New Member Checkin in

DRC Archive General Saltwater Discussion
1

Hello all:

Just joined this forum.

I’m actually from south jersey, but DEEP south jersey, as in near the bay, so I guess I’m closer to Delaware than most places in NJ anyway.

I currently have a 90 gallon that has been running, well, since it was a 55 gallon back in 2005 I suppose.

I also have a 210 that is sitting patiently staring at me while I build up the equipment to get it running.

Have been keeping/breeding fish in some form or another for probably almost 30 years, since I was a kid with mollies and guppies. Have worked my way through the years up through the “fish difficulty levels”, including keeping and breeding south american dwarf cichlids (specifically apistogrammas: ags, borellis, and a few others) up through Discus, and finally to marine back in 2005.

Anyway, just thought I’d drop a note and intro myself!

2

:Welcome) :Welcome) :Welcome)
glad to have you aboard. lotsa info around here. any pics? reef tank or fish, details, we love details!

3

[quote=“moliken, post:2, topic:2434”]
:Welcome) :Welcome) :Welcome)
glad to have you aboard. lotsa info around here. any pics? reef tank or fish, details, we love details![/quote]

LOL! i will try and dig up some pics. Kinda staving off an algae attack at the moment, so the tanks is a little embarassing.

It is mixed reef, but mostly softies, couple SPS. I have a zoa fetish. :smiley:

90 gal aga reef ready
about 130-140lbs live rock
20 gal long home made sump with refugium
corallife superskimmer 220
TLF Reactor with activated carbon
quiet one 3000 return pump
chinese koralia rip off dual head power head for flow (which I REALLY like by the way, especially for over 3,000 gph for $30 SHIPED!)

For fish:
5 year old pair of tomato clowns
3 year old blue spot nasso tang
Neon dotty back
3 yellow tail blue damsels (two appear to have paired off, still monitoring that situation)
strawberry dottyback

Currently running LED “tubes” as a lighting experiment. So far, so good, been running them since right around MACNA in September. Running 4 10,000k 4ft tubes, 4 20,000k 3ft tubes, and two LED Moonlight homemade strips.

I do not dose anything. What you see listed is it for equipment I do weekly to bi-weekly water changes of about 30 gallons, mixed fresh 24 hours prior to change with RO/DI water produced by a typhoon III from air water Ice. I have stayed away from SPS and more difficult LPS because I do not run a nutrient free environment, so I know I would not be able to keep them alive.

I also have a 30 gallon tank with a pair of Gold Sripe Maroon clowns that are about a year old or so. They MAY eventually make it to the 210 when I set that up.

4

Welcome!

Would be interested to hear a little more about your LED experiment. Many of us here have read up on and considered purchasing LEDs, but the consensus so far is that they wouldn’t grow much. However for a primarily softy environment… Perhaps we have ignored something.

Once again welcome. Hope to hear more from you.

5

6

Very healthy looking tank. Corals seem pretty happy. Do you know the names of the zoanthids? If those are the tubs blues zoas or whatever you call them I would be interested in trading.(Shoot me a PrivateMessage) There are a lot of zoanthid fanatics in the club. You’ll fit right in.

Have you thought about bringing the Sarcophyton(toadstool) up higher in the tank? Might take it a little time to adjust, but they typically grow faster in higher light. Not that it isn’t perfectly happy now, just might get more growth higher.

7

The LED tubes are these:

10,000k

http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUARIUM-LED-LIGHT-TUBE-4-foot-300-LED-w-plug_W0QQitemZ330381164846QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4cec40812e

20,000k

http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUARIUM-LED-LIGHT-TUBE-20-000k-3-foot-198-leds_W0QQitemZ230404550405QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a52e6f05

I just have them stretched over the top of the tank resting directly on the trim, so they are VERY close to the water surface.

So far, I am seeing GSP growth, Anthelia growth, some Zoa growth, some Paly growth, and I have a very happy scoly on the sand bed, as well as a small acan frag on the top of the right side of my rocks that was darn near dead when I got it(so much so that the vendor at MACNA threw it in with my zoanthid purchase just because he hoped someone could revive it)

I also have a very happy toadstool leather in the center of the tank on the sand bed. However, I have noticed that the “tips” of the polyps are not as greenish as they were under the 150watt MH that I was running

The zoanthid growth is not as rapid as I would like to see, or have seen under previous T5 setups, but they are healthy.

