My 33 Gallon Build

[PRC]

See all that sweating for nothin'..

I'm glad everything worked out.

By the way, I was just at the LFS with the clowns. I checked the prices for you, they ranged from 39-59 each the 39.00 were small and the 59 weren't much bigger.

 

[rwynn]

My clowns remind me of snakes at night...they have this whole body slither type swim pattern...kinda freaky.

 

[koda_dad]

Apparently clowns just get really weird after the lights go off.... today they are totally normal...

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

My clowns remind me of snakes at night...they have this whole body slither type swim pattern...kinda freaky.

Mine used to do that too. Now my female props herself up underneath the edge of the fuzzy shroom they host and the male lays sideways on top of the shroom. Neither of them move all night.... kinda weird.

 

[koda_dad]

I plan to focus mainly on corals.

As you might have noticed there is a TON of rock in this tank.

55-60lbs

I currently have 2 Picasso Clowns, a peppermint shrimp and various snails and that's it.

I was initially going to add a Helfrichi Firefish ... but the more I read about these fish I am starting to think its not the right fish. They are very skittish and hide a lot...not to mention they love to jump.

I have a 3 year old...I have a feeling he might scare the firefish on occasion. Opinions?

If the firefish is not a good choice....what would you recommend? I love rare, cool looking fish.
However, with a more active and outgoing personality.

Another I like is the pajama cardinal...I know not exactly rare but still pretty cool looking.

Any input greatly appreciated.

 

[koda_dad]

Some new developments... A)as per my other thread..one of my Picasso clowns died today. Thankfully the store is going to issue a replacement in 3 weeks when they get one in.

2nd I now have a complex over my rock work....I met a local guy today and saw his amazing 150g tank. His rock work was stunning, everything was held together with plastic pins ...truly amazing. I made the mistake of showing him my rock work...his exact quote not meant in a mean way....was "that is what we call the fruit stand approach."

Thankfully he agreed to come help me :)

Lastly, my coral frags are coming in...yeah....

Here is the list of corals I plan on having.... not immediately... but over the next while.

Neon Candy Cane Coral
Finger Leather
Neon Tree Leather
Orange and Green Ricordia
Hammer Coral
Torch Coral
Pink Star Polyp
Aussie Open Brain
Blue Mushroom
Green Mushroom
Hairy Mushroom
Colt Coral

Also I am realizing that my current layout doesn't give me a lot space for places to put corals... interestingly I thought it did....it wasnt until I started figuring out where things were going to go that I realized...I need to change something up in my rocks. Hopefully my new found friend can help :)

 

[Bifferwine]

Those would all be great corals to start with. Good choices!

 

[koda_dad]

Well a lot has happened over the last few days.

The most pivotal moment was I went to a local reefer's house and had the pleasure I looking at an AMAZING tank. What made this tank? The corals were impressive, he had many many rare fish... but no...that wasn't it. It was his rock work. It was amazing!

I asked him about it and he told me exactly how he had done it. He actually drilled holes in the rocks and used 1/4" plastic rod to hold things together. (At this point...I am thinking...looks awesome...sounds like a TON of work)

He then asks me if I have any photos of my tank...I pull out my latest tank shot....I could tell he was being polite with his response...so I pry farther to what he actually thinks.....

He told me "that is what we call the fruitstand layout"

I looked at mine...then at his...and I started to get what he meant but I really didn't think at all about going home and redoing all my rock work AGAIN!

But.... that night and the next morning I picked up my corals. I brought them home and started to place them in the tank and very very quickly realized that...I didn't have much space to place corals at all. This was a problem. But I admit...I was intimidated about a)drilling the rocks, b) being able to come up with a way to change it and, c) just messing with my tank again .

I decided to try the unthinkable...

I decided to ask this guy if he would come over and help. To my surprise.... he said " SURE no problem" I was shocked.

So today he came over and we tackled this daunting task. We removed the new corals, removed most of the rock, lost the fluval, changed the Aquacelear powerheads out for koreila, added in a third powerhead, hid most of the equipment and lastly proceeded to create the new landscape.

Well after about 3 hours of work...to say that I am happy with it would be a HUGE understatement. I LOVE IT! The difference is very very noticeable. Now I have TONS of places for corals and my fish have tons of caves and tunnels to play in.

Here is the progression so far....
The First Layout....with the Ecorock.

The old layout with the live rock

The new layout

One of the biggest differences is really hard to notice in the photo...the new layout has a huge amount of depth. It also has tons of caves and tunnels as mentioned.


Notice anything else different??? CORALS!



My corals have now arrived are in...

They are little....but I love them anyways.

Here are some better pics of most of them. The photos are not fantastic as it is still a little cloudy.

My fav...

The guy who was already here...

There is two others that I didn't get photos of...
A toadstool leather (snail was ticking it off) and a purple leather. (Ill post some photos of those later)

Overall I am sooo excited. The new layout just makes we want to watch these corals grow and fill out.

 

[Bifferwine]

Very nice! Great choices in corals too -- your tank is so colorful already!

 

[koda_dad]

oops forgot the photos of 2 others too... blue and green mushrooms.

 

[PRC]

Been awfully quiet over there for the last couple of days. Tank looks great. did you manage to get everything worked out with the picassos?

