Open to criticisms of my first tank

[mmeadows]

I have a 75 gallon seal clear II tank ( sump built onto the back ). it was 50 and has too many scratching to tolerate much longer. ( Why i want advice) there are 1000's of very small pods that crawl on the front and breed in the scratches which is unattractive. The back of the tank/ sump is powered by sun light and a 48" marineland led . its full of calupria, and a red macro algea that started on its own. now sure what it is.. there is also 15ish small star fish ( not sure its a hitch hiker) and 3-4 types of pods.

In the display I have 3 sea horses, and 1 fire fish. ( cuc 2 huge serpant star fish, 2 cucumbers, unknown # of hermits 2-3 snails, 4 pepermint shrimp.


I have alot of stuff i cant identify growing on rocks, and a variety of sponges that i absolutely love.


I have never done a water change in a year and 8 months. I have had stuff die in the tank, ( usually with in a few days of arrival from fedex, they are eaten quickly so need to remove i guess?)

I feed lightly sometimes not at all, I stock low, and I have an efficient cuc, live rock, and a lot of macos.

Anyone on here gone more than 2 years without water changes? I've seen some youtube videos. Is there an easy way to do water changes when considering a new tank build?

[mmeadows]

97 viewed and no objections. I also found a video of a very nice reef on YouTube with 5 years no water changes. Anyone here beat 5 years no changes ( excluding top offs )

[nmotz]

I think that every tank is different. There's no doubt that some people, for whatever reason, are able to avoid water changes but in general it is a good idea to do water changes.

There is a water change system called the Python that makes water changes easy but you have to be within 50 ft of a faucet. The idea is you hook up one end of the hose to the water faucet and the other end has a vacuum end on it. You just turn on the faucet and the water pressure creates a siphon that begins to pull water from the tank. The water runs straight from the tank down the drain so there is no transport of water in buckets required.

[KevinsHVAC]

I am lucky enough to have my sump close by. Plumbing in a T with a ball valve so all I have to do is run a 1.5" hose in to the sump to drain for changes.

[MondoBongo]

1. seahorses shouldn't be mixed with fish
2. caulerpa is not a good algae to keep in the tank, it is invasive and known for "going sexual" and crashing systems
3. don't believe the hype about no water changes
4. you need to quaratine

i object to pretty much everything you got going on there. chances are most of the other 97 did as well, but didn't want to take the time to address it.

best of luck.

[gone fishin]

I would agree with Mondobongo.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by MondoBongo

1. seahorses shouldn't be mixed with fish
2. caulerpa is not a good algae to keep in the tank, it is invasive and known for "going sexual" and crashing systems
3. don't believe the hype about no water changes
4. you need to quaratine

i object to pretty much everything you got going on there. chances are most of the other 97 did as well, but didn't want to take the time to address it.

best of luck.

I agree. (and by inference with gone fishin)

[CStrickland]

I viewed it and didn't respond cause I figured you were trolling.
basically the reasons mondo said, and also the part about sometimes not feeding at all.

When someone starts a thread that is pretty much "I'm doing all this stuff that is not recommended, tell me how wrong I am" and I see they have been a member for long enough to know better, it's a good bet they are trying to get a rise out of people. Further, even giving you the benefit of the doubt that you are honestly asking for advice it seems like a pretty low chance you would take it. So if someone is going to get you to research and care for your tank they will have to be pretty patient.

So I viewed but didn't object cause it seemed like a good chance you weren't really asking. If you were it was going to be a project to get you on what most would consider the right track, and if you weren't its a waste of time. Kind of a "if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything" type of deal on my end. Since you asked.

Good luck with your tank, I hope you are really trying to do what's best for your pets and everything works out

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by CStrickland

When someone starts a thread that is pretty much "I'm doing all this stuff that is not recommended, tell me how wrong I am" and I see they have been a member for long enough to know better, it's a good bet they are trying to get a rise out of people.

Exactly.

[skeeter_ca]

Have you tested your water. What are your nitrate levels at.

Water changes can be very important to the long term health of your tank. Some animals will slowly adjust to your water parameters as they get higher and higher and might not show any distress but the new animals you add cannot adjust so quickly to your tank and they die.

[tmz]

Seems like an effort to start a debate about water changes.I suggest those interested search for them on the reef discussion forum and chemistry forum. Small routine water changes replenish elements and export excesses.

