My very first saltwater aquarium - 190 gallon

[Rcslade124]

Sounds like it’s going great already, I wish you could get multiple clown pairs without the possibility of all out war. I would get some black and white ones too.

I’m getting a coral beauty too and a red stripe angel. I love my foxface and betta. The betta has started to come out of the rockscape a bit more now he’s been in there for 2 weeks.

I’m going to buy 4 tangs and add at the same time. A yellow, purple, Naso and yellow eyed Kole.

What blue tang are you looking at? Becareful with the powder blue as they can be very nasty. A Carribean Blue is lovely.

Great idea with the pods. I added 8 bags of live Copepods today

I meant the purple zebrasoma. I am only really looking at zebrasoma tangs much hardier and smaller than it's counterparts. I like the kole eye also. But multiple tangs in a 4 foot tank is asking for trouble.

 

[Marsh980]

I meant the purple zebrasoma. I am only really looking at zebrasoma tangs much hardier and smaller than it's counterparts. I like the kole eye also. But multiple tangs in a 4 foot tank is asking for trouble.

Yeah they‘re beautiful and one is on my tang purchase list.

Definitely, you don’t want to cause trouble with too many tangs.

 

[Marsh980]

So my LFS has just had a pretty big fish shipment in and should have some new wrasses. They have said they will send me pics of what they've got in a few days so I can have first pick . Lovely stuff.

 

[Rcslade124]

Man I need your lfs. They are amazing.

 

[Marsh980]

Latest update, I couldn’t resist.

I’ve just bought a very large Platygyra, a Trachyphyllia and a bright red Acan frag from my LCS (local coral store). I’ve just dipped them and now acclimating them.

Once they’re in and happy I’ll send pics.

I also purchased online last week (now I’m more comfortable with dipping and checking the coral under torch light) a Sun Tube coral, love these as they’re bright yellow and I’ve got a few darker areas in my reef, an orange Acan and a metallic orange and blue Blasto.

They should arrive on Wednesday

 

[Marsh980]

Some pics

 

[saltwater60]

Look great. Just make sure you feed that tube coral. I love them. They are awesome corals. They also have a black variation that’s just fantastic as well.

 

[Marsh980]

Look great. Just make sure you feed that tube coral. I love them. They are awesome corals. They also have a black variation that’s just fantastic as well.

I’ve heard the sun tubes are eating machines. I’ll look to target feed that one during the day to encourage the polyps to extend not just at night. It’s probably the most challenging one I’ve bought to date.

I’ll have to keep my eyes open for the black variant.

 

[Marsh980]

I think my Platy is happy...

 

[Marsh980]

So my new coral frags arrived today and have just added them. I will add pics once they're out and happy.

The mailorder company even gave me a free frag but didn't tell me what it was haha. I believe it maybe my first SPS, a Montipora Capricornis.

I'll get pics of it up ASAP so you guys can confirm if my identification is correct

 

[MomeWrath]

So my new coral frags arrived today and have just added them. I will add pics once they're out and happy.

The mailorder company even gave me a free frag but didn't tell me what it was haha. I believe it maybe my first SPS, a Montipora Capricornis.

I'll get pics of it up ASAP so you guys can confirm if my identification is correct

Montis are great and grow fast! Did you get a green or red one? The only thing to be careful with them is to place them so they don't shade out their neighbors. I had one that started with a quarter-sized frag and grew to about 8" across within a year. They have a really cool form when they start to plate out. Love your feeder tentacles pic.
I'm afraid I am lost on this "tube coral"...which one is it? Is it the big green one? Are the red ones not acans?
Edit: NM I realize they are not pictured and you ID'ed the acans above...

 

[Marsh980]

It looks like a brown one which isn't that appealing so I'll monitor it and if needs be I'll give it to my LFS as a thank you. They can then sell it onto someone else who will love it. I need to be picky when it comes to Montis because like you say they cause shade so if I was going to get one I would want a really vibrant coloured one.

However, I will give this one a chance and see how it looks in a week or so.

My new one today is a Sun Tube or Orange Cup coral (Tubastraea coccinea). It's a vibrant yellow coral which looks awesome but it can be challenging. It prefers shady areas which is great as I have a few due to overhanging branch rock but it also needs regular feedings. I auto dose daily 3 coral foods/additives and feed frozen brine and copepods so hopefully that should be enough. Time will tell.

I already have one tube coral, its my wife's favourite. Another name is pipe organ which you can understand when you see how it grows. I have a few bristle stars that live in my big one.

