Lots of pictures of the display (60g) and refugium (20L).
- Thread starter Khemul
- Start date
The Gurnard was before the Condy, although I haven't ruled it out 100% for the Leopard. The Leopard did like to hang out right behind the Condy's rock, so even unmeasured ammonia increased could have been noticeable in the immediate area. One of the Crested Gobies hangs out under that rock, but those fish are literally indestructible. That is actually a big part of why I did the smell test on it and pulled it though. Unfortunately I'll probably never know for sure.
And yeah, I'm usually pretty tough with smells. I'm the last one to know when the rat catches need cleaning (and usually that is more due to hearing "When are you going to clean those rats cages? They stink!" then any actual smell :rofl
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Well at the very least, if I add another Condy in the future I'm gonna avoid that corner of the tank. Between the snails, conchs and pistol shrimp nothing seems to want to stay in one place over there. Would have never thought it was a high traffic area, since I never see anything over there, but now I see that even the small rocks I scattered around to discourage digging around there kept getting moved. I originally thought the Condys wouldn't like being near each other but if that isn't a concern maybe I'll put any new ones in the same area as the green-tip. But for now we aren't even sure about adding another purple-tip or pink-tip so it may not matter.
And yeah, I'm usually pretty tough with smells. I'm the last one to know when the rat catches need cleaning (and usually that is more due to hearing "When are you going to clean those rats cages? They stink!" then any actual smell :rofl
.Well at the very least, if I add another Condy in the future I'm gonna avoid that corner of the tank. Between the snails, conchs and pistol shrimp nothing seems to want to stay in one place over there. Would have never thought it was a high traffic area, since I never see anything over there, but now I see that even the small rocks I scattered around to discourage digging around there kept getting moved. I originally thought the Condys wouldn't like being near each other but if that isn't a concern maybe I'll put any new ones in the same area as the green-tip. But for now we aren't even sure about adding another purple-tip or pink-tip so it may not matter.
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Great looking tank! Sorry to hear about the losses, but it's an ongoing process I guess..
Are you planning on adding a backing to the main tank? I think a black backing would create some contrast and depth to the look of the tank. But that's just me.
Are you planning on adding a backing to the main tank? I think a black backing would create some contrast and depth to the look of the tank. But that's just me.
I plan too, but probably not on this tank. Too much trouble to get behind it now.
When I upgrade to the larger tank I will probably do a black or dark blue backing. Especially since I like the urchins so a coralline backing probably won't work. :rofl:
Maybe it'll get its own backing when it becomes the refugium for the upgraded tank. Haven't decided there. This was more the experimental tank and the upgrade will be the one with everything done right.
When I upgrade to the larger tank I will probably do a black or dark blue backing. Especially since I like the urchins so a coralline backing probably won't work. :rofl:
Maybe it'll get its own backing when it becomes the refugium for the upgraded tank. Haven't decided there. This was more the experimental tank and the upgrade will be the one with everything done right.
Well this is certainly getting frustrating. The Cardinal is doing fine. Isn't a big eater but I saw it down 3 mysis shrimp in one bite when I used the turkey baster to blast some frozen mysis his way. Seems like he prefers one big meal as opposed to a bunch of little bites.
The Mandy died last night. Weirdest thing too. It has been swimming around, pecking at the rocks for a week. Got home last night it was doing its thing. An hour later I see it behind a rock with the Crown Conch sniffing around it. It had literally just died. No signs of distress. No weird swimming. No chasing by other fish. Just alive one moment and dead the next. No injuries or marks on the fish. Thing looked like a perfect specimen when I took it out (CUC didn't even have time to get to it). The stomach wasn't pinched in so I don't think starvation would be a reason. It didn't have a belly on it, but as far as I know with mandies their stomach pinches inwards when they are starved. This one the body flowed evenly from the head to the tail (which I figure to mean it isn't starved but not fat either). Water quality checks out (parameters below if they help). The fiancee suggested maybe it got stung by the anemone, but all the fish in the tank seem to know to keep a safe distance from it so I don't think that was it. And if anyone is going to get stung it'd be the Cardinal that hangs out inches out of reach all day or the Eibli that checks the mouth regularly for food to steal. I can't think of anything so far that'd make a fish just simply turn over and die without any trace of a cause.
Temp : 75
Ammonia : 0
Nitrite : 0
Salinity measured 1.026. The hydrometer usually measures +.002, so call it 1.024.
Don't have test kits for nitrate and phosphate but nitrate usually hovers around 20. Phosphate I don't think is extremely high since the GHA growth is slowing.
