My First Marine Aquarium

[marinetankguppy]

Hi all , dunno if you remember me but many weeks ago i posted an SOS here coz just as I was about to start this brand new hobby, the 2nd hand 4 ft tank i bought got broken by the movers, anyway Now Im sorta back on track and just started populating my tank .Please come see my tank and give me your valuable feedback

the beginning : http://marinetankmasak.blogspot.com/2008/0...lse-starts.html

today's latest update : http : //www.marinetankmasak.blogspot.com

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did !

[wilsontantw]

Hi all , dunno if you remember me but many weeks ago i posted an SOS here coz just as I was about to start this brand new hobby, the 2nd hand 4 ft tank i bought got broken by the movers, anyway Now Im sorta back on track and just started populating my tank .Please come see my tank and give me your valuable feedback

the beginning : http://marinetankmasak.blogspot.com/2008/0...lse-starts.html

today's latest update : http : //www.marinetankmasak.blogspot.com

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did !

Hey, yes i remember you... am glad that you made the right choice to custom make a new main tank. Am sure you're glad with the results.

Just visited ur tank thread.... Not sure if you ran the full ANN cycling process, but my first observation is, you may wish to add more Live Rock...

As you're not using Live Sand, your sandbed may not be matured enough to start loading your tank with big eaters (namely the 2 tangs).

This being said, i like your lion! (always loved them... but becoz their predators, it's almost impossible to keep them due to their high bioloads. Maybe when i get sick of my reef tank, i will go back to making my tank a predators one. Filled with lions and frog fish. hehe... Btw, what do you feed your lion with? It's really not easy to get them to eat frozen stuff. You'll need to slowly ween it to take dead market prawns...

I hope i dun offend you by saying this, but you do know that lionfish fins are poisonous yah? NEVER attempt to put your hand into the tank...

Btw, i'm not sure about you.... but i totally regret getting the 3 spot hogfish (aka candy hog). It;s like the king of the tank now, super aggressive during feeding time. I'm trying all ways and means to catch it. It's a smart fish... my trap is totally not working!!! Am planning to do a rescape just to catch it.

Your Weipro may not be sufficient to skim out all dirty stuff... (with your fish + lion)

Finally, the crushed corals in ur sump... potential nitrate factory... do remember to remove them when the tank matures... else will crash sooner than u realised.

Do keep us updated...

[jyoon]

Agree with WilsonTanTW bro. Candy hog can be very naughty if it is the first few fishes in the tank. However if they are introduce at the later stage, it might be fine. That's really your call Marinetankguppy bro if you like this fish. I have a pair of the Candy hog and so (touch wood), they are quite peaceful.

[marinetankguppy]

Hey, yes i remember you... am glad that you made the right choice to custom make a new main tank. Am sure you're glad with the results.

Just visited ur tank thread.... Not sure if you ran the full ANN cycling process, but my first observation is, you may wish to add more Live Rock...

As you're not using Live Sand, your sandbed may not be matured enough to start loading your tank with big eaters (namely the 2 tangs).

This being said, i like your lion! (always loved them... but becoz their predators, it's almost impossible to keep them due to their high bioloads. Maybe when i get sick of my reef tank, i will go back to making my tank a predators one. Filled with lions and frog fish. hehe... Btw, what do you feed your lion with? It's really not easy to get them to eat frozen stuff. You'll need to slowly ween it to take dead market prawns...

I hope i dun offend you by saying this, but you do know that lionfish fins are poisonous yah? NEVER attempt to put your hand into the tank...

Btw, i'm not sure about you.... but i totally regret getting the 3 spot hogfish (aka candy hog). It;s like the king of the tank now, super aggressive during feeding time. I'm trying all ways and means to catch it. It's a smart fish... my trap is totally not working!!! Am planning to do a rescape just to catch it.

Your Weipro may not be sufficient to skim out all dirty stuff... (with your fish + lion)

Finally, the crushed corals in ur sump... potential nitrate factory... do remember to remove them when the tank matures... else will crash sooner than u realised.

Do keep us updated...

