SO much knowledge

[OneThunder]

I'm a newbie and I'm trying to learn all the things needed to know about tanks, fish, equipment, coral.....Can anyone recommend a few good books? I'm not sure about the acronyms that you all use for the equipment, my husband just bought me a saltwater tank for Christmas at Ocean Treasures. He just got the filter the guy said we needed. It's clear plastic, it has a chamber with a lot of blue balls.....is that outdated? ( I was floored, it cost more than the tank and stand) Now that we have a few fish, we purchased a protein skimmer from Coral Reef at $150. It really seems to be doing the job, lots of yuck collecting in that little chamber at the top. I have a wonderful yellow belly dog face puffer but wish i could have a reef tank also. Do you guys have meetings in the Toledo area? Are there shows to attend? Thanks for all the information (and entertainment) :D [IMG]http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/117273Spot.jpg[IMG]

[Dubbin1]

Well since you have a puffer that pretty much kills your chance of having a reef tank or any inverts (no snails, crabs, shrimp, or anemones) since the puffer will have them for a snack. You already found the best source for information right here on RC. Just read and ask any questions that come up and I'm sure you will get tons of answers.

[Dubbin1]

Oh I forgot to answer you about the wet/dry sump. I hate to be the one to tell you this but wet/drys are pretty much a thing of the past. You can still use it but make sure you take all of the bio balls out as they are nitrate traps. Puffers are very messy fish so you will want to make sure you keep your water quality up to snuff by doing water changes (10g every week or two).

[hllywd]

:lol:
Spot... that's funny :D I think he looks more like Old Yeller:lol:

Dwayne's right RC's the place to get answers for your questions, just remember the only dumb one is the one you don't ask...:cool:

Sounds like you're up and running but you need to decide what king of tank you want and select your animals appropriately. Marine Fishes and Marine Invertebrates would be helpful in that respect...

[Andrew]

Do you guys have meetings in the Toledo area?

Try the Toledo reef club :)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=1000&forumid=388

[Dubbin1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6786859#post6786859 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hllywd
Marine Fishes and Marine Invertebrates would be helpful in that respect...

BTW those are the names of a couple books ;)

[OneThunder]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6786805#post6786805 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dubbin1
Oh I forgot to answer you about the wet/dry sump. I hate to be the one to tell you this but wet/drys are pretty much a thing of the past. You can still use it but make sure you take all of the bio balls out as they are nitrate traps. Puffers are very messy fish so you will want to make sure you keep your water quality up to snuff by doing water changes (10g every week or two).

Do you mean take them out and clean them often or take them out completely? Spot is rather messy, but the rest of the crew: clown fish, cowfish, keyhole angel, and two gobys usually scarf up when he leaves.
Speaking of food.....I have some sand eels (frozen) that I purchased when I had an anenome (before Spot) - can I feed those to my puffer fish??? I hesitate to ask a store owner-after reading about all the misinformation that you folks have gotten.

So..... IF later this year I can talk my hubby into another tank I'm thinking I should put a small one in the bedroom for Spot and turn my 75 into a "reef". :D

Thanks again for the advice....I'm going to do an internet search and try to get that book.....

[Dubbin1]

Yes take the bio balls out and leave them out. I would guess that the puffer will eat the frozen eels but you will want to feed it some kind of shellfish to help keep its teeth ground down. Spot will not be very happy in a tank much smaller then what you have him in now so please don't stuff him into a smaller tank.

[MACDad]

I also have a wet/dry sump. The bioballs have been in it for atleast 1-2 years. No nitrate issues to date, but I have a low flow(<100 gph) refugium with chaeto. Chaeto is growing like crazy and nitrates are 0! If you don't have a lot of live rock, you may need the wet/dry. Just make sure you have somewhere for the biological to live.

Fred

[hllywd]

A bunch of live rock in the tank will make the bio-balls uneccessary.
BTW those are the names of a couple books

I guess I didn't make that terribly clear did I....:cool:

dtails... details...:rolleyes:

:D

[OneThunder]

A bunch of live rock in the tank will make the bio-balls uneccessary.


:D

I have about 50 pounds or more live rock (it's been perculating since end of December) green and brown algae.

[skippysmind]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6787067#post6787067 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dubbin1
Spot will not be very happy in a tank much smaller then what you have him in now so please don't stuff him into a smaller tank.

