powers2001
started reefing 1999
@PuffersMadeMeDoIt what are you using for makeup water? What equipment are you using? Can you show us a photo of the cabinet with all the equipment?
Puff, Puff, Build! Red Sea Reefer 250
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PuffersMadeMeDoIt
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Not positive what you mean for makeup water, but we have an RODI unit and mix with Red Sea Coral Pro salt for all the tanks in the house - which is now three
I'm not a huge equipment geek, so I'm lucky my boyfriend is. Also lucky this build came with everything from the get-go as it was 6mo used. I'll do a breakdown of the equipment and some sump photos though a little later this morning once I get a full cup of coffee in me, ha
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
Did a water change yesterday I think it was now.. Ammonia looking "like 0" for the API testers, nitrite so close to 0, but not quite though less than 0.25ppm, and nitrates at 5.0ppm. Will be doing another water change after a work meeting this morning and can take sump pics then and list out my equipment some more and retest!
Definitely going to be extra cautious with my parameters and have the LFS do a final test before I add in my puffer. May give up if I lose this second puffer tbh... Also going to put my bicolor blenny, Wiz Kahlifa in with the puffer when the tank is ready. He nearly completely killed my lepto, so he seems to be a good fit for the FOWLR instead going forward.
Definitely going to be extra cautious with my parameters and have the LFS do a final test before I add in my puffer. May give up if I lose this second puffer tbh... Also going to put my bicolor blenny, Wiz Kahlifa in with the puffer when the tank is ready. He nearly completely killed my lepto, so he seems to be a good fit for the FOWLR instead going forward.
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
I got real depressed about this build thread when I lost one of the two puffers I was building this tank for... It appears I lost her due to stress as we couldn't find any disease on her after her passing.. I truly do love every fish and coral I purchase, call me a softy.
But, P. Diddy the surviving puffer has new friends in his Red Seas 250 he seems pleased with. Lady G - the target mandarin goby, Lloyd Banks - the melanarus wrasse, and Tyga - the eibli angelfish. I've managed to fatten these guys up enough to allow me to convert their home into a reef tank and have slowly been adding in some corals recently. I'll update with some pics later today and share some more planning then as well.
But, P. Diddy the surviving puffer has new friends in his Red Seas 250 he seems pleased with. Lady G - the target mandarin goby, Lloyd Banks - the melanarus wrasse, and Tyga - the eibli angelfish. I've managed to fatten these guys up enough to allow me to convert their home into a reef tank and have slowly been adding in some corals recently. I'll update with some pics later today and share some more planning then as well.
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
Ohhh I dig that!! I'm Thinking of a Mimic Yellow/Chocolate Tang to help with the algae on the rocks and a Bella Goby to stir the sand next. J Cole would be dope for the tang. (Don't work tang police, I would only buy a small one and I do have a bigger tank for it when it outgrows the 250.) I was previously thinking of a yellow eye kole tang (even better for the suggested name), but the boyfriend has the white tail version, so trying to keep that variety...
count krunk
Valuable Member
aaand I didn't realize these are $250+ now! so yikes from me haha
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
Yeah, my boyfriend already has one in another tank in the house though (got it for between your found prices at the LFS). She’s named Big Mouth Betty. She definitely does damage on algae and earned her name hahaha.
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
Ive had a bacteria bloom a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to deal with it, so excuse the cloudiness, but here’s the current setup.
Recently added a couple big rocks for more hiding spaces for the fishes as I want to add more. Lloyd unfortunately is on his way out as while he doesn’t nip coral, he’s Constantly covering them with the sand as he searches for food and spits it out all over them :/
Including the mushrooms, so I literally just finished making a mushroom rock garden in the front left of the tank. Really dig gin’ that. Excuse the new mushroom still healing from its dip in the front right.
Got some other corals I’ve splurged on lately, but have only captured a decent pic of this one so far. So happy Tyga and P. Diddy have decided they prefer hand feedings over coral nipping
Recently added a couple big rocks for more hiding spaces for the fishes as I want to add more. Lloyd unfortunately is on his way out as while he doesn’t nip coral, he’s Constantly covering them with the sand as he searches for food and spits it out all over them :/
Including the mushrooms, so I literally just finished making a mushroom rock garden in the front left of the tank. Really dig gin’ that. Excuse the new mushroom still healing from its dip in the front right.
