75 gallon Money Pit. - Page 5

SptfireXIV · 04/02/2007, 07:55 PM

Thanks guys.

Lighting:
Tek 6 bulb 36" fixture

Actinic
Blue+
AquaBlue Special
AquaBlue Special
Blue+
Actinic

The skimmer is a EuroReef CS6-1, non-modded (so far).

Zoos · 04/02/2007, 08:05 PM

That's right i remember the lights now, never knew what skimmer it was though. Looking real nice, those are some sweet frags btw.

SptfireXIV · 04/02/2007, 08:11 PM

Thanks! Here's to hoping they do well, one was a good deal larger than I expected and the other a good deal smaller, heh.

SptfireXIV · 04/03/2007, 10:47 AM

A few actinic shots

bleedingthought · 04/04/2007, 09:47 PM

Looking very nice! How's the cowfish?

Dholmblad · 04/04/2007, 10:05 PM

Can you tell me/link me to the LFS in dc? I thought I was stuck with the ones in NOVA which are sub par.

143gadgets · 04/04/2007, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dholmblad
Can you tell me/link me to the LFS in dc? I thought I was stuck with the ones in NOVA which are sub par.

Unfortunately there is no LFS in DC. He got a lot of those zoas from me. i have some if your interested.

SptfireXIV · 04/05/2007, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 143gadgets
Unfortunately there is no LFS in DC. He got a lot of those zoas from me. i have some if your interested.

Yeah, all of the zoanthids in the tank came from 143Gadgets, but the stores I've been visiting are just outside of DC

www.blueribbonkoi.com
www.roozens.com

I tend to lump all of Northern Virginia areas together as DC, but I should really start to specify them or just refer to it as Northern VA.

I lost the cowfish, unfortunately. It had gotten ich, which I expected, so I threw together a quarantine tank with one of those awful powersweep powerheads because it had the least amount of flow. I couldn't find the sponge to block off the intake, but I figured he'd be ok for one night and I could go grab a sponge the next day. I woke up to find him stuck to the intake

bleedingthought · 04/05/2007, 07:50 AM

Sorry to hear about the cowfish.

Any plans for other fish? And what is your current fish list?

six.line · 04/05/2007, 08:04 AM

No LFS in all of DC?

Come on... that can't be right. I'm an hour away from about 6 in the puny metropolis of Salt Lake City.

That's so weird. DC's huge. Why wouldn't they have any?

SptfireXIV · 04/05/2007, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bleedingthought
Sorry to hear about the cowfish.

Any plans for other fish? And what is your current fish list?

The current fishlist is:
2" Sailfin Tang at my fiance's insistance (he's my ticket to a larger upgrade when he outgrows the tank, lol)
Chalk Basslet
Lawnmower Blenny
False Percula Clownfish

I'm still planning on getting a cowfish (or perhaps a boxfish), but since the kind that I'm looking for seems to be impossible to find, I may have to start looking for a different species.

A Dragonface Pipefish is also planned (or a pair?

), but not till the tank has matured farther.

The Canary Blenny that I had up and disappeared one day with no explanation. He wasn't on the carpet (that I could find), he wasn't in the overflow, and he wasn't in the sump. I had no noticeable algae outbreak and none of my cleanup crew was crowded in one area. I have no idea where it could've gone.

Razzagas · 04/08/2007, 08:39 AM

Could you tell me which species of cowfish only grows 5"-6"? What species did you have? I am very interested in some more info on the species you were looking for
Thanks, and AMAZING tank setup! I LOVE the aquascaping!

NanoGurl · 04/09/2007, 03:42 AM

I LOVE your tank!

SptfireXIV · 04/09/2007, 05:58 AM

Supposedly the Thornback Cowfish (Hawaiian Cowfish) only grows to 6", but I can't say for sure because no one ever saw it on their lists. The species that I had (which was claimed to be a Thornback) was actually a Helmut Cowfish, which grows significantly larger.

Thanks guys

Razzagas · 04/09/2007, 09:45 AM

Would you happen to know the scientific names for those two species?
Also, are those cowfish completely reef safe?

