Miami‘s Clam and SPS Tank

[Miami Reef]

Yes and once in the system its in it for good.
The Chromis were *quarantined* by the Petco near me. -- this store didn't have active saltwater fish turnover (no fish changed in the stack I got these from in over a month prior to me buying them) and they had these fish for over 4 months before I decided to pull the trigger.
The Anthias were quarantined by Mermaid's Cove Fish

Thank you very much! This seems like a recipe for success to me!

 

[Projects with Sam]

Thank you very much! This seems like a recipe for success to me!

I hope so! I was scared by all the reading and research I did - I really wanted active top-water fish but was concerned about uronema. When the Petco near me was offering the chromis I had been checking on for a long time for $6/ea. I couldn't help myself.
The Anthias were a swap-meet frenzy-buy... oops. definitely did not plan to spend that kind of cash on fish and if they weren't Quarantined It would not have happened.

 

[Miami Reef]

Updates:

I installed a GFO reactor:

I added 83 snails to the tank (I quarantined them for 32 days. I was supposed to quarantine them for 45 days but I really needed them).

Update about the chromis (I’ve been keeping them a secret). So I lost 50% of the chromis, but I haven’t lost any for the past 2 days. The reason I’ve lost so many? They got tail rot bacterial infection.

I personally don’t have experience with tail rot, so it took me longer than I’d care to admit before I started an antibiotic treatment. I do carry antibiotics for fish for cases like these, but I never had to use them before.

They are getting daily tank dosages of nitrofurazone powder. I’m feeding them metronidazole and dosing it in the tank.


I don’t want to make it seem like I have this figured out; I truly don’t. I’m trying my best.

Here’s a picture of them (water is green from the antibiotic. It’s normal). As I said, I haven’t had any losses yet since the antibiotic treatment. I hope it stays this way.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Updates:

I installed a GFO reactor:

I added 83 snails to the tank (I quarantined them for 32 days. I was supposed to quarantine them for 45 days but I really needed them).

Update about the chromis (I’ve been keeping them a secret). So I lost 50% of the chromis, but I haven’t lost any for the past 2 days. The reason I’ve lost so many? They got tail rot bacterial infection.

I personally don’t have experience with tail rot, so it took me longer than I’d care to admit before I started an antibiotic treatment. I do carry antibiotics for fish for cases like these, but I never had to use them before.

They are getting daily tank dosages of nitrofurazone powder. I’m feeding them metronidazole and dosing it in the tank.


I don’t want to make it seem like I have this figured out; I truly don’t. I’m trying my best.

Here’s a picture of them (water is green from the antibiotic. It’s normal). As I said, I haven’t had any losses yet since the antibiotic treatment. I hope it stays this way.

Looking good! hindsight is always 20/20! Its all we can do to observe and make course corrections. Way to figure it out!

 

[Miami Reef]

Looking good! hindsight is always 20/20! Its all we can do to observe and make course corrections. Way to figure it out!

I FRICKING love chromis!! I fed white worms and they are eating like PIRANHAS!! I had to go back and feed more. It’s been 15 minutes and they are pacing back and fourth for more food. They look so good! I love their body shape and swimming pattern!

I will feed them tomorrow after I do a water change. I’ve always loved chromis and anthias.

 

[Miami Reef]

All 6 chromis are still alive.

Edit: and a kitty photo. He’s sleepy today lol.

For the nit-picky followers (looking at you, @rmorris_14) the towel is there because I recently took a shower lol.

 

[rmorris_14]

All 6 chromis are still alive.

Edit: and a kitty photo. He’s sleepy today lol.

For the nit-picky followers (looking at you, @rmorris_14) the towel is there because I recently took a shower lol.

 

[rmorris_14]

It’s not just you I give a hard time … story time- my husband stayed home with a sick kid one day this past week. He spent the whole day cleaning the house and even reattached/fixing the door to my biocube stand.