FWIW, I do 1% per day and find it very easy.Imbalances likely to occur without them may be more tolerable in tanks without sensitive corals.

quarantine is an essential step.

Seahorses need a clam well fed environment. They don't swim very well or compete for food well. They need to eat a lot since they don't have a true stomach. Usually giving them their own tank is prefered. Some less boisterous fish like a fire fish or dragonet should be ok with them.

[Cunni7]

The fish are probably dying because the water doesn't get changed. Do you test the water?

[igot2gats]

Agreed with what MondoBongo and CStrickland had to say.

I would suggest trying to find someone who can take your livestock, while you strip your tank down, and start over.

If you can't find anyone, then take them to an LFS for store credit.

Starting over, unfortunatley for you, is probably the best solution. Along with doing some research, asking questions, and reading the stickies before you start the tank, or a new one back up.

[mmeadows]

Yikes, im guessing if anyone on here has gone awhile without water changes , they know better than to speak up on here. Im open to a pm about non water changes and how you have seen it done (grow and remove algae weekly? heavily established live food population?) but I don't think we should talk about it anymore here.

Nmotz, my issue is less with getting water out, and more with getting water back in, that is of the right parameters. does everyone here have a separate tank that they use to mix saltwater, calcium, iodine etc and bring up to temp before adding to the tank?

Kevinshvac, i like the idea of being able to isolate the sump and drain it. then fill and wait until its at temp and mixed before reintroducing it to the system. However! what happens to any life in the sump? pods in the yard and can macros handle a crazy swing like that?

mondomongo, my firefish and seahorses get along fine. i wouldnt add another fish or try another type. both creatures are very shy and the tank is long enough if one gets bothered they can leave. a quarantine tank would be nice, do you have one running 24/7 or set it up when you expect to add new fish? I dont like small tanks or numerous tanks. kind of what led to this set up now.

Cstrickland, I dont feed sometimes because I have a large Copepods and Amphipods populations. I also feel fish food companies (only dead food i use is frozen mysis by hikari) will encourage over feeding. I cant risk over feeding i dont do water changes.
you are also right that im not going to change much on my current tank, its scratched up and I want a new bigger one. they seem happy now its me who is unhappy. Im going to build a new tank and looking for advice now


skeeter and cuni 7, I have simple test strips that test a few parameters at once. nitrate and nitrite are 0 but its just a strip so im assuming 20ppm or less for my nitrates

TMZ, id never thought about a small water change like that! seems easy to maintain, not the end of the word if i miss a day or two, but still better than nothing. how hard can it be to make 2-3 gallons? I could even have a 5 gallon water jug in the closet ready to go for a pump and dump. would i need to worry about 5 gallons swinging 150+ gallon tank?

[mmeadows]

Here are my horses and fish happy together, and a pic of the sump.

[FraggledRock]

Originally Posted by mmeadows

Yikes, im guessing if anyone on here has gone awhile without water changes , they know better than to speak up on here. Im open to a pm about non water changes and how you have seen it done (grow and remove algae weekly? heavily established live food population?) but I don't think we should talk about it anymore here.

Nmotz, my issue is less with getting water out, and more with getting water back in, that is of the right parameters. does everyone here have a separate tank that they use to mix saltwater, calcium, iodine etc and bring up to temp before adding to the tank?

Kevinshvac, i like the idea of being able to isolate the sump and drain it. then fill and wait until its at temp and mixed before reintroducing it to the system. However! what happens to any life in the sump? pods in the yard and can macros handle a crazy swing like that?

mondomongo, my firefish and seahorses get along fine. i wouldnt add another fish or try another type. both creatures are very shy and the tank is long enough if one gets bothered they can leave. a quarantine tank would be nice, do you have one running 24/7 or set it up when you expect to add new fish? I dont like small tanks or numerous tanks. kind of what led to this set up now.

Cstrickland, I dont feed sometimes because I have a large Copepods and Amphipods populations. I also feel fish food companies (only dead food i use is frozen mysis by hikari) will encourage over feeding. I cant risk over feeding i dont do water changes.
you are also right that im not going to change much on my current tank, its scratched up and I want a new bigger one. they seem happy now its me who is unhappy. Im going to build a new tank and looking for advice now


skeeter and cuni 7, I have simple test strips that test a few parameters at once. nitrate and nitrite are 0 but its just a strip so im assuming 20ppm or less for my nitrates

TMZ, id never thought about a small water change like that! seems easy to maintain, not the end of the word if i miss a day or two, but still better than nothing. how hard can it be to make 2-3 gallons? I could even have a 5 gallon water jug in the closet ready to go for a pump and dump. would i need to worry about 5 gallons swinging 150+ gallon tank?