Hahahaha u cute - me diver - lionfish no touch! gotchya As for feeding the adorable lionfish...sigh... its day 4 of the bunch being in the tank , I came home with 6 fishies, Brown powder sturgeon, Threespot hogfish, Blue Tang, Maroon Clown , Peacock Lionfish and a Dottyback... well i havent been able to locate dottyfish since 3 days ago ... i have a sinking feeling lionfish ate the little dottyback

I was planning to buy frozen brineshrimp tonight to feed them by by the time i got home from work it was already 9 no more fish shop open lo grrrrr ...amazingly, when i tossed some pellets in..everybody started to rush towards the pellets and started to eat them! problem is ...when the pellets dropped to the sand...they dont know how to eat off the sand...they just eat as the pellets are floating down... HOW THE HELL DO YOU FEED THEM!? without creating too much of a mess?

unlike your candy hog...mines really more like a chickenfish..he hides n hides in the crevices of the live rock... totally unagressive... hope he comes out to eat soon

Weipro no power .hmmm will another weipro help? 2 WEIPRO POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REMOVE CRUSHED CORAL IN SUMP TANK = Mission impossible??!?! wa lao..... i tot that was supposed to last like for years? OH NO!!!!

[marinetankguppy]

Agree with WilsonTanTW bro. Candy hog can be very naughty if it is the first few fishes in the tank. However if they are introduce at the later stage, it might be fine. That's really your call Marinetankguppy bro if you like this fish. I have a pair of the Candy hog and so (touch wood), they are quite peaceful.

Ahem...Its Marinetankguppy Sista/Chiobu...take your pick

Uh oh...yeah he's adorable my candyhog....but but he aint agressive as i replied Wilsontan.. mines a total chicken...he probably got traumatised when he saw lionfish eat dottyback!!! dammit Im sure a murderous crime had been committed and dottyback got swallowed whole! ...thats why candyhogs been hiding till now

totally agre with u candyhogs are cute and peaceloving!!!

hope lionfish eats shrimp soon..orelse candyhog will be NEXT

[peacemaker]

Welcome to this money draining hobby, marinetankguppy!

Sorry to read about your earlier misfortune with the furniture movers. I do not have much experience with them, but shouldn't they be held responsible for causing the damage...? I would ask for compensation depending on the situation.

I'm with wilsontantw on tank cycling (since you did mention something about cycling for only a week), and I would cycle with live rocks for at least a month, check water parameters to make sure that it has completed its cycle before adding live stock. Using fishes to cycle the tank would be extremely stressful for them, which makes it more prone for them to contract diseases, even lead to death.

I'd love to keep a lion fish some time... keep us posted on its progress, characteristics and feeding needs.

You started off with a great attitude of not giving up so easily, good for you! Looking forward for your tank updates! Maybe with a little encouragement, you may convert it into a reef tank... heh.

[marinetankguppy]

So what fishies to u guys have in your tank? u mean u have ALL the fishies u listed in your signatures? huh huh huh !? is that even possible?

[wilsontantw]

Hahahaha u cute - me diver - lionfish no touch! gotchya As for feeding the adorable lionfish...sigh... its day 4 of the bunch being in the tank , I came home with 6 fishies, Brown powder sturgeon, Threespot hogfish, Blue Tang, Maroon Clown , Peacock Lionfish and a Dottyback... well i havent been able to locate dottyfish since 3 days ago ... i have a sinking feeling lionfish ate the little dottyback

I was planning to buy frozen brineshrimp tonight to feed them by by the time i got home from work it was already 9 no more fish shop open lo grrrrr ...amazingly, when i tossed some pellets in..everybody started to rush towards the pellets and started to eat them! problem is ...when the pellets dropped to the sand...they dont know how to eat off the sand...they just eat as the pellets are floating down... HOW THE HELL DO YOU FEED THEM!? without creating too much of a mess?

unlike your candy hog...mines really more like a chickenfish..he hides n hides in the crevices of the live rock... totally unagressive... hope he comes out to eat soon

Weipro no power .hmmm will another weipro help? 2 WEIPRO POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REMOVE CRUSHED CORAL IN SUMP TANK = Mission impossible??!?! wa lao..... i tot that was supposed to last like for years? OH NO!!!!

Ah huh... diver yah... steady lah... many donkey years back, i was serving in navy, but not diver... i clerk! hehe.

