to-be mandarin home

fishyfish22 · 08/24/2011, 08:55 PM

i want to buy a mandarin but have no copepods yet. i am hoping to get some chaeto and a 5 gallon tank or something like that. if anyone in palatine has a samll light clip-on or something like that they don't need can i please be contacted? i am 14 and my parent's don't like to drive out of palatine for my fish. if somebody has any of the following materials they don't need can i please be contacted?
small see through tank/bucket, something for the pods to breed
chaeto
copepods
small cheap light that can keep the chaeto alive
long air-line tubing or 2 5 foot ones

thanks. if you ahve any of these please pm me. i have a 125 gallon i hope to populate with copepods so that 2 months from now i can have my first dragonet. i have everything worked out. the tank will be a breeding ground for the pods, i will split the chaeto. half in my tank half in the breeding tank. the pods willalso be split in half. one tube will go from breeder to display, and one from display to breeder. that way there will be constant circulation and new pods will be in the tank. i have a lot of live rock so i am ready. please pm if you have any f these. if you have all, then i would be delighted. i can't have the live things until the materials are gathered. even before i had a reef tank, having a mandarin was my dream for years. i enjoy everything about them. my tank has all the things necessery. 3"thick sand bed, 130+ lb of lr. pm please. i'm sorry, but i may need to meet somewhere if you live too far.

DaveWF · 08/24/2011, 10:03 PM

FWIW, I picked up a 6500k CFL bulb at Walmart for my chaeto and it grows like gangbusters. Best of luck finding all your stuff!
From what I've heard, I believe 2 months is much too quick for pods to breed to mandarin levels, but perhaps you'll be lucky

SkullV · 08/24/2011, 10:08 PM

You can not simply use air line to siphon water from the tank and back into the display. You will need something to pump water up to the refugium and an overflow for the refugium back to the display tank. Water can not siphon upwards.

Someone local to you already offered you chaeto, live sand, and rock rubble in your other thread.

You are basically looking to create a refugium.

om84 · 08/24/2011, 11:16 PM

An easy cheap alternative I can think of is to use one of those breeder net boxes and hook it inside your display. Put chaeto in there and make sure enough flow runs through it. This way you don't need any extra lighting as the chaeto will grow with your current lighting. I'd imagine you'd have a decent pod population within the chaeto. If you use a net that has large enough holes for pods to get out but not allow any fish in I think you'd have a nice source of pods. And I agree with Dave that you'll need longer than 2 months to establish a population for a fish like a mandarin. Give it time buddy. With patience you'll learn a lot and have more success. Good luck.

SkullV · 08/24/2011, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by om84

An easy cheap alternative I can think of is to use one of those breeder net boxes and hook it inside your display. Put chaeto in there and make sure enough flow runs through it. This way you don't need any extra lighting as the chaeto will grow with your current lighting. I'd imagine you'd have a decent pod population within the chaeto. If you use a net that has large enough holes for pods to get out but not allow any fish in I think you'd have a nice source of pods. And I agree with Dave that you'll need longer than 2 months to establish a population for a fish like a mandarin. Give it time buddy. With patience you'll learn a lot and have more success. Good luck.

They even make "internal" refugium products for this, it's a great idea. If you can hide it behind your rocks in an area where light can hit it, another option is to drill a bunch of holes in a 1L water bottle and fill that with chaeto (remove label first).

Another option is to put a ball of chaeto in your overflow where you can't see it.

helitaiwan963 · 08/24/2011, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkullV

They even make "internal" refugium products for this, it's a great idea. If you can hide it behind your rocks in an area where light can hit it, another option is to drill a bunch of holes in a 1L water bottle and fill that with chaeto (remove label first).

Another option is to put a ball of chaeto in your overflow where you can't see it.

Ya, i don't remember where but I remember seeing a nice, simple DIY from somewhere where they went to Staples or office depot or something and bought these clear, storage boxes or something and just drilled a few holes in them and put it in their tank as a internal fuge. I think this would be your best bet fishyfish. Shouldn't be expesnive and half those things on your list wouldn't be needed anymore. Just the chaeto and get some copepod from mcf or something to make sure you do have some, instead of hoping you do in some chaeto.

tiababygirl2 · 08/25/2011, 05:01 AM

I used a clear shower caddy with suction cups,and placed under the filter so the water flows into it gets everything it needs..works awesome.if your interested i have a small one you can have ,but probably not worth driving here ,cheaper tojust find something closet to buy it ,best place is a shopko if theres one near you.

fishyfish22 · 08/25/2011, 06:10 PM

actually, one of those breeder nets sounds like a perfect idea. they are cheaper in total than other things. thanks.

