50 replies to this topic

[Gavin]

Two problems with those gobies are feeding as you've mentioned(I've seen quite a few starving in tanks) but also they pick up the sand then swim over your rock to drop it and make a real mess.

[dazzabozza]

Hey Nic

Sea cucumber's can clean your substrate too, something my snails have failed to do... if anything that's wot killed them cause they can't get a proper grip and roll over...

The amount of algae will probably diminish over time anyways as long you don't provide too much light and keep your nitrates down. I had a small bloom when the tank was cycling. Now it's full of predators (huge bio load) and I have minor algae build up.

Dazza

[NicholasC]

I decided to drop the lion until i get my 4 foot, just too dangerous to put in a small tank which is quite alot of maintenance (me putting my hand in also).

As i said my tank is still in cycle and i am buying a further 4kg of live rock. I heard i need either distilled water or Reverse Osmosis to reduce my nitrates.

The extent of my substrate algae, I cleaned it all up last night and now 50% is back 8O if this doesn't dim down is the goby a option? id there other food i can feed them? but as i have said if he is going to starve i would prefer not to get him.

[Neakit]

RO water is great cause u don't get the minute traces of phosphate, copper etc.....

[alec]

i think hermit crabs are very good at turning over the sand, although sea cucumbers are good too if they are scared or damaged they relese a toxin which can kill fish :?

you can get a sea salt which is specialy designed for r.o water which has all the right amounts of the elements and the trace elements nedded for a reef tank although it is very expensive. i think it would be better to use tap water

[dazzabozza]

Odd that u heard that "distilled water or Reverse Osmosis will reduce nitrates" that's new to me. The advantages are as Neakit says no copper or phosphate. Corals don't like the copper and reducing phosphates should help bring the algae down...

How long has your tank been up for? I'm surprised it's still cycling. Perhaps some starter fish earlier would've helped. Any signs of ammonia or nitrite?

Dazza

[NicholasC]

Sorry my tank was in limbo for awhile, Just busy with work Exp and studying.

Yeah i think i got it wrong about the nitrates :roll: My tank has been going for 2 and a half months now and i just got the fish :roll:

I was too busy growing copeopods and amphiopods to realize i had no fish lol

[NicholasC]

***UPDATE***

Hi all, just got another 10kgs or so of live rock and a heap of coral:

*1x Green Bubble Tip Anenome
*1x Pink/Brown Hammer coral
*2x Zoathids (brown/green & clear/green)
*1x Torch Coral

*2x Sand starfish

Also re-rocked my tank and added a 2000l/ph powerhead.

Very dirty tank Pictures:

Tank setup

Tank side on

Hammer coral


Torch coral

Zoathid

Hiding away Bubbletip anenome


Please don't tell me i have a dirty tank i already know but ill get some nice pics once the bubble tip come out... it was on that whiter live rock top right and fully extended it was amazing i just waited too long for the pics

Also i am in the process of making a sump just need to fit the over-flow box and the piping, so the hang on, protein and heater is a little annoying to look at but will be soon gone Also i can get to all those hard to reach points and give the tank a royal cleaning

Nic

[churchy]

Nice tank nick , mine was a six footer thats why it was expensive for me to fill with rock corals and fish.Do you know about oceanarium up your way(look on the web) a pair of coral banded shrimp would look cool in there and a blue starfish.

Andrew

[NicholasC]

Nah oceanarium is in Quinns rock a little far

Also my to-buy list is:

1x Pair coral banded shrimp
1x Pair Black & white ocellaris clownfish

and later on maybe a mandarin or a lawnmower blenny

Nic