Yes, please don't or you will soon have the Puffer police in your back :)

[bigbenji]

You might want to find a way to add carbon somewhere in your wet-dry. I've read that the cowfish is toxic and can kill off the entire tank (including itself). I don't know if the carbon will be enough to prevent it, but its certainly something you should read up on.

a few more resources
www.wetwebmedia.com/
www.michiganreefers.com/

About asking questions, go ahead and ask anything. These guys will answer your questions, throw in a wisecrack, and change topic with every post. Oh, and they love using crazy smilies.
:blown:

[hllywd]

Heck I don't know anything about puffers but I slept at the Holiday Inn Exp...... errrrr I mean the FFD last night....
:D

[Dubbin1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6790293#post6790293 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hllywd
Heck I don't know anything about puffers but I slept at the Holiday Inn Exp...... errrrr I mean the FFD last night....
:D

Speaking of the FFD, the next time you call me from there please don't stand so close to the alarm when it goes off :eek2:

[hllywd]

:lol:
I'll do my best!!!:lol:

[bigbenji]

I said they go off topic, right? Don't forget the smilies :lolspin:

[hllywd]

Topic? Shmopic...
I think it's time for me to say... So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night, I hate to go and leave this pretty sight
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu
Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu
....:cool:

[Dubbin1]

Denny Crane

[MBuck]

[welcome]

HI! I was reading your post, and these guys, as silly as they can be, are correct about your Spot....

I am in process of buying a 180g for my predator tank.
Your puffer will reach a minimum of 15 inches at his/her adult length. A 75g aquarium is only 18" deep.... not gonna give the big guy much turning around room, especially with LR in there...


For all the research I have done on the dog-faced puffer, as that's the one I want, or the Panda puffer, they will require a minimum of 100+ gallon tank at maturity.
Please do make sure you feed him a few times a week with something that has a shell, shrimp with shell and tail still on, 1/2 clam, oyster, or buy some snails. If their teeth get too long they cannot open their mouth far enough to get food in...and you will then have to use a dremel to grind them down... I have never done this, but have read about it, does not sound fun!!

Puffers will also consume any crustacean they can get in their mouths, not limited to snails, crabs, shrimps... they also chew on corals, hence the comment of no reef tank since you already have the puffer..
they can and will consume small fish, and are prone to nip at fins of certain fish..

Not trying to downgrade the fact that you have a puffer, just want you to be aware of the thing's they are capable of, and that come naturally to them. Actually, I am little jealous! Wish I had mine already!!;)

I hope this helps a little with your new hobby, I think the puffer is an excellent choice, however there is much to learn about what they can/can't be with, tankmates, corals, inverts, etc

Have fun! Keep asking questions!!

[Dubbin1]

I miss my puffer but knowing that he went to a bigger and better home makes me happy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/dubbin1/100_0833.jpg

[bigbenji]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6790483#post6790483 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hllywd
Topic? Shmopic...
I think it's time for me to say... So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night, I hate to go and leave this pretty sight
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu
Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu
....:cool:


no I got that song in my head, sheeesh

raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
take that:lol:


Can you show us pics of your setup?

[OneThunder]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6790630#post6790630 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MBuck
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

HI! I was reading your post, and these guys, as silly as they can be, are correct about your Spot....

I am in process of buying a 180g for my predator tank.
Your puffer will reach a minimum of 15 inches at his/her adult length. A 75g aquarium is only 18" deep.... not gonna give the big guy much turning around room, especially with LR in there...


For all the research I have done on the dog-faced puffer, as that's the one I want, or the Panda puffer, they will require a minimum of 100+ gallon tank at maturity.
Please do make sure you feed him a few times a week with something that has a shell, shrimp with shell and tail still on, 1/2 clam, oyster, or buy some snails. If their teeth get too long they cannot open their mouth far enough to get food in...and you will then have to use a dremel to grind them down... I have never done this, but have read about it, does not sound fun!!

Puffers will also consume any crustacean they can get in their mouths, not limited to snails, crabs, shrimps... they also chew on corals, hence the comment of no reef tank since you already have the puffer..
they can and will consume small fish, and are prone to nip at fins of certain fish..

Not trying to downgrade the fact that you have a puffer, just want you to be aware of the thing's they are capable of, and that come naturally to them. Actually, I am little jealous! Wish I had mine already!!;)

I hope this helps a little with your new hobby, I think the puffer is an excellent choice, however there is much to learn about what they can/can't be with, tankmates, corals, inverts, etc

Have fun! Keep asking questions!!


I understand. I guess I'm going to have to plan on a bigger tank in the future. Not that this is one my more expensive hobbies over the years....
Where do you guys get the clams, etc? Can I buy frozen shrimp at say, Kroger and feed it to him? (defrpsted of course).
I have been looking at the smaller tanks, I think they call them "nano" tanks, but I understand you have to change out the water a couple of times a week with those...

