STL's 180G Build - Going Large with WWC!
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STL
Active Member
From a weekend with google, blue throats' natural food is zooplankton and thus they're generally deemed reef safe as coral, shrimp, crabs, etc. are not natural foods to it. Most blue throat triggers are model reef citizens, but as with anything (e.g., my "peaceful" green chromis is quite the bully), your mileage may vary.
STL
Active Member
Tank update - Moving day!
I was going to move the 55G crew two weeks ago, but mama clownfish got into a dust up with the Kole eye tang. I found her with a huge, bleeding gash on her head, the only thing I can think of is she was defending their egg nest from the Kole (he took a keen interest in it recently) and they got into it. There's nothing else in the tank that could cause that kind of injury...
Anyway, a couple weeks of daily spirulina enhanced brine shrimp seems to have nursed her back to good health. So, it's moving day.
I coaxed the clowns out of their finger leather and into a glass beaker. If only all fish were this easy to catch! I then managed to net the firefish, but couldn't wrangle either the Kole or the orange line goby. So I nabbed a few hermits and snails and started that crew acclimating. While that was going on, I moved some rock over along with the clowns' beloved finger leather.
I managed to release the male clown into their leather, but the female didn't see it and has been exploring the tank. Hopefully she finds it and her mate! The firefish made for the caves and will probably hide for a week or two.
Then I took all the rock out of the 55, including rock that isn't going into the new tank and netted the Kole and the orange line. So now they're acclimating along with a tuxedo urchin, a fighting conch, and assorted hermits/snails.
Whew. Hopefully everyone settles in!
BTW, I did try trapping these guys first because the net is very stressful, but the ONLY fish I was able to trap was a citron goby. He's been in with the chromis for a few weeks now.
I was going to move the 55G crew two weeks ago, but mama clownfish got into a dust up with the Kole eye tang. I found her with a huge, bleeding gash on her head, the only thing I can think of is she was defending their egg nest from the Kole (he took a keen interest in it recently) and they got into it. There's nothing else in the tank that could cause that kind of injury...
Anyway, a couple weeks of daily spirulina enhanced brine shrimp seems to have nursed her back to good health. So, it's moving day.
I coaxed the clowns out of their finger leather and into a glass beaker. If only all fish were this easy to catch! I then managed to net the firefish, but couldn't wrangle either the Kole or the orange line goby. So I nabbed a few hermits and snails and started that crew acclimating. While that was going on, I moved some rock over along with the clowns' beloved finger leather.
I managed to release the male clown into their leather, but the female didn't see it and has been exploring the tank. Hopefully she finds it and her mate! The firefish made for the caves and will probably hide for a week or two.
Then I took all the rock out of the 55, including rock that isn't going into the new tank and netted the Kole and the orange line. So now they're acclimating along with a tuxedo urchin, a fighting conch, and assorted hermits/snails.
Whew. Hopefully everyone settles in!
BTW, I did try trapping these guys first because the net is very stressful, but the ONLY fish I was able to trap was a citron goby. He's been in with the chromis for a few weeks now.
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Just saw this for the first time. Very well done, congrats on the new tank. You are so lucky to have WWC nearby and able to do all the work. They are the best plain and simple. Looking forward to seeing this tank grow...
STL
Active Member
Good news, mama clown found her way home last night before the lights went out. All the fish were out and about today, all the corals were open, no fights... it's a good day on the reef.
Here's an updated full tank shot:
IMG_4293.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
Here's an updated full tank shot:
IMG_4293.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
STL
Active Member
Quick tank update:
This is a torch I bought on Black Friday @ WWC - it was a smallish frag, now it opens to about 3-4":
IMG_4336.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
The male blue throat trigger looked lonely... now he's got a girlfriend - they get along great! Very mild mannered fish, these. The male is the smaller one.
