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Thread: Mariel's Reef Tank

  1. #1
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    Showoff Mariel's Reef Tank

    Finally got around to posting some pics of my new reef tank. I started up this 20g Tall at the end of January. Fish have been in there for a little over a month. These pics are about a month old lol

    20130306_200706 (640x424).jpg20130305_171242 (480x640).jpg20130305_173528 (480x640).jpg

    Stuff that's happened since I took these:
    Clown died - after the transfer from my friend's 29g, it's health started to continuously decline :/
    Horrible Diatom Bloom - Now under control with the recent addition of Turbo Snails and Hermits.

    Future Plans (to be started in May):
    Thinking of upgrading to 30 gallon (Cause if I want to add an in-tank skimmer, I'd barely have room for it)
    DIY LED Fixture
    DIY Stand
    Addition of a Protein Skimmer

    In August or December, I'd like to upgrade to 55g

  2. #2
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    Keep up good work. sorry to hear about the clown. It might be easier to jump straight to the 55 rather than 30G
    Mixed reef 180 gallon DT,Euroreef rs 250 skimmer, AI LED lights, 2 Sicce HP Voyager 8 power heads, 40 sump, 40g frag tank, 75g Display Tank

  3. #3
    ORCA Forum Member philip_r5's Avatar
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    Cool. Happy to see you started a thread
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  4. #4
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    Well I didn't want to upgrade to the 55g until I found a more permanent place to live (which hopefully will happen next August or December). Being in college and moving a lot, a 30g seems a lot easier to migrate. Also I'll be travelling for 3 weeks in June, so I'll be leaving my tank w/ a not so reef-capable person, i think the slightly bigger tank and skimmer will make it a little less prone to disaster.

    Haha, yeah finally started it

  5. #5
    ORCA Forum Member SaltWater's Avatar
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    nice job!!

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    ORCA Forum Member techbiker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LadyQuorra View Post
    Well I didn't want to upgrade to the 55g until I found a more permanent place to live (which hopefully will happen next August or December). Being in college and moving a lot, a 30g seems a lot easier to migrate. Also I'll be travelling for 3 weeks in June, so I'll be leaving my tank w/ a not so reef-capable person, i think the slightly bigger tank and skimmer will make it a little less prone to disaster.

    Haha, yeah finally started it
    hey just go for the 55, we will help you move the tank when the time comes, is not the first and for sure not the last, happy reefing
    55 Gl. non drilled, Mix reef, HOB protein skimmer, BRS bio Pellets reactor, 180W led.
    29 Gl. Biocube stock Mix reef
    75 Gl. Rimless drilled, Vertex IN250 protein skimmer, BRS Biopellet reactor in serie with carbon reactor, return Eheim 1262, 180 watts LED, 3 pump doser for A-B, strontium and magnesium
    Reef keeper eliteV2 Controler
    and feeding like crazy, no more low nutrients, yes to a high nutrients and explosive growth

  7. #7
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    Thanks for the input guys

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    My anemone and blue dartfish died At this rate I think I'm giving up on any kind of big tank all together. I really feel like getting rid of the whole thing, it makes me sad to just see one lonely fish in there but I've put so much money in it (at least for a poor college kid) that I feel I wouldn't even get close to what I spent... Maybe I'll just go to 30g and add the skimmer and DIY LED. Need to get my thoughts sorted... :/

  9. #9
    ORCA Forum Member SaltWater's Avatar
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    awww don't let that discourage u. forget an anemone for now start out easy

  10. #10
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    Mariel, don't give up. It can be discouraging, but let's find out what went wrong. I know Saturday's meeting is far for you (Lake county), but come out and talk with some people and let's figure out what went wrong.
    David Hill
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  11. #11
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    I already have a sense of why things went the way they did. It's just things dying even if there just fish/inverts is really hard on me.

    Yeah I wanted to go to the meeting to see if I'd get my umph back, I'll try and make it out if I can find a ride.