The Mandy died last night. Weirdest thing too. It has been swimming around, pecking at the rocks for a week. Got home last night it was doing its thing. An hour later I see it behind a rock with the Crown Conch sniffing around it. It had literally just died. No signs of distress. No weird swimming. No chasing by other fish. Just alive one moment and dead the next. No injuries or marks on the fish. Thing looked like a perfect specimen when I took it out (CUC didn't even have time to get to it). The stomach wasn't pinched in so I don't think starvation would be a reason. It didn't have a belly on it, but as far as I know with mandies their stomach pinches inwards when they are starved. This one the body flowed evenly from the head to the tail (which I figure to mean it isn't starved but not fat either). Water quality checks out (parameters below if they help). The fiancee suggested maybe it got stung by the anemone, but all the fish in the tank seem to know to keep a safe distance from it so I don't think that was it. And if anyone is going to get stung it'd be the Cardinal that hangs out inches out of reach all day or the Eibli that checks the mouth regularly for food to steal. I can't think of anything so far that'd make a fish just simply turn over and die without any trace of a cause.
Temp : 75
Ammonia : 0
Nitrite : 0
Salinity measured 1.026. The hydrometer usually measures +.002, so call it 1.024.
Don't have test kits for nitrate and phosphate but nitrate usually hovers around 20. Phosphate I don't think is extremely high since the GHA growth is slowing.
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The Cardinal is still going well. Crossing my fingers and hoping it stays that way. It is eating pretty well. Got it going after Omega One flakes. It seems to be rather picky since it'll spit out some flakes and eat others (think it prefers big pieces). Tried NLS small pellets but it spits those out right now. The gobies seem to be in heaven though with a food that is bite sized and sits on the bottom for them to gobble up :grinyes:. Threw in some mysis last night and the Cardinal went right in with the other fish and started chowing down (not timid at all anymore) so it seems to be fully settled in and content now.
Got it a friend today that I'm pretty sure is female (the current one may also be female, but females should be okay together, it is two males that would not work well). The new one is looking good so far, but way too early to say for sure. Will do pictures tomorrow or Monday once it gets used to the tank. No instant fights or attacks so that is always a good sign.
Picked up what was labeled a Green Finger Leather. Not sure if it'll end up being a Sinularia or one of the Tree Corals, but it looked nice and was priced right. Personally I think after handling it and putting it in the tank it may be a Kenya Tree, or a relative of the Kenya Tree, but I'm good with it either way. It has more of pointed ends then a Kenya Tree but it has the same look when closed up (cauliflower) and the same texture (rough leathery but not slimey). Finding leathers that aren't Toadstools is a pain around here. Everyone insists on only carrying huge pieces that range anywhere from $40 to $200. It's in adjustment mode right now but will get some pictures when it starts opening up normally again.
Natural filtration has basically maxed out so while the algae is holding steady and not exploding, it is growing more then I'd like. I'd rather not go into chemical filtration unless I have to so the upgrade plans are moving ahead. There are basically two plans we are tossing around and it'll depend on what I can justify price-wise.
Plan-A
Purchase a 125g tank. Make 125g new display tank. Turn old 60g into new refugium.
Pros :
A display tank that isn't scratched and chipped all over.
No need to upgrade in the future (theoretically :evil_lol.
Cons :
Estimating $450-550 ($300-350 for tank, $30-40 for materials, $80-100 for extra equipment) price-tag.
Plan-B
Purchase a 55g tank at Petco. Make 55g new refugium.
Pros :
Estimating $100 ($55 for tank, $30-40 for materials) price-tag.
Cons :
Still need to upgrade in the future.
Still have a scratched and chipped display tank.
Either way the new refugium will be designed to hold water better then the current system. It'll also integrate one or two small variants of the ATS concept (thinking an aqueduct type setup rather then a waterfall). I'm leaning towards Plan-B unless I can find a store around here that'll sell a 125 for less then $350 (craigslist is useless for these size tanks around here).
Got it a friend today that I'm pretty sure is female (the current one may also be female, but females should be okay together, it is two males that would not work well). The new one is looking good so far, but way too early to say for sure. Will do pictures tomorrow or Monday once it gets used to the tank. No instant fights or attacks so that is always a good sign.
Picked up what was labeled a Green Finger Leather. Not sure if it'll end up being a Sinularia or one of the Tree Corals, but it looked nice and was priced right. Personally I think after handling it and putting it in the tank it may be a Kenya Tree, or a relative of the Kenya Tree, but I'm good with it either way. It has more of pointed ends then a Kenya Tree but it has the same look when closed up (cauliflower) and the same texture (rough leathery but not slimey). Finding leathers that aren't Toadstools is a pain around here. Everyone insists on only carrying huge pieces that range anywhere from $40 to $200. It's in adjustment mode right now but will get some pictures when it starts opening up normally again.
