked your water parameters? If you haven't changed your water in a long time you might have quite a build up of nitrate or a very low buffering capacity causing ph swings.
If your water is not up to par your fish are surviving because they have adjusted over a long period of time, new fish won't be able to adjust. and any ammonia from a dead new fish can quickly kill your old-timers!

I have never had good luck mixing clown species. they are damsels so I treat them like such!

Tangs will usually get along okay if you are mixing different body shapes. but all fish seem to hide for a while in my experience. I put a blue jaw trigger in my tank and didn't see hin for almost a month, didn't even come out to feed. now everytime i come near the tank he at the glass waiting to be fed!

Anyways good luck.