My puffer has been quite docile....but I did have to deep six an aggressive damsel that bit the horn off of my cow fish....

now about the carbon...
what do I ask for and where do I put it...(I'm still having nightmares about the filter overflowing .....)
Also, is there a device available that can switch your tank over to battery power in case you loose electricity? (especially if you are on vacation and have someone watching your house....) There I go again, imagining the worst.....

and while I am thinking of it, what do you recommend to clean the outside of the glass? I read that you can't use chemicals so I have been wetting a paper towel with tap water and wiping it down followed by a dry paper towel....

Thanks everyone so much...
:rolleyes:

[MACDad]

To clean the outside of the glass, I use the same. Just a spray bottle filled with tap water and a couple paper towels. It does a good job on the milk splatter from the sippy cups and the snotty nose prints (also from the kids) :D

I have heard of plans out there for a UPS backup system and a car battery for power outages, but I don't think you can run a whole tank on that. Probably just a power head and maybe a heater. Might be worth looking into. Or, you could go with a whole house generator powered by natural gas (might be a little more expensive than you planned to spend for a fish tank though).

[zaireguy]

hmmma tusk would be really cool swimming around .mbuck in your 180.If you remove the bio balls due half one water change then the other half next time not to shock the system since you only have 50 lbs of rock

you can get aquarium cleaner at walmart cheap and safe to clean the out side of the glass or order something from online.Like dwayne said you need to keep a puffers teeth worn down or you will have to trim them and Iam sure not many people want to try it I have seen it done once

[MBuck]

You can use the clams, squid, shrimp etc, from the grocery, you just want to make sure that they are raw, not cooked.

You can also order them online, as frozen fish food, I believe the gamma food line, correct me if I am wrong, carries alot of stuff, in shell. It also come in a couple different sizes for smaller crustacean eating fish.

Zaireguy, I have my stocking list for my 180....gonna try the volitans w/ the puffer, magnificent Lo, and I want one of them there EELS like Dwayne's got!!!:eek1:

I'm getting an like Dwayne'sI'm getting an like Dwayne'sI'm getting an like Dwayne'sI'm getting an like Dwayne'sI'm getting an like Dwayne'sI'm getting an like Dwayne'sI'm getting an like Dwayne's!!

Debating on a large tang or angel, the tusk would not be a bad fish, may have to do some reading on them!!

You can buy a regular carbon filter, marinleand, or emporer, just remove the bio-wheels off of it, and hang it off the back-side of your tank, or sump. I have always heard the Black Diamond carbon was good. Just make sure you rinse the cartridges really well before you put it on your tank.

You can also use this on the side of your Qt tank, after a couple weeks, and it will add bacteria to your Qt too, so that you have it ready for new fish...

As far as the power backup, I currently don't have naything...we some wind a couple weeks ago, and the power was off and back on about 16 times in 3 hours....I have a ventless propane heater about 6 ft from my tank, so the temp wasn't so much of a concern, but i did lose water movement in the tank, no overflows, Thank goodness, as I have built-in overflows on my cube, and allow enough room for the back siphon.
I would think in an outage you would definitley need your heater, and at least one power head going. I would think a car battery inverter would be enough for that.

I know that my brother uses one back at his campsite for the radio, and I think it lasted about 6 hours on a full battery, and the radio was at maximum loudness!! We also hooked up a karoke sytem to one, and used it without any problems for about 4 1/2 hours....

I guess you could always have a spare battery, in case you needed to switch them out!


I think your 75g would make an awesome reef tank....I know that you're looking for something smaller, and you are correct the nano's do require alot more care, and precise water params, I satrted with a 20g long, and wish I would've started with a bigger tank.... I killed a couple clowns, and two chromis before I realized I didn't know what I was doing!~

HTH!! Send some pics of Spot, as I wasn't able to view the first one, would love to see what he looks like!!

Sorry for the long-winded post! Happy Reefing!~

[Dubbin1]

nah nah nnah nah :p

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/dubbin1/PICT2160.jpg

[MBuck]

Hey Dwayne,
Mr Eel doesn't know it, but he's practically a celebrity! That very pic has been to about 5 LFS's, and to my work, everyone thinks he's awesome!!! He could be a spokes"eel" for all the other eels out there!:D

BTW, Thanks for the pic, cuz half of these people don't know what I am talking about when I say spotted snake eel.....it has helped a bunch!

Sorry to rob the thread...... I just LOVE that eel:inlove: :inlove:

[Spuds725]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6787067#post6787067 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dubbin1
Yes take the bio balls out and leave them out. .

Don't take them all out at once if you remove them--- you can cause a new cycle...I had a home made wetdry with balls and removed them slowly about 8 every 3 days or so... took a few months to get rid of them, this allows the rock and sand to take up the bio-load....