SptfireXIV · 04/09/2007, 09:54 AM

Thornback - Lactoria fornasini
Helmut - Tetrasomus gibbosus

The problem is that wholesalers rarely give scientific names, and fish can go by lots of common names.

As to whether or not they're reef safe, out of the limited experiences that I've collected from talking to people, they are. Just don't forget that they're related to puffers.

I'm thinking I'll just go with an Ostracion meleagris, they're easy to find and I know they stay smallish. The only problem is that they're the most known to release their toxins.

LarryW · 04/09/2007, 10:49 AM

I use to go to roozens when I lived in maryland, I also went to Aquarium Center which is up on the west side of baltimore in Randallstown. DR Mac & Sons is also out on the eastern shore, you could meet them @ BWI when they pickup their stuff to try to save on shipping.

SptfireXIV · 04/09/2007, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LarryW
I use to go to roozens when I lived in maryland, I also went to Aquarium Center which is up on the west side of baltimore in Randallstown. DR Mac & Sons is also out on the eastern shore, you could meet them @ BWI when they pickup their stuff to try to save on shipping.

Dr. Mac & Sons is definitely a store I want to hit eventually, but I'm 2 hours SW of DC, so its quite a trek to get there

Roozens has great variety with fish but their customer service is almost non-existent. At least that was my first impression from talking with them over the phone and from visiting their store once.

LarryW · 04/09/2007, 12:20 PM

doh, I just realized where you were from... My Dad's family lives in Harrisonburg, and I use to go out there as a kid. Your at least 4 hours from Dr Mac, since they are about 2 hours from DC.

jay2525 · 04/09/2007, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SptfireXIV

I lost the cowfish, unfortunately. It had gotten ich, which I expected, so I threw together a quarantine tank with one of those awful powersweep powerheads because it had the least amount of flow. I couldn't find the sponge to block off the intake, but I figured he'd be ok for one night and I could go grab a sponge the next day. I woke up to find him stuck to the intake

[/B]

Why did you expect it to get ich?

SptfireXIV · 04/09/2007, 02:56 PM

Because they're extremely prone to it. I had originally hoped to have a UV sterilizer up and running by the time I found the cowfish, but the timing didn't work out.

SptfireXIV · 04/27/2007, 07:53 AM

Ok, more pics!

First, the obligatory FTS'

Now, the SPS
My first SPS frag: A. millepora

This one receded a bit when I got it but it seems to have stopped: A. turaki

A. abrolhensis

And my 2 freebie frags from RM. This first one was completely brown when I got it, I had considered just tossing it out it was so ugly. I'm glad I didn't!

And this one I've got high hopes for. Its got neon green rings around the base of the polyps on its tips.

taketz · 04/27/2007, 11:14 AM

Yeah, you should go ahead and throw away that freebie encrusting monti frag. If you would rather me dispose of it properly, just bag it up and send it to me and I'll take care of it all for you no problem

Nice set-up btw!

SptfireXIV · 04/27/2007, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by taketz
Yeah, you should go ahead and throw away that freebie encrusting monti frag. If you would rather me dispose of it properly, just bag it up and send it to me and I'll take care of it all for you no problem

Nice set-up btw!

I know right? Talk about a brownout to knockout...

taketz · 04/27/2007, 11:41 AM

I bet RM would be kicking themselves if they saw how it turned out.

04/02/2007, 07:55 PM	#101
SptfireXIV Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 1,247	Thanks guys. Lighting: Tek 6 bulb 36" fixture Actinic Blue+ AquaBlue Special AquaBlue Special Blue+ Actinic The skimmer is a EuroReef CS6-1, non-modded (so far). __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless SPS Reef

04/02/2007, 08:05 PM	#102
Zoos Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 1,334	That's right i remember the lights now, never knew what skimmer it was though. Looking real nice, those are some sweet frags btw. __________________ "The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education." Current Tank Info: None.

