Mike's 55g (2nd LED fixture built)

So my original tank was a 26 gallon bow mixed reef.

Thread: http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-of...xed-reef-new-goodies-126215.html#.UnaoGpT44so

Here is the build thread for my LED fixture: http://www.3reef.com/forums/led-aqu...d-makersled-heatsink-135913.html#.UnaoO5T44so

I just moved this September and decided to upgrade to a 55 gallon during the transition. My nano was being taken over by caluerpa and hair algae from neglect and a lack of time. I started seeding my new rock in a bucket with a piece of old LR a few weeks before the move. The weekend before the move, I took my fish to a LFS for keeping where they stayed for two weeks.

I added my fish to the tank and everything went smoothly. No issues, no signs of stress, and params were in check. Two weeks later I added a Tomini tang who did well and ate nori every day. About a week and a half later he showed signs of ich on his fins and my former fish slowly started signs of it too. Not sure who the initial carrier(s) were since they all came from the same store. So not sure if my fish came back with it, the tang had it, or both. Long story short, they ate as usual and showed no signs of stress and then one day the tang died, the next day my clown died, and the next day my angel died.

It was devastating and now I will forever QT everything. And this is where I am today. My hi-fin red banded goby is the sole survivor of the fish. All that remains are the snails, a hermit crab, pistol shrimp, and a cleaner shrimp. Oddly enough, that hermit crab and cleaner shrimp have been in my nano since the beginning.

Here is a FTS


Shrimp and Goby pair doing some work


Two new fish I purchased yesterday in QT. A Yellow Candy Hogfish and a Purple Firefish.


And our cat Marcel checking out the new additions


I finally setup my reef lighting last night. The right side of the tank is light with my DIY LED fixture and the left side has my old 4-bulb T5 fixture. I plan to make a second LED fixture my Christmas present this year.

I plan to add some coral while my new additions spend their 8 weeks in QT and the DT is "fallow." I'm a bit worried that my Goby still might be an ich carrier, but he never showed any signs of having the parasite. I didn't want to stress him out trying to catch him for QT by tearing down the whole tank and separating him from his pistol shrimp. I hope for the best.

Thanks for looking!

 

so sorry for your losses sounds like you're doing things right going forward

 

I am not familiar with the Candy Hogfish, he adds a lot of color. Fire fish are a favorite of mine. My advice, stay away from the Tangs, 1 billion threads and counting with I added a Tang and all the fish got Marine Ich and died. Unless your going to prophylacticlly treat for ich prior to introduction keeping Tangs in QT really makes no difference as far as Cryptocaryon is concerned.

Great scape and nice job on the QT.

 

I am worried about the exact same thing when I start to take my tank down to give it an upgrade.

I have had a bristletooth tang for about 8 months or so now, and is really thriving, but I am worried if I catch him, re-do the tank and then put him back that he will be very stressed and die/ get ich.

 

I would think since it's used to your system, that may be in your favor Ryan.

 

Thank you, me too : ( Yea, I'm never cutting corners with procedure, husbandry and/or equipment again. My RO/DI unit arrives tomorrow and I finally won't have to lug around water jugs and rely on the LFS maintaining their equipment. Have my new TDS meter and refractometer ready to go, all the medications ready to go, and even a new bottle of Coral RX. No more taking risks for me!

Thanks Cheryl! I'm not familiar with him either, but he an awesome little guy so far. He was interacting with my wife at the store and she had to have him. We looked him up real quick before purchasing and I was glad he would be a good fit for the new tank.

Yea, I'm definitely never messing with a tang again unless I have a six foot tank. I was stoked to finally have a four foot tank for a Tomini. I even made the scape perfectly set up for open swimming. The reputation of being ich magnets is no lie.

I definitely do agree that you have a higher success rate since he has been established in your tank for a bit, but there is always that doubt. No one was picking on mine and he ate and swam around like normal. Then one day, bam, there it was. I wish you the best of luck and hope nothing happens to your tang!

 

So the firefish and hogfish are doing great, eating everything I give them. Got their first dose of Prazipro today.

Picked up a Birds of Paradise and Red Monti at a LFS on Friday. AquaSD was having a sale and I stopped by today. Will gave me the online special they were having on SPS frags and a deal on a anemone. Love that store.

Pictures aren't great, but the new additions.

 

MIKE!! Didn't take too long to see SPS in you tank!

 

Looking good, Mike. Congratulations on the new additions.

 

Missed your update.

Everything looks to be doing quite well. I really like the corals in the 1st image. Nice pe going on.