Auto Top off?

[MondoBongo]

It has less to do with them "getting along" and considerably more to do with potential disease vectors and differing requirements. See that's the problem. You don't even know why it's not a great idea. :/

[maroonman]

Seahorses require much more feeding then once a day or not at all some days.
They also need something to hitch on. Please do some research. Seahorses are also very messy eaters. Your water will become very nasty in a short time.
Pods are not ment to be the seahorse main diet. Just a snack and keeps them hunting .

[mmeadows]

fraggledrock not sure what you mean

Maroonman i might disagree with you, my seahorse have lived over a year with once a day feedings and pods and brine in between. How long in your opinion would it take a seahorse to starve to death?

[top shelf]

What I dont understand, outside of the obvious that has already been commented on multiple times, is why you asked for criticism and advice but then say I dont think it should be discussed on here anymore. You also say you are not going to change anything about how you run your tank so may I ask what the purpose of this thread is?

Originally you asked how to do a water change but then you say how you dont want to and dont see the need for one, to me its probably the easiest thing you can do in this hobby.

[maroonman]

Originally Posted by mmeadows

fraggledrock not sure what you mean

Maroonman i might disagree with you, my seahorse have lived over a year with once a day feedings and pods and brine in between. How long in your opinion would it take a seahorse to starve to death?

You can live off rice and water...with the occasional apple.
But in due time you will starve to death if you ( might eat once a day ) . malnutrition is malnutrition No matter how you slice it.

[MondoBongo]

Originally Posted by maroonman

You can live off rice and water...with the occasional apple.
But in due time you will starve to death if you ( might eat once a day ) . malnutrition is malnutrition No matter how you slice it.

looking back at this other posts, this is simply a waste. his tank seems like a complete train wreck from day 1:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2411102

he keeps starting threads that look like they're soliciting advice, but then just turns them in to obstinate arguments about why he is right and not going to change anything.

he was already told about mixing fish and seahorses, he's not interested in advice. i guess both of his mandarins are now deceased.

sad.

[mmeadows]

Originally Posted by top shelf

What I dont understand, outside of the obvious that has already been commented on multiple times, is why you asked for criticism and advice but then say I dont think it should be discussed on here anymore. You also say you are not going to change anything about how you run your tank so may I ask what the purpose of this thread is?

Originally you asked how to do a water change but then you say how you dont want to and dont see the need for one, to me its probably the easiest thing you can do in this hobby.

b/c im looking for advice on a new build, i have the opportunity to start from scratch. why change a tank that im about to break down top shelf? at first i was considering my new tank being a w/c free tank like my current one, no one on this forum uses this practice but it does work for some. people said i was "trolling" or trying to start a debate, so i asked people to pm if they had any experience with it.

Thank you for the sump t joint idea, and the 1% daily idea. still interested to hear what life if any remains after a sump dump and fill? Pods are important to me so maybe two sumps, one small one thats one purpose is to drain water and mix new sea water.

[mmeadows]

Originally Posted by maroonman

You can live off rice and water...with the occasional apple.
But in due time you will starve to death if you ( might eat once a day ) . malnutrition is malnutrition No matter how you slice it.

I thought pods were good nutritionally ( thats why i worked so hard to build them up) and brine were snack foods. so going with you analogy feeding apples every day with the occasional rice.

what do you feed your horses and how often a day?

[mmeadows]

Originally Posted by MondoBongo

looking back at this other posts, this is simply a waste. his tank seems like a complete train wreck from day 1:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2411102

he keeps starting threads that look like they're soliciting advice, but then just turns them in to obstinate arguments about why he is right and not going to change anything.

he was already told about mixing fish and seahorses, he's not interested in advice. i guess both of his mandarins are now deceased.

sad.

yes both mandarins are dead and it was sad. some say firefish and horses work some say they dont, its worked for me, but i believe you if you say it hasn't worked for you. MondoBongo, what symptoms did your firefish/seahorse have that they were not compatible so i can also look for signs?