I am considering replacing the 20,000k tubes with more 10,000 k tubes as well as possibly some all blue high intensity tubes that the same guy just came out with in hopes of getting some more color. The 20,000k tubes just don’t seem to be as bright as the 10,000 k tubes.

On another note, My electric bill went down noticebly when I switched from the MH to the LED tubes! :slight_smile:

I am also keeping a fairly happy frogspawn, as well as a couple of pulsing xenias. Their color could be better, but other than that, they seem happy, and healthy.

And of course those dratted hairy mushrooms you see on the bottom would probably spread if I kept in the toilet tank! Started with 1, now have about 20 of them total in 3 different tanks! They are pretty when they open, but dang it do they take everything over!

I wouldn’t consider keeping SPS or more picky LPS under this setup for two reasons. 1, the LEDs do not in my opinion provide the PAR and intensity those corals need, and 2, I do not run a nutrient free environment, which I believe contributes to the happiness of some of my softies. They definitely seem to like the environment they are in. I also use reef crystals, and I do not have an “uber skimmer” like some, so I don’t feel I have the proper environment for them.

But, that being said, I have also been doing alot of reading about appropriate photo periods coupled with getting the flow to match your lighting to keep the respiration up on SPS having alot more to do with their success than just lighting alone. Have also been experimenting with Jake Adam’s concepts from MACNA regarding laminar flow, creating that “gyre” circular flow and allowing obstacles to create turbulance. So far, so good.

8

[quote=“Gordonious, post:6, topic:2434”]
Very healthy looking tank. Corals seem pretty happy. Do you know the names of the zoanthids? If those are the tubs blues zoas or whatever you call them I would be interested in trading.(Shoot me a PrivateMessage) There are a lot of zoanthid fanatics in the club. You’ll fit right in. [/quote]

Not sure of the names. Most were bought just based on “oooohs” and “ahhhs” from the girlfriend! LOL! I’ll see if I can get a better macro pic of them in the next couple of days. I currently have 2 smaller frags from the original frag I bought at MACNA back in september, so maybe we can work something out.

[quote=“Gordonious, post:6, topic:2434”]
Have you thought about bringing the Sarcophyton(toadstool) up higher in the tank? Might take it a little time to adjust, but they typically grow faster in higher light. Not that it isn’t perfectly happy now, just might get more growth higher. [/quote]

Actually, did consider this. What made me pause was the female clown. She actually made me give up on leveling out my sand bed. Every time I do, she defiantly kicks the crap out of the sand right dead center of the tank and then kind of hovers over it staring at me as if to say “NO!” So I’m afraid if I move it up, she might knock it over! And I kind of like it as the center of the tank between the structures like that. Actually saw something on another site that a member did with some arragocrete work where he made a pedestal for one of his corals. MIGHT try that if I get the gumption up to mess with concrete.

9

Welcome to DRC. :slight_smile:

10

welcome, always nice to have someone new to bounce ideas off of. Im also interested in the results and differences you see with the LED

11

[quote=“mfisher2112, post:7, topic:2434”]
The zoanthid growth is not as rapid as I would like to see, or have seen under previous T5 setups, but they are healthy.[/quote]

The zoanthid growth is not as rapid as I would like to see, or have seen under previous T5 setups, but they are healthy.

[quote=“mfisher2112, post:7, topic:2434”]
I am considering replacing the 20,000k tubes with more 10,000 k tubes as well as possibly some all blue high intensity tubes that the same guy just came out with in hopes of getting some more color. The 20,000k tubes just don’t seem to be as bright as the 10,000 k tubes.[/quote]

I believe the 20,000Kelvin bulbs won’t seem as bright to the naked eye. They should be bluer making your corals colors stand out a little more, but may not do as much for growth as 10,000Ks.