At first I was super excited. Then I saw it!
me: “babe did you see that you almost made the screw come through the other side of the door”?
Husband: I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! You JUST have to see everything don’t you!?!?! YES babe, I used the wrong length screw at first. God. I knew you were going to see it and say something!”
me:


now it’s all I see

PS. I did thank him about 10 times for cleaning the house.

 

[rmorris_14]

Also cute kitten.

 

[Miami Reef]

It’s not just you I give a hard time … story time- my husband stayed home with a sick kid one day this past week. He spent the whole day cleaning the house and even reattached/fixing the door to my biocube stand.

At first I was super excited. Then I saw it!
me: “babe did you see that you almost made the screw come through the other side of the door”?
Husband: I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! You JUST have to see everything don’t you!?!?! YES babe, I used the wrong length screw at first. God. I knew you were going to see it and say something!”
me:


now it’s all I see

PS. I did thank him about 10 times for cleaning the house.

I’m smiled in real life as I read this post. This is so adorable. I can’t. So cute. He used to wrong screw size…I’m smiling so much.

 

[rmorris_14]

I’m smiled in real life as I read this post. This is so adorable. I can’t. So cute. He used to wrong screw size…I’m smiling so much.

Hahaha….My work here is done.

 

[Miami Reef]

I considered adding sand to my display today. What do you guys think?

Should I make a pros and cons list so you guys can help me decide?

 

[Sean Clark]

I considered adding sand to my display today. What do you guys think?

Should I make a pros and cons list so you guys can help me decide?

DO IT!

 

[rmorris_14]

I considered adding sand to my display today. What do you guys think?

Should I make a pros and cons list so you guys can help me decide?

Why are you now going back to considering it?

 

[Miami Reef]

Why are you now going back to considering it?

I’ve always liked the look of sandbeds over bare bottoms. Here’s my pros and cons list:

Pros of barebottom (for me):

1) Easy to clean (doesn’t trap detritus)
2) High flow without sand blowing around
3) Prevents sand from getting into magnet float which can cause scratches.
4) Astrea snails that get upside down get flipped right side up from the powerheads and the smooth glass bottom (I added 80 snails 50% were upside down and they all got flipped from the powerheads. Crazy.

Pros of sandbed (for me):

1) It looks much better than bare bottoms because white sand adds contrast to the tank.
2) Many SPS tanks successfully run bare bottoms
3) I can potentially house a sand dwelling anemone.

I honestly think I should keep it bare bottom because eventually the coralline algae will add the white texture contrast.

If I ever decide to have sand (I already have new dry sand which I purchased a few months ago) I can always add a super fine layer? Not sure. I told myself I don’t want any scratches in the new tank.

 

[Miami Reef]

Eh, I might try it. I’m not really seeing any bare bottom tanks looking as good as the ones with sand.

I’ll try a SUPER fine layer. Super super fine.

 

[rmorris_14]

How is #2 on the pro list a pro?

I’m in the Sandbed camp. Aesthetically, it looks more complete and natural to me. But I also don’t have issues getting scratches. However, I haven’t used a magnet cleaner on my tanks. The scratches sounds like it’s your biggest concern. You can always get trochus snails instead since they can right themselves if they get flipped over. Plus I think they will reproduce in your tank.
I have seen some bare bottoms that are really pretty though. I don’t have anything to add to your pros but a con could be that the sand is an added pain to clean

 

[Sean Clark]

For me it is all about depth and contrast. I do not understand why people try to eliminate all of the depth, shadows, and contrast from their tanks. They wind up looking artificial and lacking interest to the eye. It's a personal preference that each reefer must make. I will always lean towards sand.

 

[Miami Reef]

How is #2 on the pro list a pro?

Because I feel like some people generally assume sps tanks should be bare bottom.

However, I haven’t used a magnet cleaner on my tanks.

How do you clean the front glass then?

 

[Miami Reef]

Many SPS tanks successfully run bare bottoms

How is #2 on the pro list a pro?

Grk. I just realized that I wrote “many tanks can be bare bottom” on the list for the pros of SAND. I meant to say “many SPS tanks are successful with sand”.