Ashlerbam's Journal of a 46g Bowfront

[Ashlerbam]

Hello all. As you have probably seen in my posts in the new to marine section. I have recently moved to Prince Albert. Bringing along my 46g Bowfront with 10g sump. Yesterday I finally got all the water, rock, sand into the aquarium. So I figured I would start a journal and keep everyone up to date on how my tank progresses. I will try and keep up with photo's and additions and anything in between right here on this thread. I hope you all enjoy!

Let the fun begin! I will start out with a technical specs.

Tank- 46g Bowfront
Sump- 10g
Powerhead- Vortech Mp10
Lighting- AquaticLife 4 bulb T5HO. 4 LED moonlights.
Bulbs- 2x ATI Blue+, 1x ATI AquaBlue Special, 1x KZ Fiji Purple
Skimmer- AquaC Urchin
Return Pump- Mag 5
Heater- Ebo Jager 300w
BRS GFO/Carbon Reactor
Possible Algae Scrubber in the mix soon.
Rock- BRS 35lbs eco saver rock, 6lbs fiji live rock
Sand- 40lbs Live arg alive sand

Here are some pics. Fist what it did look like a few months ago before the move.
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/03192011077.jpg

As of today-
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/05182011145.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/05182011144.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/05182011146.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/05182011148.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/05182011152.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/05182011153.jpg

[Cliff]

Looking good so far

[Ashlerbam]

Looking good so far

Thanks Cliff. I appreciate the comment.

Also any constructive criticism is welcomed. I am still new to salt water and will take in any input. Thanks for looking!

[Ashlerbam]

Also I guess I should add in a little more details about my plan with this tank. I have done a lot of asking on multiple forums, including this one about my fish stocking plans. I give thanks to anyone that gave me advice or something to think over.

The tank will be a reef. I like LPS corals the most so it will be littered with acans, duncan, torch, hammer, frogspawn. I will also have many different zoa variations. I would like to have a couple of less demanding SPS. I like monti caps and will have at least 2 colors of plating monti's. I might make one rock on a island by itself GSP but I dont want a sea of GSP haha.

The stocking for the tank will look something like this...

1X Starry Blenny
1X Randall's/Randall's Pistol or Tiger Pistol shrimp
2X Occellaris Clowns
1X Flameback Pygmy Angelfish or Cherub or Coral Beauty
1X Skunk Cleaner Shimp
1X Porcelain anemone Crab
1x RBTA (possibly)
3-4X Mini-Maxi anemone

Above is the final hopes for the tank. None are set in stone but this list is one that I keep using as my base. My main focus is on getting coral in the tank and growing. I like the fish but the coral is what grabs me to SW.

[Cliff]

You've done a very job with the rock. The water can get all around it.

You might want to keep a close eye on the flow. With your return pump and powerhead, you might be a little low for flow. But then again, I like a lot of flow in my tanks, more than most people do. You could very well be fine, just something to think about

[unclesalty]

Definately some nice looking rock and aquascaping!

[Myka]

Great job on the rocks! Looks awesome!

I also think you will be wanting more flow, mostly more points of flow to keep detritus from settling. Maybe a Koralia 2/3 (or another MP10 or Tunze 6025/6045) blasting along the back of the tank...?

I would be reeeeeeeally leery to add a dwarf Angel to an LPS dominated tank. I think you're asking for trouble. Very few dwarf Angels are 100% reef-safe, and they almost always do better in SPS dominated tanks where there are big fleshy provocative corals luring them in for a nibble. How about a male Fairy wrasse? :D

http://www.myfishtank.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/mccoskers-flasher-male-sm.jpg

[jorjef]

I would be reeeeeeeally leery to add a dwarf Angel to an LPS dominated tank. I think you're asking for trouble. Very few dwarf Angels are 100% reef-safe


I second that, thought I would try a Coral Beauty. It was fine for a few months then he started at my Duncans. I almost jumped in the tank to give him "the Homer choking Bart" thing..He was sold a few days later.

