rioreef

I know I can read many sources of 'reef' safe fish and they are great starters, but I knew if I asked fellow club members I would get much more info on experience and preferences. Again thanks for all the input. First I should have added that I have a 'southdown' sand bed so, anything to kick that up and create sand storms I am going to stay away from. Regarding the brittle star, I have never had a problem with my old 50gal that it was in. What I do like about them is when I did have a fish die (not because of it) I never attempted to retrieve it. First, because the fish would always wind up in in an area that I couldn't get to and second the brittle can. The star would consume every bit down to a pure white bones, cycle of life. I recently found an unknown crab in the 90gal and to not take any chances, I used a long 1/4" wooden dowel and took it out. Within 5 seconds the star was all over it. I do have a cover on my tank except for a couple of inches in the back so if I wanted to get any jumpers I could put some eggcrate over that area and fix that issue. Can anyone elaborate on the "B/W Heniochus Demitrius" in the way of needs, food, temperment, do they really hold initiation meetings, etc. I will continue my research and come up with a shopping list...now where to get the money :idea2: If anyone else has suggestion please keep them coming. cr

Very helpful. Thanks. The yellow canary wrasse, is that the same as the coris wrasse? Years ago I had a pair in a FOWLR tank, didn't know how they would be in a reef system. cr

Ok, After almost 7 months of letting my 90gal startup and establishing my quarantine tank, I am ready to begin adding fish. I am up for suggestions here, my kids have already expressed the Finding Nemo line, but I am asking you the 'Professionals' you opinions and two cents. To aid any forthcoming thoughts this is what I have in the tank now: Stationary Life: Acropora Yongei "Acro"(Caribbean Jake) Euphyllia paradivisa "Frogspawn" (Tropicorium - Romulus, MI) Hydnophra sp. "Horn Coral" (Tropicorium) Pavona sp. "Cactus Coral" (Tropicorium) Montipora capricornis "Green Cap" (Caribbean Jake) Favia sp. "Green Brain" (The Marine Scene) Caulastrea curvata "Trumpet coral" (Grav) Sinularia flexibis "Spaghetti Finger Leather" (The Marine Scene) Pachylavularia sp. " Starburst, Green" (Caribbean Jake) Gorgonia spp. "Purple Ribbon" (GARF - UT) Capnella sp. "Kenya Tree" (Caribbean Jake) Lobophytum sp. "Devil's Hand Leather" (Tropicorium) Zooanthus sp. "Zoos" (Caribbean Jake and Pedalpower) Actinodiscus sp. " Green Striped Mushroom" (The Marine Scene) Ricordea yuma "Rics" (Kanan) Tridacna maxima "Ultra Maxima Clam" (Kanan) Tridacna crocea "Crocea Clam, second grade" (Kanan) Mobile Life: Ophioderma sp. "Green Brittle Star" (The Marine Scene) Lysmata amboinensis "Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp" (Tropicorium) "Clean up crews" (Dr. Macs) Chris

Erik, I remember your link. You tanks progress looks similiar to mine.

Like Erik, I ordered my base rock from here HIROCKS I have about 90lbs of this stuff. It is mined coral base rock from Hawaii. Lots of shapes with there 'best' version and tones of holes and ancient coral skeltons. This stuff is dry - no life on it, but as a base it worked great and saved huge! I put this in with cured live rock from Dr. Macs at the top coat. This was in April and it is hard to tell the difference now. Prices: 30lb+ box (smaller fragments) $35 30lb+ box (best rock) $52 ($1.73 a pound) 60lb+ box (large plain rock) $68 60lb+ box (smaller fragments) $50 60lb+ box (best rock) $92 ($1.53 a pound) 1 TON+ (small rock) $875 1 TON+ (large plain rock) $1200 ALL PRICES INCLUDE SHIPPING!! For me a 30lb shipment got messed up by FedEx, HIROCK resent, then FedEx shipped the damaged box to me. Ended up with a 'free' 30 lb box.

Janie, I thought I got first crack at your hiring (all, I work with her). Take Jake up on his offer, I have seen his tanks and they are nice. I especially like his tank where it is narrow and yet he has rock formations down the middle and it is viewable from all sides. Also, I have never seen rock formations like this that are entirely covered in purple coraline algae. BTW everone, she lives in Rockville. Chris

