Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

OK. This reef tank idea has m y curiousity piqued.

I am potentially interested in this idea, but I would like mine to feature species (fish, invertebrates and plants) that are local/native to my home. These would generally be cooler/cold water species (the ocean near me never really warms up that much), so would colder water species be able to live ok in warmer water, or would I have to keep the tank colder?

Is it generally possible (advisable, viable) to use wild specimen in a home tank? Or would it be best to buy the same species (if they are available) from a reputable hobby store?

Is there somewhere I can learn more about the pros/cons about using wild species in a reef tank?

Thanks.

kayaker

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Cold water species need cold water. There is not as nice of a selection, especially fish.
Most specimens were caught in the wild unless otherwise noted. I have seen some nice cold water tanks. You generally don't have coral in them but there can be lots of invertebrates.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

This whole thread is awesome. I really want a reef tank now.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

That's it. Thanks!

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Fish! woot! 3 Green Chromis swimmin about. :D Movement whoo. Added some Zoas too and they have almost doubled in size in the week they have been there. wow.

Also, is Kalk dosing nessesary? my alk holds stable and Calcium does as well...

How is it done?

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

I have found that a stable, high calcium level is critical for snails, stars, skelatinous corals, coraline algae and many other tank life. Your levels are staying high and stable because it's not being used up much yet.
Calcium reactors are best, but expensive.
I used the two part solution from B-Ionic before and it works great and is easy.
Kalkwasser has to be mixed and then left to settle out and then slowly added so as not to ph shock the tank.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

got a couple new additions to my 90.

A flame angel and a green brain.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...0/DSC_0050.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...DSC_0064-1.jpg

Ive had the Angel for a few weeks and she is a perfect citizen. no nipping at all.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

The brain looks a lot like my brain. :D

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Flames are perfectly fine for reefs.
All of the dwarf Angels are fine.
It is the big boys that you need to worry about.

That Brain looks awesome.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

there was a small amount of necrosis on the rbain but I have been watching it for a few months and it has not gotten worse and it is already eating and inflating. pics in a bit.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Well my Actinics kicked on so here was the best picture I could get. This in no way has been edited.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...0/DSC_0077.jpg

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Coral Beauty went in today.

that and a tiny cinnimon clown. Like really tiny. He was in a tank with a lion and cowering in the corner, so I had to save him! hes about 1/2 of an inch. Neat little fish. Got him for free.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Sweet! Mind you he will be aggressive when he gets older. But both are great fish the CB is very pretty!

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

ya, Ill probably put him in my fish only when hes a bit bigger. Thinking about getting him a partner thoug

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Cool. I would Do the criter cage thing Carlos was tlaking about. Cinamon clowns sometimes are aggressive twards each other.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

good to know, if I can find one, local place never gets them in..

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

My little dottyback that I thought disappeared is starting to come out at feeding time. I'm having to overfeed the whole tank just to make sure it gets enough to eat. This type of fish is supposed to get aggressive but it is too small for now. Woe be it to the other fish when it gets bigger. By then, though, they will be used to one another.
I got one of those back up air pumps and I took a thick walled gray PVC pipe about 1 1/4" dia and cut it just a little shorter than the height of my tank. I drilled two 1/2' holes about a quarter way in from both ends in the side of the pipe. I propped this pipe in the corner next to the overflow with the airstone hanging half way inside the pipe so that when the air turns on it creates a current in the pipe. This keeps the light off of the airstone so the algae will not grow on it. I think it would be clogged in two weeks if it were not dark.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

oh and just puttin it out there, Im starting a fish only with LR. 110 Gallon Tank I got for free. Gonna run a 2 light T5, Sugar sand of somesort. Canister filter, 20 Gallon sump(gonna need some help here, never done one) Skimmer, 3 Korila 3s. just a little live rock, probably just some base rock.

Im gonna put in a lion fish, a Piccasso trigger(maybe) and a sailfin Tang. Maybe one other fish, but not really sure.

anything else you think I need?