[Ashlerbam]

Great job on the rocks! Looks awesome!

I also think you will be wanting more flow, mostly more points of flow to keep detritus from settling. Maybe a Koralia 2/3 (or another MP10 or Tunze 6025/6045) blasting along the back of the tank...?

I would be reeeeeeeally leery to add a dwarf Angel to an LPS dominated tank. I think you're asking for trouble. Very few dwarf Angels are 100% reef-safe, and they almost always do better in SPS dominated tanks where there are big fleshy provocative corals luring them in for a nibble. How about a male Fairy wrasse? :D

http://www.myfishtank.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/mccoskers-flasher-male-sm.jpg


Thanks for the comments. With the MP10 at 90% it seems to be pulling/pushing a lot of water throughout the tank. But I was thinking of adding a second one when the funds are available.

Also thanks for the advice on the Wrasse. I will probably do that instead of the Dwarf angel. Stupid question but how often if its just the male do you see it in full color and "flashing" its fins?

[Myka]

LOL Jeff!!!

It depends on the fish, some individuals flash more than others. Generally, even when you have a group of them they spend most of their time doing fishy things, and you will only catch them flashing every once in awhile. It's called "flashing" for a reason too, it's just a flash! They don't hold it for long, just a quick burst. If you buy a super male to begin with, you will be better off than buying a female and hoping it will change. You could get a pair, but your tank is a bit smaller for that, and I think you would have to narrow down your stock list a bit to squish them in.

Lots of options out there though. How about a firefish? Gorgeous, easy fish. Jumpers though, like wrasses.

The MP10 on its own would definitely be enough overall water movement, the trouble is that it won't reach everywhere. Depending where you position it, you will find that detritus will accumulate in areas where the one powerhead can't reach. Even if you just toss a used Koralia 2 or 3 in behind the rocks to blow the detritus out that's fine until you decide if/when you want to add another MP10. If you had two MP10 I bet you will have them turned down to 60%. It's not more flow you're looking for, it's more sources of flow.

If you put some loc-line on your return so you could point it behind the rocks you might be able to have that work for you, but be aware that in a power outage the tank will drain into the sump until the end of the loc-line is exposed. So you don't want the end of your return too deep in the tank.

[Ashlerbam]

LOL Jeff!!!

It depends on the fish, some individuals flash more than others. Generally, even when you have a group of them they spend most of their time doing fishy things, and you will only catch them flashing every once in awhile. It's called "flashing" for a reason too, it's just a flash! They don't hold it for long, just a quick burst. If you buy a super male to begin with, you will be better off than buying a female and hoping it will change. You could get a pair, but your tank is a bit smaller for that, and I think you would have to narrow down your stock list a bit to squish them in.

Lots of options out there though. How about a firefish? Gorgeous, easy fish. Jumpers though, like wrasses.

The MP10 on its own would definitely be enough overall water movement, the trouble is that it won't reach everywhere. Depending where you position it, you will find that detritus will accumulate in areas where the one powerhead can't reach. Even if you just toss a used Koralia 2 or 3 in behind the rocks to blow the detritus out that's fine until you decide if/when you want to add another MP10. If you had two MP10 I bet you will have them turned down to 60%. It's not more flow you're looking for, it's more sources of flow.

If you put some loc-line on your return so you could point it behind the rocks you might be able to have that work for you, but be aware that in a power outage the tank will drain into the sump until the end of the loc-line is exposed. So you don't want the end of your return too deep in the tank.

That is another concern. No top on the tank. I was thinking of making a screen top but with the bow in the front I think they will just find the hole if I make I cant make it bent to the correct dimensions of the tank. But its a worry with any fish really. They can all jump. So its a risk anyone has to take having the open top.

I will probably get something to put push water from behind the rocks later on. Either a MP10 on both sides or a Tunze 6025 in the upper left corner pointed down and across.

The Wrasse seems like a nice fish. I want a attention grabber. Something that is actively moving in the water all the time and uses the tanks space.

[Myka]

That is another concern. No top on the tank. I was thinking of making a screen top but with the bow in the front I think they will just find the hole if I make I cant make it bent to the correct dimensions of the tank. But its a worry with any fish really. They can all jump. So its a risk anyone has to take having the open top.

The Wrasse seems like a nice fish. I want a attention grabber. Something that is actively moving in the water all the time and uses the tanks space.

You can make a top fairly easily out of Lexan with a curved front, and it's easy to cut out pieces for equipment. Use one of those bendy pieces so you can lift up the front. Just drill a billion holes in it for air circulation. Putting a wrasse (or a Firefish) in an uncovered tank is a bad idea. I lost two to jumping within a month, and my tank is mostly covered...they found the hole. Same with clownfish, I've lost a few of them over the years too.

Wrasse are definitely attention grabbers and use the whole tank, the firefish too actually. My purple Firefish is always the first fish people comment on (especially people who don't know reef tanks) even though there are Picasso and Platinum clowns in there and wrasses, and jawfish. That darn purple Firefish is the cheapest fish in the tank, but "Oh, he's sooo pretty!". :Chair:

[Ashlerbam]

Continuing to look over fish options. I might include a banggai cardinal fish in the mix. I remember seeing them for the first time in the fish store and being WOW'ed. Might not be the most active of fish but I think they are a unique looking fish.

[unclesalty]

Continuing to look over fish options. I might include a banggai cardinal fish in the mix. I remember seeing them for the first time in the fish store and being WOW'ed. Might not be the most active of fish but I think they are a unique looking fish.

I agree with you that they are a very cool looking fish. Originally I thought mine was inactive due to being with bigger fish and Tangs but I guess thats the way they are.

[Ashlerbam]

I agree with you that they are a very cool looking fish. Originally I thought mine was inactive due to being with bigger fish and Tangs but I guess thats the way they are.

Ya, Banggai's actually never came to mind until just a day before I posted the cardinal fish idea. I think its not much of a active type of fish. But they are suppose to be "bold" out in the open fish hovering. I also think they look way better in person then on pictures.

I might as well post a updated stock list

1X Flasher Wrasse (unsure of type yet)
1X Banggai's Cardinal Fish
2X Occellaris Clown's
1X Goby/Pistol Shrimp pair
1X Starry Blenny
1X Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

Pretty sure this will be how my tank looks at the end. I have read the wrasse's are actually more picked on then other fish and should be added first. Is this correct? I know the fish on my stocking list are mainly harmless but I want to add them to the tank in the order of whats best for the fish.

[Myka]

Your list is looking like real good choices for a nice peaceful tank with few headaches.

Wrasses get picked on more or less depending on what type of fish they are being put with. I would add the Goby & Pistol pair first and get them settled in case you need to mess around with your tank for them. Then Banggai. Then Wrasse. Then Clowns. You could go either way with the last two. The Clowns will probably be boss in the tank, and once they pair up and start breeding they will definitely be the territorial ones of the group.

[Ashlerbam]

So I have been dormant on my updates since it was a boring time... cycle. But as of the last week my tank has been stable with 0 Ammonia and 0 nitrites. So Here is the update. I cycled with lights doing the normal night/day cycle as I wanted to get some algae and things going for the residents. Some prefer not to but I don't mind it. Tanks go through the algae stages no matter what so I figure get it started early. Also going to add in a few snails and one of the first fish off the list in the next week or so. YAY!

Pics of the as the rocks are brownish with a little green hair algae in spots. Pics are also a bit hazy cause of me cleaning the glass and knocking some sand up.

Left side
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/06182011184.jpg

Center
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/06182011185.jpg

Right Side
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/06182011186.jpg

[Ashlerbam]

I have been waiting a few days to make sure he is ok. But Thanks to Gillsrus and Bayside corals. I was able to make the first livestock addition to the tank. A starry blenny. He is doing well. Eating at the hair algae and popping in and out of tunnels in the rock. He has not been very camera friendly yet except when I don't have a camera close. I will update with some pics soon.

Just want to say thanks again to gillsrus for the pickup/delivery and colby at bayside corals for the great customer service, for responding to PM's so fast!.

[gillsrus]

:thumbup: Glad its doing good! It was no problem, glad to help!

[Ashlerbam]

Well unfortunately my starry blenny decided it wanted to try out carpet surfing and is now swimming with the big fishes in the sky.

Good news is that I was finally able to get down to Bayside corals and was able to pick up a few corals, a conch, and a skunk cleaner shrimp. Pics/video to come soon.

[Ashlerbam]

So its been awhile since I posted up anything about the tank. And well its been kinda boring and went through a huge GHA break out. So it was not worth much of update haha. I have had some changes happen and some photo's to go along with it.

First changes to the livestock. So far I have a lawnmower blenny, Bangaii Cardinal, Flame Angel, Skunk cleaner shrimp, and a conch.

Corals added so far are a couple zoa's and a frag of GSP. A little boring for corals right now but its going to be picking up here soon.

The tank was covered in GHA (green hair algae). 90% of the rock was covered. Well after an addition of the lawnmower blenny, its taken care of. He went to town on the GHA and it was gone within a weeks time. Amazing fat little guy. Cardinal fish did not eat food that came from me (flake pellets for 3 weeks, He was still looking healthy but just did not want anything I was attempting to throw at him. He was hunting some pods and picking at algae but just stubborn with people food.

Well after that 3 weeks I ended up getting a Flame angel and picking up some fresh frozen food. The cardinal fish took the new frozen like a champ. Even eating partially frozen chucks and inhaling them. So all has worked out good.

Now I hope to be adding the last few fish in the next week. 3 Lyretail Anthias. 1m 2f. And some updates will come after I get those.

Also I have to give a big shout out to Nadine/Brad "Gillsrus" on here. As without there help I would pretty much have nothing in my tank right now. They have helped me so much I can not thank them enough to help out a fellow reefer without wheels stuck in Prince albert away from Marine fish stores.

Thanks for reading if you have, here are some pics!

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture003.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture002.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture016.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture022.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture020.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture015.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture032.jpg

[Ashlerbam]

The most current FTS

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture014.jpg

[Zoocrazy]

No offense but if you had that much algae in your tank something is wrong. Either your not doing enough water changes or your feeding to much. You are probably going to want to deal with what's causing all that before you add a bunch more to your tank.

[Ashlerbam]

No offense taken. I have taken care of the issue. I also added a chemi pure elite/carbon/and phosban in a reactor. The sand and rocks were actually used from the move. Had a lot of phosphate in it and was leaching. I added the blenny not really to rely on him to eat the algae but to just have a blenny again and the lawnmower at the time was a cheaper faster solution. He helped clean the tank but The hair algae has not grown back. But I can tell you he was in heaven having all that algae to graze on. HAHA

[Zoocrazy]

Good idea to add a reactor they work great.

[Ashlerbam]

More updates/pics.

Everything healthy and happy no deaths to report in. I went to Bayside Corals a few days ago. Think it was Saturday. Anyways. Picked up 10 snails,10 hermits as they were on sale. Also picked up some cheato macro algae for the fuge spot in my sump. I have been lacking these things from the start which I should not have done. But, its all worked out for far.

There are a few additions in corals now as well. I picked up a blasto red/orange in color, with neon green mouths. There was one damaged head on it. But the others are way healthy and are looking great. I even see the damaged one which is all but gone has gotten color and started to puff up along the edges. Some flesh is still alive. If it recovers, would be amazing but if not. There is a mini head starting to sprout that will make up for it! And of course it will spread hopefully.