You might want to keep them if you don't have enough rock...

[zaireguy]

did we get called silly somewhere? yup Dwayne has a killer snake.but he has bad tatse in b-ball :)

[miztic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6791365#post6791365 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OneThunder

I have been looking at the smaller tanks, I think they call them "nano" tanks, but I understand you have to change out the water a couple of times a week with those...


I used to run a 20 Gallon 'nano' tank for almost a year, I changed out about 2.5 gallons once a week, worked quite well, and I didn't even have a skimmer on it.
The main thing to watch with those small tanks is that evaporation changes the salinity much more than in a bigger tank, I used an automatic topoff which really helped with keeping the salinity stable.

[OneThunder]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6795092#post6795092 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spuds725
[ this allows the rock and sand to take up the bio-load....

You might want to keep them if you don't have enough rock... [/B]

SAND? I"M supposed to have sand in my tank???OMG. I just have about and inch of crushed coral (I think that is what he said it was) Can you buy the sand at the fish stores or do you get play sand at Walmart?
You know it's a wonder my fish are doing so well with me being so dumb about this stuff.......
:eek1:

[bigdaddyadam]

don't panic, some people like calcium based sand, and some people use crushed coral, as I do. they are essentially composed of the same material in a different particulate size. I have always run with crushed coral and did just fine.

however, when I move and set my tank back up I intend to replace the crushed coral with a sandbed to foster diversity and achieve a more realistic look. also I would like some sandbed benefits, but you can easily do that by attaching a Calfo "sandbed in a bucket"

and you really don't want play sand, you want what's called southdown sand. most important, make sure it is a calcium based sand and not a quartz based sand, which does no buffering and would probably scratch your tank up something fierce given that it has the same hardness as the quartz glass is made from.

[OneThunder]

[
HTH!! Send some pics of Spot, as I wasn't able to view the first one, would love to see what he looks like!!


http://www.motherearthmarketplace.net/SPOT.htm


I hope I did this right. This is my little darling begging for more food since all of you want me to stop feeding him so much....

:D

[Dubbin1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6795938#post6795938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bigdaddyadam

and you really don't want play sand, you want what's called southdown sand.

FYI Southdown IS play sand but it is impossible to find around here anymore.

[OneThunder]

[QUOTE]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6796337#post6796337 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OneThunder
[
HTH!! Send some pics of Spot, as I wasn't able to view the first one, would love to see what he looks like!!


http://www.motherearthmarketplace.net/SPOT.htm


I hope I did this right. This is my little darling begging for more food since all of you want me to stop feeding him so much....

:D [/QUOTEO\]

Oh crap. The picture isn't showing up. I posted my picture on my website then clicked on the image button and put the url in it. Whats wrong.

[Dubbin1]

Try this http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=531326

[OneThunder]

one last time...

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e16/OneThunder/spot.jpg

[OneThunder]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6796516#post6796516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dubbin1
Try this http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=531326

Thanks, DeWayne, you are a great friend to the newbies here.

[Dubbin1]

I'm going to have nightmares now because it looks like hes coming out of the water to get me http://smilies.mdsalih.com/jawdrop.gif

[skippysmind]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6795890#post6795890 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OneThunder
You know it's a wonder my fish are doing so well with me being so dumb about this stuff.......
:eek1:

Being uneducated in this hobby doesn't make you a dummy. We are ALL still learning in this hobby, the learning process never stops with the new technology arriving on the market everyday. I think everybody on here can agree that i'm actually one of the dumbest hobbyist yet, and if I can have a reef anybody can:)

[hllywd]

I think everybody on here can agree that i'm actually one of the dumbest hobbyist yet, and if I can have a reef anybody can

Hey I'll dispute that Jeff:D I like to think I'm surrounded by the masters...:thumbsup:

Help's not more than a couple blocks away!!!!:D :thumbsup:

[bigbenji]

uh, hello? I'm the one who buys things just because they look pretty. You'd think I would have learned my lesson. NO WAY!!!! :mixed:

[Dubbin1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6800849#post6800849 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bigbenji
uh, hello? I'm the one who buys things just because they look pretty. You'd think I would have learned my lesson. NO WAY!!!! :mixed:

I agree, Ben is the true big dummy :D J/K Benny boy :)

[bigbenji]

"My cup overfloweth with stupidity." - I just came up with that, haha

[zaireguy]

talk about being stupid I am the one that bought a new tank and have to pay the water bill <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSYYYYYYDGUS' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_1_25.gif' alt='Scared 1' border=0></a>

[hllywd]

Talk to the nice firemen (firepersons in Bucyrus...:D ) maybe they'll come fill your pool...:D

[zaireguy]

hey that`s a idea