My tank after about 7 or so months.

doox00 · 08/10/2006, 10:01 PM

Just snapped a quick picture of my 7 month old 90g tank, only the actinics are on now as the 10k's turned off about an hour ago.

Now I just need to get more life in there! Really would like to start packing it full of corals soon

kau_cinta_ku · 08/10/2006, 10:03 PM

looks great, i love how the actinics look

Mrs.kbmdale · 08/10/2006, 10:21 PM

I love the actinics too, and the rockwork. I especially like that little shelf piece you've got in front of the overflow.

I don't want to rain on your parade, but you are "extremely" limited coral wise with just under 3wpg of PC lighting in a 90g tank. You won't get away with more than softies, and only mid tank level and up, at that.

Good Luck and Happy Reefing!
Brianna

Blown 346 · 08/11/2006, 03:40 AM

I like the tank, I would also get some more rock to make space for corals.

brownsugar · 08/11/2006, 03:56 AM

nice looking tank who lives there ?
what inhabitants do ya have ?

nickterp · 08/11/2006, 05:37 AM

Check out Zoanthids, button polyps, hairy mushrooms, they are all pretty interesting corals that should do fine in your light.

Then later on if you want you can upgrade, but those corals should be cool for a start.

Good luck!

doox00 · 08/11/2006, 09:16 AM

Yeah, I know I am limited on the types of corals I can put into the tank.

I only have the big colony of gsp's (hitchhiker on rock, can see it on the left side of tank) and 2 things of some zoo's, started out at as 1 or 2 polyps and each 'colony' is now about 8-10 polyps.

As far as fish I only have 5 in the tank currently, one in quarantine. Have two true perc clowns and 3 firefish gobys. I have a little six line wrasse I bought last week in QT right now, be there another 3 or so weeks until he goes into the main tank.

Not sure what fish I will be getting next, I know I will have a kole tank and yellow tang as my last 2 fish, I want a couple more smaller ones before those though.

I have 2 emerald crabs in the tank, a peppermint shrimp, and about 50 blue/red legged hermit crabs and 50 or so snails.

I am looking into getting a T5 lighting setup as well, maybe in a couple months. I want to start getting corals asap!

here is a pic of one of the emerald crabs

sir_dudeguy · 08/11/2006, 10:40 AM

are you going to ditch the pc's? is there enough room for both pc's and the t5's? cuz if there is, i'd try to cram as much lighting as possible on it. (by cramming i dont mean to make it unsightlly....just put as much as you can on)

PatMayo · 08/11/2006, 08:45 PM

Do you clean all sides of the glass? I see some coralline on your drain tower. Nice. I have coralline on every piece of glass in my tank except the front viewing pane. It a pain in the neck.

Where do you keep your calcium, alkalinity and magnesium at? I have to think the slow coralline growth is due to the lights???

I was under the impression that good growth was due to lower lighting? Maybe this is not true???

I would love to lower my coralline level on the tank glass but am unsure how to do it without hurting the plate corals in my tank.

I really like your tank. Looks sweet. It's good that you are using QT. It will really save you some headaches.

I am having an "bad algae" event in my 195 day old tank. It's getting a little frustrating but I will hang in there.

Good luck with yours!!

Regards,

Pat

sir_dudeguy · 08/11/2006, 08:48 PM

good coraline growth is due to good calcium levels, and i believe you have to also have good alk. levels.

but i have heard that lower lighting helps it grow....but i see tanks all the time w/metal halides and they're full of coraline...but its a thicker coraline and imo not as nice looking...so maybe it just changes the color?

PatMayo · 08/11/2006, 09:48 PM

Could be. I'm thinking of getting an urchin. I am told they eat coralline very well. I didn't get one before because I was told they would help spread the coralline. However at this point it really doesn't't matter because I have so much anyway.

As I understand it the urchins are very strong. I am a little apprehensive that one would move my rock and possibly break the glass.

