Stephanie1974's 30g tank setup

[Stephanie1974]

I have a mandarin dragonet(whom eats dried food pellets along side of his live food), 2 pink skunk clown fish, 1 green spotted puffer, colony of green mushroom anemone, yellow brittle star, spiny brittle star, a couple blue legged hermits, 2 ringed cowry, approx 40lbs live rock with sea squirts and small tube worms encrusted. Using a protein skimmer. I know I have the basics compared to alot of members on here, but I love my tank setup and the fish I have, have been with me for about 3.5 years now. The tank is thriving and one day I will do the big dive and set up a 55 Gallon to accommodate my babies, but for now this will suffice.
I just started as a member and need to figure out how to post photos. They will come soon enough though.:wink:

[Leah]

Welcome to Canreef Stephanie.....I am in Penticton we are neighbors :biggrin:
Can't wait to see your photo's :wink:

[Doug]

Welcome
to
Canreef

:mrgreen:




Perhaps this link will help with picture posting.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=8129

[Stephanie1974]

I posted some pics. Can they be viewed by the group if I put them in an album?

[Edmonton newbie]

welcome to canreef what happened to those pics?

[Stephanie1974]

LOL! I have them posted in the photo gallery. I will try to take better pics with another camera or play with settings on my camera. It is really hard taking pics of aquariums. LOL
O my goodness. I have no idea what is going on here. I will figure it out, because 2 times I have done the photos and yet can't find them. This is like using a debit card in different stores. I think there is something I am missing and that is why they aren't actually uploading fully!

[Marlin65]

Welcome if you need some picture help PM me.:wink:

[Stephanie1974]

Well I guess it is just me needing some practice. I did post them and just couldn't find them again. The link is below.:lol: Yahhhh!

[Stephanie1974]

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/album.php?albumid=300
Here is the link. It is now public. Maybe being made private was the issue.:neutral:

[fishytime]

Welcome aboard......most peeps here upload their pics to photobucket and and then copy/paste them into their post.....much easier:wink:......it doesn't look like there is anything wrong with those pics:wink:

[bvlester]

Welcome to Canreef.. Ask any question you like and people will be happy to give advise and help. You should take a run down to penticiton and visit Leah very nice person and has some nice tanks also. The photo's are good you even got the three fish in one pic at the same time hard to do, because thay are always swimming around...LOL

Bill

[Stephanie1974]

Thanks! The skunk clowns seem to be quite shy, until mealtime. I wish I saw them more aorund the tank. They love their hiding spots though. When it is supper time they all go after the pellets that I put in for my Mandarin and then they head to the flakes. So, when it is dinner time it is not too hard to take pictures.
I have a question for members on here. Brisstle worms...anyone know a good way of ridding them? I tried using hermit crabs and well the star fish feed on them. I went through all of the substrate bit by bit(there were tons of them, and it took way too long to do this!) I really don't want to do a fresh water rinse due to the population of amphipods and copipods that my mandarin feed on. Any suggestions???

[Leah]

Stephanie,

Love your pictures especially your puffer and mandarin. :mrgreen: :biggrin: And like Bill said if you happen to be coming to Penticton just pm me and come for a visit anytime. It would be nice to meet another female reefer. :wink:

[Carmen]

Welcome to Canreef Stephanie! Yay another girl reefer on the board!
Bristleworms are a beneficial part of your clean up crew and really do no harm. Remove the large ones when you see them but you can cut their populations by reducing the "leftovers" when you feed! Cut your feedings and perhaps try frozen...less waste. If you can decrease their food supply they will decrease their numbers all on their own. I've had a severe overpopluation of brittlestars and found just cutting back the amount I was feeding reduced their numbers. But really...they are helping out the tank so now big worries.

[Stephanie1974]

Leah, you have no problem with your stars being with your crabs? I had a pair of Pom Poms and numerous of hermits and snails, but seem to find remnents of shell bits around where my yellow brittle star hangs out. What is your secret? I loved the cute Pom Pom crabs! They look like lil clowns all painted up! They even bred a few times, but I never saw the lil ones get bigger around my tank after she finally decided to let go of them. Really neat thing to see when she is carrying around caviar. Maybe they turned into fish food. But the adults did turn into starfish food. :cry:
I am considering getting rid of my star fish just so I can home more hermits and maybe save a spot for the pom poms again.
About Penticton, I don't go down too often, but definately when I do my bf and I would love to see how you run your tank. Well, I would like to see the set up and well I think he just likes the fish. The work of it doesn't interest him! LOL

[Leah]

I have two tanks set up... the 95 has the brittle, sandsifter and blue starfish in the tank... and the crabs I did have, 2 sallylightfooted have long disappeared. :sad: So to answer your question no chance they will survive long.