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

What do you need help with on the sump? Overflow into it and pump back to the tank through the filter? Or separate loops?
I would light the sump and fill it with live rock.
Is't a picasso a humuhumunukunukuapoa'a? Don''t they eat everything? Even fingertips? They are beautiful.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Two of my Banghai Cardinals kacked. My awesome green coral didn't survive the tank leak, either.
On a positive note, after the leak fix my tank looks totally awesome. I gotta get new pics up. :)

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Bangaii cardinal fish are notoriously hard to keep if they are wild caught. If you can find some tank raised ones, you'll be much better off. Wish I was still breeding them, I'd send you some:D

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Devils hand. Bought this, it was about 1/2 this size. You can also see my new Blastomussa
http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/39...425x425Q85.jpg

Blastomussa
http://inlinethumb23.webshots.com/43...425x425Q85.jpg

Zoas, was half this size when I bought it too, taking off gang busters
http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/41...425x425Q85.jpg

New Yellowheaded Sleeper Goby
http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/37...425x425Q85.jpg

1/2 inch or less Cinnimon Clown
http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/29...425x425Q85.jpg

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

whole tank
http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/33...425x425Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/43...425x425Q85.jpg

Enjoy!

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

looks great darb.....wonderful to see the tank come along from start to where it is now

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

thanks!

Lots of Green Coraline algae too, lots. its pretty cool. decent amount of purple.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

lost my cinnamon clown :( He went into the overflow and didnt know he was in there, got pulled through the pump, saw him coming out of the output

I feel like im gonna cry over a damn fish. But he was my favorite. he was just so little and cute. gah, need to get a splash guard of some type i guess. poor little dude :(

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Believe it or not, I blew another seam on my tank.
This time I'm gonna empty it completely and redo all the seams. I'm tired of flooding the living room. It's getting old real fast. :)
On a postive note, it'll be nice to not have to worry about it again for another 20 years or so. :tu

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

thats scary...

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Scott. When Seams start to blow It may be time to look for a new tank. Save yourself the heartache of waking up to a completely flooded room and fish on the floor.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

I was thinking that, but I'll never find another corner 35 like it.
I've fixed seams twice, and those that I fixed are still choice.
I just need to do the whole thing and do it right.
I'd rather have nice thick seams I've done than the factory seams, anyways.
Maybe I'll smash it while I'm fixing it and that'll solve the problem altogether. :)

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

A nice corner 75 gallon would fit well :-)

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

A couple of weeks ago I adopted a 2' moray eel. I set up a hasty tank for him 29 gal. I am in the process of getting him into a 75 gal tank. I am not sure how elaborate I want to get with a reef and all. I hear that it could be hard to maintain. Any advice I could get I would appreciate. I want Fred my new eel, to have a fun home with lots to swim around.

Sarge

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

What kind of Moray? I have a 12" Zebra Mora in my reef tank. Reefs just require more waterchanges and more light. Other than that they are fairly easy to take care of.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

I think that it is chain link moray. From the pics I've seen, it's the closest. Fred looks like a neck of a garaffe. I will post pics when I get home from Army school in a couple of weeks.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

It'd fall through my floor. :D

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

I got most of my setup from a guy who gave up after his tank blew apart in an earthquake. He had moved everything to rubbermade containers but he was tired of it so I got a good deal on it and just had to buy a new tank. I have since then spent a lot of money on it but I haven't grown tired yet.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Tonight I decided to goof around with a flashlight and my camera. I have the whole lid of my tank covered in egg crate so I just turned the flashlight on and set it on top then took pictures through the front. Im fairly happy with this little experiment.

What do you think?

Tips and tricks?

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...0/DSC_0045.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...0/DSC_0047.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...0/DSC_0056.jpg

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

I still have my whole tank in buckets and rubbermaid. :D
The tank should be cured now. It's been sitting for 2 1/2 days.
I'm gonna fill it with plain water and see what happens.
Wish me luck!!!

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

I need saltwater help !!!!!!!!! Does anyone live near Germantown, MD?

Sarge

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Nope but go ahead and ask as we may be able to help via a post.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

I am away at Army school until the 28th in the evening. My son says my moray eel, Fred, is lathargic and not eating his normal amount each feeding. I asked him to check the water. My son says that from what he did the Ak and the salt is wrong. BTW my son is 14 and this is our 1st aquarium. Since I am not at home and I would like for someone with experience to look at my tank and posssibly show us how to fix it. I got this info late last night so I have not had a chance to call a aquarium maint company. But I will have to if I can not fine someone to help that is in the area.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Eels typically go into "don't eat" episodes and is quite normal.
When you say lathargic, that pretty much describes all eels.

What has changed in the tank?
Is there excessive waste/food collected in it?
If there is, start by asking him to pull all that out.
Your alkalinity could not have changed much if no water change has been done.
Evaporation will affect it but not to affect the eel and can be corrected by adding fresh water.
Salinity will not affect them so rapidly. They can handle a wide range of low to high.

