justanotherfishhead
Lisa
Hi everyone! I have posted a few questions on this site and gotten helpful advice:mrgreen:. Figured its time to post a few pics. I set up my 55 gallon 3 months ago. I had freshwater fish growing up and had a 40 gallon saltwater tank for a few years as a teenager but had to give it up when I moved. But I knew so little back then I don't count it as much experience. Anyway, I am happy to be back in the hobby. A few months with my 55gal and I'm already thinking about something bigger, lol.
I started with some dry rock (maybe a third of it) and gradually added live rock. Some of it I got from a LFS that had rock that a customer brought in when they had to get rid of their tank, so it already has the coraline algae on it. One of the rocks had a little green hair algae which has now taken over the rock. I just put a blenny in there and hoping he'll take care of it. I also have three chromis and a royal gramma. I want to add a pair of black and white clowns and that will be it for fish. For inverts I have a peppermint shrimp, a turbo, and 4 tongan nassarius (soon to be 10, thanks for the advice Little Fish). I just added a mushroom coral and two zoa frags. I think they seem happy, but let me know if you have advice on placement. I have one HO T5 light that has 2 x 56w, and a regular T5 with 2 x 26w.
I think I'm doing okay so far, nothing has died in my care yet and my water parameters are right on. I test PH, alk, nitrate, and phosphate weekly. I change about 8 gallons every two weeks. The only things I know I'm doing wrong are: no sump, because of poor planning I have no room for it (wish I would've researched more beforehand), and using a fluval 405 cannister (I clean it really well every water change). I do have room to add a hang-on-back refugium of probably 4 gallons, let me know if you have opinions on that. I have the backpak 2 skimmer which seems to be working well.
Thanks for reading...here are the pictures:D
FTS:
Starry Blenny resting on his huge food supply:
Mushroom coral (LFS guy calls it "fuzzy mushroom"):
Zoas:
Side view:
I started with some dry rock (maybe a third of it) and gradually added live rock. Some of it I got from a LFS that had rock that a customer brought in when they had to get rid of their tank, so it already has the coraline algae on it. One of the rocks had a little green hair algae which has now taken over the rock. I just put a blenny in there and hoping he'll take care of it. I also have three chromis and a royal gramma. I want to add a pair of black and white clowns and that will be it for fish. For inverts I have a peppermint shrimp, a turbo, and 4 tongan nassarius (soon to be 10, thanks for the advice Little Fish). I just added a mushroom coral and two zoa frags. I think they seem happy, but let me know if you have advice on placement. I have one HO T5 light that has 2 x 56w, and a regular T5 with 2 x 26w.
I think I'm doing okay so far, nothing has died in my care yet and my water parameters are right on. I test PH, alk, nitrate, and phosphate weekly. I change about 8 gallons every two weeks. The only things I know I'm doing wrong are: no sump, because of poor planning I have no room for it (wish I would've researched more beforehand), and using a fluval 405 cannister (I clean it really well every water change). I do have room to add a hang-on-back refugium of probably 4 gallons, let me know if you have opinions on that. I have the backpak 2 skimmer which seems to be working well.
Thanks for reading...here are the pictures:D
FTS:
Starry Blenny resting on his huge food supply:
Mushroom coral (LFS guy calls it "fuzzy mushroom"):
Zoas:
Side view:
