Suggestion

[agroservicios]

Hi, I am new on the forum. I live in Mazatlan Mexico and I have been in the hobby for 7 months now. Here unfortunately it is very hard to get a good choice of products for my 87 gallon reef tank (to be). This Friday I will be traveling to Anaheim, CA and since there is much more choice in the US, I am planning to visit one or more shops there (any suggestions for good shops over there?) to do some shopping.

I have been reading up on the subject and see that in the past I have made some mistakes and or I have been receiving certain counterproductive information. Furthermore there are a lot of subjects of which I am just learning their importance so I am also looking into improvements. I have just found a shop in Guadalajara, only 6 hours by car, where I can stock up on healthy fish and corals but still think equipment will be cheaper in the US.

My tank build up is as follows: 87 gallon + 15 gallon sump / SL-150 A chiller / PS 75 Protein Skimmer / 48" Odyssea 130W CF 50/50 / 1 Koralia #1 (400 gph) / 26 Watts return pump.
My Tankmates are: 1 Sailfish Tang / 1 Pallete Tang / 1 Fire Goby / 1 Tomate Anemonefish / 1 Green Chromis / 2 Threestriped Damselfish / 1 Flame Hawkfish / 1 Foxface Rabbitfish / 2 Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp / 3 small Sea Urchins / 3 small Sea Cucumbers / some Brittlestars, Snails and Hermit Crabs as well as two Soft Corals (Sarcophyton and Xenia Pom Pom) and 3 Discosomas.
My readings are: Salinity 1021 / pH between 7.7 and 8.0 / Nitrate 0 mg/l / Total Ammonia 0 mg/l / Temp between 78 and 81 F. I perform a partial water-change of approximately 20-25% per 4 to 6 weeks with fresh oceanwater (within 1 hour after collecting it is in my tank) and twice a week 10 ml of Invertabrate Calcium Supplement from Coralife as well as 12.5 ml of Vodka per day. (Remarks: I seriously doubt pH readings, since this is also what I get testing fresh oceanwater, which I understand should be higher.)

I would like to invite anybody to comment on the above. What am I missing, what could be better, what should I change, what do I do wrong. I know there is more to measure and would like to know which I should do and which I can leave and what is the best way. Should I get more watermovement or am I ok, how about lighting. I wish to get more coral over time. This way I hope to benifit the most from my possibility to get what I need next week. After reading the thread about feeding fish and fish nutrition I will be buying some new food as well.

Well, I hope to hear as much as possible. Do not spare me, I want my fish and invertebrates to be happy and healthy, and if this means a slapping for me, I will willingly accept it .

Thanks, HUGO

[charlie]

My tank build up is as follows: 87 gallon + 15 gallon sump / SL-150 A chiller / PS 75 Protein Skimmer / 48" Odyssea 130W CF 50/50 / 1 Koralia #1 (400 gph) / 26 Watts return pump.

OK, here goes. Never heard of the protein skimmer so I can't really give you an opinion.
You are gonna need more flow, I had 2 Korallia 2 and a Korallia 3 in the same size tank.
How many GPH is your return pump?

My Tankmates are: 1 Sailfish Tang / 1 Pallete Tang / 1 Fire Goby / 1 Tomate Anemonefish / 1 Green Chromis / 2 Threestriped Damselfish / 1 Flame Hawkfish / 1 Foxface Rabbitfish / 2 Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp / 3 small Sea Urchins / 3 small Sea Cucumbers / some Brittlestars, Snails and Hermit Crabs as well as two Soft Corals (Sarcophyton and Xenia Pom Pom) and 3 Discosomas.

You are seriously overstocked for that size aquarium. The Sailfin tang requires a 135 gallon tank minimum, and the pallette is a 100 gallon minimum. Both of those will become stressed in that size tank, and probably not live a real happy life. I think the 3 stripe damsels are really mean, and they will create some havoc for you.

My readings are: Salinity 1021 / pH between 7.7 and 8.0 / Nitrate 0 mg/l / Total Ammonia 0 mg/l / Temp between 78 and 81 F. I perform a partial water-change of approximately 20-25% per 4 to 6 weeks with fresh oceanwater (within 1 hour after collecting it is in my tank) and twice a week 10 ml of Invertabrate Calcium Supplement from Coralife as well as 12.5 ml of Vodka per day. (Remarks: I seriously doubt pH readings, since this is also what I get testing fresh oceanwater, which I understand should be higher.)

You should raise the Specific gravity to at least 1.024 or 1.025. How are you measuring the Ph?
If you aren't testing for calcium, don't add for it. In addition to what you are now testing, you shouls also test for calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. Get a reliable test kit for these, I like salifert myself. Why are you adding vodka??????????? Have you done any research as to what this does? There was a thread on here recently:
I stopped dosing vodka- tank is getting better!
I suggest you read thru it.

Remember these are only my opinion, maybe someone else will chip in with their thoughts.

[charlie]

OOOPS

[agroservicios]

Hi Charlie,
Thank you for your reply. I did think that watermovement was too little and it is good to hear now. The returnpump is 420 gph. I will pick up one or two extra pumps. Any comments on the Vortech?

Indeed when I was writing this thread I was looking through some species lists and noticed that in some information both the Palette Tang and Sailfin Tang are put in bigger sized tanks than the one I have. How long before they are too big? Fortunately I have had no problems (so far) with the three Stripes Damselfishes.

As for measuring, will take your advise at heart and get some tests, but why should I get the higher specific gravity. In a lot of literature I read that it should be around this 1021 pH I have been measuring with a "Tetratest" (tetra-fish.com). The vodka was advise from someone who got it from Spain, to lower your phosphates and nitrates. It works, but sure enough, I read the thread on this and it might indeed seem that some more hairalgae are forming on the sandbed. I will most likely stop this again to see what happens.

Any ideas on the lighting strength. Good, bad?
Thanks again and thanks for the welcome. I will be happy here.
HUGO

[charlie]

Well Hugo, we will be glad to have you here also!!!! Thanx for finding us.

I really haven't heard anything bad about the Vortechs, alot of folks really like the battery backup that they have, but then again, they are pricey!!!!! That is the only drawback that I have listened too. The Korallia is a nice powerhead, they have really improved since they came out.

Depending on the growth of the tangs, could be a year??? You may want to check with Lee in the fish Forum on that. he is our resident fish guru!!!!

Your current lighting is good for what you have in there now. Now, if you wanted to get into LPS or SPS, you may want to look into either T5 or Metal Halide. The T5 option is nice because there are alot of nice options out there as far as hoods and such go. Check out a couple of our sponsors, like Marine Depot or Premium Aquatics. I have also heard that Bulk Reef Supply has some pretty nice deals on T5.

I think if you do a little searching around on here, you will find that most of the folks have their specific gravity at the 1.024or 1.025. Your reading is OK, for a fish only maybe, but even then alot of the fish we receive come from waters where the SG is higher. Check it out!!!!

Hope this helps out a little.

[agroservicios]

Hi Charlie,
Thanks again. Will look into SG some more and get it up. Sorry what is LPS and SPS? Can somebody point out a good store or more in the Anaheim district, or a list of stores available. I will be there for a fruit fair and I will have my Monday afternoon free to shop HUGO

[charlie]

LPS= Large Polyp Stony corals

SPS= Small Polyp Stony corals

I don't know much about the Anaheim area, but I know that these guys are down there somewhere????

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