 

[MomeWrath]

It looks like a brown one which isn't that appealing so I'll monitor it and if needs be I'll give it to my LFS as a thank you. They can then sell it onto someone else who will love it. I need to be picky when it comes to Montis because like you say they cause shade so if I was going to get one I would want a really vibrant coloured one.

However, I will give this one a chance and see how it looks in a week or so.

My new one today is a Sun Tube or Orange Cup coral (Tubastraea coccinea). It's a vibrant yellow coral which looks awesome but it can be challenging. It prefers shady areas which is great as I have a few due to overhanging branch rock but it also needs regular feedings. I auto dose daily 3 coral foods/additives and feed frozen brine and copepods so hopefully that should be enough. Time will tell.

I already have one tube coral, its my wife's favourite. Another name is pipe organ which you can understand when you see how it grows. I have a few bristle stars that live in my big one.

Ah yes I had a pipe organ, but not the sun coral. Very cool.
Maybe your Monti is purple and just unhappy. Those are really pretty I hope it perks up for you.

 

[Marsh980]

So it’s been 3 weeks since I’ve added some fish. That’s just changed. I wanted some schooling fish as imo it’s not a reef without some fish schooling together. So I bought:

5x Blue Eye Lyretail Anthias
1x Yellow Tail Tamarin Wrasse
1x Blue Streak Cleaner Wrasse
1x Red Fin Lawnmower Blenny - I’ve called him Groucho already.
1x Watchman Goby ready to be paired with a pistol shrimp once I find one.

8x live bags of Copepods

 

[Marsh980]

Some pics of the new corals and fish

 

[Marsh980]

The cleaner wrasse has already cleaned my foxface and trigger

 

[saltwater60]

Looking fantastic.

 

[Rcslade124]

4th pic is a diamond goby right? That's the exact same one I have

 

[Marsh980]

4th pic is a diamond goby right? That's the exact same one I have

Yeah it’s some sort of watchman goby. I bought it because it’s not a sand sifter. I specifically chose 2 gobies that didn’t mess with the sand bed because I have corals in it.


Strangely he and my original sulphur watchman goby share the same cave..... for now I guess. It’s the same cave where all the firefish sleep.

 

[Rcslade124]

Ok that was what I thought. I was just double checking. Kinda glad it's not a sand sifter would make a mess in the tank

 

[Marsh980]

So, I’ve managed to get my hands on a red lined wrasse and 2x juvenile lineatus fairy wrasses. I’ve paid for them but my LFS is holding on them for the next few weeks as I’ve just added a few fish.

I also bought 9 Dwarf Bali hermits. Never seem them being sold before and they don’t get larger than a penny. So cute. Better not be Marine Betta or Trigger food....

They even threw in a free Red Dwarf Holly Favite frag.

 

[Rcslade124]

Exciting! Tanks filling up fast. I'm waiting for my corals to arrive next Tuesday. Supper stoked for that

 

[Marsh980]

Exciting! Tanks filling up fast. I'm waiting for my corals to arrive next Tuesday. Supper stoked for that

That’s going to be a fun day. Do you have a coral dip ready?

 

[Rcslade124]

I'm going to use Bayer insect killer. Guess it's as good as coral dips better than some with little stress on corals. Also alot cheaper. So my gf will float them for a couple of hours and as soon as I get home dip and put in display

 

[Marsh980]

I'm going to use Bayer insect killer. Guess it's as good as coral dips better than some with little stress on corals. Also alot cheaper. So my gf will float them for a couple of hours and as soon as I get home dip and put in display

Cool, I know many use dettol here in the UK which is cheap and works well. I use one but might start double dipping with 2 differing dips.

Sounds like great team work

 

[Marsh980]

Just a quick update, just bought a tiger pistol shrimp for my sulphur watchman and an electric green goniastrea.

I wanted some more strong green colours in the reef

 

[Marsh980]

Someone stop me... please haha. Just bought these and the coral shop are hand delivering to my door.

 

[Rcslade124]

Impulse buy always fun

 

[Marsh980]

Impulse buy always fun

In my defence I have been looking for some really nice colourful Scolys, Trachys and lobos. I believe these tick the boxes haha.

 

[Rcslade124]

I'm excited for my corals to arrive. I'm supper excited

 

[Marsh980]

The store said the Trachy was big, but oh my.....

Also my new tiger pistol shrimp seems to have paired up with both my watchman gobies haha. Is that normal. They all sleep in the same cave.

 

[Rcslade124]

I don't think the diamond goby will pair with the shrimp.

 

[Marsh980]

I don't think the diamond goby will pair with the shrimp.

I don’t have a diamond goby. Both have paired up with him and currently snug inside his blocked up cave haha

 

[Rcslade124]

Ah ok. I'm thinking about trying a pistol shrimp also my goby should like home also. Plus he will move the sand.