In my 72 I have the 2 pom-poms and 2 blue porcelain crabs along with a blue and purple linkia....so they are safe. :wink:....unless the newly discovered hairy crab gets hungry.....:cry:

[Stephanie1974]

I guess with the two responses from our females members, there aren't many females on here! What is up with that? I thought there would be more female reef enthusiasts compared to men. Maybe there really aren't alot of women taking the time to take part on the forums. :wink: Are there many on here from Kelowna?

[Carmen]

I guess with the two responses from our females members, there aren't many females on here! What is up with that? I thought there would be more female reef enthusiasts compared to men. Maybe there really aren't alot of women taking the time to take part on the forums. :wink: Are there many on here from Kelowna?

Not sure bout Kelowna but I can say for certain that here in Calgary the Men outnumber the Women in the hobby atleast 4 to 1! I work at Red coral on Saturdays and we don't get too many reefchicks coming in! There aren't many of us out there! Perhaps the hobby is a kinda jump in and get "dirty" kinda hobby...not for most chicks!:lol: Not many girls wanna get dirty cleaning skimmers or mess around with BRISTLEWORMS!:lol: But I can say there are some great guys in the hobby with great advice especially here on Canreef!
:wink:

[Stephanie1974]

Carmen,
you are probably right with the whole reason. Yah not many women out there I think are okay with the whole gettign dirty thing. I definately am not one to worry about my nails or hair. I am all about activities that allow me to do anything. Even getting my nails broken and dealing with the dirties of natural things. I don't even let spiders, or scrapes and bruises limit my choices. Definately grew up being a tomboy! Anyway, I am doing some research on here about the LED lighting for tanks. Have you heard anything? I have found out it can last for 15 years. That in itself is a grab for me. No light changes all of the time, no heat, can be controlled with different light levels and colors. And the biggest grab is the cost, Hense, the main reason I haven't went to a larger tank. You working in a store, have you seen the setups offered, if any, and what is the cost?

[fishytime]

I agree.......yay!!!! another reef Girly:wink:

[Leah]

I agree.......yay!!!! another reef Girly:wink:

:lol: Pretty soon you will love Doug....just like the rest of us Girly's. :wink:

[Carmen]

Carmen,
you are probably right with the whole reason. Yah not many women out there I think are okay with the whole gettign dirty thing. I definately am not one to worry about my nails or hair. I am all about activities that allow me to do anything. Even getting my nails broken and dealing with the dirties of natural things. I don't even let spiders, or scrapes and bruises limit my choices. Definately grew up being a tomboy! Anyway, I am doing some research on here about the LED lighting for tanks. Have you heard anything? I have found out it can last for 15 years. That in itself is a grab for me. No light changes all of the time, no heat, can be controlled with different light levels and colors. And the biggest grab is the cost, Hense, the main reason I haven't went to a larger tank. You working in a store, have you seen the setups offered, if any, and what is the cost?

Unfortunately I know Nothing about LED setups. Perhaps I'm gonna have to learn! Can't help ya with that one. Best of luck on the resaerch though...sounds intriguing!:mrgreen:

[bvlester]

I have two tanks set up... the 95 has the brittle, sandsifter and blue starfish in the tank... and the crabs I did have, 2 sallylightfooted have long disappeared. :sad: So to answer your question no chance they will survive long.

In my 72 I have the 2 pom-poms and 2 blue porcelain crabs along with a blue and purple linkia....so they are safe. :wink:....unless the newly discovered hairy crab gets hungry.....:cry:

Leah you have a gorila crab I would put theat guy in the sump he can help you out in there by eating the ditris and any uneaten food that gets down there.

Bill

[bvlester]

I guess with the two responses from our females members, there aren't many females on here! What is up with that? I thought there would be more female reef enthusiasts compared to men. Maybe there really aren't alot of women taking the time to take part on the forums. :wink: Are there many on here from Kelowna?

There is afew women Reefers in Kamloops just not on the bords is all.

Bill

[bvlester]

On Led stuff, do a google there is plenty to read and you can buy LED's on Ebay cheep if you can solder and get the right stuff you can DIY your own LED lighting system. Once I am working again I am going to look into it my self.