Ask your son if all has been as normal or has something happened?
If the tank is running fine with filtration, don't flip over it.
I have had eels go on hunger strikes for over three months.
Do you have fish?
What are they acting like?
Do they look normal?
They usually will stress before an eel does.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

There are no other fish in the tank. I did a 20% or so water change about 1 week ago. I replcaed the water with pre salinated water and some purified water. So that the salinity would not rise. Other than that nothing has changed. I say that he is looing lathargic because normally he swims around a bit in the tank, but now he just sits in his house. I now that when I first got him he was stressed form being in a box for about 4-5 days, and he did not eat for a couple of days. Then he started by eating 3-5 silver fish 2x daily. Then he went upto around 10 each feeding. COuld the amount of light be a factor? We have a light which we turn on in the morning and then open it up to indirect sunlight, then in the evening light for about 4-5 hours. SO all togather about 14 hous of light per day.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Light won't affect it or shouldn't, specially if it has been use to that.
If he is the only inhabitant, kind of tough to make a tank go south unless it is very small and hence any minimal change can affect it.
Is there food laying around as result of trying to feed him?
If there is, get that stuff out of there fast as that can cause harmful spikes.
Other than that, I would add some beneficial bacteria and some Amquel type product and wait and see.
Don't try to feed him any more.
When he is hungry, he will let you know
I have personally witnessed many eels, mine and that of my customers, that have for no reason gone on hunger strikes.
As much as three months have gone by and then suddenly, out of nowhere, they want to eat again.
That is quite normal so don't go nuts over it.

If you do some bacteria like Cycle or Bacter Vital and do some Amquel, you pretty much will address any lack of stability in the water.
Salinity can wait for you to return if needs adjustment.
I have taken eels from 23 or so down to 14 and have had no problems.

Let me know about the food as trying to feed and letting that sit can be real bad.

One more thing, silvesides are oily as heck.
Feed him the shrimp you and I buy at the store. Throw him an occasional fresh clam (freeze it first and then thaw for parasites).
That is all I feed mine. Less messy for the tank. Use a clear plastic feeding stick for the shrimp and hand feed him, hence controlling what stays in the tank and what is not consumed.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

We feed him thawed out frozen silver sliders. When I first got him I tried live goldfish, ghost shrimp. But he didn't touch any of em, maybe from stress of a new home. We keep em frozen and just thaw out what we use each feeding. there is no food at the bottom of the tank since we tong feed him. He will come up to the suface to feed. I used a gravel syphon when I changed out the partial water change, and sucked up stuff that I saw on the bottom. My son says that there is one pile of poop inside his house. I don't allow my son to move the house cause I don't want him to get bit. I just worry that he will be alright till I get home next Sat and for a few more days till I can get the water fixed.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

If it was recently cold there and th tank cooled off more than usual eels go into a "winter" mode where they wont eat as much if at all. Also durring this time they dont move around much. Check on your heater make sure thats in good order.

How big is it and what kin of moray is it?

If it is a smaller moray eating 10 silversides It could possibly be "backed up" Also if its a zebra moray or snowflake eel, they are pebble toothed morays and should not be fed fish. These kinds only eat crustaceans such as shrimp, clams, lobsters, etc.

IfIm reading your posts correctly you just moved the eel to a new home? This can be very stressfull for them and they will be lethargic and might take up to 2 weeks to eat again. I would try to feed him every 3rd day. When hes hungry it will eat.

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

got some more night pictures that I thought I woudl share. :-)


http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...DSC_0091-1.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...DSC_0093-2.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...DSC_0073-1.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...DSC_0078-1.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...LEELA22009.jpg

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Me thinks id trade all me cigars for frags and fish at this point :D

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

I finally got my tank all resealed and put back together.
I have to move stuff around cause I'm not pleased with how it looks, ,but it's holding up like a champ.
Somewhere along the way my protein skimmer cracked. I glued it up with super glue gel, let it set a couple days, and I siliconed it tonight.
I can't wait for this disaster to be over with. :)

Re: The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread
 

Ill definitely do frags for cigars. Im going to need about 6 months grow out time though :-) gotta get my Devils Armor, Purple Death, and Neuclear greens growing. On another note I have had the Purple deaths for about 3 weeks and already they have shot off anew polyp yay! Here they go for $40 per polyp but the store I go to was nice enough to give me 3 for $20 :-D

Sorry for the SNAFU Scott. Unfortunatly in this hobby when it rains it pours. I hope everything works out for you.