Fishdad's Reef Setup
- Thread starter FishDad
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Nice pieces. I love the different shapes and looks like lots of places to hide for future fish.
I had a conch shell about that size that one of my Paracanthurus hepatus called 'home' when lights went out. That was one of two fish I ever had as a marine fish that had ich (adopted that way from a neighbor that was going to 'flush' him, sadly).
Once he was healthy and released into a 110gallon reef, he would go almost horizontal and slide sideways into the shell's opening. And as quick as turning a light off, his color would fade to almost pure white and he'd 'float' up into the roof of the shell's opening. Freaked me out the first time I saw him in there. I thought for sure he was dead!
I had a conch shell about that size that one of my Paracanthurus hepatus called 'home' when lights went out. That was one of two fish I ever had as a marine fish that had ich (adopted that way from a neighbor that was going to 'flush' him, sadly).
Once he was healthy and released into a 110gallon reef, he would go almost horizontal and slide sideways into the shell's opening. And as quick as turning a light off, his color would fade to almost pure white and he'd 'float' up into the roof of the shell's opening. Freaked me out the first time I saw him in there. I thought for sure he was dead!
Ah a blue tang. I have heard and read that they are prone to all sorts of diseases. The guy who I traded with today who "has been keeping saltwater fish for 26 years" in fact advised me against tangs because, he claimed, they always carry ick. I would bet that you, OC disagree with that bit of wisdom.
That conch shell was given to my wife by her brother. He dove for it in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba when he was stationed there. He was a detainee prison guard for the navy. He is also the one who took all my cichlids a few weeks ago.
Thanks for the compliments OC.
That conch shell was given to my wife by her brother. He dove for it in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba when he was stationed there. He was a detainee prison guard for the navy. He is also the one who took all my cichlids a few weeks ago.
Thanks for the compliments OC.
I would indeed disagree on the 'always carry ick' comment.
I had 7 in all in that tank (started with 6 as 1/2 inch juvies to start and then the adopted adult one about 2 years later). Never had a instance of ich with them or any other saltwater fish I kept. As with freshwater fish, proper QT of new fish, and good water quality will keep away most issues.
I wish I had a photo of the fish when I got him. He lived 4 months at least in a QT tank. Ich gone within a few weeks, but secondary infections, fin rot, body rot, etc. took a long time to heal. He also suffered from 'Marine Head & Lateral Line Erosion.' Look at the Paracanthurus hepatus about halfway down in this link:
Marine Head & Lateral Line Erosion: A Description of the Syndrome and a Review of its Speculated Causes by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com
He was fed only 'goldfish' flake food in his first home, and once being switched to a proper diet, the lesions healed completely.
Being that he was the 'new' fish in the established set of 6, I was not certain he'd merge into the 'herd' as it were. He hid for a few days, but ventured out after about a week. He got chased away a lot at first, but they accepted him in the end. One part of his tail never healed completely, as the wounds were down too deep, so I could always tell him by his tail that looked like a chunk had been eaten off.
I am a HUGE believer in drip-acclimating fish (also plants, inverts, etc.). I think the shock of parameters we don't even test for can be very stressful to fish. That ich infested Tang was in water so salty, I'm surprised it was still alive. For over a year, the first owner had been adding new SALT water (never changing out water) to bring the water level up due to evaporation. SG was more than I could measure. I did over 2 hours of acclimating him to 'normal' water. I started with 2 gallons of his water, then added 2 gallons of my QT tank's water over 30 mins. Then I'd siphon off 2 gallons, and start again. I think if I'd just put him in 'good' water, it would have done him in.
For marine reef fish, I think a place to 'hide' during acclimation and QT is essential too. They can really get stressed if they feel vulnerable. Often, I'd just put a chunk of dead coral I had for them to feel safe, and keeping the light level down helps a lot.
I had 7 in all in that tank (started with 6 as 1/2 inch juvies to start and then the adopted adult one about 2 years later). Never had a instance of ich with them or any other saltwater fish I kept. As with freshwater fish, proper QT of new fish, and good water quality will keep away most issues.