Bill

[Leah]

Leah you have a gorila crab I would put theat guy in the sump he can help you out in there by eating the ditris and any uneaten food that gets down there.

Bill

And you will love Bill!....he is terrific!.... :biggrin:... heart of gold.:wink:

Bill,

Since you were here last...I still have no sump:redface:...was working on it... but, well I dunno...still in the land of limbo... procrastination.:twised:

[bvlester]

Leah I thought you had made the leap come on try it you'll like it You can use and over the top over flow to try it out. Then if you like it you then can get a drilled tank a large one at that. It does make things easyer I have my ato go right into the sump and heaters are in there and skimmer. Cleans up the tank if nothing else I believe there is a bit more evaporation with a sump but I cover up to 2/3 with acrilic both sump and tank. THere is still air to water surface contact and it is open on both ends. just water condences on the glass or arclrllic and drips back in to the tank mimics Rain you get wat more air injected into the water that way. If a skimmer can't inject enough air then I don't know what can.LOL LOL...believe me I am a king at procrastination I'll go into lets just say a LFS and gazz at fish and corals leave and come back 3 or 4 time before I buy anything and by then what I wanted will have been iether bought or put on hold.

Bill

[Leah]

Leah I thought you had made the leap come on try it you'll like it You can use and over the top over flow to try it out. Then if you like it you then can get a drilled tank a large one at that. It does make things easyer I have my ato go right into the sump and heaters are in there and skimmer. Cleans up the tank if nothing else I believe there is a bit more evaporation with a sump but I cover up to 2/3 with acrilic both sump and tank. THere is still air to water surface contact and it is open on both ends. just water condences on the glass or arclrllic and drips back in to the tank mimics Rain you get wat more air injected into the water that way. If a skimmer can't inject enough air then I don't know what can.LOL LOL...believe me I am a king at procrastination I'll go into lets just say a LFS and gazz at fish and corals leave and come back 3 or 4 time before I buy anything and by then what I wanted will have been iether bought or put on hold.

Bill

Sorry Stephanie for the total hijack on your thread:...wink: that's just us lazy ones that won't start a thread of there own...:redface:
Okay.. I admit it on Canreef... I am a girly chicken...:lol: So many directions.. I could go and so confused which one to take...:dizzy::laugh:

[Stephanie1974]

Ahaha. NP with taking over. It is like any conversation. The more the merrier and well our thoughts branch out everywhere. Ayway ladies. Hope your nights go well!

[bvlester]

Hay all you ladies will have to get together and help Leah with her sump...

This is one guy saying good night Ladies.

Bill

[Leah]

Hay all you ladies will have to get together and help Leah with her sump...

This is one guy saying good night Ladies.

Bill

:gossip::nod: Working on a solution going big big bigger biggest soon.:wink:

Thanks Stephanie :dance:

[bvlester]

Nice to hear I would put it down stairs and do a tat long wall of your in a all reef tank.
Just go as large as you are comfortable in doing so, remember you still have to look after the thing you dan't want to have to put on scuba gear to clean your tank or move some thing around.

Bill

[Leah]

Nice to hear I would put it down stairs and do a tat long wall of your in a all reef tank.
Just go as large as you are comfortable in doing so, remember you still have to look after the thing you dan't want to have to put on scuba gear to clean your tank or move some thing around.

Bill

:lol:...scuba gear:wink:.. what is the fun in that...getting completely soaked from head to toe is the only way to go:twised:.....when reefing!:biggrin:

[kien]

here in Calgary the Men outnumber the Women in the hobby atleast 4 to 1! Not many girls wanna get dirty cleaning skimmers or mess around with BRISTLEWORMS!:lol: But I can say there are some great guys in the hobby with great advice especially here on Canreef!
:wink:

4 to 1??? Really?? There's that many girls in Calgary into reefing??? Where are they all hiding ? :lol::lol:

Some guys don't wanna get dirty cleaning skimmers or messing around with bristleworms :redface: :lol::lol::lol:

anyway, welcome aboard !:-)

[bvlester]

:lol:...scuba gear:wink:.. what is the fun in that...getting completely soaked from head to toe is the only way to go:twised:.....when reefing!:biggrin:

Leah I would love to be able to turn my in ground pool into a reef but the heating bill in the winter would kill me, even if I could heat with wood one season would kill me. Too much wood to go cut chop and pile, But swimming with your fishes would be the ultimate reefing hobby.

