lduncan Posted January 26, 2004 Report Share Posted January 26, 2004 Well, I'm back from Melbourne, with my new camera, I went for the cannon G5 in the end. I haven't yet had time to read the manual... or clean the tank, but here are some "point and shoot" shots (I think the dirty glass screws with the AF in some shots. Anyway, I should have some better ones up at the end of the week. Layton Green Table Acro Green Acro, possibly gemmifera. Bright Green Porites Seriatopora (and micro bubbles) Finally my (out of focus) tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 NICE!!! Good camera too i tossed up between that and the olympus C-5050 but pies chose for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris.L Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 Wow I like it I like the way you have the rock placed :> Looks like to underwater islands Nice ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 Tank looks good! I too like the 2 'structures' approach, much better that the 'wall of rock' that we all seem to end up with. Good camera choice. As Steve said, I went through quite a lot of debate of the G5 and the C5050 before settling on the Olympus. I'd love to see an in focus 'higer res' photo of your tank, corals structures. I have mucho bandwith, so send them via email if you worried about posting some high res monsters. Ohhhh and I'd be keen to hear anything you have to say about Anemone keeping (I assume thats an anemone with the clowns?). I just got a H. Magnifica and have no real idea what I am doing. Hope it doesn't eat all my fish Nice tank. More! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 Thanks, I'll get some high res photos up on my website at the end of the week once I clean the tank, and learn how to use the camera properly. The clowns are actually hosting in a gold crown sacrophyton, (looks like it's about to shed, which it hasn't done for about 6 months), so as far as keeping anemones, i've got no idea, sorry. Unfortunately, the two structures didn't really turn out as well as i had hoped. The tank is only 2 feet front to back, which I think is very limiting in what different aquascapes you can create. I don't think i'd ever setup a new tank which was less than 4 feet front to back, especially after seeing some of the amazing tanks on reefcentral.com Still after more acros, pocilloporas and seriatoporas (really would like a pink one) I initially thought that the one pictured above started to show a hint of green, but seems to have turned brown in the week I was away, maybe it was because my skimmer wasn't "tuned" to my standard after empting. One coral I would especially like, but hold no hope of getting in the near future, is an Acropora tortuosa, which it an extremely deep blue colour. Actually i'd be after any purple, or blue, or turqoise acros. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 27, 2004 Report Share Posted January 27, 2004 Interesting as my clowns have also adopted a Sacrophyton for a host too. As has my Bi-colour blenny... And 2 Hawkfish... Its getting a little crowded I have 2 pink seriatoporas and could easily frag a piece if you were interested. I have about 7 species of Acropora, always looking for more. 2 are purple, neither are very big, but I am sure in a few months I can hook you up. Also have one metellic green. You are more than welcome to small frags of what I have. If you get a chance to find any nice coloured (infact any non-brown) Montipora capiella i'd be very interested in a piece. If your in Wellington or know someone who is i'd be happy to chuck some frags your way. Look foward to seeing more pics! Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 Pies, i'd love to get hold of a frag of that purple one once it grows out a bit. Do you have any pics of Montipora capiella, i can't find reference of it, even here, which is pretty much Veron's bible of hard corals online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 Here's my Crocea clam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 That clam looks very nice, i'd love to get a nice clam myself, my 2 are very dull. Yeah no problems on fragging that coral. I have 2 very nice purple acroporas so you should be able to get a piece of each, just have to wait a few months for a little more growth. Montipora capricornis is the monti I ment: http://www.frags.org/memberfragdetails.php?fid=264 Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 I've got a nice green monti cap. frag you could have, same vibrant green as the porites. It grows quikly too. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 Here is a much better photo of the above coral from today. Since its ne location its colour has impoved although its size has not. It seems to be growing very slowly. I am going to break it soon and move half to a different location. I guess its also possilbe that the acro in front is affecting its growth or maybee its just a bad spot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Another pic of the same coral. It shows some growth and some better colouration. Interesting so see how much a coral can grow and change is such a short amount of time. A lot of my corals (like this one) have not been 'glued down'. So they are ocasionally moved. I have not started to attach more and more, and I think it does help. Notice the coral in front from the original pictures no longer obsecures the photo, I fragged this branch off and gave to a friend. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Cool Colours guy's. Nearly as flash as my Discus!!! (Yeah Right). 8) Mmmm, marine tank.