Natural filtration has basically maxed out so while the algae is holding steady and not exploding, it is growing more then I'd like. I'd rather not go into chemical filtration unless I have to so the upgrade plans are moving ahead. There are basically two plans we are tossing around and it'll depend on what I can justify price-wise.
Plan-A
Purchase a 125g tank. Make 125g new display tank. Turn old 60g into new refugium.
Pros :
A display tank that isn't scratched and chipped all over.
No need to upgrade in the future (theoretically :evil_lol
.Cons :
Estimating $450-550 ($300-350 for tank, $30-40 for materials, $80-100 for extra equipment) price-tag.
Plan-B
Purchase a 55g tank at Petco. Make 55g new refugium.
Pros :
Estimating $100 ($55 for tank, $30-40 for materials) price-tag.
Cons :
Still need to upgrade in the future.
Still have a scratched and chipped display tank.
Either way the new refugium will be designed to hold water better then the current system. It'll also integrate one or two small variants of the ATS concept (thinking an aqueduct type setup rather then a waterfall). I'm leaning towards Plan-B unless I can find a store around here that'll sell a 125 for less then $350 (craigslist is useless for these size tanks around here).
IMHO, the 125gal seems the better long-run option, as if you do the 55 you will upgrade the display and then use the 60 as the fuge, thus wasting and entire 55 gallon tank. May as well get the upgrade out of the way now then later, right?
I love the tank! Sucks about the mandarin, but I would make a decent bet that the cardinal will survive. They are almost indestructible, mine did fine in a 20 long for a decent amount of time, then survived a very stressed series of moves and the nuking of my tank without any issues
As for the mandarin... if it looked fine and seemed healthy... perhaps an internal parasite that was taking up space in it's stomach?
I love the tank! Sucks about the mandarin, but I would make a decent bet that the cardinal will survive. They are almost indestructible, mine did fine in a 20 long for a decent amount of time, then survived a very stressed series of moves and the nuking of my tank without any issues
As for the mandarin... if it looked fine and seemed healthy... perhaps an internal parasite that was taking up space in it's stomach?
That is the big debate right now with the plans. Plan B sucks long-term but works short-term. Plan A sucks short-term but works long-term. it'll probably depend on the next week or two. I'm making a little more money lately, but we may be losing some income sources so it'll depend on how that balances out.
Ill have to take some pictures of the fuge sometimes. The caulerpa is so thick it looks like a grass bed. I've seen high-tech planted tanks that weren't as lush. :rofl:
I'm shocked about the new Cardinal. Day one and it is already going after flakes like crazy. Id always heard the cheap ones were always wild-caught and hard to feed at first. This one looks like it definitely grew up in a tank. Can't complain though since it means better odds of success.
Never did figure out the Mandarin. It may have been my gobies. They don't act aggressive or mean but I think tey may have there own quiet ways of bullying. All the fish lost were ones that would hang out in the goby territory. All the ones that make it can hold their own or hang out in different areas.
Ill have to take some pictures of the fuge sometimes. The caulerpa is so thick it looks like a grass bed. I've seen high-tech planted tanks that weren't as lush. :rofl:
I'm shocked about the new Cardinal. Day one and it is already going after flakes like crazy. Id always heard the cheap ones were always wild-caught and hard to feed at first. This one looks like it definitely grew up in a tank. Can't complain though since it means better odds of success.
Never did figure out the Mandarin. It may have been my gobies. They don't act aggressive or mean but I think tey may have there own quiet ways of bullying. All the fish lost were ones that would hang out in the goby territory. All the ones that make it can hold their own or hang out in different areas.
Always go long-term, you will regret short term in the long run, both with ur wallet and ur head.
Impressive. My planted tank (for lack of better word) probably looks worse lol.
My Cardinal was the same way. IDK if it was wild though, wasn't expensive so it may have been.
Well then, perhaps you should avoid fish that will annoy the gobies and see what happens.
The new Cardinal. Seems to be settling in nicely. Saw it swimming with the other Cardinal this morning so they appear to be fine with each other.
It is definitely at least tank raised if not tank bred. It recognizes a turkey baster as a source of food. :rofl:
The first Cardinal was a lot slower at adapting then this.
The new Finger/Tree/whatever coral. To me it looks like a Kenya Tree, but I'm not very good at IDing similar corals so maybe something in the same group or similar group of corals. Hoping it is something that'll grow bigger then a Kenya Tree but will see as it gets bigger.
Some just because pictures. The Frillfins decided to pose for some pictures.
It may have been because they were hoping I'd drop more food is (was adding mysis for the Duncan). Little pigs. :rofl:
