http://delreefclub.org/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=1
Name & Username Craig DeAngelo(Cdangel0)
Years of Experience 3 years saltwater, 6 years freshwater
Other Pets 2 dogs, 2 cats, freshwater fish, and a mouse(yes a mouse!!)
Size of Tank 75gallon reef ready
Type of Tank Mixed reef. Dominant softie.
What kinds of fish do you keep? Uh, three sergeant majors, one percula clown, one tomato clown, swallowtail angel, a couple of miscellaneous damsels, and the starry blenny.
What kinds of coral do you keep? Hammer coral, ping frogspawn, green frogspawn, a couple of ricordia, uknown SPS, cabbage leather, colt, snake polyps, yellow polyps and a couple of zoos. (referring to a brain-like coral) I bought it as brain, I thought it was a maze brain but Al doesn’t think so. I forget what Al thinks it is…and one very ugly rock with green star polyps that isn’t doing so good since the move. (referring to agreen mushroom like thing!)There, the best I can figure are mojano anemones. I had them start popping up about a year ago, but they don’t seem to hurt anything or take over anything. I left them. Great color.
What kinds of inverts do you keep? I got a purple reef lobster in here somewhere. Haven’t seen it since the day I added sand. Majority of turbos, thanks to reeftopia actually sending something. Ive got a couple of ceriths in here and looks like I have a couple of nassarius in here….i didn’t think I had any left.
What is your favorite fish? Its gotta be the swallowtail angel.
What is your oldest fish? The little blue damsel, ive had him since the day I got into the hobby.
What is your favorite coral? Counting the anemones? Um, probably the pink frogspawn.
What is your oldest coral? The green star polyps. When I got this rock, it use to be full and flowing, its what got me into reeftanks.
Do you have a piece that you would consider to be the centerpiece, or maybe a piece you would like to grow out as a centerpiece? Yeah, I would have to say the RBTA. It was always the biggest and the first thing that people noticed when they came over. It was always “wow, look at that!â€ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ
What kind of lighting do you use? It’s a Nove Extreme Pro. Six bulbs. I run two actinics, one 75/25 split, and three daylights 10Ks It gives a nice overall balance.
What do you use primarily for filtration? The refugium(20g), live rock, and the ASMG3.(Craig also has a 29g sump)
What do you feel is your most important piece of equipment? The skimmer, Yeah, its amazing when you look at what it takes out…trying to imagine all that in the water column. Yeah.
What do you feed and how often? Im probably a heavy feeder, they get an assortment of everything from dry flake to homemade frozen, brine shrimp for a treat. I use oyster eggs for the coral. DT’s when I remember to pick it up. I feed about every other day. The anemones will get silversides, I think the colors better.
Where do you try to keep your water parameters? Honestly I don’t test for much . Ph, maybe twice a week. 8.2 I cheat, I use the premade buffer. Reef buffer. It keeps the Ph right, it keeps the calcium and alkalinity perfect. Ive got Get Tanked’s 3 part formula, a stash of Rand’y 3 part, I just haven’t had the time to read on how to use it. I do test for specific gravity, I try to keep it about 1.025ish…at least in the ballpark. I find that a lot of things seem to like it a little higher. The anemones seem to fatten up when its 1.027. I don’t like to go any higher.
What kind of salt mix do you use? Usually Reef Crystals. Ive been using Reef Crystals for the last two years…im happy with it.
How often do you do water changes? Id like to say once a week. Every two weeks or so, ideally once a week. I probably…I never go more than three weeks…I usually do 10 gallon water changes.
What kinds of testing equipment do you use? I don’t test much. I use API…ive got some Salifert that Ive picked up but they’re too expensive to keep buying especially considering I really don’t test for much. I tested a lot when I started.
What other equipment do you use? Ive got the wave 2k. I run a koralia 3 and 4. They don’t make a sound. People complain about them because you cant use them on a wavemaker cause they’ll click on startup….but there really so quiet…so much nicer than a standard powerhead. I use an Air Water & ICE Reefkeeper RODI unit. An auto shut off valve, float valve greatest invention in the world. I havent, knock on wood, flooded yet.
Do you have any advice for someone new to the hobby? Pay attention to your tank. After you have had it for a while you have a tendency to not watch it. You say, you know what, everything has been fine for a week, it will be fine for today and that’s going to be the day that something goes wrong. Keep your hands out of the tank. My wife makes fun of me. My hand is always in the tank…I keep a towel right next to it. When these things used to live in the ocean, there isn’t a giant hand that comes down and starts rearranging rockwork because somebody thinks it doesn’t look right there or because the anemone isn’t happy in front of the powerhead. If things aren’t happy they’ll move! Keep your hands out and let things grow out naturally. Make sure the parameters are there for them….let things be….that and superglue gel is your best friend.
I want to thank Craig for the tour. The tank looks great in person. If anyone would like to see additional questions added to the Q&A or has advice on how i can change the format please PM me.