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View Full Version : maintenance free specimens to add? dont want to add any food to tank


E-Link News
October 16th 04, 05:40 PM
Someone is watching my tank, i want to recommend some stuff for them to add
for their enjoyment,
but at the same time keep the tank maintenance free, as it is now, to not
burden her. It is a self
sustaining system which i havent added anything into the tank for about
6mos. I just keep the alkilinity up to par, and nitrates.

-the tank is 2 years established.

She will add 10-15 hermits and 10-15 snails to my recommendation
i also recommended to add a scooter blenny, and lawnmower blenny, and
a mandarin goby as i believe these dont need to be fed.

I had a scooter blenny that kept himself fed for 6mos (he died from a
mistake by me,i turned lights
off for a week and covered glass from window reflection light to attack GHA
problem and he died because he couldnt hunt, so did alot of crabs, my
mistake, dont do this anybody)

I would like to add those inhabitants or ?? so that they WILL NOT NEED TO BE
FED, i am keeping a self sustained system, dont want to tip the balance or
she will be overwhelmed with algae control and maintenance and my system
will go down if this happens(NO, CANT HAPPEN! NEVER, lol).

Any recommendation on the above mentioned species or other that can be added
that wont need to be fed any outside source of food?

Reef specs;
-60 gal glass
-6gal sump converted to refuge from a wet dry, with screw in type fourescent
lite and hood added
-grape and feather caluerpa in refuge
-4x40NO lighting on main tank
-1 pwrhead in tank churning surface
-tank is FULL of live rock, but no live hard coral, need more lighting adn a
more strict maintenance regimen first.
-there was a couple small mushrooms but havent seen my tank in a while
-feather caluerpa growing occasionaly in tank and i tell her to pluck it
when
it gets big and throw it in the sump
-no visible inhabitants other than tank spawned pencil eraser sized snails,
and lots of worms(forgot which type, look spiky, purplish, they keep algae
under control by attacking at the base of algae)
-some coralline
-some bubble algae(i like it, its part of an ecosystem, not invasive yet, no
expensive species for it to take over, it does the tank good by keeping the
nitrates down i believe as well)
-alot of cyano on bottom, but not out of control at all
-glass stays clean for a good period of time, maybe for weeks
-aragonite sand in sump about 4 inch base
-sugarfine marine sand in tank, about 1 to 1-1/2 inch base
-RO-H20
-Water change about 4 mos, will be more often when i get it back

Overall, water is stable, tank is holding stable, no maintenance needes
except for fresh RO about 2-3 times weekly, lucky me, good ecosystem setup,
want to keep it that way without tipping the scales at ALL.

any valid experienced recommendations appreciated,

Sincerely,
Wolf
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~wolfdoggsite

Marc Levenson
October 17th 04, 11:18 AM
It sounds like your Lawnmower Blenny will starve in that
environment because you have so little algae for it to eat.

The mandarin would probably be alright with all of your LR.
I would skip the Scooter blenny because it would eat the
food your mandarin needs.
http://www.melevsreef.com/mandarin_care.html

Marc


E-Link News wrote:

> Someone is watching my tank, i want to recommend some stuff for them to add
> for their enjoyment,
> but at the same time keep the tank maintenance free, as it is now, to not
> burden her. It is a self
> sustaining system which i havent added anything into the tank for about
> 6mos. I just keep the alkilinity up to par, and nitrates.
>
> -the tank is 2 years established.
>
> She will add 10-15 hermits and 10-15 snails to my recommendation
> i also recommended to add a scooter blenny, and lawnmower blenny, and
> a mandarin goby as i believe these dont need to be fed.
>
> I had a scooter blenny that kept himself fed for 6mos (he died from a
> mistake by me,i turned lights
> off for a week and covered glass from window reflection light to attack GHA
> problem and he died because he couldnt hunt, so did alot of crabs, my
> mistake, dont do this anybody)
>
> I would like to add those inhabitants or ?? so that they WILL NOT NEED TO BE
> FED, i am keeping a self sustained system, dont want to tip the balance or
> she will be overwhelmed with algae control and maintenance and my system
> will go down if this happens(NO, CANT HAPPEN! NEVER, lol).
>
> Any recommendation on the above mentioned species or other that can be added
> that wont need to be fed any outside source of food?
>
> Reef specs;
> -60 gal glass
> -6gal sump converted to refuge from a wet dry, with screw in type fourescent
> lite and hood added
> -grape and feather caluerpa in refuge
> -4x40NO lighting on main tank
> -1 pwrhead in tank churning surface
> -tank is FULL of live rock, but no live hard coral, need more lighting adn a
> more strict maintenance regimen first.
> -there was a couple small mushrooms but havent seen my tank in a while
> -feather caluerpa growing occasionaly in tank and i tell her to pluck it
> when
> it gets big and throw it in the sump
> -no visible inhabitants other than tank spawned pencil eraser sized snails,
> and lots of worms(forgot which type, look spiky, purplish, they keep algae
> under control by attacking at the base of algae)
> -some coralline
> -some bubble algae(i like it, its part of an ecosystem, not invasive yet, no
> expensive species for it to take over, it does the tank good by keeping the
> nitrates down i believe as well)
> -alot of cyano on bottom, but not out of control at all
> -glass stays clean for a good period of time, maybe for weeks
> -aragonite sand in sump about 4 inch base
> -sugarfine marine sand in tank, about 1 to 1-1/2 inch base
> -RO-H20
> -Water change about 4 mos, will be more often when i get it back
>
> Overall, water is stable, tank is holding stable, no maintenance needes
> except for fresh RO about 2-3 times weekly, lucky me, good ecosystem setup,
> want to keep it that way without tipping the scales at ALL.
>
> any valid experienced recommendations appreciated,
>
> Sincerely,
> Wolf
> http://www.home.earthlink.net/~wolfdoggsite
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