I wish I had a photo of the fish when I got him. He lived 4 months at least in a QT tank. Ich gone within a few weeks, but secondary infections, fin rot, body rot, etc. took a long time to heal. He also suffered from 'Marine Head & Lateral Line Erosion.' Look at the Paracanthurus hepatus about halfway down in this link:
Marine Head & Lateral Line Erosion: A Description of the Syndrome and a Review of its Speculated Causes by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com
He was fed only 'goldfish' flake food in his first home, and once being switched to a proper diet, the lesions healed completely.
Being that he was the 'new' fish in the established set of 6, I was not certain he'd merge into the 'herd' as it were. He hid for a few days, but ventured out after about a week. He got chased away a lot at first, but they accepted him in the end. One part of his tail never healed completely, as the wounds were down too deep, so I could always tell him by his tail that looked like a chunk had been eaten off.
I am a HUGE believer in drip-acclimating fish (also plants, inverts, etc.). I think the shock of parameters we don't even test for can be very stressful to fish. That ich infested Tang was in water so salty, I'm surprised it was still alive. For over a year, the first owner had been adding new SALT water (never changing out water) to bring the water level up due to evaporation. SG was more than I could measure. I did over 2 hours of acclimating him to 'normal' water. I started with 2 gallons of his water, then added 2 gallons of my QT tank's water over 30 mins. Then I'd siphon off 2 gallons, and start again. I think if I'd just put him in 'good' water, it would have done him in.
For marine reef fish, I think a place to 'hide' during acclimation and QT is essential too. They can really get stressed if they feel vulnerable. Often, I'd just put a chunk of dead coral I had for them to feel safe, and keeping the light level down helps a lot.
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Good info OC. That is amazing that fish survived.
A QT has been on my mind, I just haven't been able to focus on it with all that's going on with the DT. I think my first fish will be added w/o quarantine. That will give me time to set up a nice QT somewhere. I also still want to set up a auto top off system still, like the one Newman was talking about.
On the point of ich... OC you have said many times that ich can not survive 'dormant' w/o a host for extended periods of time. I have done my own research and agree with you. But I can't understand how quite a bit of people who have many years in the hobby believe the opposite. I'm hesitant to just call them wrong b/c you would think they have some logical reason for thinking that ich does go dormant and is always present. But as I said, just 5 minutes of research clearly shows that not to be true. I'm curious to hear your opinion...
A QT has been on my mind, I just haven't been able to focus on it with all that's going on with the DT. I think my first fish will be added w/o quarantine. That will give me time to set up a nice QT somewhere. I also still want to set up a auto top off system still, like the one Newman was talking about.
On the point of ich... OC you have said many times that ich can not survive 'dormant' w/o a host for extended periods of time. I have done my own research and agree with you. But I can't understand how quite a bit of people who have many years in the hobby believe the opposite. I'm hesitant to just call them wrong b/c you would think they have some logical reason for thinking that ich does go dormant and is always present. But as I said, just 5 minutes of research clearly shows that not to be true. I'm curious to hear your opinion...
Your DT will be your first QT tank 
I would just be sure to set up a QT before a 2nd batch of fish is added.
I've never understood the theory of 'ich' suddenly appearing and folks claiming that it must have been dormant and came active for some reason. One theory I've read about is that a low level infestation can cause unseen ich spots, and bad conditions (water quality, temperature, wounds from fish fighting, etc.) weaken a fish and make it more susceptible to ich. I just doesn't make sense to me.
I think many won't admit that they've just recently added new fish, or shared equipment from a QT tank and the DT. It is so easy to forget that QT should be kept completely separate from other tanks. How many times with your current tanks have you seen something that you needed to 'fix' real quick? A torn leaf on a plant, move a rock or driftwood over a bit, see a pesty snail you don't want to see multiply, etc.? And you reach into the tank with your hand or a net to fix it? Then, without thinking, grab the fish food pellets and sprinkle a few in your other tanks. If you didn't wash your hands or at least completely dried them, you can unknowingly transmit ich that was in the water column. Plants bought from you LFS can be contaminated if they keep any fish in with them, or if they do a bank of tanks all sharing one filtered water system.
