"If you have $ for a new tank then you should have $ to add a new bathroom" Wife

[MatteZ]

About once a week I have been calling the local fish stores to see if I can find a Golden Midas Blenny. Every week they all say the same thing about that they order them but since where they come from in Africa is hard to get them. I posted it on the WTB page and got tons of help from the North Jersey end of having them. It was a big help but I have been too busy to take the trip to go get it. I enjoy this forum and all the help you all give.

I called the Hidden Reef on 09/28 and asked the guy if they had a Midas Blenny in... He said they did... I asked if it was yellow... He said it was... I flew over and all they had was Black ones!

Saturday I found on on the Diver's Den!!! WOOHOO for me!!! So a Blue Tux Urchin and a Golden Midas Blenny should be here. They waved the shipping charge because on my last order they messed it up.




It is not a good picture because he is still getting used to the new home. So I am not able to come close to the glass yet otherwise he hides.

 

[kevin]

Awesome! Glad you got your midas blenny!

 

[MatteZ]

Awesome! Glad you got your midas blenny!

Thanks Kevin. Now that I'm done with fish I want to start adding more corals. The one big thing I'm lacking is Stong lighting. My aquarium budget is maxed out so my wife says. I have a 48" compact fluorescent coralife with 4 50/50 bulbs in it. So I am limited to what I can add.

One step at a time.

 

[mnat]

This is where reefer logic comes into play. "Honey with the current light fixture, I have to replace the bulbs every 6 months which adds up. Also it is going to make the tank look nicer if I upgrade and I want the tank to look good for you. We would actually be saving money by upgrading."

 

[MatteZ]

This is where reefer logic comes into play. "Honey with the current light fixture, I have to replace the bulbs every 6 months which adds up. Also it is going to make the tank look nicer if I upgrade and I want the tank to look good for you. We would actually be saving money by upgrading."

+2!!!
I like the way you think! "The PRESIDENT of the ENTIRE NJ Reefers Club contacted me and said how much of an impact new lighting has made on not only lowering his bills, but what a big impact LED's make GLOBALLY!!!"

"I'm not doing it for myself. I'm doing it for Mother Nature!"

 

[fatoldsun]

Ask not what you can do for yourself. Ask what you can do for your Coun... err, uh Club...???

 

[Nickjr000]

Looks good, i like the txt about the water all over. I think we've all had a few of those lol

 

[MatteZ]

Here are some pictures of the fish in the tank. I don't plan to add anyhitng else fish wise. Well maybe a tang a little later down the road. The Tang I am interested in is a White Tail Bristletooth Tang. I'm in no rush. (Code for I am over budget on everything)

View attachment 4308View attachment 4309View attachment 4310View attachment 4311View attachment 4312

Here are some pictures of the corals. I am looking forward to learning more about them and adding to the collection. Thanks to the people on here I have been able to add to the collection!


They were all taken with my phone. I'm still trying to figure out how to use my Canon camera. I'll get there...

 

[MatteZ]

And then there was two...
About two weeks ago my RBTA looked like crab, and his mouth was looking all funny. So I started to Google it and what I found was that was a sign of it splitting. A week later and it looked fine again but it decided to take a walk to the back of the tank. Yesterday when I came home from work I noticed that it had split.

 

[MatteZ]

Since the Swap was put on hold I had some extra cash I was stashing. I have started adding more LPS, Zoas, and some Softies for now.(All of which I got from people on here.) I also ordered new lighting, and went with the Radions. I saw how the price has dropped since they came out with the newer model. So this weekend I am going to change my lights and then I am going to change my sump setup. The suggestions I got from here was that I had too much rubble in the center and no Cheato. I plan on changing all that this weekend as long as my Wife doesn't have other plans for me.

There are always other plans for me!

 

[jose7878]

And then there was two...View attachment 4473
About two weeks ago my RBTA looked like crab, and his mouth was looking all funny. So I started to Google it and what I found was that was a sign of it splitting. A week later and it looked fine again but it decided to take a walk to the back of the tank. Yesterday when I came home from work I noticed that it had split.

I see that the RBTA started splitting for you. Congrats.

 

[MatteZ]

I see that the RBTA started splitting for you. Congrats.

Thanks Jose for making it possible! Do you want the split if i can get it out?

 

[jose7878]

No Matt but thanks.

 

[MatteZ]

This morning I changed my power compact lighting to the Radions. It's crazy the color differences you get!!! The shimmer is awesome! With the power compacts you never get any of it.

I figure taking a picture of the camera will maybe motivate me to start using it... I just need to learn how to with the tank...

 

[mnat]

Make sure you acclimate the corals to the light, that's a big jump going from pcs to led

 

[MatteZ]

Make sure you acclimate the corals to the light, that's a big jump going from pcs to led

I have them set to 100% of all the colors, but I only have the intensity set to 50%. I figure I will bump up the intensity 5-10% maybe every week.

 

[MatteZ]

Now that I have upgraded my lighting I want to give sps a shot. Yesterday I started using the 2 part dosing solutions. I plan to keep a log and add it manually for now. Any suggestions on some easy sps to start with? I don't want to start by spending a ton of money to have it crash in the beginning.

 

[mnat]

Motepora caps are very easy and generally very cheap. Digipora, spongedes, and the birdsnests types (seriatopa) are all considered beginner SPS. Now to save yourself a ton of headaches just a couple of tips. SPS can very easily bring in pests that can take over your tank and be a royal PIA to get rid of. To avoid this, I would recommend buying from trusted reefers or stores. Also, I would look for aquacultured frags as people generally have a better success rate with them. After you bring them home a dip in revive, coral RX, flat worm exit etc is very very well advised. That won't keep everything out as most of those things don't kill eggs. If you can setup a separate quarantine system that is really the best way. If not, dip observe and be selective with what you buy.

 

[MatteZ]

Motepora caps are very easy and generally very cheap. Digipora, spongedes, and the birdsnests types (seriatopa) are all considered beginner SPS. Now to save yourself a ton of headaches just a couple of tips. SPS can very easily bring in pests that can take over your tank and be a royal PIA to get rid of. To avoid this, I would recommend buying from trusted reefers or stores. Also, I would look for aquacultured frags as people generally have a better success rate with them. After you bring them home a dip in revive, coral RX, flat worm exit etc is very very well advised. That won't keep everything out as most of those things don't kill eggs. If you can setup a separate quarantine system that is really the best way. If not, dip observe and be selective with what you buy.

Awesome! Thanks for the advice. I do dip everything I put in my tank with Coral Rx. It doen't where I get it from I am still going to dip it. My QT tank is a 24g JBJ Nano Cube that has the stock Compact lighting. I am guessing that is not an option. Joining the NJRC has made it hard to buy from retail stores or online. I was in a pet store the other day getting dog food and I was looking at the fish and corals and the guy was trying to sell me some but the frags were nothing special and the price was expensive. Plus I like getting to meet the people on here and see their set ups.

 

[mnat]

You can get away with the SPS in the 24g tank, just put them up really high and don't keep them in there for too long. Just dip observe and re dip. What some people are doing is the immediately cut the frag off the disk or whatever it is on beacuse the eggs are typically laid on the undersid of the frag or frag plug. Then they dip and remount which will help you cut down on your pests as you are theortically removing the eggs and killing the adults.