I also picked up 2 mushrooms, nothing to fancy but I do like mushrooms and they both caught my eye and will be nice having them spread around the lower rocks.

Thanks for reading. Now here is some eye candy! BTW please bare with photo quality I have a crappy point and shoot. I don't use any photo editing software. The tank is not very hazy here at the house. The camera has trouble picking up a nice shot sometimes. Enjoy!

Mushroom 1-
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture034-1.jpg

Mushroom 2-
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture035-1.jpg

Blasto-
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture036-1.jpg
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture042-1.jpg

GSP (fully open)- I have not posted a shot of this open fully so here you go.
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture041-1.jpg

Super excited Fuge shot- hahaha
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture047-1.jpg

New FTS-
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture048-1.jpg

[Ashlerbam]

Well sorry I have not updated in a while. Not much going on over here in the tank. Just some new coraline growth. The reason I am updating the thread today is that last week I decided to order some corals from fragalot.ca. Just got them in today. So I thought I would post update of the stuff going into the tank and the review of fragalot.

So I am 99% happy with my fragalot order. I ordered 8 frags. A mix of sps and lps. And I am thinking all but one that was on the list is correct. Still got 8 frags just one replaced. But the one that is missing is replaced with a very good size frag of another sps that is healthy and bigger then the rest of the frags. So that was the only thing wrong. Other then that. No DOA's all decent sized frags for 10 dollars a frag. Most of the frags I received are larger then what is posted on the site. Burc throughout the process when I was emailing him would respond in minutes of my emails being received. So thumbs up on the customer service. Over all a 9 out of 10 for happiness with fragalot.

The frags I ordered were:
blue polyp gonoipora
neon frogspawn
pink tip aussie torch
duncan
aussie red protrata
neon green millipora- got replaced
sky stag
blue polyp monti cap

Going to give the frags a couple days to get used to the new home and recover from travel but pics will be posted up soon!

[Myka]

Hmm...I missed your thread somehow! I know it was quite awhile ago, but not accepting dry foods is really typical for Bangaii, they almost always have to have frozen foods. Some people have trained them onto dry foods, but it is not common. I'm glad you got some frozen food in him! I love Bangaii. Can't wait to see some pics of the Fragalot corals. :D

[Ashlerbam]

Hmm...I missed your thread somehow! I know it was quite awhile ago, but not accepting dry foods is really typical for Bangaii, they almost always have to have frozen foods. Some people have trained them onto dry foods, but it is not common. I'm glad you got some frozen food in him! I love Bangaii. Can't wait to see some pics of the Fragalot corals. :D

Somehow I missed that tid bit on them. Either way he pretty much inhales anything frozen that comes near him now.

None of the fish will touch the NLS pellets (shrimp loves them) or the flakes or the dry seaweed strips I have offered which I try all the above multiple times a week. They all go after the mysis. The lawnmower blenny pick at the rocks/glass all day though, and the flame angle non stop picks at anything on the rocks. The cardinal just eats the frozen shrimp. But they are all plump and growing so I am not to worried.

[Myka]

Yeah, I've had a lot of fish that wouldn't switch over to dry foods. Then all of a sudden it seemed they all decided to eat flake...except the Bangaii.

[Ashlerbam]

Well since pretty much everything is taking to the new home ok. I decided to take some pics. The goniopora is still ticked off so not a lot to see from it yet. Pardon the camera it stinks so the photos dont show exactly what I see but none the less.

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture051.jpg


http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture054.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture055.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture057.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture060.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture070.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture071.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture075.jpg

Those are all of the fragalot order corals. Thanks for looking!

[Ashlerbam]

Then here are some updated shots of the other corals in the tank.

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture063.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture066.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture067.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture068.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture058.jpg

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae233/ashlerbam/Picture053.jpg

Thanks for looking!