Try to save a little bit more, forget abt the 2 weipros, get a good beckett. Haiya, you early dun say, i just sold off my H&S skimmer. Try to keep your eye on the Pasar Malam section, you'll find some really good deal sometimes. Like this, or this (my recommendation)

Okie, back to the fishy stuff! LIONFISH, i used to keep them abt 4-5 yrs ago. And frankly, mine doesn't even go near any frozen food. It's live fish that they're after.

I used to feed it with ermm... cheap baby clown fish lor! Then after awhile, pocket can't take it... started to change to fresh water mollies. After awhile, i was told it's not good for their digestive system, so after awhile, the lions are RTG (report to God).

Some encouragement for you, a friend of mine, successfully kept a tank of 3-5 lions, all grew to extremely huge. He managed to ween them into eating market prawns (dead ones of coz). So do give it a try. (What i heard was he wiggle the prawn in front of the lion to tempt it. But seriously, don't try it. I dun wanna be responsible if something bad happens ah!)

If you wish to buy food at night, if you drive/stay near east/north eat, you can drop by to AquaMarine at Jalan Kayu or Katong, they close late. (After 9 still open).

And for the pellets, after awhile, the fish will eventually realise that those that drop on the sandbed can be eaten and will eat them all up. My yellow tang and blue tang are now feeding from the sandbed. (feed them nori they also dun care... nowadays they onli eat pellets + henry's gourmet).

I think since your tank is 4', the Bloody Irritating Territorial Candy Hog should have sufficient space to move around... My experience with the fish is that it'll hide for the initial few days. (and i thot it was dead)... then suddenly it just appeared from nowhere and start to eat... eat... and eat!

While i was away for 12 days, i had help to feed my fish. And when i returned, the fish that grew the most was the B.I.T.C.H. (trust me, 12 days, and i can visibly see the growth)

On a more serious note hor... am a little worried abt ur tank parameters over time. So you may wanna consider adding more LR while removing the coral chips. (if you take a look at most of the reefers' tank here, they dun have coral chips in their sump. Main reason is becoz they trap dirt and nitrate levels builds up over time. Unless you filter off the dirt, it will become a nitrate factory. A hard working skimmer or denitrator will be what you need.

However, i'm no expert myself lah.... so just watch and monitor? Get a good nitrate/nitrite test kit (my recommendation will be Salifert)

Good luck!

[marinetankguppy]

Welcome to this money draining hobby, marinetankguppy!

Sorry to read about your earlier misfortune with the furniture movers. I do not have much experience with them, but shouldn't they be held responsible for causing the damage...? I would ask for compensation depending on the situation.

I'm with wilsontantw on tank cycling (since you did mention something about cycling for only a week), and I would cycle with live rocks for at least a month, check water parameters to make sure that it has completed its cycle before adding live stock. Using fishes to cycle the tank would be extremely stressful for them, which makes it more prone for them to contract diseases, even lead to death.

I'd love to keep a lion fish some time... keep us posted on its progress, characteristics and feeding needs.

You started off with a great attitude of not giving up so easily, good for you! Looking forward for your tank updates! Maybe with a little encouragement, you may convert it into a reef tank... heh.

REEF TANK?? Whoah baby steps...slow and steady sia.. now fingers crossed tank no crash

[marinetankguppy]

Ah huh... diver yah... steady lah... many donkey years back, i was serving in navy, but not diver... i clerk! hehe.

Try to save a little bit more, forget abt the 2 weipros, get a good beckett. Haiya, you early dun say, i just sold off my H&S skimmer. Try to keep your eye on the Pasar Malam section, you'll find some really good deal sometimes. Like this, or this (my recommendation)

Okie, back to the fishy stuff! LIONFISH, i used to keep them abt 4-5 yrs ago. And frankly, mine doesn't even go near any frozen food. It's live fish that they're after.

I used to feed it with ermm... cheap baby clown fish lor! Then after awhile, pocket can't take it... started to change to fresh water mollies. After awhile, i was told it's not good for their digestive system, so after awhile, the lions are RTG (report to God).

Some encouragement for you, a friend of mine, successfully kept a tank of 3-5 lions, all grew to extremely huge. He managed to ween them into eating market prawns (dead ones of coz). So do give it a try. (What i heard was he wiggle the prawn in front of the lion to tempt it. But seriously, don't try it. I dun wanna be responsible if something bad happens ah!)