90g Oceanic RR with 6x54w T5's. Four are overdriven with an IceCap 660 ballast. Two on for dawn/dusk, then off they go with the 4 overdriven ones for a few more hours. Midday I have all six on for 4 hours and then back down through the sequence again. Not much heat from them, I have two fans come on when the four main lights come on. This tank went operational in early April and I have been slowly adding to it. I started out with about 90lbs base rock (www.Hirocks.com) and 45lbs of live rock to seed (DrMacs/MarineScene). This ran until mid-May when I slowly moved specimens from my 55g over. About 3 per week over a 3 week period. I also have acquired other corals during this time from WAMAS members. I only have three sps and two clams that are the real high light loving corals. The rest are softies or lower light corals that get positioned at the bottom or in covered areas. While adding, I kept 5 layers of fiberglass screen on the glass top. Then every three days I removed a layer to acclimate the corals to the high lighting. This process is repeated every time a new coral comes in the system. I have yet to put any fish in this tank, at least until October. Rushing this is not my plan and by doing so I have not had any algae outbreaks, aptasia, or other pests (well except for the unwanted small crab that I believe came from a Zoo colony rock from a recent donation). I helped my large green brittle which it made a nice late night snack for him . I read alot on the T5s before deciding. I did not want to go with the heat, hood size, and chillin with Halides. I did have PCs over the 55 and did not want to go that route again. VHO or T5s? I put the bucks down for the T5s and have been quite pleased. Intensity on these... well the tank is in a room with 13 ft foot ceilings and is 17x20. They not only lit it up, but half the back yard too (sorry Dulles Airport) B). Tanks depth is 24'' and I have one of the clams on the bottom and well it is happy as a ... I have growth on everything and have not lost any neither. On ReefCentral you can find all kinds of comments. It is easy to hype or grip in this hobby. But, every tank is its own ecosystem and what one might point out is the fault of unfamiliar lighting could be caused by something else. I would recommend them, but do your research for how much you need. The whole watts/gal guideline you can't use with these. Only time will tell. Heck, I kept a Maxima Clam under 4x55watt PCs for four years.

The glass I got was about $6 for the 10x12s and $11 for the 17x12.

In the process of moving livestock over to my 90g I had to get rid of a lot of majano. I took each piece, large bowl, water, small flathead screwdriver and nice days on the deck. I eased the flat tip of the screwdriver under each majano and wiggled it under and pop off come the majano. Not a method for the aptasia though. I did this for each piece over a period of a three days to make sure I got all. After about 7 pieces with 10-20 on each only one made it over to the new tank, which I promptly got out. This was three month ago and nothing since. BTW, if you try this, don't leave the scewdriver out and not clean it. Did this one night and the saltwater and metal created a nice rustic look to the tool :o

I got my glass at a local glass shop, look one up in a phone book. Give them the precise measurement you need and tell them what is for and how it would be siliconed. Then they can adjust for a tolerance less than your max allowing for silicone between the pane and the side. Make sure they know it is for an aquarium so you get the right kind of glass. The place I went to, Sterling Glass, has cut glass for aquariums before.

I have two 1/8" holes drilled in the sump return just below the water line, 90 degrees from each other. This is a limiter to the volume that will be siphoned back into the sump. I say that with knowledge that without the siphon breaks the total volume drained is handled by the sump. Suggestion for anyone is - to have a sump that can handle any water siphoned back into it. Don't know if it can, turn off your return pump and watch the water level in the sump rise...be ready to switch it back on :D

I too built my 29g sump with glass and glass dividers. The sump is 18" and had a 17" high panel cut for a fuge. I used three panes each around 10" to create baffles and used aquarium silicone to mount in place and seal. Sounds easy until you go to install these baffles which about 1" apart, had to get creative in supporting the center pane and then adding the silicone. Measure and mark the outside of the sump with dry erase maker where you want the panes to be. When done, wipe off the marker The panes that make up the area of the return pump have a slight angle (bottom inward to return area) because I have the water flowing over the last baffle pane and from the fuge. This small angle helps minimize noise of the water. Chris

Scott, I have an interest. Please PM me also with details. Chris

I will take the "2 Super Crocea - $20 each (Blue)". PM also sent. Chris

Live in Ashburn area since 93. From south of Detroit.

I read on reef central of people putting a small block of course filter sponge material in the fuge, leave it for about a week and then transfer to the main tank (make sure to secure it to a small rock or something). The pods will inhabit the sponge in the fuge and then in the main you fish can go to this feeding station. All the while still providing a haven deeper in the sponge for the pods. Chris

I have my unit hooked up as an auto topoff that the solenoid is connected via timer set to go on between 6-7am. The waste line has a tee - half goes down the drain and the other goes to my house sump. From here is is pumped through a drain to three foot deep hole in the backyard that is filled with river rock. This is "up stream" from a tree that needs lots of water. Hopefully, the wonderful Virginia clay soil filters the stuff (about 10' from the tree) enough.

Under either option unskimmed water will enter the fuge. Flows out of the main tank generally exceed the capacity of the skimmer pump, thus the chamber that houses the skimmer contains a mixture of skimmed and raw water, which then flows through the sump and eventually into the fuge. Unless, the tank drains entirely through the skimmer.