Across the pond - new member

[BobFageUK]

Hi, I am in thee United Kingdom, I have had a tank since last November. Had all the pangs of the many issues that I am sure you have all had at one time or another. I have a Red Sea 250 fitted out by my local fish shop as I am in a wheelchair and things had to be made that bit more custom. My wife which hates the tank with a passion especially with mother Clown keep nipping her when she does the inside the tank jobs for me. I manage to do most of the work with here help or the odd visit from the fish shop. I have a sump but no refrigium as I have a reds skimmer taking up room with a couple of filter cups and the top up tank. I have a D-D Chilla and various other units with carbon, rowa phos etc., I also have a 4 unit D-D doser unit. Many months on and life settles down, having dealt with Green/blue algae balls (recommend Vibrant took double dose and 3 moths to clear it) I am fighting Aptasia these days. I have had a file fish on loan from the fish shop did great for a while then found the other foods the tank mates had then he found my new duncan branch and he had a good 6 heads in one day (back to the shop) I have had Peppermint shrimps and found my Candy Cane Cog has had a meal of them. Peppermint shrimps are about $20 each in the UK. I have lost 6 up to today. I tried Nudibranch and put 3 in the tank never to see therm again. My wife now uses Red Sea Aptasia X not so good as if you miss they send sprees out, we have even tried lemon juice 35p a bottle lot cheaper than the £32.00 for the RedSea X!!. I set out to have a mainly a reef tank and it is growing. But not to bore you all, I have been reading back posts when I have a question or doing google searches which is most days. I am in the last throws of losing my Elegance to the dreaded bug it has. read up and it seems you are either lucky or you are not. My tank has a pistol shrimp, worse thing I have ever done was buying it. I have a yellow eyed Blue Tang, Dwarf Angle (Beauty) 6 bar Wrasse, Candy Cane Cob, Rock Blenny, 2 clowns and one large clam and one small clam, 2 Hermits (got rid of 7 to shop recently due to damage to Corals like birds nest. 2 managed to hide, plus lastly a couple of turban snails. Sorry to bore you.

 

[jsker]

Welcome to R2R!!

 

[Fred2482]

Welcome! I usually stick the rock with aptasia in a smaller tank that houses the nudibranch so they don't get lost and starve in the DT. I also have a clown who nips me every time I put my hand in the tank .

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[Ippyroy]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Peace River]

Welcome to Reef2Reef and welcome to the adventure!

 

[SheenaF89]

 

[tvan]

Howdy @BobFageUK , You can't bore the reefer...

 

[WIReefer]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[BobFageUK]

Welcome! I usually stick the rock with aptasia in a smaller tank that houses the nudibranch so they don't get lost and starve in the DT. I also have a clown who nips me every time I put my hand in the tank .

Thank you for the welcome. The rock is extensive and interlinking with soft and stony corals attached. Being that the rocks are large and it would destroy the tank as it is now to break it down that option is a non runner for me. I have thought of using the fish trap I used to take out the file fish and capture the candy cane cob ( he was always going in it when I wanted the file fish to go in it) and remove it while I attempted to introduce more nudibranch to the tank. Not sure about the 6 bar wrasse if he would try to eat the nudibranch as he chased the peppermint shrimp when they were introduced. Anyone with any other suggestions? all are welcome.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[Bryn]

Welcome to R2R...

 

[Billldg]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[Edp251]

Welcome to R2R! Not boring at all. If you have a good LFS, sounds like you do, you can always see if they can trade some of the critters that are problematic. With respect to the Nudibranchs, I suspect your wrasse may have gotten those. They do tend to work well if there are not natural predators. Best of luck and hang in there.

 

[BobFageUK]

Thinking about putting an isolation tank - small next to main tank and isolate the Candy Cane Cob and the Wrasse. then put more peppermint shrimps and nudibranch back in to main tank. Have asked the fish shop or to use the correct name Aquatic store to cost up a small tank for me.

 

[F i s h y]

Welcome to the party! Lots of experience here that can help. Happy reefing!

 

[SPR1968]

Hi Bob Welcome to R2R from sunny Nottinghamshire!

 

[BobFageUK]

Hi Bob Welcome to R2R from sunny Nottinghamshire!

Not so sunny in Kent today, lots of wind and well overcast. When I grow up I want to be a 650.. but no room is the trouble not the desire.

 

[najer]

Welcome, Bristol here, if you add more nudis do it after lights out.

... slightly more expensive, send it to me and I'll pop it in with my cbb and files and send it back!

 

[BobFageUK]

I tried lights out with the last 3 Peppermints, but come morning I found the body shell of two and the next one the day after. I could see the Candy Cane Cob hunting the rocks all day, and I have a lot of rock in the tank so lots of places to hide. But that did not stop him. I think I will end up taking him out to an isolation tank.