rock stacking question??

[kase]

ok i just got a new set of lr and they are nearly ready to be put into the tank but i got a question. on the set up but this might be a stupid one..i have a 29g and 175watt mh and 65 actinic, the light are 8" off the suface, with this in mind how high would you stack the rocks up tp the top. yesh i am going to do sps and lps on the bottom. for flow i have the intake and maxjet 1200. i am planning to pick more frag of sps, i dunno on what to get yet, denpending on the rock stach and coral placement..so is that a stupid question???....let know what you guys think on what i should do...thanks...kase:rolleye1: :confused: :mixed:

[crp]

I would leave at least 4 inches from the top of the water to make sure you have good circulation on top.

Carrie

[kase]

for that and coral growth too rite??

[crp]

How much live rock you putting in the tank. I would make sure you have enough room on all side and the top so your water circulates well. You also don't want to put corals too high were they'll grow out of the water. What are you plans? What corals and fish?

Carrie

[kase]

mostly sps and lps. about 35+ lbs it that bumas(spelling)..for fish yellow tang and two green cromis and no other plans to add more.. 2 frog spawn. for the sps i can't name them all...lol

[crp]

You going to have a problem with the yellow tang in a 29g.

[kase]

i know..i heard it b4...nothing mean crp but i trade them in when it get to big for the tank..don't worry..it my favor fish of all time..dunno why..i guess it the color..

[Stephany]

I know you have heard it before, but you know that everyone is looking out for the fish.
I know you think relationship or ratio-wise it's not too big, but it's quite significant for a fish that is so active.
These are some great alternatives you may want to consider, that are beautiful yellow coloration, and would be much better suited for your tank, especially in a 29 high.
http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20040331211203/www.liveaquaria.com/images/products/large/p_89562.jpg

http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20051020225432/www.liveaquaria.com/images/products/large/pw71718canary_blenny_fiji.jpg

http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20040331211124/www.liveaquaria.com/images/products/large/pw_70080bicolor_blackmouth_chr.jpg

http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/marinedepotlive_1884_23533977

[kase]

i disagree with what you are saying. most scientist recommend that you keep them in a bigger tank but is not proven 100% that they are not happy. my tang seem to be very happy with the environment that he is in. i had him over a year and he eat and swim around very happily.

[parkavenuereef]

Hi kase, one thing you have to keep in mind is that everyones setup varies and has a different cause and effect of live stock, success etc. For example a well stacked 29 might house a tang well, as opposed to a not so well stacked tank. It all depends on the setup. Trial and error is usually the way you find out. So what works for one might not work for teh other no matter what you do. As for a tang in a 29, i wouldn't recommend it, but it your tank do what you want with it, just keep in mind it is living being that your subjecting your test to, so treat him as you would anyone else. Good luck with the stack, oh yea if you doing sps, stack it high like maybe 4-5 from the surface. I recently re did my stack like this and my sps is taking off and the color is deeper since the restack. hope this helps ya.. Tony

[Stephany]

1. I really like PCIALF's rock stack. A lot of it seems pushed to the back, and that does free up space. (Don't tell him I told you)
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=137388&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500

2. My rock stack after messing with it for hours (was too cloudy for me to see) is at this point. I have a 30 gallon. It's difficult with 12" front to back because there is the difficulty in creating depth.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/Steffcia/Tank/FullTank2-22.jpg

3. Scientists can say "healthy" or "unhealthy" that's about it. It would be nearly impossible to prove "not happy" scientifically.

4. It's kind of like buying a greyhound puppy when you live in an apt. and that you'll trade him back when he gets too big.

Good luck.

[fat-tony]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6789166#post6789166 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kase
i disagree with what you are saying. most scientist recommend that you keep them in a bigger tank but is not proven 100% that they are not happy. my tang seem to be very happy with the environment that he is in. i had him over a year and he eat and swim around very happily.

OK, i'm not one to harp on the whole tang/tank size thing.

Over the past several weeks, I watched a yellow tang in 2 different large environments. The tang was housed in a 125 gallon temporarily that was fairly mature as far as growth on rocks to pick at. After, he was moved to his permanent home that was a 90 gallon that had TONS of macroalgae growth. He did nothing but pick at those rocks in both tanks and still fed heavily on nori. To me, wating him pick/choose what to eat and roam freely gives the impression that he's happy where he's at.

