arcanehacker's 4x2.5x2.5 partition tank

[arcanehacker]

The Clams

[arcanehacker]

Overview or current tank.

[peacemaker]

Simple and beautiful... I like Borb.

[arcanehacker]

Simple and beautiful... I like Borb.

hehe.. cute fella. I like its large eyes.. loner but very bold fish. Funny is initially my other anthias were checking it out although they are of different species. Maybe they are wondering what freak anthia species it is.. haha

[jem]

the blotch anthias is super cute!!!

the background scenery from your window looks familiar though.

hmmmm

[arcanehacker]

the blotch anthias is super cute!!!

the background scenery from your window looks familiar though.

hmmmm

Jurong West.. you live around there?

[LaW]

Jurong West.. you live around there?

blotch looks good Den, but it seem lonely and asking for few companions.

btw, both of you guys stay in jurong. and very very near as well.

and can see from ur pics, your black clowns did darken over time. do you have pic with time for a better comparison?

i got myself a pair, but the face still orangy

[arcanehacker]

blotch looks good Den, but it seem lonely and asking for few companions.

btw, both of you guys stay in jurong. and very very near as well.

and can see from ur pics, your black clowns did darken over time. do you have pic with time for a better comparison?

i got myself a pair, but the face still orangy

Ok then I might know who and where.. Some of my rocks ported over from my previous tank is from Jem I believe. .. bought from him few years back.

Ah you realised on the Aus Black colouration.. It just got darker and darker.. now its nice pitch black.. Then again most things that goes into my tank turns dark.. even for the shirtless clown. It was supposed to be brighter orange. Now its darker orange.

Yeah Borb looks lonely but I just can't seem to make myself buy somemore.. I actually went back ML on his second shipment but.. the mind is strong but the wallet is weak.. hehe

[arcanehacker]

Hey LaW.. on the first page of this thread, second pic.. can see how my Aus Blacks look like before.. the face was really orange...

Don't worry about yours.. it should turn black in time.. maybe when they are settled and bigger..

[arcanehacker]

Got them yesterday.

Small little Sunburst and 3 dunno what anthias.. Anyone can ID for me? I know they are males.. I didn't get any female because they look like normal orange anthias.

[Randy]

Got them yesterday.

Small little Sunburst and 3 dunno what anthias.. Anyone can ID for me? I know they are males.. I didn't get any female because they look like normal orange anthias.

hi bro how do you manage to get such a clean sand bed! pls advice..

[arcanehacker]

hi bro how do you manage to get such a clean sand bed! pls advice..

Ehh.. you not referring to this pic right? Thats the betta box..

For my main tank, here's what I do:

- have lots of flow. Ever realize brown algae on sand grow in patches? Its because they grow better in dead spots. Increase water flow and you have slower algae growth. I have lotsa flow making stuff.. . But in this scenario, grade 0 sand is a pain.. everytime I add a wavemaker, I have problems with placement. If you use coarser sandbed you do not have so much problem of wavemaker blowing sand all over.

- Good flow to sump, therefore to skimmer. Of course coupled with good skimmer. I run 2 return. Pumps used OR6500 + OR3500.. Good and faster flow to skimmer reduces food and detritus breakdown.

- DI water of course. It really works. I didn't believe it at first but it helps stun brown algae growth. This is costly though.. hehe

- Lighting.. I turn on 6 tubes T5 usually. Occasionally 8 tubes. I turn on 9-10 hrs only on 3 days but on Wed, Sat and Sun. Other days are about 4-5hrs. I find brown algae grow if T5 are turned on more that 6-7 hrs. And they die off when there is less. So in this scenario, 9-10 hrs on Wed algae will grow but the next 2 days of 4-5 hrs, algae subsides/dieoff.. Then the cycle starts on Sat and Sun.. then they die off again till the weds.

Corals still grow and open but then again, mine are mainly mushies, yumas, rodatic..

- 4 sand dollars and few sandsifter starfishes. They help stir sand really good.

- Then once every 2 months, put hand in sand and stir.. hehe

[drato11]

Wonderful to have all these anthias thriving in your tank! Can share your secrets how u get ur anthias all feeding and healthy?

Great tank you've got!

[Randy]

Ehh.. you not referring to this pic right? Thats the betta box..

For my main tank, here's what I do:

- have lots of flow. Ever realize brown algae on sand grow in patches? Its because they grow better in dead spots. Increase water flow and you have slower algae growth. I have lotsa flow making stuff.. . But in this scenario, grade 0 sand is a pain.. everytime I add a wavemaker, I have problems with placement. If you use coarser sandbed you do not have so much problem of wavemaker blowing sand all over.

- Good flow to sump, therefore to skimmer. Of course coupled with good skimmer. I run 2 return. Pumps used OR6500 + OR3500.. Good and faster flow to skimmer reduces food and detritus breakdown.