[quote=“mfisher2112, post:7, topic:2434”]
But, that being said, I have also been doing alot of reading about appropriate photo periods coupled with getting the flow to match your lighting to keep the respiration up on SPS having alot more to do with their success than just lighting alone. Have also been experimenting with Jake Adam’s concepts from MACNA regarding laminar flow, creating that “gyre” circular flow and allowing obstacles to create turbulance. So far, so good.[/quote]

Should just try a Montipora capriconis. Many would call it an SPS, but I believe it’s just flat out wrong lumping them in the same category with Acropora and assuming they have similar lighting and flow requirements. If you look around the market place and other forums you should be able to find some from other members and then you won’t have to feel bad that you killed an animal that was ripped out of the wild. Some of us have plenty to spare.

[quote=“mfisher2112, post:7, topic:2434”]
I also have a very happy toadstool leather in the center of the tank on the sand bed. However, I have noticed that the “tips” of the polyps are not as greenish as they were under the 150watt MH that I was running[/quote]

Guessing this is why you are considering adding the all blue tubes? This would be a good idea to try to bring back some of the color.

Completely understand the pesky clown fish effecting your decision on placement in the tank.

12

[quote=“Gordonious, post:11, topic:2434”]
I believe the 20,000Kelvin bulbs won’t seem as bright to the naked eye. They should be bluer making your corals colors stand out a little more, but may not do as much for growth as 10,000Ks. [/quote]

They are also only 198 LED 3 foot tubes as oposed to the 10,000k being 300 LED 4 ft tubes. That’s why I’m considering a couple more of the 10,000k tubes and some of the 300 led blue tubes he’s putting out now.

[quote=“Gordonious, post:11, topic:2434”]
Completely understand the pesky clown fish effecting your decision on placement in the tank. [/quote]

Yup. She’s a pain. BUT, she is definitely a pet. Have had her since she was about 1/2 inch for about 5 years and she will come right out and eat out of my hand. The naso is like that too. If I press my face to the tank, she will come up and dance back and forth right against the glass. They are comical.

13

Thanks for the welcome everyone. Since there seems to be interest, I will try to do what I can to keep posting on the LEDs. Especially if I make the change on the 20,000k to more 10,000k and the blues.

14

We are hoping to have a PAR meter for rental for club members in the near future. Having this sort of information may strengthen the information you are getting from your LED experiment. When we get the par meter if you are a member of the club and promise to keep track of your results carefully I will donate one of my monti cap frags for you to try out.

15

:Welcome) to DRC. You have some beautiful fish. I think it will be interesting to hear how things go with your LED experiment. I hope you come to our meeting in January.

16

Just being nosy. How long have you had your tang and what do you feed it?

17

[quote=“Gordonious, post:14, topic:2434”]
We are hoping to have a PAR meter for rental for club members in the near future. Having this sort of information may strengthen the information you are getting from your LED experiment. When we get the par meter if you are a member of the club and promise to keep track of your results carefully I will donate one of my monti cap frags for you to try out. [/quote]

Very cool. Have been wanting to get ahold of a par meter to check results of the LEDs against my T5 rig as well as the MH fixture I used to use.

Will look into club membership.

[quote=“Ento_Reefer, post:15, topic:2434”]
:Welcome) to DRC. You have some beautiful fish. I think it will be interesting to hear how things go with your LED experiment. I hope you come to our meeting in January.[/quote]

Where and when is the meeting? I work retail, so weekends are always tough for me, especially this time of year.

[quote=“Gordonious, post:16, topic:2434”]
Just being nosy. How long have you had your tang and what do you feed it? [/quote]

No worries. I love talking about my tank.

I have had the blue spot nasso tang probably about 3 years. She will eat pretty much anything I put in the tank. The entire tank gets a mixture of Rod’s Food original blend, fish eggs, and herbivore blend every 2 or 3 days. On off days, I feed this flake food:

And she also gets nori every couple of days as well.

18

The Jan meeting date and location is to be announced still. We have our regular meetings at the William Penn High school every third Monday at 7pm. However this months things changed due to the holidays and well next month there is a holiday on the third Monday as well. Details will be posted in the next couple of weeks.

19

Big Welcome to ya

20

[quote=“Gordonious, post:18, topic:2434”]
The Jan meeting date and location is to be announced still. We have our regular meetings at the William Penn High school every third Monday at 7pm. However this months things changed due to the holidays and well next month there is a holiday on the third Monday as well. Details will be posted in the next couple of weeks. [/quote]

Cool. Even if I don’t make the meeting upcoming, when normal ones resume, that’s only a little over an hour drive. Will definitely look forward to that.