http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php Forums for saltwater and planted aquaria en Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:46:03 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.fantasyreef.com/designs/myg/misc/rss.jpg http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=140 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:19:20 GMT Almost forgot...Lisa found a nice bulb for me and I think it works just as good as the other one. Image:... Almost forgot...Lisa found a nice bulb for me and I think it works just as good as the other one.

]]> Jchillin http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=140 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=139 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:01:48 GMT I saw several berried females this morning. I had suspected I would see them soon. Given the spike in activity when I cleaned up the tank, babies... I saw several berried females this morning. I had suspected I would see them soon. Given the spike in activity when I cleaned up the tank, babies were a likly consequence a few weeks afterwards. ]]> dskidmore http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=139 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=138 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:06:21 GMT My favorite models. My black veil angels. Some new pictures: Image: http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/rich311k/angel-4.jpg Image:... My favorite models. My black veil angels.

Some new pictures:





]]> rich311k http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=138 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=137 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:35:17 GMT My AquaController Jr. is at Mom's house, need an excuse to make the 1 hour drive there and back. I'll see them in a couple weeks regardless...

Considering an RO/DI unit. I went looking for just a DI unit, but didn't find many pre-assembled, and assembling my own was going to run me as much as this. Still poking around, I recall $50 DI only units at the pet store once. ]]> dskidmore http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=137 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=136 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:05:58 GMT Tank seems to be passed the diatom and green dust stage. I think it is coming together nicely. Image:... Tank seems to be passed the diatom and green dust stage. I think it is coming together nicely.

]]> rich311k http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=136 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=135 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:16:58 GMT Well I bought myself a 55gallon this past weekend that is currently home to 2 cory cats and 2 decent sized chinese algae eaters. The tank also came... Well I bought myself a 55gallon this past weekend that is currently home to 2 cory cats and 2 decent sized chinese algae eaters. The tank also came with 2 big mollies and 3 sets of their fry, but I have them in a smaller tank right now b/c the 55 was originally intended as a cichlid tank. I have a little oscar, and found these gorgeous convicts at the pet shop (a mated pair actually).

But, I feel bad keeping the mollies in a small tank. So I might trade in my oscar at the fish store for some tropicals. If I do tropical I want
1 albino senegal bichir for sure (I had one a while ago, and loved him...then i had to move cross country...). I was also cosidering either an albino or gold veil angel, a couple half banded loaches, a green phantom pleco, kissing pink or green gouramis, silver dollars, or bala sharks.

My hubby wants the sharks, but they do better in schools and I just don't think a 55 is big enough. Kissing gouramis can get aggressive.
Anybody have any suggestions on what combinations of those guys I can/should get?
Thanks all.

I'm still torn about which to do...right now my mama molly has mouth rot, so whether or not she pulls through will probably end up being the determining factor there. The convicts at the fish shop were just beautiful, the male was super fiesty. If you drug your finger along the glass of the tank, he'd follow it and attempt to bite you lol. And the female had amazing coloring. But if mama lives, I don't want to keep her in substandard conditions, her and papa are in a 14 tall and she's about 4" and he's 3". ]]> AmandaRenee http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=135 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=134 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:42:08 GMT Image: http://gsosun1.gso.uri.edu/%7Ebrooke/36%20Gallon/P1070821.JPG Image: http://gsosun1.gso.uri.edu/%7Ebrooke/36%20Gallon/P1070822.JPG ]]> newfound77951 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=134 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=133 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:40:16 GMT So I went with the Schultz Aquatic soil. Discovered that there are (at least) two different colors of the stuff but it looks good mixed together. 2... So I went with the Schultz Aquatic soil. Discovered that there are (at least) two different colors of the stuff but it looks good mixed together. 2 10 lb bags are plenty for this tank but I might add a third to create some terraces as the tank is so deep.

Went with the XP2 for a filter. It should arrive tonight so still can't say if it's too strong for this tank. Since the tank will be planted I am going for the silent cycle route.

Lighting: tank came with a 24" 2x65 watt PC fixture. I have actinic and 10000K bulbs (2 of each) but I ordered a 50:50 as well so I'll have all possible lighting options. I think I am going to start with 1 10000K and 1 50:50, that should be about 3 wpg.