IMG_4327.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
One of my favorite photos so far... new blue linckia starfish and a setosa coral frag:
IMG_4295.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
This is a torch I bought on Black Friday @ WWC - it was a smallish frag, now it opens to about 3-4":
IMG_4336.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
The male blue throat trigger looked lonely... now he's got a girlfriend - they get along great! Very mild mannered fish, these. The male is the smaller one.
IMG_4327.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
One of my favorite photos so far... new blue linckia starfish and a setosa coral frag:
IMG_4295.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
STL
Active Member
Quick whole tank photo update:
IMG_4395.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
New bubble coral! :)
Starfish disappeared :(
IMG_4395.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
New bubble coral! :)
Starfish disappeared :(
STL
Active Member
Ok, it's been a while since any updates - here's what's been going on:
- Lost female trigger to a tumor of some sort :(, male's fine though and getting big
- Added juvenile Naso Tang
- Added juvenile Yellow Tang
- Added LOTS of coral :D
- Still can't catch the stupid green chromis!
- Started bio-pellets with an Avast reactor, going slow with this
The Radions have been working very well, though I did have a fan failure on one of them. EcoTech replaced the whole fixture very quickly - Radions may be pricey but the customer service is top-notch.
Here's a full tank shot:
IMG_5574.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
The finger leather has gone crazy - it's absolutely massive and the clownfish guard it like it's made of gold.
Here's a closer shot in the middle featuring the latest addition, some dendros:
IMG_5576.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
- Lost female trigger to a tumor of some sort :(, male's fine though and getting big
- Added juvenile Naso Tang
- Added juvenile Yellow Tang
- Added LOTS of coral :D
- Still can't catch the stupid green chromis!
- Started bio-pellets with an Avast reactor, going slow with this
The Radions have been working very well, though I did have a fan failure on one of them. EcoTech replaced the whole fixture very quickly - Radions may be pricey but the customer service is top-notch.
Here's a full tank shot:
IMG_5574.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
The finger leather has gone crazy - it's absolutely massive and the clownfish guard it like it's made of gold.
Here's a closer shot in the middle featuring the latest addition, some dendros:
IMG_5576.jpg by STL01, on Flickr
J Rog
Valuable Member
HI STL,
How do you have your radions configured? I have been having issues with my sps bleaching and browning? Im almost positive its the lights.. I have had them just over 2 months now. I started at 35% moved my way up to 50%. Yesterday I bumped them up to 60% after reading what other people have them set to.. What is your color spectrum set to?
How do you have your radions configured? I have been having issues with my sps bleaching and browning? Im almost positive its the lights.. I have had them just over 2 months now. I started at 35% moved my way up to 50%. Yesterday I bumped them up to 60% after reading what other people have them set to.. What is your color spectrum set to?
STL
Active Member
Hey J Rog,
Roughly speaking they sunrise at 20k around 50%, head for a peak 14k around 90% for a couple hours in the afternoon, then head toward sunset back to 20k around 50%. Then there are a few hours of deep blue at 10%ish that fluoresces the tank until lights out.
Fortunately, I haven't had any bleaching or browning and I've got a lot of SPS now (montipora, mostly). I do leave new corals on the sand bed until they start to show growth - sometimes this is a couple weeks, sometimes a couple months!
How's your water chemistry?
Roughly speaking they sunrise at 20k around 50%, head for a peak 14k around 90% for a couple hours in the afternoon, then head toward sunset back to 20k around 50%. Then there are a few hours of deep blue at 10%ish that fluoresces the tank until lights out.
Fortunately, I haven't had any bleaching or browning and I've got a lot of SPS now (montipora, mostly). I do leave new corals on the sand bed until they start to show growth - sometimes this is a couple weeks, sometimes a couple months!
How's your water chemistry?
J Rog
Valuable Member
My phosphates are a bit high because My tangs are getting to large for the tanks at they are a bit messy.. lol That is actually first on my hit list is to sell them. Then I can get a bit of a better idea about my lighting.. Looking for any large tangs? lol
IMHO phosphates will brown out your sps...................... also the tanks is looking great Sean!!! keep up the good work!
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