Bill

[Leah]

4 to 1??? Really?? There's that many girls in Calgary into reefing??? Where are they all hiding ? :lol::lol:

Some guys don't wanna get dirty cleaning skimmers or messing around with bristleworms :redface: :lol::lol::lol:

anyway, welcome aboard !:-)

And you sir are a married man.:lol: And probably they are hiding from you!:wink:

[Carmen]

4 to 1??? Really?? There's that many girls in Calgary into reefing??? Where are they all hiding ? :lol::lol:

Some guys don't wanna get dirty cleaning skimmers or messing around with bristleworms :redface: :lol::lol::lol:

anyway, welcome aboard !:-)


Well perhaps I may be "off" on that number a little!:lol: Although there are a number of husband and wife reefers but I suppose those women don't count RIGHT?!:wink: If you're talking bout hardcore REEF CHICKS (like me?!:wink:), maybe like 100 to 1!!!! Us girlies are hard to come by!:lol:

Aw come on Kien You LOVE getting dirty! :lol:

[StirCrazy]

Leah I would love to be able to turn my in ground pool into a reef but the heating bill in the winter would kill me, even if I could heat with wood one season would kill me. Too much wood to go cut chop and pile, But swimming with your fishes would be the ultimate reefing hobby.

Bill

what about solar hot water. that could warm up the pool a fair bit :mrgreen:

Steve

[kien]

And you sir are a married man.:lol: And probably they are hiding from you!:wink:

Probably.

Aw come on Kien You LOVE getting dirty! :lol:

You would know.. I guess. :surprise:

We just totally jacked and derailed this thread.. sorry steph :( I guess you have been initiated! :lol:

Nice green spotted buffer btw. I used to have one eons ago when I first got into reefing. The LFS said I could acclimate him to my reef quite easy. Well, ya, it was easy (ish) but he ended up eating everything in the tank :sad: That tank became a POWLR (Puffer Only With Live(ish) Rock). Keep an eye on him and watch that he doesn't go after the mandarin with that beak of his!

[Stephanie1974]

LOL Too funny about taking over completely. Everyone is giving me some reading material when I log back on here. :biggrin:

I have had my mandarin and GSP together for quite a while now. Like everything else in this world every individual has its own personality. I know with fish it is the same...I have had fish since I was 5 yrs old and went fishless for only 6 months in my life since that time. He not once has went after anything. I use to own two big(approx 6" they grew to be from the size of a dime) brackish water ones over 15 yrs ago and they lived by themselves. Anything I put in that tank was food. I think introducing this guy when he was very small after I got my other fish, he just learned that he was the last in line. The other one I bought that was already acclimatized to salt water went after everything right off the bat. He didn't last long though. He went after the tails on my skunk clowns and went after my mushrooms. This GSP is very gentle and shy for the most part...hense why I call it my gentle giant. I always keep my eyes open for any change in my tanks and hope I never see any trace of his true abilities.

[Stephanie1974]

Last night I picked a bi color angel and added it to the tank. Awaiting to see if any conflict between my fish. The only one I was concerned about was my puffer because he was the last one added...and well who knows his true colors may come out one day. Nothing at all though. :biggrin: The new fish made itself at home. It has been grazing on the red algae on the rocks, hasn't bothered my mushrooms or tube worms. I woke up this morning and upon going to the tank to feed the tank I noticed the bi color angel had marks on his side.(Nothing from the puffer though). I decided to sit and watch the tank for a bit and noticed the angel was getting aggressive with the smaller skunk clown(male). Wow these guys are suppose to get along. The angel was more aggressive than the clown though and was pushing and side dancing with him and then the clown swam away defeated, and rested in the corner until he noticed the angel was no longer in sight. Well this I am hoping is going to be short lived until they have placed their ranking in the tank. I am going to be looking for a 55 I guess to accommodate the change in my tank if the harmony isn't met soon. Any suggestions on tank measurements. Length, depth, width?? I can get my other half to build me a stand to fit as he is a carpenter.

[bvlester]

I have a 55g in good shape $75.

Bill

[Stephanie1974]

What are the measurements of the tank? Do you have pictures? And do you come to Kelowna?

[bvlester]

Hi I do go to Kelowna once in a while and I maybe bringing something to Leah I don't know this is why I let you know that I have a 55g I can sell to you it 4foot x 12.5" x 20.5 tall. here is a link to what is left of the photo bucket pics of it you can see a few more in the 110g link on the slide show. $75 no leaks. If I have to make a extra trip it would cost extra.

http://s749.photobucket.com/albums/xx134/bvlester/55g%20salt%20water%20tank/

Bill