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Warren. For someone who appreciates the science of fish keeping a captive reef system has your name all over it. The only problem with the Reef system is that once you start, you may well find that those precous discuss take a back seat to the reef untill you realise that the freshwater is just a 'primer' for the real thing! At least thats what happened to me! You know you have a four footer that you can drill, fit a sump and start a system. All you need is salt water and some rock and you half way there! Find a skimmer, done. I personally will donate some corals to you and some sand to help seed your system... Thats FREE MARINE STUFF, offers like this don't come along every day... GO FOR IT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 GO WARREN i for one will send you some frags so you are more than half way there..... IMAGINE that fibreglass monster as a REEF also I'm sure i can find you some live rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted February 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Reef keeping is like a E True Hollywood Story... sooner or later your going to fall into a spiral of, not drugs and alcohol, but fish and corals. The addiction never stops, and the fascination never wanes. Warren, you will be hooked. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Well, I've now got a spare 700L 6 footer available so its semi-realistic... Will definately consider it. It will have to wait until after Fiji however. $ will be tight until then. If I go for it, I'll at least be able to fill it up with seawater and get filters / sumps going... Skimmer later, as there would be no stock to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris.L Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 I'm going to get a job, and save up for a marine tank ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Warren no need for a filter. Saltwater and rock, serious, you will need nothing else. The longer you let it cycle the better, so get the tank in place, add rock and salt and leave it. Maybee a few snails to get things started. I know you use RO water so top up of freshwater is covered. Maybee a power head to circulate the water. No need to wait for out Fiji trip. Any help you need i'm you man. If you want some to borrow some books I can lend you some up-to-date info on 'natural systems'. UV, filters, bio balls and siporex is all out. None of us use anything other than rock and a skimmer. And there is a guy in Duniden thats run a successful 5ft 550 liter soft coral tank with no skimmer either... Go fot it. Piemania Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 I really just meant a place to put all the gismo's. Heaters, skimmer, calcium reactor etc. It's sort of a filter / sump. What about mechanical filtration - is it required. You certainly need it on freshwater tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted February 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Personally, I run my water through filter wool, which I clean twice a week to stop bacterial build up, I would rather leave bacterial processes to the live rock. The amount of crap that comes out after only 3 - 4 days is quite amazing. It keeps the water sparkling. A skimmer can also take care of mechanical type filtration for smaller particulate as well (diatoms and the like). Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Cool 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 I run a sump. So I have some filter wool there 2 days a week max, just a small square about 4 inches square. I run a 'refugium' so I want to get gunk into my sump were the little critters eat it. Water + Rock + Skimmer = saltwater tank. Nothing else, NOTHING. I run carbon from time to time, and some phosban and thats me Too easy... Keeping the stoney corals (often refurred to as SPS) is where all the technology comes into play. These corals require obscene amounts of light, perfect water quality and obscene amounts of water flow to thrive. If you want to go down this route, thats were the cost comes into it. If you just want some nice softies, and easy stonies then its all much easier Go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris.L Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 What would I need to setup a small marine tank (say 3ft long) ? And approx price? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Chris L. A marine tank is not something to be started on a whim. You were looking at it a while ago, why not try a rock-pool type aquairum first. The stock is free and its a great place to learn. A 3ft tank is very small. This doesn't mean it can't be done, it does mean you will need a perfect routine. Such a small amount of water makes it VERY difficult to keep things stable. The reason most of us have large tanks with large sumps is not because we are rich or spoilt, its because success with these tanks is so diffuclt with a small amount of water its easier to have a bigger tank. You would need as a minimum: Tank Heater Protein Skimmer Rock (25kg ish minimum) At least 1 canister filter (if you don't drill for a sump) Several power heads. As much light as would fit (4 tubes on a 3 ft?) A supply of saltwater A supply or filtered freshwater (RO/DI or distilled) Something to measure the temp Something to measure the SG Saltwater test kits for - Amonia, Nitrite, Nitrate Then as optional: Some sand (only a dusting for beginners) Carbon Phosphate resin Filter wool Maganet glass cleaner Kalkwasser I am not trying to put you off, but its will cost many hundreds of dollars no counting stock, and it will be hard work with a small tank. And the biggest thing with a marine tank is having the right equipment to see it all through, which does require money to be spent. If you have access to some money, and a patient and persistant then go for it, its a great hobby. Good luck Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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