2 questions, maybe dumb

Yoshi-22 · 10-27-2003, 09:11 PM

k, this maybe a really dumb question, but i was really wondering how people can add corals and stuff so fast. i mean ive seen tanks on this board where like it seems a couple days later they have hard and soft corals in their tank, from my memory, i thought u had to wait like months, but ya and what do feather dusters do

thanks
Brandon

manderson0805 · 10-27-2003, 10:08 PM

Yoshi, there's no stupid questions.....some people rush things too fast, and a couple months down the road, you'll see someone post a question, asking why everything died. I bought all of my rock fully cycled, and was able to get corals in my tank at about 8 weeks.
Featherdusters are worms, whose "feathers" catch plankton to eat. Some people like them, I had a problem with hundreds of them in my display tank. I think that my bicolor pseudo and coral beauty keep them in check....I only see them in my sump now.

Geoff · 10-27-2003, 10:26 PM

sometimes it seems a shorter amount of time than you think. double check the post dates on these tanks you may be surprised just how long ago it was really set up. it always seems longer when it is your tank you are waiting to cycle.

there are some short cuts you can do if you have the room. like cure the LR in tubs while you get the aquarium plumbing together, this saves gobs of time. the LR and water are cycling for a good month or so while you finalize and get the aquarium going.

feather dusters are great filter feeders, they help clean the water of organic materials. a natural protein skimmer of sorts.

G~

thefatman · 10-28-2003, 06:59 PM

yeah you shouldn't rush. i may be one of the folks yo uare referring too. my tank was setup and 3 or 4 weeks later i started adding corals. my fish were added within a few days.

but most of my live rock and the majority of my water, was transferred over from my 55g tank, which had been setup since february. os it was thoroughly cycled. the rest of my live rock, came from the display tank of an lfs that had went bankrupt. so again all of that live rock was very well cycled.

i've been buying a few small frags and or colonies of zoos each week. this is still too fast for most peoples taste. i check my water daily, and i dont even think about getting something unless i feel it's a safe move based on my parameters.

the general rule of waiting 6-8 weeks before addding anything, in my opinion should be followed by anyone setting up a new tank.

how's that saying go.... do as i say, not as i do

RWD · 10-28-2003, 08:30 PM

IMO Manderson has got it right. There is an old saying "Nothing good happens fast" and it's very true when it comes to reef tanks. There is nothing to gain by rushing it. In this hobby self control and patience will go a long way in keeping a tank alive and healthy and not just setting it up. It's a marathon not a sprint!

Mrs Smith · 10-28-2003, 10:24 PM

If it makes you feel any better, we waited an agonizing 6 whole MONTHS before adding our first corals. Granted, we learned a heck of a lot about them before taking the plunge... then it was one piece per month for quite awhile.

And yes, it does feel like forever - but going slow really does pay off, IMHO. Plus, with self-imposed limits, you are much less likely to walk out of the LFS with a dendronepthea or a gonipora.

Danielle

tdwyatt · 10-28-2003, 11:04 PM

patience...

This tank is a 180 set up in May of this year, these pix were made prior to the cleanup crew additions from Keys critters on sept 15, 03, Left shot (180 gal future Reef top/forereef biotope)

tdwyatt · 10-28-2003, 11:06 PM

right side (18o Sept 15, 03 reef top/forereef biotope)

tdwyatt · 10-28-2003, 11:08 PM

long angle shot of entire setup (from right side)

Geoff · 10-28-2003, 11:12 PM

oh my goodness, shots of Tom's tank!!! i thought these were as rare as a Spanky head shot!!

G~

tdwyatt · 10-28-2003, 11:14 PM

The only critters in the tank are a Diadema spp. urchin, about 15 holothurian cukes, and as of Oct this year, about 300 Ceriths and 200 Astreas, although the Astreas are not getting enough to eat (about 30% losses of the Astreas).

Slow is good, and it lets you make smart decisions about what is going to be in the tank, and how each organisms is going to ahave a role in the developing food chains.

Although I have other tanks for growouts of frags and some specimen collection, the additions to this tank will be very controlled and based on what fits. Fish will be last, and act as top down predation on the system algal components.

tdwyatt · 10-28-2003, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff
oh my goodness, shots of Tom's tank!!! i thought these were as rare as a Spanky head shot!!

heh!

Notice that this tank is still empty...

, kind of like Spanky's shots of his hands... ...Still in the process of moving, and honestly, I am a little modest (of course, unless you're here already!)