 

[Marsh980]

Ah ok. I'm thinking about trying a pistol shrimp also my goby should like home also. Plus he will move the sand.

Grab a yellow watchman goby (YWG) and a shrimp. Perfect pair especially as the YWG isn’t a sand sifter so won’t make a mess of your tank.

 

[Rcslade124]

My goby is a watchman like your white one so maybe they will pair idk

 

[saltwater60]

Someone stop me... please haha. Just bought these and the coral shop are hand delivering to my door.

Better not tell the wife what you spent on those. Wow those are beauties.

 

[Rcslade124]

So I'm looking into dosing and ato for my reef what are you dosing in your aquarium? I'm about a month out I think but have plans to atleast do a 2 part

 

[Marsh980]

So I'm looking into dosing and ato for my reef what are you dosing in your aquarium? I'm about a month out I think but have plans to atleast do a 2 part

I auto dose Nyos alk, calcium and a 3 part Continuum liquid coral food. As I add corals I adjust the amount of alk and calc.

I don’t dose magnesium yet, my water changes cover that.

 

[Rcslade124]

Yeah i need to get test kits for calcium and magnesium. I'll use API kh for all for now. I'm thinking I should get dosing going for my corals. But I'll probably just need some calcium and ALK for now. My ALK has been 8.5 but I'll test after corals adjust and start using some.

 

[Marsh980]

So another 4 corals bought and 2 Pyramid Butterflyfish haha. Happy Father’s Day to me haha

 

[Marsh980]

Just noticed, I forgot to add pics of my red lined wrasse and 2 lineatus wrasses. Not the best pics I’m afraid. The red line is beautiful and is best friends with the yellow coris wrasse. It’s like their brothers from another mother haha

 

[Marsh980]

It’s fish, invert and coral day today, my 2 pyramid butterfly fish, 2 skunk cleaner shrimp and my orange Goni has arrived.

I’m just acclimating them and will attach pics once they’re settled in and the lights are on.

Tomorrow I have the other 3 new corals arriving as well. It’s been a great week for me with Father’s Day, 7th wedding anniversary and new fish, corals and inverts

 

[Marsh980]

And here are the butterflyfish. Beautiful fish.

 

[Rcslade124]

That elegance is big down in the sand

 

[Marsh980]

That elegance is big down in the sand

Sorry I don’t know what you mean. The elegance has been there for the past month and seems to love it there. It grows to the size of a dinner plate and loves the flow especially when it carries leftover frozen fish food haha.

 

[Rcslade124]

Yea I just meant it looks happy and big Everytime I see your elegance makes me want one

 

[Marsh980]

Yea I just meant it looks happy and big Everytime I see your elegance makes me want one

Ahh gotcha haha of course that’s what it says. I was reading it as ‘it’s a bit down in the sand’ DOH!!

Elegance corals are awesome and there’s some much more colourful and patterned than mine. However, I wanted a dinner plate sized one lol.

You should get one and I find they’re pretty easy to keep. It just feeds on the left over frozen fish food and any algae pellets that land on it. No fish or inverts yet.... better stay that way!

 

[Rcslade124]

Yes I just hear they can be pretty aggressive. I have a spot for it but I haven't tried. Mushrooms and all my first corals looking good. I'm excited for my blastomussas tomorrow. But now that I'll have lps I need to get on dosing. Elegance is my next coral. I just worry it will sting my hammer that is kinda close to were I plan to put the elegance. I'm one for watching things grow so I'll go with a small one and let it grow. Might have to move my hammer idk.

 

[Marsh980]

Yes I just hear they can be pretty aggressive. I have a spot for it but I haven't tried. Mushrooms and all my first corals looking good. I'm excited for my blastomussas tomorrow. But now that I'll have lps I need to get on dosing. Elegance is my next coral. I just worry it will sting my hammer that is kinda close to were I plan to put the elegance. I'm one for watching things grow so I'll go with a small one and let it grow. Might have to move my hammer idk.

I’ve not seen it send out sweeper tentacles but it can take up a lot of room. When the lights are out it’s shrinks to quite small meaning there’s plenty of exposed rock. Then when fully open, it fills the space nicely. Luckily I’ve placed mine where the water current pushes the tentacles into the corner and away from my other corals.

It’s the nearest thing I’ll have to an anemone as it kinda looks like one. I may have to look in getting a torch coral soon as they look similar too.

I have one Blasto and love it. I’ll have to get a few more lol. Yes defo need to start looking into dosing alk and calc.

My first SPS is arriving tomorrow so the next challenge has started.