08/24/2011, 08:55 PM	#1
fishyfish22 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: palatine Posts: 278	to-be mandarin home i want to buy a mandarin but have no copepods yet. i am hoping to get some chaeto and a 5 gallon tank or something like that. if anyone in palatine has a samll light clip-on or something like that they don't need can i please be contacted? i am 14 and my parent's don't like to drive out of palatine for my fish. if somebody has any of the following materials they don't need can i please be contacted? small see through tank/bucket, something for the pods to breed chaeto copepods small cheap light that can keep the chaeto alive long air-line tubing or 2 5 foot ones thanks. if you ahve any of these please pm me. i have a 125 gallon i hope to populate with copepods so that 2 months from now i can have my first dragonet. i have everything worked out. the tank will be a breeding ground for the pods, i will split the chaeto. half in my tank half in the breeding tank. the pods willalso be split in half. one tube will go from breeder to display, and one from display to breeder. that way there will be constant circulation and new pods will be in the tank. i have a lot of live rock so i am ready. please pm if you have any f these. if you have all, then i would be delighted. i can't have the live things until the materials are gathered. even before i had a reef tank, having a mandarin was my dream for years. i enjoy everything about them. my tank has all the things necessery. 3"thick sand bed, 130+ lb of lr. pm please. i'm sorry, but i may need to meet somewhere if you live too far.

08/24/2011, 10:08 PM	#3
SkullV They Got My Number Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 6,898	You can not simply use air line to siphon water from the tank and back into the display. You will need something to pump water up to the refugium and an overflow for the refugium back to the display tank. Water can not siphon upwards. Someone local to you already offered you chaeto, live sand, and rock rubble in your other thread. You are basically looking to create a refugium. __________________ -Ted- Be cautious of those willing to share their "knowledge" but not their results.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
night time behaviour of mandarins	fish guy	New to the Hobby	15	08/21/2010 09:05 PM
ORA Captive Bred Mandarins	The Reef Expert	Reef Fishes	2	04/12/2010 12:03 PM
Can I grab a Mandarin?	strike2867	Reef Discussion	1	04/02/2010 09:13 AM
Can I Have A Pair Of Green Mandarin Dragonets In a 55 Gallon With A Kicking Refugium?	WillLevantovsky	Reef Fishes	2	02/26/2010 07:57 PM
Tempted to get a Mandarin Goby	n72	New to the Hobby	26	02/06/2010 12:26 PM

08/24/2011, 10:03 PM	#2
DaveWF Moved On Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Lombard, IL Posts: 818	FWIW, I picked up a 6500k CFL bulb at Walmart for my chaeto and it grows like gangbusters. Best of luck finding all your stuff! From what I've heard, I believe 2 months is much too quick for pods to breed to mandarin levels, but perhaps you'll be lucky

08/24/2011, 11:16 PM	#4
om84 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 333	An easy cheap alternative I can think of is to use one of those breeder net boxes and hook it inside your display. Put chaeto in there and make sure enough flow runs through it. This way you don't need any extra lighting as the chaeto will grow with your current lighting. I'd imagine you'd have a decent pod population within the chaeto. If you use a net that has large enough holes for pods to get out but not allow any fish in I think you'd have a nice source of pods. And I agree with Dave that you'll need longer than 2 months to establish a population for a fish like a mandarin. Give it time buddy. With patience you'll learn a lot and have more success. Good luck.

08/25/2011, 05:01 AM	#7
tiababygirl2 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Northern Ill.{ Marengo} Posts: 1,739	I used a clear shower caddy with suction cups,and placed under the filter so the water flows into it gets everything it needs..works awesome.if your interested i have a small one you can have ,but probably not worth driving here ,cheaper tojust find something closet to buy it ,best place is a shopko if theres one near you.

08/25/2011, 06:10 PM	#8
fishyfish22 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: palatine Posts: 278	actually, one of those breeder nets sounds like a perfect idea. they are cheaper in total than other things. thanks.