Opinions? Ideas?

C

CritterKeeper

Our main tank is 130 gallons. So far we've only got a yellow tang, velvet damsel, peppermint shrimp, emerald crab, and handful of blue legs. We're definitely planning on upgrading the lighting (all we've got right now is plain flourescents) with our sites set on corals, anemones, and the like down the line with maybe only a few other fish (certainly want a clown or two to play in the anemones!). On this we have 2 Pro Heat II IC Heaters (and I vow we will NEVER bother with regular submersibles again because these heaters are just the BOMB!!), 2 powerheads just for flow (but I think we could really use at least two others maybe or a wavemaker), SeaClone skimmer (we plan to get a better one, this one stinks!), Emperor powerfilter (just extra/backup filtration), and a Fluval 404. Suggestions so far?
Anyway from this point it seems like there's a GAZILLION different ways we can go! I've always liked live plants in an aquarium but salt seems kinda limited in flora. We've got an empty 29 gallon that we're considering either as a iso/hospital tank and/or refugium but then somewhere we also want to put a sump under our stand (thanks to Marc! Ever since my sweetie got a look at Melev's Reef custom sumps he's been determined to build his own sometime! :twisted: ) Could it be both iso/hospital and refugium if we set it up to isolate from the main tank whenever we got new stuff and/or needed to hospitalize anyone? If so I'm thinking about growing grape kelp and ulva lettuce in it to feed in the main tank and maiden's hair for the growth of amphipods, copepods and the like. What else could safely go in the 29 that might make it attractive enough to be another little show tank but still used as a refugium? Do the plants need too much water movement for seahorses (not to mention there'd go any ideas on using it to medicate, right?)? I guess I'm just looking for ideas and input to try to figure out where we want to take this.
Blame the Nov 06 issue of Tropical Fish Hobbyist's article on aquascaping freshwater with live plants! The pics on that article are just gorgeous and I'd love to find a way to do something similar in salt!!!
Jenn
 
Well, a quarantine tank should be separate all the time to avoid introducing any of the LFS water into your own tank. If there are any parasites, they can't wash into the main tank because it is isolated.

If you have to medicate, the quarantine tank is perfect. Once done, it can be washed clean and stored for the future, or set up anew with new saltwater until you have more livestock to add.

It is possible to grow macro algae in the main tank, but many have found that these tend to grow out of control and make a mess.

However, it can be pretty at times. Here's a picture of Keith's 20g, and it was actually very nice looking, and a change of pace.
 
You can have a tank with Macro algea that looks cool but a few problems.

1) Once it startes growing most species are very invasive meaning their roots will spread everywhere and keeping it in control is a constant battle

2) Most species are pretty nasty. Calerpa especially gives off some nasty compounds that really are not good for the corals. Carbon can help alot

3) Calerpa will go sexual if not lit 24/7. Many time this causes major issues in the tank

4) Keeping hair and other microalgea in check will be difficult. For the macro to grow well there needs to be some nutrients in the water. These nutrients will also feed the hair algea. I avoid it by doing weekly 50% water changes and running a 6" DSB. It worked well for me but you have to be really dilligent withyour maintenance

So my advice if you are going to do it is. Don't keep anything difficult in the tank with it. No SPS especially. Don't buy anything you would be heartbroken if it gets choked out because it probably will. Be will to trim all the time!

If you really want a nice planted tank setup the 29 as a freshwater. A lot more options and a lot easier to do!

It could work well as a refugium but all the species you mentiond have very specific requirements and are considred tough so read as much as you can. You can make it work but it will not be easy for sure!
 
Sounds like biting off more than I can chew agian :roll: Thanks for the input though!! Maybe somewhere down the line I'll get another tank to experiment with live plant scapes but for now I think I better just concentrate on getting the one tank beautiful!
Jenn
 
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