Mattyg Tank

[mattyg12uk]

Been meaning to start my journal and this is my first attempt at a photo! A long time ago and more to come i hope.

 

[mattyg12uk]

As people will know i have been on and off the forum for a while now and would like to thank everyone for the help and advice! My tank now looks different and i rearranged the LR almost straight away .
In my tank now i have a sulking leather and a couple of good mushies, together with my 2 x percula clowns, 2x cleaner shrimp, 1 blood shrimp, 4x turbos, 1x bumblebee and some red leg hermits. I cycled the tank for a month with ro and 11kg of LR. All tests were good and after slowy adding everything all things have been doing well . I have been collecting all the bits and bobs along the way (refractometer, test kits and so on), i should have started all this sooner but had trouble with all the picture stuff and thought i would disappoint if i couldnt put at least 1 up! I will add stuff as i remember it!

 

[Reesy1989]

What size tank do you have?

It look to me like a 20 gallon river reef? The same as mine?

Any future stocking plans?

 

[mattyg12uk]

Sorry forgot to mention that! Its a orca tl550 (128l). Not sure what else to add want something colourful, also added is a falco hawkfish. Already getting full .

 

[mattyg12uk]

Sorry this is on its side but you get the jist

Hope everyone can see these! Sorry all pictures taken on my phone. Glad i can share with everyone at last

 

[seffieuk]

Nice to see you have started your journel Matty

What are your plans?

Seffie x

 

[mattyg12uk]

Nice to see you have started your journel Matty

What are your plans?

Seffie x

To be honest im not sure where to go from here, i want to add more LR (slowly so i dont crash the tank) and my mrs wants a colourful fish . Any ideas? More corals also but ont know on that either

 

[seffieuk]

Yes you could do with some more live rock - i would buy it and put it in a holding vat until i was sure it was fully cycled (in fact i did just that when setting up my five footer). it will only need heat and a powerhead.

Mmmm a colourful fish, what sort of fish and colours does she like? you could go for a fairy wrasse or maybe a purple firefish.

OR if you are prepared to set up a pod culture and wait a couple of months you could get the ultimate - a Mandy

And of course there are the gobies and blennies

Seffie x

 

[mattyg12uk]

Yes you could do with some more live rock - i would buy it and put it in a holding vat until i was sure it was fully cycled (in fact i did just that when setting up my five footer). it will only need heat and a powerhead.

Mmmm a colourful fish, what sort of fish and colours does she like? you could go for a fairy wrasse or maybe a purple firefish.

OR if you are prepared to set up a pod culture and wait a couple of months you could get the ultimate - a Mandy

And of course there are the gobies and blennies

Seffie x

I have sounded her out on both normal and purple firefish, to be honest she will go with what i want . I think the idea of a bright pink or blue would appeal. Already have the clowns and hawk, how many more is sensible? 2 smallish? I love Mandies but am afraid of the extra work and potential heart ache . Saw one at a LFS (which i dont use) go downhill and die quick! Skinny and not happy! The main block is the availability of some of them, have a good but small LFS otherwise its a 40 mile round trip to bigger one. . Could do with something that doesnt hide to be honest.

 

[seffieuk]

I have sounded her out on both normal and purple firefish, to be honest she will go with what i want

Firefish are lovely, they are nearly always on display, but they are not very active.

I think the idea of a bright pink or blue would appeal.

What about an orchid dottyback - don't get mixed up with the magenta dottyback though (nasty things). Maybe a flameback angel, but you would be taking a chance that it might nip your corals. Take a look at mcCoskers and Carpenters flasher wrasses

Already have the clowns and hawk, how many more is sensible? 2 smallish?

Yes, I would say two - as long as you are being good and doing weekly water changes of about 20/25%

I love Mandies but am afraid of the extra work and potential heart ache . Saw one at a LFS (which i dont use) go downhill and die quick! Skinny and not happy! The main block is the availability of some of them, have a good but small LFS otherwise its a 40 mile round trip to bigger one. . Could do with something that doesnt hide to be honest.

Yes, can understand that - fell in to that trap myself. However if planned for and you don't buy the little, skinny one then it can work out well.

Seffie x

 

[n3ont3tra]

Nice tank and great phone pics.
For colorful fish maybe a royal gramma or a midas blenny?
I've had a midas blenny and they're great fish, full of character.

 

[seffieuk]

I've had a midas blenny and they're great fish, full of character.

a firm favourite - Our Ben loves em

Seffie x

 

[mattyg12uk]

Thanks for the ideas, i thought some of those fish needed a bigger tank than mine? The LFS had a flame hawk (correct name?) which is lovely but i know i cant have 2! . Anyway what a fight i had last night! 1 of my clowns managed to jump into 1 of the back compartments so i had to dismantle the spray bar pump and take out all my filter stuff! . It took about an hour before i could catch the little sod! Tank got cloudy as you can imagine but not as bad as i thought it would be! . All ok this morning everyone seems to have managed to deal with it well. . Got to d a water change in the next couple of days anyway so might bring it forward just to be safe. The leather as said on another thread is unwell and may have to go today too. .

 

[seffieuk]

Little trick for the clown jumping business - increase the level of the water to the the furthest it will go, go to the top!! Clown will just swim over can't tell you how many hours I wasted on trying to fish a clown out the weir

Seffie x

 

[mattyg12uk]

Little trick for the clown jumping business - increase the level of the water to the the furthest it will go, go to the top!! Clown will just swim over can't tell you how many hours I wasted on trying to fish a clown out the weir

Seffie x

Thanks for the tip, how high did you have your water levels in the back if you dont mind me asking?