  12. #12
    ORCA Forum Member techbiker's Avatar
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    I have been there, one morning almost all my fish was gone 5 of them and money was also and issue, but since i just realize that the more that i learn the less chances i have to fail, keep it up, you will do just fine!
    55 Gl. non drilled, Mix reef, HOB protein skimmer, BRS bio Pellets reactor, 180W led.
    29 Gl. Biocube stock Mix reef
    75 Gl. Rimless drilled, Vertex IN250 protein skimmer, BRS Biopellet reactor in serie with carbon reactor, return Eheim 1262, 180 watts LED, 3 pump doser for A-B, strontium and magnesium
    Reef keeper eliteV2 Controler
    and feeding like crazy, no more low nutrients, yes to a high nutrients and explosive growth

  13. #13
    ORCA Forum Member philip_r5's Avatar
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    My 7 year old foxface looks like he is on his last leg myself. It is hard to see your fish and coral die. The main thing is feeling helpless. I have tried a couple things so far, but he isn't even eating. Slowly floating around. He will most likely be gone by tomorrow.

    I feel your pain Mariel, don't give up. Just go for the easier to keep things. Which fish was it that died by the way?
    014-16 Web Admin/Secretary, 2013 Merchandise Coordinator/Web Admin, 2012 Public Relations/Merchandise Coordinator

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    Id suggest a 40 Breeder or a 65G instead of the 55 all together. IMO&E due to its width, makes for a difficult reef tank.

    You can get a 40g for $40 bus at PETCo right now.

    As others have mentioned, you have access to a lot of help when it comes to moving a tank, and anything under 65-75 gallons is a fairly easy move.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by philip_r5 View Post
    Which fish was it that died by the way?
    The 1st was my Occ. clown that I had for a year, it passed a week after it's transfer into a new/smaller tank. The anemone and Blue Gudgeon Dartfish just happened a week or so ago. I never found the dartfish's body but i havent seen him in over a week...

    Thanks for posting guys. Sorry for your losses.

    Yeah I had to watch my clown and nem go into decline and there was nothing I could do at the time. The dartfish, i just stop seeing it but he was quite small so maybe the CUC cleaned him up...

    Hope your fish makes a turn around Philip.

  16. #16
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    If I had a nickle for every time something died in my tank...I would be rich

    Is your top open...darts have a tendency to jump...I lost a few that way and found them months later crispy on the floor.

  17. #17
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    Oh geez I never thought of that...There is small opening at the top of the tank. Yikes that'd be gross to find.

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    go slowly and hang in there! Hope to see you at the meeting.

  19. #19
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    Icon2 Update - Tank Move & New Additions

    So I moved the 20g from UCF to OIA area. Where it will be cared for while I'm gone for the summer.

    The move made me feel like I was starting fresh. So I decided to stop at Top Shelf and see if they had anything that would make a good addition.
    I came out with:
    2 Frags - A red mushroom and a Red/Green Zoa
    1 Sexy Shrimp (He's been hanging out around my Xenia and GSP)
    1 Juvenile Black Occ. Clown, I named him Dimir (Couldn't bare to get an orange one even though it was 1/2 the price b/c it reminded me of Nemo, RIP)

    Right now the clown is chilling near the surface. I was a little worried but he is eating well, he ate 3 pellets last night and 2 this morning.

    My Randall's Goby named Brandon, survived the commute and seems back to his normal self and has already remade his burrow.

    The pink cabbage leather and GSP aren't backed to normal yet but it's been less then 24 hours.

    Oh and the smaller of my 2 Turbo Snails died. I figured this would happen eventually since I was no longer seeing any Diatoms at all.

    Also in the past like week or so I started seeing green splotches growing on the glass a lot and a bit on the rock. (probably due from me not changing the filter media or doing a PWC for a month... Darn finals) but when I moved the tank I scrubbed it off glass, it was quite hard and stuck on there.

    So I've decided to hold off on any tank upgrades until I am permanently back in Orlando. But I'm really liking the idea of a 40G Breeder.

    Still going to work on lighting though... hoping to come up with a concrete plan for DIY LED or run into a good deal on some pre-built/retail lighting. Wish me luck guys. I'll see if I can get some pictures up in the next few days

  20. #20
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    Mariel's Reef Tank

    Yes the 40 breeder is a excellent idea. I think we have all been there with die off . If you make sure you learn something it was not a waste. The black clown is great as likely captive bread. No diseases form the wild, already eating prepared, adjusted and raised in captivity, shorter supply chain for less abuse.

    If you go w a larger. You could keep your current tank as a quarnteene. Just a powerhead on a sponge. Some pipes or similar inert objects to hide in and some dr Tim's for a cycle when you get a fish to put in quarnteene.
    ><((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><((º>¸.·´¯`·.¸. ><((((º> ><(((((º>
    I keep water, last checked about 600 gallons worth.
    Problem is animals keep using it as there water closet.
    Worst of all the littlest ones keep using up all the supplies.

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