--
Personal Page:
http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

Earthlink. News
October 25th 04, 08:36 PM
hmm, i think theres plenty of algae for the lawnmower, theres a big
wadd(about 6x3inches coverage) of nicely grown GHA on one rock, spots here
and there. what kinds of other algae does he eat? i have all the caluerpas
in the tank, and some sea grasses, etc.. also the other day i think i saw
him take a nab at a mysis shrimp strolling along the algae.

Also, WHAT ELSE CAN I ADD that will feed off the tank, every where i look
theres mysis, and theres alot of worms too, so i think theres plenty of life
in the tank to support a few more fish. What about a tang, never liked them
before but now, since the tank hasnt been touched inside for quite a while
now, there seems to be plenty of caluerpa to keep him happy, (Feather,
razor, grape, and sea grasses??)

Thanks.

Wolf


"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
m...
> It sounds like your Lawnmower Blenny will starve in that environment
> because you have so little algae for it to eat.
>
> The mandarin would probably be alright with all of your LR. I would skip
> the Scooter blenny because it would eat the food your mandarin needs.
> http://www.melevsreef.com/mandarin_care.html
>
> Marc
>
>
> E-Link News wrote:
>
>> Someone is watching my tank, i want to recommend some stuff for them to
>> add
>> for their enjoyment,
>> but at the same time keep the tank maintenance free, as it is now, to not
>> burden her. It is a self
>> sustaining system which i havent added anything into the tank for about
>> 6mos. I just keep the alkilinity up to par, and nitrates.
>>
>> -the tank is 2 years established.
>>
>> She will add 10-15 hermits and 10-15 snails to my recommendation
>> i also recommended to add a scooter blenny, and lawnmower blenny, and
>> a mandarin goby as i believe these dont need to be fed.
>>
>> I had a scooter blenny that kept himself fed for 6mos (he died from a
>> mistake by me,i turned lights
>> off for a week and covered glass from window reflection light to attack
>> GHA
>> problem and he died because he couldnt hunt, so did alot of crabs, my
>> mistake, dont do this anybody)
>>
>> I would like to add those inhabitants or ?? so that they WILL NOT NEED TO
>> BE
>> FED, i am keeping a self sustained system, dont want to tip the balance
>> or
>> she will be overwhelmed with algae control and maintenance and my system
>> will go down if this happens(NO, CANT HAPPEN! NEVER, lol).
>>
>> Any recommendation on the above mentioned species or other that can be
>> added
>> that wont need to be fed any outside source of food?
>>
>> Reef specs;
>> -60 gal glass
>> -6gal sump converted to refuge from a wet dry, with screw in type
>> fourescent
>> lite and hood added
>> -grape and feather caluerpa in refuge
>> -4x40NO lighting on main tank
>> -1 pwrhead in tank churning surface
>> -tank is FULL of live rock, but no live hard coral, need more lighting
>> adn a
>> more strict maintenance regimen first.
>> -there was a couple small mushrooms but havent seen my tank in a while
>> -feather caluerpa growing occasionaly in tank and i tell her to pluck it
>> when
>> it gets big and throw it in the sump
>> -no visible inhabitants other than tank spawned pencil eraser sized
>> snails,
>> and lots of worms(forgot which type, look spiky, purplish, they keep
>> algae
>> under control by attacking at the base of algae)
>> -some coralline
>> -some bubble algae(i like it, its part of an ecosystem, not invasive yet,
>> no
>> expensive species for it to take over, it does the tank good by keeping
>> the
>> nitrates down i believe as well)
>> -alot of cyano on bottom, but not out of control at all
>> -glass stays clean for a good period of time, maybe for weeks
>> -aragonite sand in sump about 4 inch base
>> -sugarfine marine sand in tank, about 1 to 1-1/2 inch base
>> -RO-H20
>> -Water change about 4 mos, will be more often when i get it back
>>
>> Overall, water is stable, tank is holding stable, no maintenance needes
>> except for fresh RO about 2-3 times weekly, lucky me, good ecosystem
>> setup,
>> want to keep it that way without tipping the scales at ALL.
>>
>> any valid experienced recommendations appreciated,
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Wolf
>> http://www.home.earthlink.net/~wolfdoggsite
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> --
> Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
>