Fin2you SW adventure

[Fin2you]

alot of this 1st post on this journal is going to be copy & pasted from my journal on another site.
I like this group's open "journal" forum allowing other members to chime in. I am still learning & I am in no "glass bubble" thinking I know everything about SW tank keeping. I also know I've made a few mistakes & probably should have done a few things differently but hey it's all about the journey!
Please chime in & give me advice, but I hope not to offend anyone by saying I may decide not to take your advice b/c I may have decided to take someone else's! Oh & I reserve my right to change my mind at any time. LOL
****************
Getting so much awesome info & feedback I want to document it so I can remember it all!!! So 1st things 1st.
* tank specs;
Just measured tank hubby when he bought it took the sellers word... It is really 36x20x12=38gal but that's OK.
Red Sea Prizm Deluxe Protein skimmer
Marineland Maxi-jet 400 circulation pump
Eheim Jaeger TruTemp 100W heater
Approx 30lbs Caribbean Aragonite & live Caribbean sand
Stocked with: 2 Bumble bee snails, 1 Margarita snail, Asterina/Micro starfish, Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab, Black & white & a standard Ocellaris clownfish, Yellow Watchman Goby
Rose Bubble tip Anemone, Red Feather duster
Should note almost all my Corals have been privately bought as frags from people with established tanks who need to keep them under control it's easier to spend $5/frag than $30.

[Fin2you]

Feeding & Suppliments:
* OMEGA 1 Marine Flakes, freeze dried Brine shrimp. 1/8-1/4 tsp each once a day.
* OMEGA 1 frozen Super Carnivore (Not a favorite with the goby & clowns) & Reef Complete cubes. Inject right to Feather Duster & Anemone using a turkey baster some people make jumbo chop sticks too
* Reef Complete x2/wk 1cap Think I will do 1/2 a cap every day. Easier than trying to remember when I did this last!
* Kent Invert Liquid every other day 30drops recommended but think I will cut in 1/2 & feed every day.

Awesome Tips:
* Fluval filter sponge ring to go over powerhead circulation pump intake. Prevents fish from being sucked in.
* 1.5-1.75c salt=5gal salt water
* Gently scrub the rocks periodically with a new nylon bristle brush or toothbrush to remove loose white film or dead material.
* Submerse the new rock into a bucket filled with saltwater with a specific gravity of 1.035 to 1.040 for one minute. Any invertebrates including mantis shrimp, bristle worms, and crabs will quickly evacuate from the rock and into the bucket of water.
Remove the live rock from the bucket and sort through the invertebrates in the bucket. Determine those you want to add to your system and discard unwanted pests. Bristle worms still attached to the rock can be removed with a pair of needle-nosed pliers or tweezers. This technique can be used to remove unwanted pests before or after curing your newly arrived live rock.

[Fin2you]

Want List:
Refractometer. I hate my Kent Hydrometer
Flat live rock (look for a "ledge" that will sit from middle back to right back. & possibly a smaller piece that could lean from Right front top to the back right large piece)
Candy cane coral, Torch coral, Rainbow Monti, Sea fan
Stock Wish list:
Lawnmower Blenny
1-2 Blue Sapphire Damsel
Royal grammar Basslet
6line Wrasse
candy cane/peppermint wrasse
Dream fish; Mandarin Dragonet

[Scythanith]

I had my Bodianus neopercularis sitting for sale in Saskatoon for probably 6 months... someone finally just bought it... for $75! Just needed a good home, too aggressive in my system. Gorgeous fish though!

Looks like you have a great start! My biggest word of advice is buy the right equipment the first time. If you can't afford the right stuff at the moment, save up until you can. Buying something just to replace it 1 year later is a waste of money.

[soapy]

How long has the tank been up? Has it settled in yet?

[kien]

Where are the pictures?! We want pictures! We NEED pictures!!!!

[soapy]

Where are the pictures?! We want pictures! We NEED pictures!!!!

+1

[Fin2you]

Yes I waited on buying a Protein skimmer for 3 weeks until I could get the one I wanted on sale! I had been given the heads up it was going to be 50% off on boxing day!
The tank has been up since 2 weeks before Christmas. I helped cycling along with Seachem's Stability. Along with Live sand & live rock.
I uploaded a bunch of pictures I took this evening before I fed!

[soapy]

Looks good. Go slow, be patient and success will come.

[Fin2you]

Thanks! I am happy with the rock now for corals & slowly more fish. The yellow watchman goby is probably 3/4 grown, but Bubbles & Lil'Nemo are not even close to an inch long yet. I want to make sure I don't overload the tank I want good CUC & a nice mixed group of fish.

