NaClFinatic's 90 Gallon Reef - Page 5

NaClFinatic · 12-06-2007, 10:04 PM

...yeah Carmie, I'm sure they will. They already replaced the motor and prop on my 6025 because it wasn't quite right either. On the early units the shaft came free. I used to be all for these and they will be a great product when all the kinks get worked out. But for now I would recommend a Koralia (though I have not actually tried one out yet).

NaClFinatic · 12-06-2007, 10:04 PM

New Frags!

I picked up a couple new frags last night...

The photots don't do this thing justice. It is so bright green even in daylight.

Under the actinics it shows a little better in the photo.

**CarmieJo** · 12-08-2007, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaClFinatic

...yeah Carmie, I'm sure they will. They already replaced the motor and prop on my 6025 because it wasn't quite right either. On the early units the shaft came free. I used to be all for these and they will be a great product when all the kinks get worked out. But for now I would recommend a Koralia (though I have not actually tried one out yet).

I recently got two Koralia 2's (from koralia) and I am very pleased with them. They move a ton of water and I've not had the first bit of trouble.

NaClFinatic · 12-18-2007, 10:04 PM

I posted a pic of a tiny snail I found last week in another thread ( Tiny Snail ID )and have since seen up to five at once so I am sure there are more of them. I believe theses must be hitch hikers.

But what I really am excited about is finding a baby cerith snail. I spotted it last night on the glass and a hermit was happening by and knoed it off while using it as a foot hold. But I saw it again tonight and got a decent pic. Anyway I was a little worried because I havn't seem my cerith population around as much. But the last couple days I have seen a little more of them. I am thinking with the algae outbreak (since adding the refugium) that they may just be finding easy eats and quickly head back to rest under the sand.

(Its about 1/4")

**CarmieJo** · 12-18-2007, 11:50 PM

Nice picture. My cereiths hide all the time too.

NaClFinatic · 12-19-2007, 11:08 PM

First Fish!

My first fish just six months in. I was actually planning to wait a couple more months but just couldn't. I felt that wiht my fuge running that I have enough pods to suport my favorite fish... a mandarin. I know there are plenty of copepods because if I dont clean the glass for a day or two there are plenty of them on there. I actually got him two weeks ago when I got the frags but dint get a decent pic until yesterday. He spends most of his time weaving around the rock work and is usually in the shadows. He seems happy and healthty as far as I can tell. There is no noticable hit in the copepod population either.

It is a male mandarin because the first spine on his dorsal fin is longer than the rest (can't see it in the photo). Two male mandarins can't be kept together becasue they will fight. It is normally advisable to wait longer than I did to ensure a solid copepod population as that is usually their sole diet. It is also advised to have at least a 75 gallon tank and a refugium.

**CarmieJo** · 12-20-2007, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaClFinatic

First Fish!

My first fish just six months in. I was actually planning to wait a couple more months but just couldn't. I felt that wiht my fuge running that I have enough pods to suport my favorite fish... a mandarin. I know there are plenty of copepods because if I dont clean the glass for a day or two there are plenty of them on there. I actually got him two weeks ago when I got the frags but dint get a decent pic until yesterday. He spends most of his time weaving around the rock work and is usually in the shadows. He seems happy and healthty as far as I can tell. There is no noticable hit in the copepod population either.

It is a male mandarin because the first spine on his dorsal fin is longer than the rest (can't see it in the photo). Two male mandarins can't be kept together becasue they will fight. It is normally advisable to wait longer than I did to ensure a solid copepod population as that is usually their sole diet. It is also advised to have at least a 75 gallon tank and a refugium.

I love mandarins! I think that you are in a different set of circumstances that the "average" hobbyist. After 6 months you are just adding your first fish.

NaClFinatic · 12-20-2007, 01:38 PM

There is a great article from Borneman that greatly influenced me. It describes really taking your time to establish a tank. This includes lots of cycle time (2+ months) getting coral established first and then finally adding fish. The tank woudnt be fully stocked for a year or more. I must have the link at home. I will check for it later.

NaClFinatic · 12-20-2007, 10:29 PM

Found it here...

The Building of a Reef (tank)

It is actually referenced on TR where I first found it! Thanks Gwen.
what order to add livestock

NaClFinatic · 12-21-2007, 08:39 PM

Here's another little snail I found. I actually think he may have come along on my first live rock months ago and was about half the size then. It is 3/8" long. I was afraid it might be a bumble bee snail because the stripes look yellow. But bumble bee snails have much broader stripes and are not shaped quite like ceriths. I believe this is some varity of cerith.

**CarmieJo** · 12-22-2007, 01:11 AM

Bumblebees have a snorkel and it doesn't look like there is one on this snail.

NaClFinatic · 01-12-2008, 11:27 AM

New Fish and Frag
Last night I was near the LFS and had to pick up some salt and snails. I also found a green birdsnest frag and a yellow tang. The birds nest is a pale color with bright green polyps. I hope it grows as fast as my other one as it is much smaller. I am excited about the tang also. It looks great in the tank though I only got him in with the actinics. (BTW, this is not something I would ever recommend to anyone. Good quarrantine practices would be much safer when adding new specimens. I have just been so busy lately that I know they will be better off in the more stable main tank.) The unfortunate thing is that my wife went away with some girlfirends this weekend and took the camera with her. So I will have to wait until next week for pictures. The tang is nice size maybe around 3". The birdsnest has two main stalks about 1.5" each. The polyps came out immediately once I put it into the tank. But then a peppermint shimp kept picking at parts of it.

NaClFinatic · 01-13-2008, 10:49 PM

**CarmieJo** · 01-14-2008, 11:57 PM

David, he looks nice! Yellow tangs always remind me of a sunny day!

NaClFinatic · 01-20-2008, 10:35 PM

All doing well, especially the red slime

The fish are doing well. The mandarin seems much more comfortable coming out of the rockwork with another fish around. And the tang seems great.

On another note my red slime cyano bacteria seems to be getting worse. And I'm sure now adding nori for the tang is helping that! I have been feeding a little more lately and slacking on water changes. Ouch, that'll do it. So I will be starting siphoning and chaning water more. I was looking into chemi-clean, but doesn't seem like the best idea. I may try it if the siphoning doesn't work so well. I have tried to get some off with a scraper occasionally and most doesn't come off too well.