Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[rishma]

Not a fish expert but I think it would be fine. They are pretty mild and more likely to be aggressive with others of the same genius in a tank your size.

How many would you put in a 120 with lots of rock?

Please verify with fish-smart people….

I really like them so I’d try a group of 6 because it would be fun to see how they interact.

I’d do at least 3 hoping 2 pair up.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Please verify with fish-smart people….

I really like them so I’d try a group of 6 because it would be fun to see how they interact.

I’d do at least 3 hoping 2 pair up.

Done:

Discussion of a good number Azure Damsels for a 120

I'm thinking of Azure damsels (Chrysiptera hemicyanea) as an addition to my 120 gallon (2x2x4 feet) reef with lots of rock hiding places. How many might be a good number? Current fish are 3 green chromis, yellow tang, one spot foxface, three ocellaris clowns in a magnifica anemone, and a male...

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[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Today’s Pictures

A pesky mantis, the yellow tang looking great, the fox face looking his usual unattractive heavy black (hope he grows out of this phase which is in large part based on his emotional state), and the happy clowns at play.

 

[bureau13]

Your clowns and Magnifica vids are making me really want to get a Magnifica. I currently have a pair of ocellaris that just hang out next to a gyre pump at the top of the tank and it really irritates me for some reason. This is likely something I should not do as I don't really have a good place to separate it out and treat it, not sure if that's always done or not. But yours is looking superb.

 

[rishma]

Maybe you need to use some of that calcium with lithium in it to help the fox face.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You mean based on the recent dementia study with lithium? Clever. lol

 

[NyReefer]

I mixed up a 5 gallon bucket of saltwater that ended up at 1.035. How much do I need to dilute it with roDi water to end up at 1.025?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I mixed up a 5 gallon bucket of saltwater that ended up at 1.035. How much do I need to dilute it with roDi water to end up at 1.025?

1 volume of that water plus 0.4 volumes of ro/di. :)

 

[NyReefer]

1 volume of that water plus 0.4 volumes of ro/di. :)

Thank you!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You’re welcome.

Happy Reefing

 

[rishma]

Did decided on fish?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Did decided on fish?

Leaning toward azure damsels and a female mandarin, but want to wait a bit to pull the trigger. :)

 

[Hans-Werner]

You mean based on the recent dementia study with lithium? Clever. lol

I also read this recent study and was reminded of it (lithium is not under the essential trace elements yet) but I thought he meant lithium therapy against bipolar and related mental disorders. I mean, if the foxface looks depressed, lithium might be the therapy of choice. You mentioned his emotional state.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I also read this recent study and was reminded of it (lithium is not under the essential trace elements yet) but I thought he meant lithium therapy against bipolar and related mental disorders. I mean, if the foxface looks depressed, lithium might be the therapy of choice. You mentioned his emotional state.

Yes, after I wrote my post it occurred to me that’s what he meant, and I edited my post, then I saw he already saw it and liked it, so I returned it to the original. lol

In any case, it’s more likely the effect is the yellow tang sucking the yellow out of the fox face, as someone suggested. lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Oh nooooo!

The magnifica anemone crossed over the low rock isthmus from its island perch and is now at the tank back on the low rock against the plastic overflow. If it starts moving up the side of the overflow it may encounter the powerhead that is off to the side. That would be moving away from the light, but who knows what it is actually after. I think I’m going to have to manually move it back and maybe reconfigure the rock island. That’s a mega job with added stress.

I was very happy yesterday that it had been on the island top for a number of days straight, and did not see an indication it wanted to move. Maybe now with more zoox it wants more light.

 

[tripdad]

Good luck, hope it moves back well for you. Anemones can be frustrating.

 

[RobertK]

Hi Randy,
I confess I did not read all 108 pages of this thread and you probably discussed this in there somewhere, so apologies. :-)
I saw in another thread that you have AI blades installed inside your canopy, is that correct? I'm planning a new tank with a canopy and looking for lighting ideas. How do you like them? How are they mounted? Are those your only lights? Does it get hot inside the canopy?
Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hi Randy,
I confess I did not read all 108 pages of this thread and you probably discussed this in there somewhere, so apologies. :-)
I saw in another thread that you have AI blades installed inside your canopy, is that correct? I'm planning a new tank with a canopy and looking for lighting ideas. How do you like them? How are they mounted? Are those your only lights? Does it get hot inside the canopy?
Thanks!

I have 4 x 48” blades inside the canopy as the only lights. They fit lengthwise with a 1/4” to spare. Unusual types: 3 freshwater and one coral glow, because I want a shallow water spectrum. Works great, IMO.

I like them a lot. I’m only running them at about 50% since I was slowly ramping up with a new anemone. The canopy has a back that only covers half the back opening, so there is good air flow there and I have an old 4” hole in the top in a back corner from when I ran mh.

here are some posts from this thread with the mounting:

Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

You folks who have used and tested the Seachem ammonia alert, any idea how long it takes to begin operating usefully? The package says it could be days, which seems somewhat high to me. I’m thinking more like several hours.

www.reef2reef.com

Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

Exhaust Octopus One of the important aspects of fish room design is ensuring humidity does not get high enough to cause mold. Of course, one can do that with dehumidifiers, but that can take a large amount of electricity. The option I use also ensures fresh air is circulating through the room...

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[RobertK]

Great, thanks Randy! Do they get hot in there?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Great, thanks Randy! Do they get hot in there?

At 50% they are warm but I would not call them hot. It I find they get warmer than I’d like as I ramp up intensity, I’ll put a small fan on the canopy top hole as I had when I had 2 x 250 w metal halides in that canopy.