Bera's 1st SW tank

[Bear]

So let's start from the beginning.

The tank and stand came from my grandfather, who was not using it at the time, along with several old pieces of equipment. The intention I had while acquiring this tank was for a SW set up, but soon decided that I should start with a FW to make sure that it would keep my interest. After buying all new equipment I started my cycle with three small African Cichlids. As time carried on more fish were introduced, along with a change from gravel to play sand.

A number of months after this tank had started I decided that I could not wait any longer and returned all of my fish back to the LFS. I later returned with 85 lbs of LR, LS, Salt mix, another powerhead, etc. After the tank had cycled I returned to the LFS about every three days. Each time I would find something new to research or bring something home.

I know I kinda rushed this so far, but I do not remember too much in detail.

As my tank stands now, it is a 40 gallon breeder, 85 lbs of LR, LS, a bunch of corals, 1 BTA, 2 Clarkiis, 2 Firefish, 1 Six-line wrasse, and a ton of snails and hermit crabs.

[Bear]

Some New Happenings:
The brown button polyps were replaced with a yellow fiji leather
a yellow cup coral was added
a large pink zoa colonly was added
some green Rhodactis were added
along with 2 sweetlips and 2 blue tangs

the sweetlips and tangs were given as a b-day present and after recieving them their stay was obviously not going to be more than a month or 2. This was until I noticed the tangs and sweetlips had ich. Ignorant and stubborn as I was the fish had not been qt'd and to get them out I had to take apart my main tank on 2 seperate occasions, taking more than about 2 hours both times. I emptied the tank water into a large plastic tub and put the uncovered coral and rock into it as i tried to get the fish.

I than fixed up the QT tank and put them in there ASAP. The tangs were taken back yesterday and the sweetlips are going to be taken back tomarrow. Also within the last couple days the colt coral was sucked up into the HOB filters that are there for current so I had to cut it out.

I will take some pictures of the new corals later and the pics of the ich covered sweetlips and post em later

[Bear]

not much of an update to make. the sweetlips and tangs are gone. Now there are some sifter gobies, and a royal gramma. The six-line has disappeared and the skunk shrimp had a bad molt and was eaten. Here's a couple pix to give you a better idea of what it looks like

[harif87]

Nice progress, sorry to hear about the setbacks with the sweetlips and the tangs, but overall your tank is progressing real nicely!

[CollegeReefer]

Bear looking good! I think you posted a thread about your royal gramma getting ich. This may because ich was still in the system. Some say after a reef gets ich it takes over a month before it is safe to put fish back in. Not exactly sure how true that is.

[Bear]

it had it to begin with, but i didnt catch it and I didn't have a QT at the time. But I'm sure he'll be better soon.

[harif87]

If the fish with ich was in the main tank then odds are you have little ich floating around your tank which can affect other fish.

[Bear]

i keep trying to catch him, but so far no luck. None of the other fish seem to be affected though

[CollegeReefer]

If you want to play it safe, you are going to want to qt all your fish. Give your tank some time to clear of ich.

[Bear]

ok, the ich covered royal gramma and the 2 sifters are gone. Now in the tank are 2 Clarkii Clowns and 2 firefish...maybe I'll try for another six-line

[Bear]

Left Side

Right Side

My Corals and Fish: Fish count is down to 4, 1 pair of Clarkiis and 1 pair of Firefish

[CollegeReefer]

Here is the thing bear, when a tank get ich a lot of the time the ich will remain in your tank for several weeks which means your other fish are at risk. I would still qt all of your fish to play it safe.

[Bear]

ur too worried about it. The immune system in the
fish has kept them safe through many other problems and all QT'n them would do is stress them out and make the ich a problem. The fish will be fine if they are left it, but if I take them out and put them into an uncycled, unestablished new setting it will just stress them out and cause the problem.

[harif87]

As far as the ich goes, i would say leave the fish for now, and just keep a close eye out. Try and do more frequent water changes. But try not to worry too much for now.

[Bear]

im not too worried about it. The fish and coral are doing fantastic and there are a ton of tiny little shrimps and everything microscopic for the filterfeeders. But thanks for tryn ta help collegereefer

[CollegeReefer]

I tend to worry a lot about my tank, prob why i spend so much time keeping an eye on it. I have just heard to many horror stories. I have yet to get ich, most likely because of qt all new arivials and because i have taken extra precautions to keeping stress levels down (water changes, bioload, taking it slow). I think the biggest kicker for me is the thought of fish loss. Our ecosystem is so fragle and the less things we take out of the oceans the better. I know to many people who just keep buying new fish when they die because there is the mind set of "its only money." I am not saying that you by any means are one of these people, but i believe this is another factor in why i worry so much about these sort of things. The lfs here doesn't even treat its sick fish. He just lets them die and buys new ones and raises the prices on the next shipment. This drives me crazy. Anyways, please don't take any of this personly, i just wanted you to see why i worry so much.

[Bear]

With the new tank now cycling and everything from the smaller one going into the large on, there will not be any changes until about a month after everything is introduced to its new home. This way all of the fishs immune systems will be strong enough to fend off any diseases that could be introduced by new coming fish.

[harif87]

make sure you rid the fish of ich before introducing to the new display. Any pics?

[Bear]

yea, there is a thread dedicated to the new tank its "Family Room Reef", sorry i should have specified b4