 

[koda_dad]

LOL.. I know...

I was told it wold be 3 weeks for the new clown. So hopefully in about 2 more weeks.

All the corals are doing great except one colt frag that is honestly starting to annoy me.. I have glued this thing to the rock 3 times... It keeps coming unglued and the floats around the tank.

I still haven't decided totally on fish...

I am 90% sure I want a bluespot jawfish,

I am also pretty sure I want a Helfrichi Firefish.

That said.... I am also looking at possibly a small fairy or flasher wrasse but I worry it will stress out the jawfish and maybe others.

I also looked at a sixline instead of the fairy.... But worry about the same problems.

I was also looking at a pajama cardinal but from what I have read although cool looking this could me nominated for the most boring fish of all time.

As for other new developments... My new bulbs have come in.

I an also looking at getting a few zoas and maybe a Blastomussa (red &green)

Locally we have a frag swap this weekend so Ill probably pick them up then.

One last positive note, the other clown is doing really well. He plays all day swimming back and forth
in the powerhead stream. At night he is still a freak when he sleeps but I have now written that off as his quirk.

More to come...

 

[koda_dad]

Okay all...I need advice again... I goofed today when dosing my tank. Everything is fine now...but I had some ticked off corals for a while.

After all my reading..it appears simple things may have been missed.

I would like some input on when I should use these exactly.

As you know I currently have just the Picasso clown and the above corals.

I have the following products and foods.

Kent Phytoplex
Kent Chromoplex
Kent Zoo Plex
Kent Strontium & Molybdenum
Kent Concentrated Liquid Calcium

Seachem Garlic Guard
Frozen Mysis
Frozen Cylops
Ocean Nutrition Formula 1 Pellets

Instant Ocean Sea Buffer (PH & Alk Booster)
Seachem Reef Builder
Red Sea Buff

I would love someone to tell me when to feed the following supplements, the best way to feed them and maybe even how much..

I would love someone to tell me when and what to feed the clown. (currently he gets pellets in the morning and mysis at night)

Lastly, I would love some to tell me as schedule to use the ph alk stuff. (currently I need to only boost my alk a little more)

Thanks as always

 

[PRC]

I saw this yesterday and had to snap a pic for you...Looks like you got a hell of a deal on those picasso's. This was a mated pair.

 

[koda_dad]

cool...especially when you think I am actually getting 3..LOL...

 

[koda_dad]

Well...I just got an email from one of the guys who owns one of the local stores I have been buying at.

"Opinions are like (well you know) everyone has one.
My two cents on new tanks. and new reefers.

SLOW down. don't add too many fish too quick.
nothing good happens fast. relax, enjoy the tank.
new fish once a week is too fast
one a month. Add corals slowly and work your way to more advanced corals. You can always sell a healthy coral on the local forums.
Let the tank mature more and settle better.
I can't say that enough."

I am a little surprised by the email honestly. But thought i would ask here as well to get a balanced opinion. I respect his opinion...I have sent him a reply to get it clarified.

The tank is a month old. As you know its a 33 gallon with 6-t5's..

The rock I purchased came from an existing tank. I have added honestly quite a lot of corals. I also used the live argonite sand)

Currently have the following corals:

Torch coral (frag)
Hammer coral (frag)
Frogspawn (2 head frag)
Open Brain
Blue Mushrooms (3 head)
Green Musrooms (3 heads)
Small ricordia
Fiji Green Tree Leather
Purple Tree leather
Toadstool leather
Hairy Mushroom Frag
Pink star Polyps
4 zoo frags
Candy Cane 4-5 heads

Plus currently I have the one picasso clown (other died nearly immediately)

My tank parameters as of today are:

temp 80
sal 1.025
ph 8.4
alk 9
calc 440
amon 0.1
nitrate 0
nitrite 0
Phos 0.1

I was planning on adding my 2nd fish in the next day or so.... am I rushing things?

I realize I did add a lot of corals....but I was told by several sources that corals do not add to the bioload. Was I led down the garden path?

 

[Bifferwine]

All of the corals you have are considered easy corals, so no, I don't think you added them too quickly. But he is right about fish -- leave 3 weeks or so between additions.

 

[tankedchemist]

the only criticism I have of your corals is, I wouldn't put a hammer, frogspawn, and a torch in a tank that small together. Euphylla corals can stink the hell out of each other when placed close (or even not-so-close) together. Pick 1 of the 3 and sell the other 2. Good news is they usually grow pretty fast, so after picking 1 it'll fill the space soon enough. I started with 2 head frogspawn and within 6 months it had outgrown my 29gall.

 

[koda_dad]

What about adding fish?

I have just the one Picasso for now... the tank is coming up on 5 weeks old.

The other Picasso should arrive in 2-3weeks.

 

[koda_dad]

the only criticism I have of your corals is, I wouldn't put a hammer, frogspawn, and a torch in a tank that small together. Euphylla corals can stink the hell out of each other when placed close (or even not-so-close) together. Pick 1 of the 3 and sell the other 2. Good news is they usually grow pretty fast, so after picking 1 it'll fill the space soon enough. I started with 2 head frogspawn and within 6 months it had outgrown my 29gall.

They are all single heads...they are small at the moment. Good to know though...