My QT tank is in an unused 'guest room' at my house. To remind me that it is a QT tank, my hubby taped a latex glove over the front of the tank as a reminder to us both
I would just be sure to set up a QT before a 2nd batch of fish is added.I've never understood the theory of 'ich' suddenly appearing and folks claiming that it must have been dormant and came active for some reason. One theory I've read about is that a low level infestation can cause unseen ich spots, and bad conditions (water quality, temperature, wounds from fish fighting, etc.) weaken a fish and make it more susceptible to ich. I just doesn't make sense to me.
I think many won't admit that they've just recently added new fish, or shared equipment from a QT tank and the DT. It is so easy to forget that QT should be kept completely separate from other tanks. How many times with your current tanks have you seen something that you needed to 'fix' real quick? A torn leaf on a plant, move a rock or driftwood over a bit, see a pesty snail you don't want to see multiply, etc.? And you reach into the tank with your hand or a net to fix it? Then, without thinking, grab the fish food pellets and sprinkle a few in your other tanks. If you didn't wash your hands or at least completely dried them, you can unknowingly transmit ich that was in the water column. Plants bought from you LFS can be contaminated if they keep any fish in with them, or if they do a bank of tanks all sharing one filtered water system.
My QT tank is in an unused 'guest room' at my house. To remind me that it is a QT tank, my hubby taped a latex glove over the front of the tank as a reminder to us both
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Makes sense. Its just strange to me to be in that much denial. Good call on latex glove, really drives that sterile, institutional feel home.
My wife and I are currently debating what the first to be added will be. I'm torn between a mandarine green goby or a clown fish. Any recommendations? Also, as far as your basic reef fish go, what are some good brands of fish food? Flakes or pellets?
My wife and I are currently debating what the first to be added will be. I'm torn between a mandarine green goby or a clown fish. Any recommendations? Also, as far as your basic reef fish go, what are some good brands of fish food? Flakes or pellets?
definitely clowns. you wouldn't want to start with a mandarin (the dragonet right?). you will have a pain of a time to train them to eat frozen foods. when i had clowns they liked ocean nutrition flakes and new life spectrum micropellets. but clowns are really lenient in what they eat so any brand is good for them.
get a pair of maroon clowns! they are beautiful. or if you like the classic look then a true percula pair. there are also designer bred clowns that are very expensive, but if you want something unique then check those out.
get a pair of maroon clowns! they are beautiful. or if you like the classic look then a true percula pair. there are also designer bred clowns that are very expensive, but if you want something unique then check those out.
check out how an ATO is made. i'm pretty sure most ATO systems use a float switch. just do a google search or ask someone on a forum who is using an ATO on their reef. most people are i think..
Also true perculas are more attractive looking fish imo. you would want to get a pair from a tank at an LFS that houses MANY clowns. that way both clowns you get will likely be male. get them when they are small too. absolutely make sure there are like 5-10 clowns in the LFS tank though. pick healthy ones (one of mine turned out to have a funky bulldog jaw but she was still ok). if you get a pair like this, one will grow bigger and be a female and the other will stay small and be a male.
Also true perculas are more attractive looking fish imo. you would want to get a pair from a tank at an LFS that houses MANY clowns. that way both clowns you get will likely be male. get them when they are small too. absolutely make sure there are like 5-10 clowns in the LFS tank though. pick healthy ones (one of mine turned out to have a funky bulldog jaw but she was still ok). if you get a pair like this, one will grow bigger and be a female and the other will stay small and be a male.
Good to know about the clowns, thanks.
It seems that the float switches tend to be plugged into a digital controller that cuts off the electricity to whatever is feeding the sump. Those controllers are like 80 bucks, and it seems to me there must me something more hardware oriented that will do the same thing for much less. Its a pretty simple task when you think about it. I'll probably have to go to home depot and stare at the shelves for a couple hours. That's how I usually figure these things out.
It seems that the float switches tend to be plugged into a digital controller that cuts off the electricity to whatever is feeding the sump. Those controllers are like 80 bucks, and it seems to me there must me something more hardware oriented that will do the same thing for much less. Its a pretty simple task when you think about it. I'll probably have to go to home depot and stare at the shelves for a couple hours. That's how I usually figure these things out.