Current plan for critters: the little clown pleco from the 10g. I definitely want an angelfish as a centerpiece fish, I haven't had luck with them in the 55 as the rainbows are just to boisterous. Probably some cories and maybe a loach or two. Can't decide on SAEs or otos for algae control. I'd like a couple of schools of something, maybe danios, maybe tetras, not sure yet. I'd like this to be more of a peaceful tank rather than the rough and tumble crowd in the 55. ]]> newfound77951 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=133 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=132 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:43:48 GMT Image: http://dskidmore.com/%7Edenise/aquarium/photos/75Gal20080615.jpg Changed the light bulbs. Used to have 80W of daylight, and 80W of...

Changed the light bulbs. Used to have 80W of daylight, and 80W of "aquarium/plant" bulbs. New bulbs are all 160W as daylight bulbs. Hubby thinks the new light looks too blue. Maybe I'll put up a black background to please him.

Driftwood is still floating. It's lower in the water than it was, and one piece has sunk, so I just need to wait longer.

Did a bunch of manual removal of hair/brush algae.

Found some survivors I thought I had lost, and re-planted them in the open area. (Will move later, but right now I don't want them to have competition for light.) The crypts seem to be responding well to the new fertilization routine, I've seen many new leaves come up since I started adding CSM. (New growth appeared before I started adding K.) ]]> dskidmore http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=132 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=131 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:07:09 GMT Image: http://dskidmore.com/%7Edenise/aquarium/photos/Desktop20080610.jpg ]]> dskidmore http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=131 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=130 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:18:39 GMT I'm starting to collect together all my scraps of paper and labeled ziplock bags into a plant inventory. This includes all the plants that have come into my possession, not just the ones in the tank. I'm logging my memories as well as the raw facts about the plant. ]]> dskidmore http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=130 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=129 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:41:12 GMT

I'll straighten it out and move it to the back wall next time I have my hands in the tank. This was this morning's hurried response to the weather forecast. ]]> dskidmore http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=129 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=128 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:03:23 GMT I moved the 4 spiketail gourami out of this tank and in to the twenty. The pair of paradise fish are now in this tank. Shortly after moving them,... I moved the 4 spiketail gourami out of this tank and in to the twenty. The pair of paradise fish are now in this tank. Shortly after moving them, they spawned and now there are a hundred or so fry in here too. ]]> FantasyReef http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=128 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=127 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:37:35 GMT Hubby made up his mind. I can have the aquacontroller! Of course, I get to the website and they're out of stock. Says usually ships in 5-7 days though, so I should still get it before the worst of the heat is over.

Also, I tried installing my bubble wall today. I have two, and I had a vague recollection that I liked one more than the other. I forget the reason why, the thing is really annoying to put together! I actually broke part of it trying this morning. I decided it wasn't worth struggling with when I need to get to work, so I picked up the other one-piece, self-weighted, no-suction-cup one and just plopped it in. Not very aesthetic where it is at the moment, but I can go to work knowing there's more air for my heat stressed tank, and more circulation. ]]> dskidmore http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=127 http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=126 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:38:54 GMT Hubby just found out his contract is ending a bit sooner than we had hoped. I think though that most of the improvements I had proposed are still... Hubby just found out his contract is ending a bit sooner than we had hoped. I think though that most of the improvements I had proposed are still going forward:

Driftwood - I have a collection, just need to clean and re-soak.

Mid-ground plants - Can be done on a budget if I buy off of hobbyists.

Re-arranging, pruning - My own labor is free.

Massive sponge filter - I have most of the parts, although hubby is threatening to abscond with some of them for another project.

Tempature controller - the item most likely to get canceled, but I asked hubby and he seemed to still be considering it. If he cancels that purchase, I'm considering if I have enough electrical and computer know-how to build my own. (Would use x-10 controllers, and run the programing on our Linux server. I'd just need the probe, and perhaps some sort of digitizing circut that we may have parts for in the house. (Hubby and I both flunked out of Computer Engineering, so we have chips and stuff laying around from our freshman year classes.) ]]> dskidmore http://www.fantasyreef.com/blog.php?b=126