[spit.fire]

what are you running for lighting?

[Fin2you]

Aqueon Modular LED with 1 Day white, 1 Beauty Max & 1 color Max bulb.

[ALBERTA REEF]

Looks like a good start!:biggrin:

[Fin2you]

I thought these were some cool photos

[ckmullin]

HORRIBLE... J/K !!

A great start, kudos. Like the kenya, that guy used to be roughly at full height 3.5 inches.

[Fin2you]

HORRIBLE... J/K !!

A great start, kudos. Like the kenya, that guy used to be roughly at full height 3.5 inches.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA ck, glad you popped by! The tank just looks horrible b/c it's still immature & needs years of collecting corals to fill it up! The Kenya now has tons of room to grow up nice & big! The girls wouldn't allow me to put many of the extra shells into the tank, even after telling them ther crab may want to change shells. They are after daddy to build a shelf above the fish tank to display them. Actually it's a pretty good idea there are some beauty's in there!

[ckmullin]

If you wanted more shell I should have more to give to your girls. Do they like fossils as well?

[Fin2you]

Oh yes the kids all love nature & fossils/shells/rocks! & fish tanks. They are after me to build the corals up in the tank vs more fish right now. I am loving the little clowns though I am glad they are in the tank & watching for the goby to peak out of his hiding spot is fun.

[ckmullin]

I'll give you a shout.

[hackerberry]

Looking good.

[Fin2you]

today has not been the Wednesday I had hoped for. That said I have had a number of people step up to offer me coral frags to help kick start my reef building, as well as had a number of private chats throughout the day of people offering help & tips! I juggled those around a sick child & one needing emergency dental surgery. Just getting to come downstairs this evening to feed the baby clown, even the goby came out to let me know he was still alive. which was so rewarding. then I got to curl up under a blanket & just listen to the P.S. (I kid you not I love it's "running noise" it is 1 of the most soothing relaxing sounds I have ever heard & I have tons of relaxation/meditation music!)
maybe tomorrow will be my fishy adventure day. I was recommended a couple different small SW LFS's to visit in the big city..... I need a day away from the house

[Fin2you]

I braved the hwy to go into the big city today. Unfortunately the 2 stores I stopped at were sold out of Refractometers. But I added to my CUC another snail & a lawnmower blenny.
I also found myself bringing home an Azure Damsel. There was 2 tanks of them. 1 tank the whole group was chasing each other around but then the 2nd tank there were only 3 of these in with a Clownfish & another fish. Of the 3 damsels; there was 1 hiding under the rock, another hiding in the back corner but when I stepped towards the glass it went straight behind the rock. The 3rd was hanging out mid tank, when I approached he backed up but slowly came forward. Definately a good fit I think to my tank. Right now I'm watching him darting around checking out all the different hide aways.

[Fin2you]

So yesterday morning I woke to a rock somehow shifted (think goby burrowed under a rock not set 100% against the bottom of the tank) causing it. After I fixed it I noticed the Damsel acting weird like it wasn't happy I closed up this 1 spot in the rock but I figured he would get over it. Since I walked away from the tank yesterday morning I haven't seen the Damsel since. I even got my daughter to stick her head around the corner to look behind the 1 rock & she said he's not there. Evening Feeding & again this morning goby, the hermit crab & the 2 visible snails didn't even blink at the portion of frozen Reef Complete I thawed out, yet the clown baby's inhaled like usual. I am really thinking he's a gonner & I have a fantastic CUC

[Fin2you]

Still 0 sign of the damsel; even after I spent some time putting new coral frags into the tank. pretty well safe to say he's a mysterious disappearance & I have a fantastic CUC.
I wonder if he didn't challenge a certain "Rocky" & lost.
I also checked out "Reef Wonderland". I talked them into selling me a frag of Purple Brain from $40 to $25 b/c the girls were begging for it. Probably could have found one thru here but it really was a unique nice shade of purplish pink I hadn't seen b4.

[Dearth]

If it's anything like my tank if a fish dies it is gone within a matter of hours between the snails, crabs, shrimp, bristle worms and some of the other fish nibbling at the carcass it is gone within hrs.

If one carpet surfs I have 2 cats that will take care of the fish for me.

