Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[Miami Reef]

If the whole thing waved back and forth like an anemone, I’d like it even more. lol

Finger leathers (sinularia) sounds like the ticket!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Chromis update


For all that’s said about chromis fighting each other down to a single individual, my three typically hang out close together. They do occasionally chase a bit, but not much. Maybe they will dwindle down, but for now they are buddies.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Finger leathers (sinularia) sounds like the ticket!

Just need that to be blue like a damsel. lol

 

[CHSUB]

Chromis update


For all that’s said about chromis fighting each other down to a single individual, my three typically hang out close together. They do occasionally chase a bit, but not much. Maybe they will dwindle down, but for now they are buddies.

Haha…I never noticed fighting much either, however multiple attempts ended with 1 or 2.

 

[CNDReef]

Polyps are already nicely out on stylophora that has been in the tank for only a half hour.

It has always loved high flow in my tank, pretty much got blasted by a tunze on a sea swirl 8 inches away.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’ll say it’s a classic old school coral

That’s cheating. I did not know you were the seller of the stylo. lol

 

[Maize & Blue]

Here’s a picture before I unloaded the new rock and CUC:

Aren’t you worried about all that sunlight coming through those windows creating an algae problem?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Aren’t you worried about all that sunlight coming through those windows creating an algae problem?

No. My first tank was in the same spot for 20 years. It rarely gets direct sun, but those times it did, it looked great. That’s why I went with very white lights. :)

 

[Maize & Blue]

Aren’t you worried about all that sunlight coming through those windows creating an algae problem?

No. My first tank was in the same spot for 20 years. It rarely gets direct sun, but those times it did, it looked great. That’s why I went with very white lights. :)

Well, you definitely know your house better than I do for sure. I know I set my tank up near my front door and the light even though it wasn’t directly coming in the front door side light radiated so much heat. What I ended up doing was literally painting my side lights solid colors. It looks good from the outside and it actually dropped the temperature in the tank almost 6°.

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

Hey @Randy Holmes-Farley is there a way to message you directly?

 

[Boehmtown]

Chromis update


For all that’s said about chromis fighting each other down to a single individual, my three typically hang out close together. They do occasionally chase a bit, but not much. Maybe they will dwindle down, but for now they are buddies.

I've noticed that my chromis would kick out or chase out any chromis that was being bullied or chased by other fish. It wasn't nessicarily them killing each other. And without the safety of the pack and always getting run out one way or another they would just not do well.

 

[euphlife]

Return Pump

I’m planning to get a Sicce SDC 7 or 9 to pump water from the basement fish room up about 10 vertical feet and through several fittings and turns to get to the display.

I do not intend it to provide much flow via the return, so the turnover can be reasonably low. The 7 may be plenty. Thoughts on that choice are welcome. The fact that it can communicate over the internet is a plus. Can it tell me anything except temperature?

Before I get one of these, I’m likely to get a Jebao from Amazon to use right away, and then it can become an emergency backup. I was thinking of the DCP-6500. Thoughts on that choice?

Thanks in advance!

All the monster builds use jebao. Personally use 2 for my tank. Work horse with my back up to help me speed up water changes lol. Does a brute in 30 seconds back into sump.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well, you definitely know your house better than I do for sure. I know I set my tank up near my front door and the light even though it wasn’t directly coming in the front door side light radiated so much heat. What I ended up doing was literally painting my side lights solid colors. It looks good from the outside and it actually dropped the temperature in the tank almost 6°.

Heat is not a concern as the tank has a cooling system and it never was inadequate in the past. In summer, no sun even hits those windows due to trees, except in the very early AM. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

All the monster builds use jebao. Personally use 2 for my tank. Work horse with my back up to help me speed up water changes lol. Does a brute in 30 seconds back into sump.

Thanks. I now have the Jebao dep 10,000 as the return and it works great. I have a dep 8500 in another use (mixing 80 gallons of new salt water) that I can swap in if there’s any problem.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hey @Randy Holmes-Farley is there a way to message you directly?

Only for unusual situations, not reef questions. I can start a pm.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I've noticed that my chromis would kick out or chase out any chromis that was being bullied or chased by other fish. It wasn't nessicarily them killing each other. And without the safety of the pack and always getting run out one way or another they would just not do well.

Interesting. Nothing else in my tank now bothers them, so maybe that bodes well. :)

 

[JayM]

Fighting Tang

The yellow tang seems to have lost his fear of the C & E News magazine cover that was keeping him from fighting his reflection in the back corner.

I decided to try something more on point. Taking out my old Burgess atlas of aquarium fish, I cut out a page with a large parrot fish. He now avoids that area, but is challenging himself in the front glass. lol

I take it as a good sign that he now treats the tank as his territory and wants to defend it, but if anyone has any suggestions on if and how to do anything more, I’m open to it. :)

Sounds crazy, but I was having some issues with an aggressive Lemonpeel Angel and my go-to LFS suggested about a half-dozen ping pong balls. The theory is the motion of the balls would distract the fish enough to not be concerned with other fish. I bought a box of assorted colors, dropped 'em in and I'll be danged if it didn't work. Removed them after a week or so and all was well. YMMV of course.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sounds crazy, but I was having some issues with an aggressive Lemonpeel Angel and my go-to LFS suggested about a half-dozen ping pong balls. The theory is the motion of the balls would distract the fish enough to not be concerned with other fish. I bought a box of assorted colors, dropped 'em in and I'll be danged if it didn't work. Removed them after a week or so and all was well. YMMV of course.

Now that is a funny story. lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sponges

I'm thinking of getting the sponge sampler pack from Gulf Coast Ecosystems. It is $20 and contains a yellow ball sponge, an elephant ear sponge, and a red finger sponge. The thought is that with the phyto I dose, and lack of particulate filtration, there may well be enough for them. In looking at the water carefully, there is certainly a lot of suspended matter in it.

Assuming I get it, I'd likely dose silicate occasionally as well. I'd probably pick up some types of macroalgae at the same time. Some for sump, and some for display. I really like botryocladia, but I figure the tank and mithrax crab will probably eat it. Might grow it in one or both of the lit refugia and bring it up periodically.

<head> <title>Macroalgae For Marine Reef Aquariums: Red Finger Sponge

 

[twentyleagues]

Sponges

I'm thinking of getting the sponge sampler pack from Gulf Coast Ecosystems. It is $20 and contains a yellow ball sponge, an elephant ear sponge, and a red finger sponge. The thought is that with the phyto I dose, and lack of particulate filtration, there may well be enough for them. In looking at the water carefully, there is certainly a lot of suspended matter in it.

Assuming I get it, I'd likely dose silicate occasionally as well. I'd probably pick up some types of macroalgae at the same time. Some for sump, and some for display. I really like botryocladia, but I figure the tank and mithrax crab will probably eat it. Might grow it in one or both of the lit refugia and bring it up periodically.

<head> <title>Macroalgae For Marine Reef Aquariums: Red Finger Sponge

I put a red ball sponge in my sump next to the fuge but unlit. It has doubled in size. I have not fed phyto to the tank in many months but like you I dont use any mechanical filtration except a skimmer.