04/02/2007, 08:11 PM	#103
SptfireXIV Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 1,247	Thanks! Here's to hoping they do well, one was a good deal larger than I expected and the other a good deal smaller, heh. __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless SPS Reef

04/03/2007, 10:47 AM	#104
SptfireXIV Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 1,247	A few actinic shots __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless SPS Reef

04/04/2007, 09:47 PM	#105
bleedingthought Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Acworth, GA Posts: 422	Looking very nice! How's the cowfish? __________________ -Thiago-

04/04/2007, 10:05 PM	#106
Dholmblad Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Northern va Posts: 563	Can you tell me/link me to the LFS in dc? I thought I was stuck with the ones in NOVA which are sub par.

04/05/2007, 07:50 AM	#109
bleedingthought Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Acworth, GA Posts: 422	Sorry to hear about the cowfish. Any plans for other fish? And what is your current fish list? __________________ -Thiago-

04/05/2007, 08:04 AM	#110
six.line Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Logan, UT Posts: 775	No LFS in all of DC? Come on... that can't be right. I'm an hour away from about 6 in the puny metropolis of Salt Lake City. That's so weird. DC's huge. Why wouldn't they have any? __________________ This post approved by Mrs. Sixline. assign <= six.line(#FFFFFF && string("nerdy")) Current Tank Info: 30 gallon with 10 gallon sump

04/08/2007, 08:39 AM	#112
Razzagas Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 653	Could you tell me which species of cowfish only grows 5"-6"? What species did you have? I am very interested in some more info on the species you were looking for Thanks, and AMAZING tank setup! I LOVE the aquascaping!

04/09/2007, 03:42 AM	#113
NanoGurl Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 4,306	I LOVE your tank!

04/09/2007, 05:58 AM	#114
SptfireXIV Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 1,247	Supposedly the Thornback Cowfish (Hawaiian Cowfish) only grows to 6", but I can't say for sure because no one ever saw it on their lists. The species that I had (which was claimed to be a Thornback) was actually a Helmut Cowfish, which grows significantly larger. Thanks guys __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless SPS Reef

04/09/2007, 09:45 AM	#115
Razzagas Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 653	Would you happen to know the scientific names for those two species? Also, are those cowfish completely reef safe?

04/09/2007, 09:54 AM	#116
SptfireXIV Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 1,247	Thornback - Lactoria fornasini Helmut - Tetrasomus gibbosus The problem is that wholesalers rarely give scientific names, and fish can go by lots of common names. As to whether or not they're reef safe, out of the limited experiences that I've collected from talking to people, they are. Just don't forget that they're related to puffers. I'm thinking I'll just go with an Ostracion meleagris, they're easy to find and I know they stay smallish. The only problem is that they're the most known to release their toxins. __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless SPS Reef

04/09/2007, 10:49 AM	#117
LarryW Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 1,778	I use to go to roozens when I lived in maryland, I also went to Aquarium Center which is up on the west side of baltimore in Randallstown. DR Mac & Sons is also out on the eastern shore, you could meet them @ BWI when they pickup their stuff to try to save on shipping.

04/09/2007, 12:20 PM	#119
LarryW Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 1,778	doh, I just realized where you were from... My Dad's family lives in Harrisonburg, and I use to go out there as a kid. Your at least 4 hours from Dr Mac, since they are about 2 hours from DC.

04/09/2007, 02:56 PM	#121
SptfireXIV Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 1,247	Because they're extremely prone to it. I had originally hoped to have a UV sterilizer up and running by the time I found the cowfish, but the timing didn't work out. __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless SPS Reef

04/27/2007, 07:53 AM	#122
SptfireXIV Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 1,247	Ok, more pics! First, the obligatory FTS' Now, the SPS My first SPS frag: A. millepora This one receded a bit when I got it but it seems to have stopped: A. turaki A. abrolhensis And my 2 freebie frags from RM. This first one was completely brown when I got it, I had considered just tossing it out it was so ugly. I'm glad I didn't! And this one I've got high hopes for. Its got neon green rings around the base of the polyps on its tips. __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless SPS Reef

04/27/2007, 11:14 AM	#123
taketz Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 504	Yeah, you should go ahead and throw away that freebie encrusting monti frag. If you would rather me dispose of it properly, just bag it up and send it to me and I'll take care of it all for you no problem Nice set-up btw!

04/27/2007, 11:41 AM	#125
taketz Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 504	I bet RM would be kicking themselves if they saw how it turned out.