I guess I am stuck between a rock and a hardspot. I would like less coralline but the plate corals and frogspawn need it.

Maybe I will try reducing he calcium. I keep it around 410 to 425. Maybe if I reduce it to 380 or so it will slow down but not hurt the corals. Hummmm

Sure is a fine looking tank.

Regards,

Pat

doox00 · 08/11/2006, 09:50 PM

Thanks for the positive comments all, I really love my tank, even though there is not alot in it yet

I have not really tested my calcium inawhile.. did once a few months ago, it was like 350-360 (using salifert test kit) if I remember right. Once I start purchasing corals I will test it on a regular basis along with all the rest of my parameters. I do test amonia/nitrite and trate on occasion, they are always 0.

I clean all visible glass, sides/front/back.. I do want the back to get full of coraline, just not the sides.. yeah, its growing good on the overflow. I still get the slight green algae on the glass though, not sure if this is normal or not.. not alot.. but once a week I take the magnet to it, get it in spots here and there, nothing to bad.

Most all of my coraline is purple, some red.. it seems darkest where there is less light and lighter purple where its in direct light. I am planning on replacing my pc's with T5's here in the next couple months so I can get pretty much whatever kind of coral I wish.

I am just afraid in doing that the coraline will start to fade even more with more powerful lighting.

doox00 · 08/11/2006, 09:51 PM

do you have an auto calcium doser thingy pat? or do you manually dose it?

08/10/2006, 10:01 PM	#1
doox00 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: West Michigan Posts: 928	My tank after about 7 or so months. Just snapped a quick picture of my 7 month old 90g tank, only the actinics are on now as the 10k's turned off about an hour ago. Now I just need to get more life in there! Really would like to start packing it full of corals soon

08/10/2006, 10:21 PM	#3
Mrs.kbmdale Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Pulaski, Tn Posts: 808	I love the actinics too, and the rockwork. I especially like that little shelf piece you've got in front of the overflow. I don't want to rain on your parade, but you are "extremely" limited coral wise with just under 3wpg of PC lighting in a 90g tank. You won't get away with more than softies, and only mid tank level and up, at that. Good Luck and Happy Reefing! Brianna __________________ Happpy Reefing (: Brianna :) Live, Love & Laugh like there's no tomorrow, otherwise, you miss today!

08/11/2006, 10:40 AM	#8
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	are you going to ditch the pc's? is there enough room for both pc's and the t5's? cuz if there is, i'd try to cram as much lighting as possible on it. (by cramming i dont mean to make it unsightlly....just put as much as you can on) __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

08/11/2006, 08:45 PM	#9
PatMayo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,843	Do you clean all sides of the glass? I see some coralline on your drain tower. Nice. I have coralline on every piece of glass in my tank except the front viewing pane. It a pain in the neck. Where do you keep your calcium, alkalinity and magnesium at? I have to think the slow coralline growth is due to the lights??? I was under the impression that good growth was due to lower lighting? Maybe this is not true??? I would love to lower my coralline level on the tank glass but am unsure how to do it without hurting the plate corals in my tank. I really like your tank. Looks sweet. It's good that you are using QT. It will really save you some headaches. I am having an "bad algae" event in my 195 day old tank. It's getting a little frustrating but I will hang in there. Good luck with yours!! Regards, Pat __________________ 90 AGA Megaflow (Setup 1-24-06) 120 Lbs. Liverock EuroReef RS 100 Skimmer 2 X 150 MH 2 X 96 watt PC Actinic 2 Clarki Clowns (31 months old) 1 Niger Trigger (Owned 6 months) 2 Tunze 6055 PH Current Tank Info: 90 AGA Megaflow To Be Mixed Reef

08/11/2006, 08:48 PM	#10
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	good coraline growth is due to good calcium levels, and i believe you have to also have good alk. levels. but i have heard that lower lighting helps it grow....but i see tanks all the time w/metal halides and they're full of coraline...but its a thicker coraline and imo not as nice looking...so maybe it just changes the color? __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

08/10/2006, 10:03 PM	#2
kau_cinta_ku Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,669	looks great, i love how the actinics look

08/11/2006, 03:40 AM	#4
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	I like the tank, I would also get some more rock to make space for corals.