Got some other corals I’ve splurged on lately, but have only captured a decent pic of this one so far. So happy Tyga and P. Diddy have decided they prefer hand feedings over coral nipping
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
So I gave up my Lloyd Banks the melanarus wrasse due to him covering the entire tank 1/3 of the way up with sand as he searched for his natural food in the sand... Trying to turn this into a reef tank with that happening was no bueno. Luckily my fish store takes advantage of me enough that they're keeping Lloyd in a frag tank in the back so he gets to much on flat worms all day and I get to visit <3
But guys, I did something. I did something "BIG." So big I almost named him Notorious BIG, but maybe the next one....
I bought a baby baby baby Atlantic Blue tang. One of the LFS workers hates me for it because he wanted it, but I couldn't resist. They didn't get any small chocolate tangs I was hoping for, and I'm weak for the baby fishies. So, y'all, meet Kevin Gates:
Kevin Gates and P. Diddy are besties
Tyga picked on Kevin for the first day for dominance (little does Tyga know who's going to be the big boss in a few months, ha). But what's cute about it, if you will, is Kevin will follow P. Diddy around the tank with Diddy as his personal body guard from Tyga hahaha.
Normally I'm paranoid about aggression, but it's not constant. Not many physical attacks. Tyga just trying to keep Kevin in a corner, which again, isn't constant. And, we all know Kevin Gates is going to be the chief before long.
Andddd Yes yes yes, we have a bigger tank for when he outgrows mine, and an even bigger tank in the plans (thinking 250ish gallons).
I remember when I thought my boyfriend was silly for looking at corals and fishtanks on instagram... Ha. Awks.
But guys, I did something. I did something "BIG." So big I almost named him Notorious BIG, but maybe the next one....
I bought a baby baby baby Atlantic Blue tang. One of the LFS workers hates me for it because he wanted it, but I couldn't resist. They didn't get any small chocolate tangs I was hoping for, and I'm weak for the baby fishies. So, y'all, meet Kevin Gates:
Kevin Gates and P. Diddy are besties
Tyga picked on Kevin for the first day for dominance (little does Tyga know who's going to be the big boss in a few months, ha). But what's cute about it, if you will, is Kevin will follow P. Diddy around the tank with Diddy as his personal body guard from Tyga hahaha.
Normally I'm paranoid about aggression, but it's not constant. Not many physical attacks. Tyga just trying to keep Kevin in a corner, which again, isn't constant. And, we all know Kevin Gates is going to be the chief before long.
Andddd Yes yes yes, we have a bigger tank for when he outgrows mine, and an even bigger tank in the plans (thinking 250ish gallons).
I remember when I thought my boyfriend was silly for looking at corals and fishtanks on instagram... Ha. Awks.
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
Mr. Kevin Gates the Atlantic Blue Tang has settled in quite nicely and is already gettin' chunky. Went the the LFS to pickup the boyfriend's prized blue star belly leopard wrasse, and of course they just had to sell me on something else while I was there too! "If you're getting a massive tank in a year or two anyway, you've GOT to get this half black tang, it's the prettiest and we want to make sure it goes to a good home, pleaseeeee." Literally, not even kidding. Mind you I'm still a beginner, so I'm well aware that calling my tank a "good home" just nods to my hyperactive worriedness and I contact them anytime the most miniscule thing is different, ha.
So, here we are... the blue star belly leopard wrasse is still hiding, of course. Only been a couple days, so figuring she'll make her appearance today or tomorrow, hopefully. The new half black tang got beat up pretty badly by Tyga the angelfish the first day, but after that for the most part has been left alone. It's been hard getting her to eat a substantial amount though, so hopefully I can get some weight back on her soon. Names TBD.
