Greetings and salutations,
Thought I post an intro here. I've been on Reef Central, but I'm new here and really like R2R so far.
(Tl;dr)
120 gallon mixed LPS/softy reef (started as FOWLR in 2015, converted to reef 2019) Orphek Bar 90 (daylight and blue) 29gal sump, Mag 12 return, Vortech MP40/Koralia 4, 100 Vertex IN skimmer, chiller (reefkeeping since 8/07) Looking for GSP, hairy mushrooms, LPS/softy freebies. Active SCMAS member.
(my camera doesn't play well with my LEDs - open to advice) Current tank photos attached.
Previous tanks (nano and 50 mixed) http://s559.photobucket.com/user/marxistwombat/library/?sort=3&page=1
(verbose version - we're on a reef forum, we'll read it!)
I've been in the hobby since 2007 - I started with a 50 gallon mixed softy/LPS reef with much guidance from Ron at Total Tropical in Upland (I know some people remember that amazing store! Wish they were still around). I also have had a 12g nano cube set up a few times. I have frequented Mystic Reef and Tropical Fish in Rancho, as well as Fontana Fish and Pets on Sierra (mostly for water).
In 2015 I upgraded to a 120gal aggressive FOWLR keeping my rock from my first tank, but some illness tore through the tank late last year and I lost every fish except Mr Muggles the sailfin tang who is a fat happy dude. So I let the tank chill for a while, and now I'm going back to a mixed softy/LPS reef.
Thanks to a local reefer, I just upgraded my lights to Orphek Bar 90 (daylight and blue) LEDs. I run an MP40 that I've had since 2010 (new wet side in 2016 and just got a new dry side a month ago). I have a 29g sump, and Vertex 100 IN skimmer, Mag 12 return pump, and a chiller. I also have a Korailia 4 in there for cross flow. I top off and two-part (Randy's/BRS bulk) the good old fashioned way. I just made an egg create sandwich for my cheato (thanks for the suggestion, R2R) in my sump, and I run chemicure blue and a filter sock. I make my own Instant Ocean Reef Crystals salt.
For livestock, right now I have a cleaner shrimp, 1 captive bred ORA true perc clown who is a bit broken (he always stays at the surface. I can urge him down, and I've seen him swim normally without a ton of effort, so I don't think his swim bladder is shot, but he's not all ok either). I have the mighty Mr Muggles my fatty sail fin, a little ORA captive bred watchman goby I plan to get a pistol shrimp buddy for, and what I hope is a bonded pair of tank bred Bengaii cardinals.
I have some ORA duncans, 1 frogspawn/hammer, 2 monti caps, a gorgonian, a lovely leather, and one angry purple mushroom that still hasn't latched anywhere so he's locked in a strawberry basket with some rubble right now. Tank looks bare, but it's still really new coming back to the coral game.
I'm hoping to get some GSP, some hairy shrooms or ricordias, and other delightful softy/LPS (let me know if you hear of local freebies). I want some pulsing xenia, but I know it can be a weed and I want to see if people think I could isolate it or if it isn't worth it. I like the movement it brings to a tank, but easier to put in than to take out, for sure.
I got some new dry rock (40lbs) I'm going to add as well. I really enjoyed the aquascaping tips sticky here. Maybe I'll make a different thread for that adventure.
I have plans for a dwarf flame angel (always been a fan) and maybe another niger trigger (I've had luck with them being polite and I'm not into SPS). I'd like to have more than one clown, so if I think they can coexist ok, I might go that route. I'll see what else tickles my fancy for fish.
I also have an awesome guy that comes helps me clean and do a water change monthly, so if you are local to my parts of SoCal, I highly recommend AquaZone John.
Dude, high five if you made it to the end of my huge post.
Thought I post an intro here. I've been on Reef Central, but I'm new here and really like R2R so far.
(Tl;dr)
120 gallon mixed LPS/softy reef (started as FOWLR in 2015, converted to reef 2019) Orphek Bar 90 (daylight and blue) 29gal sump, Mag 12 return, Vortech MP40/Koralia 4, 100 Vertex IN skimmer, chiller (reefkeeping since 8/07) Looking for GSP, hairy mushrooms, LPS/softy freebies. Active SCMAS member.
(my camera doesn't play well with my LEDs - open to advice) Current tank photos attached.
Previous tanks (nano and 50 mixed) http://s559.photobucket.com/user/marxistwombat/library/?sort=3&page=1
(verbose version - we're on a reef forum, we'll read it!)
I've been in the hobby since 2007 - I started with a 50 gallon mixed softy/LPS reef with much guidance from Ron at Total Tropical in Upland (I know some people remember that amazing store! Wish they were still around). I also have had a 12g nano cube set up a few times. I have frequented Mystic Reef and Tropical Fish in Rancho, as well as Fontana Fish and Pets on Sierra (mostly for water).
In 2015 I upgraded to a 120gal aggressive FOWLR keeping my rock from my first tank, but some illness tore through the tank late last year and I lost every fish except Mr Muggles the sailfin tang who is a fat happy dude. So I let the tank chill for a while, and now I'm going back to a mixed softy/LPS reef.
Thanks to a local reefer, I just upgraded my lights to Orphek Bar 90 (daylight and blue) LEDs. I run an MP40 that I've had since 2010 (new wet side in 2016 and just got a new dry side a month ago). I have a 29g sump, and Vertex 100 IN skimmer, Mag 12 return pump, and a chiller. I also have a Korailia 4 in there for cross flow. I top off and two-part (Randy's/BRS bulk) the good old fashioned way. I just made an egg create sandwich for my cheato (thanks for the suggestion, R2R) in my sump, and I run chemicure blue and a filter sock. I make my own Instant Ocean Reef Crystals salt.
For livestock, right now I have a cleaner shrimp, 1 captive bred ORA true perc clown who is a bit broken (he always stays at the surface. I can urge him down, and I've seen him swim normally without a ton of effort, so I don't think his swim bladder is shot, but he's not all ok either). I have the mighty Mr Muggles my fatty sail fin, a little ORA captive bred watchman goby I plan to get a pistol shrimp buddy for, and what I hope is a bonded pair of tank bred Bengaii cardinals.
I have some ORA duncans, 1 frogspawn/hammer, 2 monti caps, a gorgonian, a lovely leather, and one angry purple mushroom that still hasn't latched anywhere so he's locked in a strawberry basket with some rubble right now. Tank looks bare, but it's still really new coming back to the coral game.
I'm hoping to get some GSP, some hairy shrooms or ricordias, and other delightful softy/LPS (let me know if you hear of local freebies). I want some pulsing xenia, but I know it can be a weed and I want to see if people think I could isolate it or if it isn't worth it. I like the movement it brings to a tank, but easier to put in than to take out, for sure.
I got some new dry rock (40lbs) I'm going to add as well. I really enjoyed the aquascaping tips sticky here. Maybe I'll make a different thread for that adventure.
I have plans for a dwarf flame angel (always been a fan) and maybe another niger trigger (I've had luck with them being polite and I'm not into SPS). I'd like to have more than one clown, so if I think they can coexist ok, I might go that route. I'll see what else tickles my fancy for fish.
I also have an awesome guy that comes helps me clean and do a water change monthly, so if you are local to my parts of SoCal, I highly recommend AquaZone John.
Dude, high five if you made it to the end of my huge post.
