[aquasalt]

We have posted pictures previously, but decided to start consolidating the information by starting our very own "build thread" to memorialize our progress. The tank was started August 2nd.

[aquasalt]

[aquasalt]

We have lots of ideas, moving forward. Right now we are trying to get our setup to the point where we can keep corals. Let us know what you think!

[plecosword]

i really like that tank. i what to set it up kind of like that. it is really too bad i cant have a sump to hide everything. Nice job again!

[stephaniesquires]

Beautiful, love the colors on the rock, thanks for posting!!

[cappy290]

Very nice tank Also love the rock work...

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by aquasalt

Nice looking tank. Like the LR. Why did you get the Hippo for one of your first fish. Just wondering. I did the same thing and cant say right or wrong. That hippo will be a great indicator on how well your tank is doing overall. They stress easily and are prone to ich.
Super fish.

[aquasalt]

Thanks everyone! It's been quite an adventure thus far! By tomorrow we should have our Koralia 4s, which I am very excited about. We decided to slow it down a little bit until Christmas since we are going on a couple of long trips. Next big thing to address is the lighting. I want to rework the sump and lose the bioballs (over time), stock some more live rock (I'm cherry-picking each piece at this point). Most importantly, we're going to send the damn damsels off to boarding school (can't believe nobody said anything about these little fellows).

Our first real fish was the maroon clown, which we got about two months ago. I didn't like him all that much at first as he had some personality issues. However, we've been working on him and he's a lot more pleasant now.

Dori or "Berry-Ellen", as Rebecca likes to call him, has been with us for almost three weeks now. What a cool fish! Honestly Jim, he was an impulse buy, but we wanted to get one sooner or later and I figured it would be better to introduce him now so that the tank wouldn't take too much of a beating once well-established. Also he was a great looking specimen, had been with the LFS for several months, and I got him for $28. He was real sketchy at first and developed a couple of faint white spots (we know what that means), However, we've managed to bring him back by feeding fresh garlic. He's looking a lot better and is nowhere near as skiddish as he was. He's gonna be just fine.

Thanks for looking guys!

[jimw369]

Yeah, I went thru that white spot thing. Fond memories. 5 weeks of hypo with 1 fish, another QT for popeye and fungus and a fallow display tank for the same length of time. FunFunFun. Everything is good for now and here is what I add to my food that I think has made a difference for my fish. I just started adding Zoe on Rlclines advice a couple of weeks ago.

[aquasalt]

Thanks, I'll make sure to get some of that with my next order! Your Hippo has got some great color! How do you like your Foxface?

Got any pictures of your entire tank posted somewhere?

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by aquasalt

Thanks, I'll make sure to get some of that with my next order! Your Hippo has got some great color! How do you like your Foxface?

Got any pictures of your entire tank posted somewhere?

The Fox AKA: Bob...Very nice, calm, easy to care for fish. All my fish eat off the clip and I like that. He tends to stress very easy for no apparent reason just like the little discoloration you see in the pic. If I watch him from around the corner his color is great but soon as I walk in the room he gets excited (no comments please) and just starts getting gray across the top. Go figure. Of course at night he browns out completely.




I will post some pics of my tank soon. Thanks!

[aquasalt]

Hmmmm that's a little odd, isn't it? Looks like he's got some dalmation blood in him.

How did you get your fish to eat off a clip. I tried that with spinach last week ... and it remained untouched for about an hour. I think they were freaked out about it.

BTW, what an UNBELIEVABLE picture! Did you use photo shop?

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by aquasalt

Hmmmm that's a little odd, isn't it? Looks like he's got some dalmation blood in him.

How did you get your fish to eat off a clip. I tried that with spinach last week ... and it remained untouched for about an hour. I think they were freaked out about it.

BTW, what an UNBELIEVABLE picture! Did you use photo shop?

Fox face "brown out " when stressed and thats what they look like when it happens. Ive been at a LFS with about 20 Foxfaces in a small tank and when the LFS trys to get one out to bag it they all turn that color. Kinda funny looking.

$120 7 mega pixel Samsung camera w/a macro feature on it.

I tried everything from clips to tying seaweed (nori) to rocks and other vegies and my hippo wouldnt even come out of his little cave he was so shy of it. Soon as I put the foxface in there and he started eating off the clip the tang was there eating also in 2 minutes. I guess the tang just needed to be taught. Go figure. Now they are all PIGS!
Tangs need the seaweed to help keep their color!

[aquasalt]

I've been chopping up seaweed and mixing it in with the brine, but I'm not getting as much in him as I would like. I'm goin to go buy a foxface to teach him how to pig out...

[rlcline76]

Our first real fish was the maroon clown, which we got about two months ago. I didn't like him all that much at first as he had some personality issues. However, we've been working on him and he's a lot more pleasant now.

Yeah, whatever "sit down" you had with this fish might wear off. At one time, I had a tomato clown living with 2 false percs. They got along. Then the percs were moved to a different tank. Tomato started whoopin up on his other tank mates...being a tomato clown. I tossed him back with his old buddies (this is how I learned about territorial behaviors). Those percs whooped him good. I had to rescue him. He behaved for about 3 months and then went on a killing spree.

[aquasalt]

I've heard serial clownfish can become very territorial. So far so good though, so knock on wood. What ended up happening to him?

Exciting news: Two Koralia 4s are now blasting the tank!

They're a little bigger than what I had expected, but what a difference in flow!

[sanjaypawar]

I have the same experience with my foxface. He tends to freak out easily. Maybe because he is young and small....who knows.. But they are a good fish to have they don't bother anyone, don't mess with the corals and they are beautiful too..that can't hurt.

[rlcline76]

Originally Posted by aquasalt

I've heard serial clownfish can become very territorial. So far so good though, so knock on wood. What ended up happening to him?

Exciting news: Two Koralia 4s are now blasting the tank!

They're a little bigger than what I had expected, but what a difference in flow!

Took him to the LFS for store credit.

[plecosword]

foxfaces are easy to keep arent they? i think im going to keep one of them.

[rlcline76]

Originally Posted by plecosword

foxfaces are easy to keep arent they? i think im going to keep one of them.

Look it up

[sanjaypawar]

Originally Posted by plecosword

foxfaces are easy to keep arent they? i think im going to keep one of them.

Very easy.

[krsult]

What is the slug looking thing on the clam/scallop shell?

[aquasalt]

That would be a Stomatella Snail! Haven't seen him in a while, but he's in there somewhere!

[reefcouple]

thats typical for a fox face rabbit, its their defense, they do that to camoflauge with the rocks.. i had one for a couple years and it did that all the time.... yep great fish tho...

[Bamaguy]

Really nice pics and I love the Hippo Tang!
We are in very similiar boats except I just set my 90 Gallon up in January and just added my first fish; A foxface.
Mine also is a skittish little guy who is slowly coming out more and more. I am hoping to add some friends and help him with his confidence levels soon.
Oddly enough, I had bio-balls as well and switched them out with LR rubble right before I added the foxface. I think now I have everything except lighting for my soon to be reef tank. Have you purchased lighting yet for your tank?
Looking forward to seeing more pics and I really like the rocks! Nice color.