When I lose a fish I view it as an opportunity to try a different fish and for the most part it has worked for me

[Fin2you]

I think it's all the badmouthing damsels going on... my shy Azure committed suicide. That's my story & I am sticking to it. That said you have a point, it does open up a huge selection for stocking the tank....
I am on Liveaquaria right now searching out some ideas!

[Fin2you]

new stocking ideas; (Already have *) *2 Ocellaris Clownfish, 1 standard & 1 black & white, *yellow prawn watchman Goby, *lawnmower Blenny, longnose hawkfish, yellow striped cardinal, Blue reef chromis & I'm still dreaming over 2 fish; candy basslet, & mandarin dragonet. I also found a cool Electric Blue hermit crab would I be able to put him in with the scarlet reef hermit I've already got? also do you think eventually I could get a Tridacna Clam?

[Fin2you]

I find the online world "funny".. Enough said on the subject let's move onto the more important things in life.our dog approves of the new tank. He will sit up on his haunches to view the activities. The cats are POd they can't fish in this tank either. (love Glass tank toppers. The kids are on cloud 9 regarding mom's choices made for mom's tank. I finally after days of wrestling with how should we stock the tank I put my foot down. I started this SW journey last fall with just a nano 5.5 gal coral build only for me. The kids begged for a Clownfish I said no it wasn't going to happen in my little tank. Hubby approved a bigger tank but essentially this is still MY TANK. I clean/feed/test & research. They enjoy. Enough of me trying to make them happy they have their Clownfish, which I love & am glad we got & the yellow goby makes me smile everything I see him frowning away in his corner. & The Blenny, crabs, macro starfishes & snails each have their place & that is fine. There is 1 fish I have said I want if I ever got a SW tank. So instead of trying to stock the tank with fish that would not be compatible eventually with my hoped for fish. I would rather just not spend the $ on them. There is still room on my rock for corals & there is still room to build up my rock formation. Which means more corals! Problem solved.
Oh so thrilled tonight when I went to feed to see the green algae growth on the back of the tank wall exactly where I hoped it would... Rocky found it too. I think he smiled at me as he chowed down. Don't understand the panic over a simple part of a natural system we all seem to want to recreate.... Get a natural algae controller.... Lawnmower Blenny are so dang ugly they are cute. Supplimental feed to keep him from starving if he's too fantastic at his job & let some real algae grow. It's part of a real system.😘
I love research, it is so cool the things you can learn about yourself as you focus on a task at hand. & there is nothing wrong with a break from your usual. Infact variety is a good thing. Each of my tanks gives me a certain different satisfaction. Plus this tank is pulling me back out to meeting new people & restoring my thoughts that there still are decent people left in the world.

[Fin2you]

This week has been fantastic for me & my tank; I took a day trip up north of me to meet with another fish keeper & we did a trade some fresh water plants for some corals. Win win for both of us!
Then yesterday I took some time to myself & went to Calgary to check out Wais Aquarium store & I had to go to Pisces for wet dog food & seeing as I was there I got 2 blue bulbs for my light. I installed them on the outer with the day white bulb in the middle. I think I will try either the Beauty Max or Color Max in the middle to see if there is much difference.
I think now my reef is set, I have found a very nice selection of different corals... Now to let everything mature & grown into itself. & for the fish to grow up.
Today is water change day.

[Fin2you]

Tank coming along fantastic except I thought "let's take the teal mushroom off the rock with the blue mushrooms & put him elsewhere to spread out my mushrooms". Ya it wormed it's way out of the glue & is hopefully somewhere around my tank rock in a cozy niche & didn't get chewed up thru the circulation pump. I believe another trip to Wai's to see if he has more larger than 1/2 the tip of my baby finger is in order. It is a beauty.
Tank really pops with the 2 Blue lights & the Beautymax bulb in the middle.

[Fin2you]

Life has gotten in the way of a few deals for new corals. But in the right time I believe it will all fall into place. Found the teal mushroom. I put him on a rock then covered with another & using an elastic band have sandwiched it. The research I have done says this method it takes about a week or 2 for the mushroom to stick itself to a rock.
Unfortunately the green birdsnest got knocked off the rock as it would seem the epoxy didn't hold. I am gonna go back to the reef glue. It seems to be the only thing that truly holds.

[Fin2you]

Oopsy overdose of Polyp-Booster will cause murky water. Learnt my lesson I now know even a 1/2 dose of recommendation for my tank size being that all my Corals are frags is too much. But I know what to use now.here is a cool picture. Top pict is after a 10gal then a 15gal change the next morning. Bottom is taken about 36hrs later & less than 24hrs after adding the electric Flame scallop.