So, here we are... the blue star belly leopard wrasse is still hiding, of course. Only been a couple days, so figuring she'll make her appearance today or tomorrow, hopefully. The new half black tang got beat up pretty badly by Tyga the angelfish the first day, but after that for the most part has been left alone. It's been hard getting her to eat a substantial amount though, so hopefully I can get some weight back on her soon. Names TBD.
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
This last week has been tough, real tough, y'all. I lost the half black tang I had named Rihanna. I could never get her to eat, and she withered away.. I've also been dealing with an ich breakout in this tank. First seen on Kevin Gates the atlantic blue tang. I thought I saw a couple spots on Rihanna, but didn't see any on her when she passed... Today my female clown, Georgina, is also covered in ich.
I thought I was beating the disease early on last week by catching it early and seeing signs of improvement on Kevin, but appears it was false hope now.
Watching Rihanna pass was brutal just begging her to eat... Today is extra brutal seeing Kevin lack his bubbly energy. I've been feeding meds, but it's not working (as noted in my fish disease thread by a fellow reefer). Unfortunately being one of "Those" reefers with no hospital tank, feeding the meds in the DT is my only option. I feel like a failure and I've robbed these fish of the long, happy life they deserve. I'm sorry, gangsta fishies.
I thought I was beating the disease early on last week by catching it early and seeing signs of improvement on Kevin, but appears it was false hope now.
Watching Rihanna pass was brutal just begging her to eat... Today is extra brutal seeing Kevin lack his bubbly energy. I've been feeding meds, but it's not working (as noted in my fish disease thread by a fellow reefer). Unfortunately being one of "Those" reefers with no hospital tank, feeding the meds in the DT is my only option. I feel like a failure and I've robbed these fish of the long, happy life they deserve. I'm sorry, gangsta fishies.
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
Kevin Gates the Atlantic Blue Tang mysteriously disappeared over night... He had been hanging in there, steadily, with dosing the tank with meds. He ate like a champ and swam around status quo despite battling ich. My only cleanup crew are two long spine urchins, who were in their respective corners of the tank this morning with no sign of Kevin underneath them. No sign of Kevin in any crevice's, in the sump, stuck to the overflow, no signs of jumping, no Kevin on the carpet, nothing... With him have being such a personable fish and swam around so bubbly, his absence can only make me conclude that he's gone gone... I'm sorry I failed you Kevin, may you swim happily in fishy heaven. <3
Rubberfrog
Well-Known Member
PuffersMadeMeDoIt
Active Member
Need to replay that two more times..
Must've been early early early yesterday morning my clownfish Georgina passed away. I say early morning instead of at night as I was actually able to recover her body. The LFS examined it for me and confirmed she died of brooklynella.. Last night my male clown, Young Jeezy, must've passed away over night as no body is left to be found... RIP my clowns.
Anyone following ever experience brooklynella?? Months ago I thought my female, Georgina, had it when the clowns were still in my 20g dropoff, but it went away on its own over a week's time. She had a mucus-y white shimmer covering, no dots, just the coating. But like I said, went away on its own. Now, probably 4 months later, she died from it along with her mate. I'm not finding anything that brooklynella was beat by a clown but then came back months later to take their life? Anyone else?
We still believe Kevin Gates, the atlantic blue tang, also had ich despite not being able to recover the body to confirm under a microscope.. But I guess makes sense that he could've gotten brooklynella as well..
Now I'm down to 4 neon gobies, P. Diddy my OG Bennett's Toby Puffer, Lady G the target mandarin, and Tyga the Eibli Dwarf Angelfish.
Tyga has always begged to be cleaned even when the melanarus wrasse was in there, so I worry something is bothering him too. Though I can't see anything on him. P. Diddy I haven't seen act abnormally and hates when the neon gobies try checking him out for a cleaning. Lady G is just doing her G stuff per usual as well, and no signs of anything on her.
Fingers crossed I've lost what I've lost and the remaining gangsta fishies can beat whatever illness is cycling through the tank. LFS advised me to keep up with my medication routine for 3 more weeks to fully irradiate any disease in the tank, so that's the only game plan so far.
Hope your guys' week is going better than mine!
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