New LEDs today.

[Jordan]

Got my new LEDs in today. The LFS ripped the guts out of my stock florescent hood and installed 3W Cree LEDs. The install looks great, I love the shimmer and I got to put in my 1st Coral today, a Kenya Tree. Tank is still a bit new so there isn't much in it at the moment. Next weekend we should be getting a Goby. Right now there is just a Yellowtail Blue Damsel, a Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp, a Blood Red Fire Shrimp, 3 hermits and some snails.

 

[SarahSmile]

Looks great! Congrats on the leds!
Did you cycle the tank?

 

[Jordan]

Did you cycle the tank?

The cured live rock and water are both from a large tank at the LFS. LFS installed and set everything up with us at our place and stated that he does not expect to see anything cycle because everything came from a long standing tank. He has lots of installs he has done throughout town and said that he does the same thing with most of his installs and he typically waits about 3 days and starts putting fish/coral in and never sees a cycle occur. We waited a week before adding a fish. It has been 2.5 weeks. We have been checking levels every other day to be sure and everything is still normal. We have yet to see any deviation from normal levels.

 

[SarahSmile]

That's cool. Nice that they helped you set up.
I only mentioned it cause you don't typically see people have a damsel unless they are cycling with it.
The shimmer from leds is great isn't it? I love mine.

 

[Jordan]

It was a free fish with aquarium purchase.

I did things a little backwards. I bought the tank and then spent every free minute after getting it researching. Had I done my research beforehand I would have realized that they are impossible to catch and can get pretty territorial and probably would have refrained from getting it.

I have confidence in my fish catching ability though and if it is beating on any new fish I will take it out and bring it back to the LFS.

 

[SarahSmile]

Ahh, I gotcha. You could just go semi-aggressive/aggressive for your tank. Dottybacks. Maroon Clown. If you get attached to the little guy. I always loved the coloring on the yellow tail damsels.

 

[Jordan]

I love to go with a aggressive/semi-aggressive tank. However, most of the fish my fiance likes are neither. We have sort of made a deal that she chooses the fish and get to handle coral.

 

[SarahSmile]

The girl always wins. It's why I love men. And how I can never understand how lesbian couples work out their issues. I mean, who gets their way??
What fish does she want? I love to see peoples' fish choices.

 

[Jordan]

More than anything in the world she wants a Cow Fish. She also wants a green banded goby, firefish, yellowhead jawfish, royal gramma and yellow tang. I am sure there are many more on her list, but can only think of those at the moment. I really want a mandarin, but will probably wait until we move and I can upgrade tanks (1-2 years in the future) so I can do a refugium and have copepods for it to eat. I have been told that a tank raised mandarin will eat things other than copepods though so we'll have to see as I get more experience/knowledgeable.

 

[SarahSmile]

Oh my! She has picked a difficult fish for sure! That cow fish needs a HUGE tank and is difficult to keep. I set my first tank up cause I wanted a spiny box puffer, then realized that is never going to happen.
The goby, firefish, and royal gramma would all be happy in your 30 gallon though. So that's cool she has some easy fish she likes that are ok in smaller tanks. The tang needs big tank too. Stupid tangs.

 

[Jordan]

I was doing some research and it appeared that a small, longhorn cowfish could do well in a 29g, but that of course may not be true as you indicated. If it cannot handle a 29g I have a feeling we will be buying a new house and a 200g+ aquarium much sooner than I had anticipated.

 

[SarahSmile]

Time to buy that house and tank! Yeah, a cowfish cannot be in a 30 gallon. They are hard to keep and are recommended to be in tanks over 100 gallons at least. Plus, when they get stressed they release toxins that will keep all your other fish.

 

[little_fish]

+1 Sarah


But the other fish she has chosen will do well! Its easier to not buy a fish on your list than to realize that you killed it.

 

[Smitty]

Those leds really look nice...congrats.

 

[john0087]

I don't know why everyone hates on the yellow tail damsel. My very first saltwater fish was a yellow tail...aka Rambo. This little dude survived everything I could throw at him..ie all my mistakes, tank upgrades, moves, etc. Kept him for over 5 years, now that's a great $4.99 investment. I loved that little guy and was so sad when I gave him to my LFS when I tore down the tank.

In any case, love the LED's. I really want them on my tank.