40"x12"x15" Fish Only Tank

[Betta5]

Hey, finally got this up and running. I will let the pics do the talking for now. Sorry if pics come up HUGE!

Heres how it started a few days ago

moved my few fishes to their new home about 5 foot away from that, and scrubbed it clean
http/s802.photobucket.com/albums/yy301/RegalTang/?action=view&current=P1050032.jpg&newest=1

Fill 'er up

Make her salty!

Add all other annoyingly bulky bits

Oooh pretty ocean rock

First go at arranging the rocks

Bloody pump stopped so had to break the rocks down and start again but still like it

Just need a powerhead or 2, and some marine algae. I have quite a bit of mature filter media in the filter, and I put some "cycle" in there aswell because I had some. Hopefully the cycle goes quickly.

Stocking Im thinking

2 ocellaris clownfish
1 dwarf angel (not sure which kind)

and a few other small fish

Thanks for looking

 

[seffieuk]

So Sean, no live rock? What filtration are you using?

Looking good, looking forward to watching your journey

Seffie x

 

[Betta5]

Nah, I decided againsed LR and a reef because I don't have a source of RO water. Im using dechlorinated tap water, sounds vile, but I have done it before and kept a tomato clown and firefish healthy for a year, then rehomed them.

Im using a big external filter at the moment, along with the skimmer. Its pretty much as basic and they come these days. Not so different to a FW system.

 

[Harry1996]

i think you should cut the skimmers pipe a bit.

 

[Betta5]

The intake? I was thinking that but it took me so long to put it all in place its going to be annoying to break it all down lol

 

[Harry1996]

yer i know. i dont like my one that much. when i upgrade i will get a deltec one. you can still have live rock even if you dont use RO water

 

[Betta5]

I was thinking that but I thought, whats the point if I couldn't have a reef and I will be upgrading to a 5x2x2 later in the year or next year so I can get a regal and yellow tang and thats going to be FO, so I will just move everything over.

Does everyone think this will be ok stocking for this tank?

2 clowns
1 flame hawkfish
1 royal gramma
1 dwarf angel

I was going to add 6 line to that as they are like my fav fish, but I hear they can get very agressive so i think I will leave it out.

 

[Harry1996]

im going to add a six line to my reef tank. it should be ok if you add it last.

 

[Betta5]

Cool I love six lines.

After tests went well with Amm and Nitrite being 0, and nitrate being 10 before a waterchange I picked up some clowns.

I picked them up and on the way home, the smaller of the 2 died. Must have been to much stress. So I got my mum to switch it for me and I got another big one. Been in the tank 2 days so far. Eating bloodworms like pigs and are very active. They seem to have made a home next to the skimmer pump because they go there when the lights go out and stay there. They are so funny to watch.

Excuse watermarks, I took pics before I wiped the tank down.







Thanks for looking

 

[Gandelf]

Sorry to here about the first clown dude, but the ones you have now are looking good.

 

[Betta5]

Thanks. I really love them, could sit and watch them for hours they are so entertaining.

Its sad that the other one died. Only knew him for like 15 mins but still, its never nice to see something die.

 

[Betta5]

Little update,

Clowns looking nice and bright

My algae before i all went missing somewhere, it looked nice aswell ¬_¬

Shot from a few days ago

Shot from today

Now just waiting on these that I have ordered,

- Powerhead so I can get rid of the fluval 3+ as its such an eyesore
- Black background

And Im off to the pet shop tomorrow so may be updating with pics of a new fish, fingers crossed they have some nice ones in
thanks for looking

Edit : Oooh comparing pics to the ones from they day they came home they really have brightened up, they have settled in so well.

 

[seffieuk]

Sean, you need to be buying a cuc

Seffie x

 

[Betta5]

I was going to but I have used protozin (sp) whitespot treatment on this tank when it was FW and I can't find any info if it has copper in it or not. Some said yes some said no so I just havn't got any yet.

If its not copper based, what snails or anything would eat diatoms(sp) because I have a load of that growing?

 

[seffieuk]

Ok, have been and done a little research for you Sean - Seems that the general concensus is that your medication is made up of Malachite green or methylin blue and formalin. It is my understanding that none of those chemicals contain Copper.

If it were me, i would buy a few snails and see what happens and yes they will eat your diatoms

Seffie x

you will want some Ceriths or Nass for sand turning and some turbos or astrea for the rocks etc