Suggestions wanted for new reef aquarium.

hporras · #1 01/04/2008, 01:18 AM

Hello all. I am brand new to the hobby and would like suggestions as to the appropriate inhabitants to start off with.

My set up is a 90 gallon wave front tank with 138 lbs. live rock, 80 lbs. live sand, Remora Pro protein skimmer, carbon reactor with a Maxi-Jet 400 pump, 2 Koralia-3 power heads and heater. My light setup is a Tek-Light T-5 6x54w hung under canopy with a 120mm Ice Cap fan. I am also planning on getting a CPR AquaFuge 2 Hang-on Refugium.

I am looking to set up a peaceful/passive environment because I eventually want to have a Longhorn Cowfish as my showpiece. I would prefer a large number of small fish, rather than a few large fish. I also plan to stock it with corals, invertebrates, and an anemone.

My live rock is still in the curing process, (running only powerheads, heater, 8 hrs. daily actinic lights only & carbon filter) it has only been 3 weeks since initial set up. That being said I am willing to start slow and add a couple or few inhabitants per month. What would be the best inhabitants to start off with? Thereafter? I would appreciate any suggestions and advice.

Thanks,

Horacio

nano mania · #2 01/04/2008, 01:55 AM

It's almost time for a couple of snails and hermit crabs.

I like you patient attitude. There are so many people that rush things too much.

nmnative · #3 01/04/2008, 08:38 AM

My first fish was a percula clown, they stay small and are hardy as well as peaceful. You could even start with a pair of them and you will end up with a male and a female. I would stay away from damsels, I have one that rules my tank and makes it hard to add other fish. I agree with the suggestion to add some hermits and snails, just be sure to acclimate the snails slowly by floating them and adding small amounts of you tank water to the bag over a 1 to 2 hour period. I have killed a few snails by adding them to my tank too quickly. I think hermits are a little easier to acclimate, but why take a chance. Patience is always best! Welcome to the hobby!!

benjabba · #4 01/04/2008, 09:30 AM

Tha tank looks good. I like the aquascaping. Do you have a test kit so you can find out when the cycle has ended? Also it is not necessary to run your lights while you are cycling the tank, although it is still nice to look at from time to time. But it may add to the new tank algae bloom you will soon be experiencing. I agree with nano mania it should soon be time for a CUC.

The sooner you can get that fuge setup the better.

hporras · #5 01/04/2008, 11:03 AM

Thanks. I just tested the water yesterday and my ammonia is at 8.0, Nitrite at 5.0, Nitrate at 0, pH at 7.8, and specific gravity at 1.024. Therefore it still needs a way to go in order to finish cycling. Should the fuge be set up while the tank is still cycling?

As much as I have read, some guidance you can only get from those that do and not just teach. Although the marine aquarium book industry is probably enjoying a spike in sales recently.

I was thinking of initially setting up the tank with crabs and snails, and then corals and leaving the fish for later as they probably create a heavier load on the system. I can live with only algae and invertebrates for while.

Do Percula Clowns change sex? My 6 yr. old son has already requested Nemo. When I start stocking fish I was thinking of getting all pairs. Not necessarily because I wish to breed but just from a Noah’s Ark aesthetic point of view. Any suggestions as to dealers that can provide pairs with relative gender accuracy. I am not too sure how accurate I would be checking under the skirts.

It is not noticeable in the picture but I set up three arches/coves. The light reaches most spots pretty well with the exception of one spot behind the T shaped rock in the front center and the back obviously. Those remain pretty much in the dark all the time. Even though I have yet to stock a single thing I do find myself checking out the reef tank from all angles. I drove my wife nuts with all the rock rearranging. If it is not necessary then I can shut off the actinic light for now.

This much fun and not yet a single fish. Just a bucket load of money. As a friend of mine once told me “Toys will usurp fiscal responsibility anytime.”

jmait769 · #6 01/04/2008, 11:46 AM

hporras

To Reef Central and ELPMAS!!

Very nice setup! When I first started setting my tank up I read thru Tom Murphy’s (aka WaterKeeper) So you got a new fish tank Newbie thread and it really answered most of my questions. Kind of long but it was worth it to me. I would start doing some water changes to get the parameters in line if you haven’t started doing that. The link above goes directly to the area where Tom discusses the cycle. Taking your time is definitely the right approach. Post more pics and hope to see you at the meetings!!

