What Do I do next...

zrs6v4 · 10/22/2006, 01:22 PM

I have a120 gallon with 30 gallon sump. I am running 2 175 watt HQI MH's, 2-96watt actinics with moonlights fixture. I have 2 modded maxi 1200's. heres my livestock>

Fish- foxface, 2 false percula clowns, 2 sifting stars

Corals- unknown soft coral (looks like anenome with fingers on tip), 2 large mushroom rocks, and a small zoo rock.

Inverts- derasa clam, bubble tip anenome, 10 blue leg hermit crabs, 6 nesarius, 6 cerith, 1 turbo

Everything is doing great, now please help me decide which to put in next week either a blue tang, more snails, hermits, soft corals (any opinions on which?), or what do you think??

zrs6v4 · 10/22/2006, 01:25 PM

Sorry the unknow coral blows around a lot and looks as it has 3 finger tipes on each branch. My tank is 2.5 months old and has 150 lbs of liverock and am running caulerpa in the sump.. I will put some pics up later and bump this to the top...... thanks

Shagsbeard · 10/22/2006, 01:50 PM

In that developed of a tank, I'd consider reading up on Quarentine Tanks (QT) before I added anything else. Imagine having to tear all that down and quarentine it, simply because you let some nasty parasite into the tank.

If I was to add a fish, I wouldn't put a blue tang in without QT... just about every blue tang has Ick (at least that's a good assumption). Treating for Ick isn't too stressful for the fish, so many treat for Ick with hypo even without symptoms. I'd get one of the really small blue tangs to watch it grow up... should be with you for years if you keep it healthy.

troybob333 · 10/22/2006, 02:05 PM

You don't have many snails or crabs for a 125g. Before uping the bioload with a fish I would get some more inverts for a full cleanup crew.

zrs6v4 · 10/22/2006, 02:22 PM

yea you both are right, so am I risking anything with what I have now with no QT tank? where can I read up on a quarentine tank? also any suggestions on upping a cleanup crew?

Sk8r · 10/22/2006, 02:54 PM

You can use any old plastic tank from the local pet supply store for a qt, with a cheap corner floss filter and some aged water from your tank, what you'd ordinarily throw away with your weekly water change. Swipe your floss through the sandbed if you want more insurance. Get that going, let it cycle if you will, and then get your fish. Put him in there with some pvc pipe for a hidey-hole [no sand or rock in this tank] and change part of the floss every few days, plus do some small water changes, testing often with test strips for ammonia/nitrate. NONE is the recommended reading. Leave your fish in here 4 weeks ideally, for observation only, and do not treat unless disease shows up. If he's been in, effectively, your tank water for 4 weeks without coming down with anything, he's clean and safe and you can put him in. With a skittish creature like a tang, keep it dim, but heated to 80 degrees reliably. And watch evaporation! That can be killer in a small tank: you don't want his salinity to rise overnight. You may need to put a freshwater ro drip on his tank if nothing else, to keep that salinity dead-on.

For cleanup crew I like fighting conchs and cerith snails. You're in the Bahamas? There may be regulations about what you can import, etc. Fighting conchs are native to your area and peaceful, despite their name.

zrs6v4 · 10/22/2006, 03:45 PM

ok thanks a lot for the help... I have some questions, whats a floss filter? can I put LR in there to make it better? how many gallons should this tank be? and what do you use to medicate him if he did come down with something in the 4 weeks?

PatMayo · 10/22/2006, 04:49 PM

Here is a good article about qt tanks. After you read this you will be an expert in QT.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

Regards,

Pat

10/22/2006, 01:22 PM	#1
zrs6v4 Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: St. Charles Posts: 578	What Do I do next... I have a120 gallon with 30 gallon sump. I am running 2 175 watt HQI MH's, 2-96watt actinics with moonlights fixture. I have 2 modded maxi 1200's. heres my livestock> Fish- foxface, 2 false percula clowns, 2 sifting stars Corals- unknown soft coral (looks like anenome with fingers on tip), 2 large mushroom rocks, and a small zoo rock. Inverts- derasa clam, bubble tip anenome, 10 blue leg hermit crabs, 6 nesarius, 6 cerith, 1 turbo Everything is doing great, now please help me decide which to put in next week either a blue tang, more snails, hermits, soft corals (any opinions on which?), or what do you think??

10/22/2006, 02:54 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	You can use any old plastic tank from the local pet supply store for a qt, with a cheap corner floss filter and some aged water from your tank, what you'd ordinarily throw away with your weekly water change. Swipe your floss through the sandbed if you want more insurance. Get that going, let it cycle if you will, and then get your fish. Put him in there with some pvc pipe for a hidey-hole [no sand or rock in this tank] and change part of the floss every few days, plus do some small water changes, testing often with test strips for ammonia/nitrate. NONE is the recommended reading. Leave your fish in here 4 weeks ideally, for observation only, and do not treat unless disease shows up. If he's been in, effectively, your tank water for 4 weeks without coming down with anything, he's clean and safe and you can put him in. With a skittish creature like a tang, keep it dim, but heated to 80 degrees reliably. And watch evaporation! That can be killer in a small tank: you don't want his salinity to rise overnight. You may need to put a freshwater ro drip on his tank if nothing else, to keep that salinity dead-on. For cleanup crew I like fighting conchs and cerith snails. You're in the Bahamas? There may be regulations about what you can import, etc. Fighting conchs are native to your area and peaceful, despite their name. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/22/2006, 04:49 PM	#8
PatMayo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,843	Here is a good article about qt tanks. After you read this you will be an expert in QT. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php 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

10/22/2006, 01:25 PM	#2
zrs6v4 Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: St. Charles Posts: 578	Sorry the unknow coral blows around a lot and looks as it has 3 finger tipes on each branch. My tank is 2.5 months old and has 150 lbs of liverock and am running caulerpa in the sump.. I will put some pics up later and bump this to the top...... thanks

10/22/2006, 01:50 PM	#3
Shagsbeard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Morro Bay, CA Posts: 2,143	In that developed of a tank, I'd consider reading up on Quarentine Tanks (QT) before I added anything else. Imagine having to tear all that down and quarentine it, simply because you let some nasty parasite into the tank. If I was to add a fish, I wouldn't put a blue tang in without QT... just about every blue tang has Ick (at least that's a good assumption). Treating for Ick isn't too stressful for the fish, so many treat for Ick with hypo even without symptoms. I'd get one of the really small blue tangs to watch it grow up... should be with you for years if you keep it healthy.

10/22/2006, 02:05 PM	#4
troybob333 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 50	You don't have many snails or crabs for a 125g. Before uping the bioload with a fish I would get some more inverts for a full cleanup crew.

10/22/2006, 02:22 PM	#5
zrs6v4 Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: St. Charles Posts: 578	yea you both are right, so am I risking anything with what I have now with no QT tank? where can I read up on a quarentine tank? also any suggestions on upping a cleanup crew?

10/22/2006, 03:45 PM	#7
zrs6v4 Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: St. Charles Posts: 578	ok thanks a lot for the help... I have some questions, whats a floss filter? can I put LR in there to make it better? how many gallons should this tank be? and what do you use to medicate him if he did come down with something in the 4 weeks?