If you wish to buy food at night, if you drive/stay near east/north eat, you can drop by to AquaMarine at Jalan Kayu or Katong, they close late. (After 9 still open).

And for the pellets, after awhile, the fish will eventually realise that those that drop on the sandbed can be eaten and will eat them all up. My yellow tang and blue tang are now feeding from the sandbed. (feed them nori they also dun care... nowadays they onli eat pellets + henry's gourmet).

I think since your tank is 4', the Bloody Irritating Territorial Candy Hog should have sufficient space to move around... My experience with the fish is that it'll hide for the initial few days. (and i thot it was dead)... then suddenly it just appeared from nowhere and start to eat... eat... and eat!

While i was away for 12 days, i had help to feed my fish. And when i returned, the fish that grew the most was the B.I.T.C.H. (trust me, 12 days, and i can visibly see the growth)

On a more serious note hor... am a little worried abt ur tank parameters over time. So you may wanna consider adding more LR while removing the coral chips. (if you take a look at most of the reefers' tank here, they dun have coral chips in their sump. Main reason is becoz they trap dirt and nitrate levels builds up over time. Unless you filter off the dirt, it will become a nitrate factory. A hard working skimmer or denitrator will be what you need.

However, i'm no expert myself lah.... so just watch and monitor? Get a good nitrate/nitrite test kit (my recommendation will be Salifert)

Good luck!

YOU FEED LIONFISH WITH CUUUTE CUUTE BABY PERCULA/NEMOS?! *eeeevillll*

POWER skimmer or more liverocks ...There can only be one..then heart is willing , the wallet is weak ...sobsss Anybody in the forum wanna sponsor a poor lil guppy? prevent another heartache incase tank crash ? *big big eyes*

Hogfish still hiding , he comes out to feed on the live rocks occassionally but he is shy

On a positive note..its day 5 and they are feeding!

[marinetankguppy]

5TH DAY IN THE TANK! - FEEDING TIME !!!

http://marinetankmasak.blogspot.com/2008/0...ay-in-tank.html

[wilsontantw]

YOU FEED LIONFISH WITH CUUUTE CUUTE BABY PERCULA/NEMOS?! *eeeevillll*

POWER skimmer or more liverocks ...There can only be one..then heart is willing , the wallet is weak ...sobsss Anybody in the forum wanna sponsor a poor lil guppy? prevent another heartache incase tank crash ? *big big eyes*

Hogfish still hiding , he comes out to feed on the live rocks occassionally but he is shy

On a positive note..its day 5 and they are feeding!

Well.. that's what lionfish eat in nature also mah... and furthermore, 1 nemo 1 dollar alright... no cheap hor.

You want my hogfish? hahaha... i'm giving away mine ah! Finally managed to trap it.

Happy to hear that your fish are eating. As long as they start to it, half the battle is won (the easier half).

The lion, the lion... hehe... i wanna see it feed! very graceful... ferociously graceful!

muahahaha.

[marinetankguppy]

Well.. that's what lionfish eat in nature also mah... and furthermore, 1 nemo 1 dollar alright... no cheap hor.

You want my hogfish? hahaha... i'm giving away mine ah! Finally managed to trap it.

Happy to hear that your fish are eating. As long as they start to it, half the battle is won (the easier half).

The lion, the lion... hehe... i wanna see it feed! very graceful... ferociously graceful!

muahahaha.

FREEEE ONE AH!!!! I WANT I WANT I WANT

[marinetankguppy]

Well.. that's what lionfish eat in nature also mah... and furthermore, 1 nemo 1 dollar alright... no cheap hor.

You want my hogfish? hahaha... i'm giving away mine ah! Finally managed to trap it.

Happy to hear that your fish are eating. As long as they start to it, half the battle is won (the easier half).

The lion, the lion... hehe... i wanna see it feed! very graceful... ferociously graceful!

muahahaha.

FREEEE ONE AH!!!! I WANT I WANT I WANT

[marinetankguppy]

Well.. that's what lionfish eat in nature also mah... and furthermore, 1 nemo 1 dollar alright... no cheap hor.

You want my hogfish? hahaha... i'm giving away mine ah! Finally managed to trap it.

Happy to hear that your fish are eating. As long as they start to it, half the battle is won (the easier half).

