Reefing “NO NO” that you said “YES YES” to?

Aluco · Mar 15, 2023

My mixed reef has 2 dwarf angels, a toby puffer and a pearlscale butterfly. Almost all corals are doing just fine.

I added a mandarin to a 40g tank with a wrasse and was able to keep both fat and happy. I culture pods, but now tank is bigger so all good

atoll · Mar 15, 2023

Dburr1014 said:
Adding a second royal Gramma to an established one of 6 years.

View attachment 3064191

A group I kept together successfully.

Key Largo · Mar 16, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
FWIW, my regular tank measurements were limited to salinity, pH, and temperature. Definitely not the usual set. lol

Over the years, I determined that with the methods I used, if those were OK, the tank was doing fine.

Limewater supplied calcium and alk, and the pH told me if the ATO delivery of it had run dry.

Salinity told me if the AWC or some other procedure was running amok.

Temp told me if the heaters and cooling system were functioning properly.

Everything else was ignored, except for once every few years, if something else was warranted or needed for an article, etc.

View attachment 3063314

This has been pretty much my routine over the years. I only test occasionally, just because I feel like i'm being derelict in my duties in some way otherwise. Also so I have some numbers to give if anybody asks my values just so I dont have to make something up, lol. Love that blue anemone btw.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 16, 2023

Key Largo said:
Love that blue anemone btw.

At one point for several years there was a spawning trio of ocellaris clown in it. That set of creatures was my favorite part of the tank. Beautiful, active, and fun to watch.

PensacolaReefKeeper · Mar 16, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
FWIW, my regular tank measurements were limited to salinity, pH, and temperature. Definitely not the usual set. lol

Over the years, I determined that with the methods I used, if those were OK, the tank was doing fine.

Limewater supplied calcium and alk, and the pH told me if the ATO delivery of it had run dry.

Salinity told me if the AWC or some other procedure was running amok.

Temp told me if the heaters and cooling system were functioning properly.

Everything else was ignored, except for once every few years, if something else was warranted or needed for an article, etc.

View attachment 3063314

What's AWC?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 16, 2023

PensacolaReefKeeper said:
What's AWC?

Automatic Water Change. You set up a large reservoir of new salt water, and use a pump (or less desirably, two) that sends water to the tank and also removes tank water and sends the waste down a drain.

That can often be done almost continuously.

dstockwell · Mar 16, 2023

Well I started my 55 with tap water, and now use DI I get from the water plant. I have two sumps one with bioballs, floss pinky filter pads and return pump. Second sump has refugium and skimmer that gravity drains to first sump, and a U.V. plumbed of the return flowing into skimmer section, all drained through a HOB overflow.

Now the fish police will probably get me on this but you can see the Ebili angel, brisstletooth Tang, and just the head of melanurus wrasse.

I change water when I think it's been long enough, don't regular test, but do when I get the itch. Dose kalk sometimes and don't have an ATO - however that is next on the list to get, after more coral.

Enad · Apr 6, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
FWIW, my regular tank measurements were limited to salinity, pH, and temperature. Definitely not the usual set. lol

Over the years, I determined that with the methods I used, if those were OK, the tank was doing fine.

Limewater supplied calcium and alk, and the pH told me if the ATO delivery of it had run dry.

Salinity told me if the AWC or some other procedure was running amok.

Temp told me if the heaters and cooling system were functioning properly.

Everything else was ignored, except for once every few years, if something else was warranted or needed for an article, etc.

View attachment 3063314

Randy,

Is that huge blue tipped coral some type of Toadstool? I've never seen anything like it but would love to have it!

As for my no no. I have a Flame Angel in a mixed reef full of fleshy corals. So far it hasn't bothered anything. I'm also contemplating introducing a BTA, which I know is a bad idea but I want to give my clownfish a home.