- DI water of course. It really works. I didn't believe it at first but it helps stun brown algae growth. This is costly though.. hehe

- Lighting.. I turn on 6 tubes T5 usually. Occasionally 8 tubes. I turn on 9-10 hrs only on 3 days but on Wed, Sat and Sun. Other days are about 4-5hrs. I find brown algae grow if T5 are turned on more that 6-7 hrs. And they die off when there is less. So in this scenario, 9-10 hrs on Wed algae will grow but the next 2 days of 4-5 hrs, algae subsides/dieoff.. Then the cycle starts on Sat and Sun.. then they die off again till the weds.

Corals still grow and open but then again, mine are mainly mushies, yumas, rodatic..

- 4 sand dollars and few sandsifter starfishes. They help stir sand really good.

- Then once every 2 months, put hand in sand and stir.. hehe

thanks for the advise! my sandbed is now red and brown ... and lots of debris too...

[arcanehacker]

Wonderful to have all these anthias thriving in your tank! Can share your secrets how u get ur anthias all feeding and healthy?

Great tank you've got!

Ok.. most of the anthias are still new.. I can't say I have real success with anthias as most are 2-3 months only.. but still trying.

Purple Queen alpha male has been with me for 2 yrs.. that is one hardy purple queen.. My other 3 female have been feeding.. 2 are getting bolder, swimming further from their hiding point.. Eating and getting fatter. One I realise is getting thin. .. oh well.. I can't have 100% success but I really want to have a successful group..

3 Tiger queens have been bold since day one.. I also dunno.. wake up earlier than me.. swims out in the open whole day.

Got few more species including the blotched.. but I mentioned those because they are not easy.

Here's what I usually do with anthias.. I acclimatize them.. not very long but acclimatizing is very important as they get shock and just hide and starve.

- First would be water acclimatizing.. slowly adding tank water in bag..

- after a while, I'll just transfer them in a betta box in my main tank. This would be making them get use to the other fishes.. usually few hours or overnight..

- Then would be feed feed feed. Not for the faint hearted.. I feed a lot. 2 times frozen, 4 times dried on auto feeder. Anthias must eat a lot.. very important.. So make sure skimmer can take it and have controls in place like denitrator, cheatos, etc..

Well, I dunno if its the same for all anthias after they can survive for a yr in a reef tank. My male purple queen can live on 1-2 meals a day only..

One more thing to note.. its also a luck thing when you get anthias, esp difficult ones. They might still die few days after even if you follow good acclimatizing.. Its just a matter of reducing number of deaths.. So far for this tank I have 2 anthia death.. its a dispar and a purple queen. As usual, died after a few days. Might have a third if that skinny purple queen doesn't eat well..

[arcanehacker]

Got them yesterday.

Small little Sunburst and 3 dunno what anthias.. Anyone can ID for me? I know they are males.. I didn't get any female because they look like normal orange anthias.

Nice.. released them into tank this morning.. now the sunburst is eating already..

[barnacle]

Got them yesterday.

Small little Sunburst and 3 dunno what anthias.. Anyone can ID for me? I know they are males.. I didn't get any female because they look like normal orange anthias.

where u got these dunnowhat anthias?? How much??

[arcanehacker]

where u got these dunnowhat anthias?? How much??

Reborn.. $10 each..

Anyone can ID?

[kwkeet]

The horses.. .. To tell the truth I have no idea what they are feeding on till now.. Its close to their 3rd month already. Maybe on sexy shrimps...

hi bro may i know do you target feed your seahorse? There so many fishes in your tank and you mention your flow is strong?

[arcanehacker]

hi bro may i know do you target feed your seahorse? There so many fishes in your tank and you mention your flow is strong?

I do not target feed... you never seen how I feed.. I flood my tank with frozen.. .. there is always ample food for all. Think thats how they get their food.. I do see them pecking on things during feeding time.

Dun quote or follow how I feed unless you have really good skimmers, good flow, denitrator, etc.. else you will see NO3 and PO4 rise like crazy..

[kwkeet]

I do not target feed... you never seen how I feed.. I flood my tank with frozen.. .. there is always ample food for all. Think thats how they get their food.. I do see them pecking on things during feeding time.

Dun quote or follow how I feed unless you have really good skimmers, good flow, denitrator, etc.. else you will see NO3 and PO4 rise like crazy..

so seahorse can tolerate strong flow?

[arcanehacker]

so seahorse can tolerate strong flow?

As long as they still got space to swim. I believe in good flow but I'm not some flow/wave fanatic.

Dun just take ones word and follow strictly... ultimately its up to your own discretion since every tank works differently.

[Terryz_]

Those are princess anthias aka pseudanthias smithvanizi if not wrong... very long never see liao..

[arcanehacker]

Those are princess anthias aka pseudanthias smithvanizi if not wrong... very long never see liao..

Ah .. think so. Yeah.. I've never seen them before.. Think they are one of the nicer Anthia species and cheap too..

[LaW]

Hey LaW.. on the first page of this thread, second pic.. can see how my Aus Blacks look like before.. the face was really orange...

Don't worry about yours.. it should turn black in time.. maybe when they are settled and bigger..

haha i hope so too

they are a pair always sticking together and getting fat.

but recently the larger one kept whacking, chasing the smaller one and chase him away from food. made the smaller one slim down alot.

and honestly, your one darkens really quickly.

and whats the head count now?