My Tank Setup, Dipped My Toe,

[Matthew5664]

Thanks all, Still on a high at the moment and happer that a pig in the preverble.


Lovesfish> Thought it was cyno had it like that for about 4 weeks the flow isn't quite right through there but a MP640 is on the way for the other side of the tank and I'm getting rid of the 1,000lph pump there.


Mr Miagi> You are right there you know the shop I got it from had them labled as Actinodiscus sp. but as you pointed out is does look like somthing from the Rhodactis famaly. The came is fine he/she...... it! opens right up but the neon goby likes to 'sit' on the side and try and peck the middle, any thoughts?

SkiFletch, Sf05> Thanks guy's can belive the clows are eating from my hand, they supposed to do that?

 

[SkiFletch]

Oh yeah, my clowns totally eat out of my hands. They've gotten so used to me that they'll nibble my arm when I stick it in the tank to adjust placements, etc... Freaked me out the first couple times they did it. Now I've learned to give them a little food when I stick my hands in

 

[Matthew5664]

SkiFletch >> It's so cool that they 'trust' us

got some more pics form you all because everyone likes pics.

This one of a little eye poking up from the sand bed.

One big hairy crab.

The very rare upsidedown red leg crab

A good closeup of the Rhodactis. (thanks Mr Miagi)

The clam opened up the mantel hereis abouty 3mm over the rim has got to 7mm in the last few days (old pic)

The new hammer coral, just in, better pic to come.

And the old fathful full tank shot. as of 2 days ago.

Hope to get some more up soon letting everything settle down for a month or two before anything else goes in! Get the Growth report up soon with some comparison pics for all to see

Anyway keep reefin'

 

[SkiFletch]

Lookin great as usual, nice and healthy . Great to see some life in the tank other than just LR

 

[Nevernormalalwayscrazy]

WOW ......I mean WOW great tank.........wonderful pics ........I think I'll stick to freshwater for now but I can still wish for a tank like that.

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Very nice matt, looking healthy in there

What is the stocking now? (Fishwise)

 

[Matthew5664]

Thanks Sf05, stocking as follows>

2x Amphiprion ocellaris (Tank bread Clown fish pair)
1x N. Magnifica (Fire fish)
1x Centropyge bispinosa (Coral Beauty)
1x Stonogobiops xanthorhinica (Hi fin red band Goby)
1x Elacatinus oceanops (Neon blue Goby)

Think I'm getting to the max for my tank, want another Neon blue Goby. But apart from that there isn't anyother fish I want........ I think. Maybe time for and upgrade. The hole the tank sits in can accomadete a tank that is 4" longer and 2" wide, but were talking custom job and I havnt got the funds or the time at the mo. Got it prised up and it coms out at £56 for the tank and £15 per hole. This would have to go in the bottom and have a internal overflow. This I could do myself. See how things go.....

Anyway got some more pic for you, first is a better cople of the new hammer coral

These are some comparison pics of the leather finger corals I got a while ago

They starteds life like this and now there like this

and yet another full tank shot

Please feel free to ask any questions

forgot to add this one, mygirlfriend come up with the caption

Fire in the hole!!!!!!

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Like the new pics and the stocking is pretty cool. Do you like neon gobies then?

Wow! Sounds like a deal on that custom tank, where you get offered that price?

 

[Matthew5664]

Place on the A3 in Tolworth Lynwood Fish House I think its called. The manager there makes them himself and all work is garenteed, but still a bit unsure of it. The Neon Gobys are cool I'df like a pair to see if I could breed them. I think there good for smaller tanks as they are not too demanding on space and filtration and some of the new tank bread ones are so called 'bomb proof'.

 

[barker_23]

Hi Matt

Just want to say what a brilliant diary of your tank, it looks amazing, it must be so satisfying to see it like it is.

Hope you dont find this a rude question, but i was wondering how much you have prob spent on the tank and all livestock?

I would love to start my own marine tank but havent really got the room at the moment, are they really that hard to maintain, also i guess you really have to know what you are doing?

Thanks

 

[Matthew5664]

barker_23> knowing what your doing helps, as i've proberly said else where on here I did about 3 months resurch into reeftaks, got a libary card and spent every waking hour on the net befor I 'Dipped my Toe'. If I started again then yes there are a cople of things I would do differant but that doesn't meen I'm not happy with the tank. Maintaining the tank isn't that hard realy just keep an eye on evaporation and if you've set up a good system it soulh do the work for you. Theres the water changes wich are a bit more involved that the FW ones but if you do them every 2 weeks of so then there is no reson for anything to go wrong. As for cost I'll try and list it out but didn't want to keep a record because if my girlfriend ever found out she'd kill me!!


£35 Tank
£18 1st Sump
£60 2nd Sump (had to buy it twice because I broke the first one)
£40 Skimmer
£04 Acyrilic
£10 Silicon
£60 Pumps/Power heads x4
£90 Light ballasts
£50 Bulbs
£25 Heater
£10 Cooling fans (DIY clip fan idea)
£40 Plumbing (hard and soft)
£35 Test kits
£28 Hydrometer (broke the first one)
£14 Electric Tempretur thingy
£25 Wood for DIY stand
£50 Salt (2 bags)

£22 Coral Sand (£2/kg)
£65 Fiji primium LR (£11.99/Kg)
£90 LR Fiji/Caribian/African (£10/Kg)

£22 Hermet crabs
£22 Snails
£12 Urchin
£24 Sea stars
£13 Pistol shrimp

£28 Fire fish x2
£33 Coral Bueaty
£13 Red band Goby
£12 Neon Goby
£30 Clown fish x2

£35 Bubble coral
£35 Hammer coral
£25 Leather finger coral
£25 Pulse coral
£25 Mushroom corals
£20 Feather Worm

£1130 Sofar

I didn't count the buckets, hose, 4 ways adapters, zip ties, RO water or petrol driving all over the south of england!

Think I got it all down....... might have missed something

 

[Matthew5664]

put the bridge intoday, found a bit of LR at the LFS to do the job.

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Looking very nice, is the neon goby an active swimmer?

 

[Matthew5664]

The Gobys out and about always 'hopping' from one rock to another. He's taken up a place on the front glass as well? a little weird I think but all is well with him and he's eating loads! Saying he all the time I think he's a she.

 

[Matthew5664]

nearly got all the lr from the sump in place 3 more bits but might save them for a 20l nano

Trunky want a bun?