Jay

benjabba · #7 01/04/2008, 12:06 PM

I would not add the fuge until the cycle is finished. But as soon after that as possible I would. It makes a big difference when you have a nice ball of cheato competing for nutrients with diatoms and nuissance algaes. Also that link Jay gave is really good. It has lots os useful information.

killingseed · #8 01/04/2008, 12:17 PM

welcome to RC and elpmas. nice tank! your have a lot of fun with it.

some long horn read if you havent read any info on them.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...?pcatid=68&N=0

Salty Sam · #9 01/04/2008, 03:51 PM

Welcome to the site. Nice tank, but research Cowfish....get hugemongous///is that a word? and love to eat Corals and Inverts.

Also watch your lighting period, you have intense lights and new saltwater. That can = mucho Algae!

Salty Sam · #10 01/04/2008, 03:53 PM

Sorry Ben, did'nt see your post re: Algae.

Salty Sam · #11 01/04/2008, 03:59 PM

Also, sexing Marine fish is not real easy as there is not a difference between male and female in alot of the fish we keep, and many will fight with each other when you try to pair them up.

Another good one to research.

nmnative · #12 01/04/2008, 10:13 PM

If you research clown fish, you can easily find information about why clown fish can change their gender. The female is usually bigger and if you plan to buy a pair, look for two clowns that are swimming around together. I paired my clown later and they took to each other right away. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of buying the second fish from PetCo and it died within a couple weeks. Good luck!

hporras · #13 01/04/2008, 10:57 PM

Thanks for the links to the cowfish information. Seeing as I want to keep corals I am going to need to rethink what I would like to have as a showpiece fish.

I noticed the next ELPMAS meeting is on the 20th. Does the location change each time and how often do you all meet? Any dues or other requirements?

Sam, as to the impending algae bloom, what do you suggest would be an appropriate time to run my lights while it cycles? Should I just shut them off, and then turn them on when? and for how long? As to a water change, half of what I have read recommends one before the algae bloom and the other half say to ride it out. Any suggestions from experience? Also, once the algae bloom hits should I constantly scrape and clean the glass or ride it out and wait until it is over?

As to fish pairs, it looks like love in the fish world is just as complicated as ours. I will keep an eye out for romantic pairs when shopping. Otherwise it seems like I will need to keep an eye out when they are on their first dates.

nmnative · #14 01/04/2008, 11:16 PM

LOL! We all know how first dates can go..... sometimes deadly!

strayvoltage · #15 01/04/2008, 11:41 PM

Welcome to the site. Your tank looks really nice, the aquascaping is cool. Keeps us updated on how it is going.

benjabba · #16 01/04/2008, 11:51 PM

IMO you do not need to run your lights at all right now. On my new tank I did not run any lights for almost 6 weeks. Then for the next 4 weeks I ran them sparingly. The tank is just over 3 months now and I have yet to do my first water change. In fact I will be doing my first water change this Sunday. This is just personal preferance and by no means a rule of thumb. Once my cycle was over, after 3 weeks, I put cheato in my fuge. I had a diatom outbreak for about 10 days. I have green algae now but nothing major. I attribute most of that to the cheato and the fuge. In the end though we all do what works for us and our tanks. Just my .02. Also are you using ro/di water. That will make a huge difference.

hporras · #17 01/05/2008, 12:56 AM

Thanks. The initial water was straight from the water hose along with Instant Ocean Sea Salt. The sand was Carib Sea - Bahama Oolite Live Sand. The sand, from what I was told, has some sort of preservative that caused my protein skimmer to go nuts. So I shut it off. I was told and have read that it is not necessary during the initial cycling. The water, salt, sand, then rock was all tossed in at the same time. To replace evaporation, and with the 120mm Ice Cap Fan there is plenty of evaporation, I am using purified water from the Water Windmill, the ones where you take your 5 gallon jug and get it filled for $1. I know it utilizes reverse osmosis but I am not sure about deionization.

I think I will continue cycling without lights and if I do not need to change the water even better. It has been 27 days now, so let’s see how much longer this goes on. There is a barely noticeable brown haze starting to develop on some of the rock, but my ammonia and nitrites are still through the roof. I already ordered my fuge and it should be in within the week. Once the cycle ends I’ll attach it and get it fired up.