I know he's not going to starve in your setup, but I don't think a 29 can provide him the food selection/room he needs to be truly happy. I can't tell you that with 100% certainty, but is it really worth the risk?

[Gary Majchrzak]

don't ever get one of these Damsels!
http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20040331211124/www.liveaquaria.com/images/products/large/pw_70080bicolor_blackmouth_chr.jpg

[Arik]

I don't like acting as the tang police either, but yellows grow VERY fast, and a silver dollar sized juvenile grows several inches in it's first year. Forget the fact that it is way too small of territory for the fish, it is going to get aggressive towards it's other tankmates as it competes for space and also cause water quality issues since it is going to create a large amount of waste compared to the total tank volume. Avoid the headache and stock fish that you can accomodate for their entire lives.

[Kent E]

Gary beat me to it! My sister has that yellow thing with the grey stripes and HATES it and can not catch it.

[Kent E]

My experience with yellow tangs was that if two were in the 120 it was certain death for one. I tried a couple times (I know I shouldn't have, I learned the hard way).

After going with the larger tank, the yellow tangs school. There is no problem at all, and both are quite large now. I think they are far more agreesive in tight quarters, perhaps its some kind of closterphobia.

[Arik]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6790811#post6790811 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kent E
I think they are far more agreesive in tight quarters, perhaps its some kind of closterphobia.

It's their instincts at work---they know (in the wild) how much territory they need to be able to graze on the rocks to survive. They form schools so that they can better defend their territories from other invading schools (among other reason). In aquariums, the territory is so small the fish are likely thinking that they aren't going to have enough food for themselves, let alone others, so they are defending their food source.

[PCIALF]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6789612#post6789612 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Stephany
1. I really like PCIALF's rock stack. A lot of it seems pushed to the back, and that does free up space. (Don't tell him I told you)
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=137388&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500

Thanks!
:)

You new stack looks very good also! I like the ledges!

[kase]

i know about tang i had many in the past..like i say once he is too big for the tang i simply trade him/her in for a smaller one. the tang is the only "BIG" fish in the tank..tankmate are 2 green cromis that are 3/4" big maybe smaller..the tang is about 1.5 long and same taller..but i feed them twince a day prime reef frozen,mysis and dry prime reef for nori and algea. my tangs is getting FAT...but he look kvery happy..all my fish eat out of my hand.. my going to stack the rock as highest i can going leaving about 3-4" to the top..and we see from there...but thanks kent for the comment on those damsel.....if you had them you should already know...

[silkchaos]

I'll tell you I got a hippo tang in a 55, bought it under the "I'm gonna get a bigger tank soon" theory. I am moving to my 125 in a couple weeks, but I will tell you he doesn't seem as happy as hippo tangs I have seen in bigger tanks. On the same note, he isn't miserable (or all that big), and does seem to enjoy himself. I just can't wait to see him in the bigger tank.

It sounds like kase is trying to keep the fish he loves in a condition that isn't to bad for the tang. Treats it well, when it starts gettign to big, he finds it a better home. Not ideal, but allows him to keep what he likes in a somewhat-acceptable situation.

Kase - I just look forward to the day you can upgrade - a 55 or 75 would let you keep one and watch it keep growing, and that has been an immense amount of fun so far for me..

[kase]

yes a plan to upgrade is in order...to what i have no clue..i been watching and learning on the big tank forum..but it still up in the air on what size..65g-125g on what my money issue going to be, but try to save some so i can get the biggest one i can....but yes it a sad time for me when i have to trade him/her in...i had say 4 in the past 3-4 years..but it good for who ever get it...i had this guy for a year now, since he was .5" big...

[Sparkysreef]

Hey kase. I thought you were asking a rock stacking question? I was looking for info on this but guess I ended up in a tang police thread?
Can someone please direct me to the topic of the original question

[bigkev76]

Personally, I find that about 2/3 of the height of most any aquarium is a good height to go. It leaves some room for corals to grow and fish to swim. Obviously you want as many caves or grotto's as possible for more active fish to swim. ( I probably shouldn't mention that I previously housed a small sailfin as well as a small yellow tang in a 20 high for over 2 years together before moving them to larger quarters. No problems with either, ie: ich, blackspot, lateral line disease, etc.) Sorry tang police:-)

[kase]

sparkyreef,
i end up get some buna(spelling) LR and stack up about 3/4 of the tank, with lots of caves and flat top spots for frags..well if you see buna LT you see what i am talking about..CF has some now.