55g Load (Let the Debate Begin)

[HalfShirt]

I know this one's gonna get me felony charges with the tang police, but here's to the underdogs who are in the hobby for enjoyment but (gasp) still manage to give fish a clean, good home. And before anyone jumps in and just says "Holy, you're a jerk!" please read the unbelievable story I'm about to recount, and recognize that I am not a tophatted villain twirling my moustache as I watch my fish die.

I've had my 55g running for 2 years. My parameters:

Amm: 0 - 0.1
Nitri: 0
Nitra: 10-20
Phos: 0.2
pH: 8.2
KH: norm/high

And my bioload:

Yellow Tang
Hippo Tang
Clown Trigger
Picasso Trigger
Juve. Porcupine
Niger Trigger
Foxface Lo
Coral Beauty
Maroon Clown
Longnose Hawk
Redlip Blenny
Cleaner Wrasse (eats frozen, flake and scales...guess what guys, I GOT LUCKY)
Skilletfish (2" clingfish)

Routine: daily skimmer cleaning, weekly pump cleaning, weekly sponge rinse, biweekly 15% water change with RO/DI 7-day aged water.

The only deaths I've had in this time were two jumpouts.

Let the friendly debate begin. No derogatory PMs please, they'll be reported.

[demeyer2]

Haha, that is alot of fish! If its working I won't say anything. Don't clown triggers get huge?
I just have a couple of questions,is this a FO or FOWLR? What kind of substrate are you using?

[Cosper]

OMG... this is going to get ugly.

[demeyer2]

Do you have any pictures?

[fragaholic]

I gotta see this! Pics please!!

[The Reefer91]

the bioload may not be the disaster you're expecting us to spot. what about the 3 triggers? the clown trigger i one of the most aggresive trigger species(not to mention HUGE) the niger trigger is relatively mild mannered. however, 3 triggers seems to be a disaster all by itself in anything under 100g. next up, the 2 tangs. tnags can be kept toggether yes, but in a tank that small no.(besides, the hippo tang grows up to 12") also, the redlip blenny's can be exceptionally mean in a small tank.
maroon clowns become real jerks once they mature.

now this might not happen all at once, but it will happen. the tangs will out grow the tank(in fact, most will outgrow the tank) if you're really attached to your fish, start pooping money, cause you'll need it.

now, on the bright side, well, i can't think of a bright side

hope it works out. probably won't IMO

[Wiskey]

Wow, what a first post!! But I won't beleive it until I see pics, it just does not seem that it would work without aggression .

Whiskey

[crpeck]

Originally posted by Cosper
OMG... this is going to get ugly.

Hopefully not if the rest of us have the sense not to get sucked into this by someone who has used their first post on RC to attempt to start a fight.

There is no question here seeking help or offer of helpful information for others. RC is supposed to be about exchange of help or ideas. There's no point getting involved on this one.

Good Luck with your tank, HalfShirt.

Welcome to Reef Central........ I think.

[The Reefer91]

LOL, wow, almost fell for it(well, i did, but oh well) good luck with that tank of yours halfshirt i'm sure it will turn out.............................................

[SDguy]

Originally posted by The Reefer91


now, on the bright side, well, i can't think of a bright side

Bright side = excellent reason for the 1000g room divider new tank

[Ritten]

Originally posted by SDguy
Bright side = excellent reason for the 1000g room divider new tank

LOL, your still setting up your 115 and dreaming of your 1000l! I feel your pain! :

[Cosper]

Originally posted by crpeck
Hopefully not if the rest of us have the sense not to get sucked into this by someone who has used their first post on RC to attempt to start a fight.

There is no question here seeking help or offer of helpful information for others. RC is supposed to be about exchange of help or ideas. There's no point getting involved on this one.

Good Luck with your tank, HalfShirt.

Welcome to Reef Central........ I think.

Ive just seen these threads get way out of control very quickly! I hate to see tanks put together like that as well.

[crpeck]

You're SO right Cosper!

I wasn't disagreeing with you, only hoping that it wouldn't happen this time if we refused to take the bait.

[SDguy]

Originally posted by kellierick
LOL, your still setting up your 115 and dreaming of your 1000l! I feel your pain! :

Actually for the amount of money it would cost to set up AND maintain a tank of that size....I'd rather take a yearly week long dive trip to Fiji, Indonesia, etc. and see all those fish and corals in the wild

[The Reefer91]

notice how hlafshirt hasn't replied to any of our posts, because he wants us to fight it out

[HalfShirt]

Originally posted by crpeck
Hopefully not if the rest of us have the sense not to get sucked into this by someone who has used their first post on RC to attempt to start a fight.