When you started to run the lights, did you run all of them or just the actinic, and how do you define sparingly?

killingseed · #18 01/05/2008, 01:07 AM

as a showpiece fish, there are many option and i am sure may of us here can give some sujection on what our show fish might be. first i like to say resreach and thought should always count for a choose. can also depand on cost.

derf angelfish; some can be very nice but caution should be taken they can pick on some corals. for me its the flame angelfish.

Super Rare African Flame head hybrid angelfish
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden...1080&siteid=20

http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/ang...denpygmyangel/

a nice eel
some can go for a nice price, some are cheeper. would need to think about rock work and make more secure if anything.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden...3587&siteid=20

as well as some small fish out there can be very preity to look at and watch them dart acoss a tank. may need to secure top of tank may jump.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden...3489&siteid=20

http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/dam...mis/garabaldi/

http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/ant...tlettsanthias/

Angler; fun to have fish , with caution, will eat smaller fish and inverts but could be house with corals and larger fish.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...fm?pCatId=1684

http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/anglers/

you could make up a list of fish you might consider and research tem to help make a good selection for a showpiece fish.

benjabba · #19 01/05/2008, 10:34 AM

That is good that you are using RO/DI now. Although they are not known for the purest water around I think it is much better then just tap. If you have the extra money I would order an RO/DI unit for you house. You can get a really good one for $250 or even much less.

Once I started running my lights I only turned on my T-5's at first. And I was only running them for about 4 hours a day. I worked up to about 7 hours a day. Then after 2 weeks I starting with the halides. The same thing I started with about 4 hours a day. After about 6 weeks total I had my T-5's on for 9 hours a day and my halides on for 8. What really helps you do this are timers. This may not be the perfect way to get a tank used to intense lighting but it worked for me. I have heard some people say they take shorter or longer periods of time to do the same thing. FYI this process should be repeated, for me over a shorter period of time since I am not very patient, when you replace your bulbs. Good Luck.

Salty Sam · #20 01/05/2008, 01:17 PM

I agree with Ben 100% on the lighting period or something close and water changes in about 3 months....want to let the beneficial bacteria get populated before we start taken them out via water changes.

WaterKeeper · #21 01/09/2008, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Very nice setup! When I first started setting my tank up I read thru Tom Murphy’s (aka WaterKeeper) So you got a new fish tank Newbie thread and it really answered most of my questions. Kind of long but it was worth it to me.

Then again you can get my Reader's Digest Condenced version at-

Water
Tank Selection
Lights
and by one of my favorite staff officers-
Sumps

at ease!

killingseed · #22 01/09/2008, 06:39 PM

nice to see you here WaterKeeper, havent seen any post from you in a long time, sorry some hang in the other forums you do but alwas great reads!

WaterKeeper · #23 01/09/2008, 06:46 PM

Thanks

The keepers only let me out on occasion.

jmait769 · #24 01/09/2008, 06:49 PM

Yes thanks Tom! Boy, I hope you don’t remember all the dumb questions I asked a few years ago!! But it has paid off here’s a recent pic of my tank:

Jay

hporras · #25 01/09/2008, 09:34 PM

I started reading the Newbie thread a bit ago. I am up to page 15 of the 47. The advice is great and the Star Wars and Harry Potter references have me practically falling out of the chair. Unfortunately I have to work in order to pay for my new hobby...oh, yeah and provide for my family.

I still wait patiently for the cycle to complete. My ammonia is still spiked at 8.0 and nitrites are also still spiked a 5.0, as a matter of fact none of the readings have changed. So, no algae bloom yet. One good thing is that the flow of money out of my wallet has slowed down a bit. Well, at least the monies that were going to the aquarium have slowed. The book stores are still making a killing off me.

I look forward to when I start dropping money on fish, invert's, and coral. I wonder if this is considered a hobby, or addiction? I haven’t even gotten this one going and I already know exactly where I will put my 300 gallon aquarium when we eventually remodel our home. Much to my wife’s dismay. Yep, can’t even count on an intervention for this habit. Because all my friends and family want one now! Nothing better than a happy junkie with potential junkie friends and family!