08/11/2006, 03:56 AM	#5
brownsugar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 194	nice looking tank who lives there ? what inhabitants do ya have ?

08/11/2006, 05:37 AM	#6
nickterp Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 263	Check out Zoanthids, button polyps, hairy mushrooms, they are all pretty interesting corals that should do fine in your light. Then later on if you want you can upgrade, but those corals should be cool for a start. Good luck!

08/11/2006, 09:16 AM	#7
doox00 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: West Michigan Posts: 928	Yeah, I know I am limited on the types of corals I can put into the tank. I only have the big colony of gsp's (hitchhiker on rock, can see it on the left side of tank) and 2 things of some zoo's, started out at as 1 or 2 polyps and each 'colony' is now about 8-10 polyps. As far as fish I only have 5 in the tank currently, one in quarantine. Have two true perc clowns and 3 firefish gobys. I have a little six line wrasse I bought last week in QT right now, be there another 3 or so weeks until he goes into the main tank. Not sure what fish I will be getting next, I know I will have a kole tank and yellow tang as my last 2 fish, I want a couple more smaller ones before those though. I have 2 emerald crabs in the tank, a peppermint shrimp, and about 50 blue/red legged hermit crabs and 50 or so snails. I am looking into getting a T5 lighting setup as well, maybe in a couple months. I want to start getting corals asap! here is a pic of one of the emerald crabs

08/11/2006, 09:48 PM	#11
PatMayo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,843	Could be. I'm thinking of getting an urchin. I am told they eat coralline very well. I didn't get one before because I was told they would help spread the coralline. However at this point it really doesn't't matter because I have so much anyway. As I understand it the urchins are very strong. I am a little apprehensive that one would move my rock and possibly break the glass. I guess I am stuck between a rock and a hardspot. I would like less coralline but the plate corals and frogspawn need it. Maybe I will try reducing he calcium. I keep it around 410 to 425. Maybe if I reduce it to 380 or so it will slow down but not hurt the corals. Hummmm Sure is a fine looking tank. Regards, Pat __________________ 90 AGA Megaflow (Setup 1-24-06) 120 Lbs. Liverock EuroReef RS 100 Skimmer 2 X 150 MH 2 X 96 watt PC Actinic 2 Clarki Clowns (31 months old) 1 Niger Trigger (Owned 6 months) 2 Tunze 6055 PH Current Tank Info: 90 AGA Megaflow To Be Mixed Reef

08/11/2006, 09:50 PM	#12
doox00 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: West Michigan Posts: 928	Thanks for the positive comments all, I really love my tank, even though there is not alot in it yet I have not really tested my calcium inawhile.. did once a few months ago, it was like 350-360 (using salifert test kit) if I remember right. Once I start purchasing corals I will test it on a regular basis along with all the rest of my parameters. I do test amonia/nitrite and trate on occasion, they are always 0. I clean all visible glass, sides/front/back.. I do want the back to get full of coraline, just not the sides.. yeah, its growing good on the overflow. I still get the slight green algae on the glass though, not sure if this is normal or not.. not alot.. but once a week I take the magnet to it, get it in spots here and there, nothing to bad. Most all of my coraline is purple, some red.. it seems darkest where there is less light and lighter purple where its in direct light. I am planning on replacing my pc's with T5's here in the next couple months so I can get pretty much whatever kind of coral I wish. I am just afraid in doing that the coraline will start to fade even more with more powerful lighting.

08/11/2006, 09:51 PM	#13
doox00 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: West Michigan Posts: 928	do you have an auto calcium doser thingy pat? or do you manually dose it?