The lion, the lion... hehe... i wanna see it feed! very graceful... ferociously graceful!

muahahaha.

FREEEE ONE AH!!!! I WANT I WANT I WANT

[Ah-lim]

LOL.

More food for your lion fish.

Lion fish = predatory

Any thing that can fit into its mouth. Yum.

Thus, your choice of fishes will be limited.

[wilsontantw]

LOL.

More food for your lion fish.

Lion fish = predatory

Any thing that can fit into its mouth. Yum.

Thus, your choice of fishes will be limited.

Guys, ever see a frog fish eat a dwarf lion? in my old tank, that's wat my frog fish did.

I have abt 2 dwarf lions, 1 frog fish...

one fine day, only saw one dwarf swimming around... frog fish as usual on sand bed, with it's tummy bulging and i mean bulging!... within 2 days, the frog fish also game over.

The dwarf lion and frogfish are about the same size.

[marinetankguppy]

LOL.

More food for your lion fish.

Lion fish = predatory

Any thing that can fit into its mouth. Yum.

Thus, your choice of fishes will be limited.

DUN SCARE ME LEI.....my blue tang , maroon clown , powder brown and candy hog all small small one leh... how how how

[wilsontantw]

FREEEE ONE AH!!!! I WANT I WANT I WANT

Eh, not say free one then must take lah... u must know what this fish does to the rest of ur fishes wor.

Then again, the rest of your other fish are huge... somemore got lion! (win liao lor).

Sat, around 11am-12nn okie?

Pls take care of it k? i'll want to drop by and visit my Bloody Irritating Territorial Candy Hog in future.

hahaa

[MbmC]

Skimmers don't work in when placed in serial. One will work, but the other will not generate any skimmate.

So no point using 2 skimmers in one circuit. Just one big powerful one is enough. Generally, overskimming is recommended.

Don't worry about tank crashing. If you're patient, stock carefully, read up, don't take unnecessary risks, it shouldn't happen. If you've not read up enough, and you do whatever you want without considering the needs of the system, then that's when you should worry.

[marinetankguppy]

Eh, not say free one then must take lah... u must know what this fish does to the rest of ur fishes wor.

Then again, the rest of your other fish are huge... somemore got lion! (win liao lor).

Sat, around 11am-12nn okie?

Pls take care of it k? i'll want to drop by and visit my Bloody Irritating Territorial Candy Hog in future.

hahaa

Won't it be like buddies with my existing hog? they can go swimming around together! thelma and louise! hahahaha

seriously.. blue tang, powder brown, maroon clown and lion + threespot hog ...think they can get along?

I dun wan world war 3 on my hands..remember im still a newbie!

if all safe then yes yes yes I want!

[marinetankguppy]

Skimmers don't work in when placed in serial. One will work, but the other will not generate any skimmate.

So no point using 2 skimmers in one circuit. Just one big powerful one is enough. Generally, overskimming is recommended.

Don't worry about tank crashing. If you're patient, stock carefully, read up, don't take unnecessary risks, it shouldn't happen. If you've not read up enough, and you do whatever you want without considering the needs of the system, then that's when you should worry.

Uhoh...i think i may have gotten another 2nd hand skimmre sponsored...hmmm lemme see if that is still firm... but if i have to get a super duper powerful skimmer whoah i will be broke for the next 3 months .. suddenly wondering what Ive gotten myself into..

poor about to be broke guppy

[wilsontantw]

Uhoh...i think i may have gotten another 2nd hand skimmre sponsored...hmmm lemme see if that is still firm... but if i have to get a super duper powerful skimmer whoah i will be broke for the next 3 months .. suddenly wondering what Ive gotten myself into..

poor about to be broke guppy

wah steady leh! got sponsors... cool... take it, pay by instalment lor... some sellers actually do allow that (like me!)

hahaha...

anyway, im not sure if they will become thelma and louise, or Huey Lewis and the news... dunno lah...

But since you're the only who ask for it, you can have it.

Can come collect on sat morning???

[marinetankguppy]

I couldnt help myself..

i had to video them ahhahahahah

[wilsontantw]

I couldnt help myself..

i had to video them ahhahahahah

Hey, hope the B.I.T.C.H is doing okie with your tank... remember to acclimatise before throwing it into the "lion's den".