There is no question here seeking help or offer of helpful information for others. RC is supposed to be about exchange of help or ideas. There's no point getting involved on this one.

Good Luck with your tank, HalfShirt.

Welcome to Reef Central........ I think.

You obviously completely disregarded the entire purpose and tone of the message. Congratulations.

To the people who offered some useful criticism, yeah believe me, I'm not sitting on my laurels with this tank. And despite how it may seem, I'm actually not just bragging. I'm a proud guy yes, but I'm looking for useful comments. Plus, IMO it's about time someone did something other than standard Tang Police procedure.

The one poster above who offered the cautionary statements on some of the fish I keep...yes indeed, and mostly agreed. I know some of my fish will outgrow the tank. Yes, clown triggers do get enormous...but triggers are not extremely fast growers. I certainly-- please mark my words-- will eventually either be upgrading to a significantly bigger tank or making sure the fish in their adult forms go to specific, caring individuals I know. I also have noted your comments about the blenny, but truth is, I have so much rock and fake coral that he's selected a large turbinaria that is his home, and he only barks at others who look like they're really trying to take it over...rarely happens. He, BTW, is grown.

The maroon clown was a tough choice, because I wanted one clown but obviously had to go with the most aggressive of the bunch.

I was also careful to try to introduce fish in proper order. My clown trigger is, as I said, a very young little guy, and he was the last to enter.

Yes, I can take pics. Give me a day or two. The tank is an uncovered 55g with 20g sump, 3" LS bottom, about 50 lbs of LR, with about 10 fake corals (which get algae scrubbed weekly).

I'm not trying to start a fight at all.

[HalfShirt]

Originally posted by The Reefer91
notice how hlafshirt hasn't replied to any of our posts, because he wants us to fight it out

No no no...sorry. I posted right before lunch and just got back.

[Zoalander]

I think your lying, show some pics and prove me wrong.

[HalfShirt]

Impugning someone's character is nasty business, boy. I don't need to prove myself to you and your insinuations...

however as I said, I will take pics. Gimme a break I'm at work .

[Reef'in Colorado]

Half shirts and tigers? Napoleon, is that you?? Oh wait, Napoleon loves ligers.......

[NeilPearson]

I have less than that in my 210.

[HalfShirt]

Neil:

I'm not asking this in a snide way, just really trying to understand. How can it be worth it to you (and so many others) to have an enormous tank like that (I live in an apartment, 210 would probably go through the floor) with so little to enjoy in it? I mean, assuming we're talking FO.

Reef'in: you actually know someone else who's into half shirts and tigers??????

[Kabong]

You want some cautionary statements, here's on for ya.
With that many fish in such a small area you'll stunt there growth.
So even though it may seem like they still have room to grow they won't. They may live for years in there, But over all there life span will be signifantly shortened.

[PUGroyale]

Well I won't impugn your motives HalfShirt but I found this picture of you in your gallery a little telling:

[maro1]

For several years I kept a 55 gal Freshwater tank with over 50 Lake Malawi chiclids in it. Was not the optimum situation. Bit I kept them healthy by overkill on the maintenance. Daily water changes,lots of food, hiding places, carbon filtration and lots more water changes.

It is possible in my opinion to overload a tank and to some degree be successful in keeping fishes with extreme maintain practices.

Recommended ? NO! but possible within a specific time frame.

Yea halfshirt that tank is overloaded! you know that. But you are still claiming success at this point in keeping your fishes alive.

I also think you will be either placing them with someone else in the future or upgrading significantly in tank and equipment.

as they grow each day brings new challenges and possible risks.

But I do think some people on this board just sit and wait for someone to make a post like this.

So flame him and be done with it and scour the boards for the next offense. It is really easier to flame the offense you find rather than try to learn our way through things.

Think of the hundreds of tanks every year novices do the exact same thing to by overloading and killing there livestock. But they will never post there mistakes here for fear others will beat on them rather then intelligently discuss and educate about a given situation.

For every thing you say can't be done someone is will to prove you wrong just because of your unwilling attitude to discuss things intelligently and open.

So give him a break, try and teach a little like reefer91 rather than being amazed by someone's approach.

all said with a smile

mar