I have 28 lbs of Fiji, at three weeks, with 30 lbs of dead sand and 28 lbs of collected live sand so far. Button colony rock and hermits will be added once I test the water conditions. The rock is suspended on a grid which is still visisble in a few spots as more live sand will be added. The live sand was added over the last few days and I haven't spotted live hitchikers yet so I may seed after my medium aquafuge comes in. Lighting is a 96 powerquad.
29 Dragonet Tank at 3 weeks
- Thread starter MiltonP
- Start date
The picture cuts off about 4 more inches of open sandbed. I have over 150 square inches of open sandbed for the dragonet(s) to pick through. I painted the front and one side of the sandbed zone for 3.5 inches to make it more productive as many feel you lose the outer inch or so.
Thanks Darrel, Dragonet's seem to spend most of their time on the bed so the reef should be free for me to do as I wish as long as it is copepod friendly. 96 watts in what is curently 22 gallons should give me plenty of options.
I currently plan on macroalgae, sand and rubble in the aquafuge for waste removal and copepod breeding. There is a nice bushy macroalgae rock in my LFS that could go in the tank but I don't know what the impact would be. I could make it an island in the bed to try and control it.
The only additional fish I am considering at this time is a cherry head goby. I am undecided about the benefits of other 'fish poop' in creating a rich environment for the dragonet(s) 6+ months from now.
I currently plan on macroalgae, sand and rubble in the aquafuge for waste removal and copepod breeding. There is a nice bushy macroalgae rock in my LFS that could go in the tank but I don't know what the impact would be. I could make it an island in the bed to try and control it.
The only additional fish I am considering at this time is a cherry head goby. I am undecided about the benefits of other 'fish poop' in creating a rich environment for the dragonet(s) 6+ months from now.
IMO, it will be too small for a single dragonet. Dragonet eats alot. The dragonet will wipe out the pop population. Recharging it wouldn’t help because the dragonet will just eat what ever you add very quickly before it have time to breed. It may help it you have area of the tank/refugium that is inaccessible so that the pods can take refuge and breed there.
I would not keep dragonet in it as is.
Minh Nguyen
I would not keep dragonet in it as is.
Minh Nguyen
hey MiltonP
tank looks great should be fine with what you are planning
i have 2 dragonetts in my 110 gal and have seen them eat
frozen mysiss but they spend the most of there time on
my live rock being my tank is a fish only its ok but every thing ive
read says there reef friendly and should be fine
by the way mine are booth fat and happy green spot and mandrin
my favorite fishes in my tank
good luck
whiirly
tank looks great should be fine with what you are planning
i have 2 dragonetts in my 110 gal and have seen them eat
frozen mysiss but they spend the most of there time on
my live rock being my tank is a fish only its ok but every thing ive
read says there reef friendly and should be fine
by the way mine are booth fat and happy green spot and mandrin
my favorite fishes in my tank
good luck
whiirly
That's cool that you have started on the tank.....looking good too!
I haven't started anything yet, it seems that something else always pops up, but one thing I did do was to get some rock rubble from my LFS (man did I get some funny looks for that....."No, I don't want that nice big piece from Fiji, I want the little bits and pieces....yes, those!") and make a nice pod pile in the corner of the tank. Within a week, I was seeing twice the amount of pods as I had been seeing before. You might want to consider adding a pile in the corner of the main tank.....every little bit helps!
I haven't started anything yet, it seems that something else always pops up, but one thing I did do was to get some rock rubble from my LFS (man did I get some funny looks for that....."No, I don't want that nice big piece from Fiji, I want the little bits and pieces....yes, those!") and make a nice pod pile in the corner of the tank. Within a week, I was seeing twice the amount of pods as I had been seeing before. You might want to consider adding a pile in the corner of the main tank.....every little bit helps!
I don't want to poach a thread, but would like some clarity for my own situation.
I am confused a bit. I assumed that pods will be throughout the sandbed and live rock. Do they really only use the liverock? If so, I better get me a pile of rubble. I was trying to have as large a open area as possible. In my 29gal with the coarse aragonite I see them everywhere in the substrate. But in my 75gal I have only seen them working on leftover food or pieces of shrimp etc. I just thought they were harder to see in the sand. I have a small scooter Blenny in the 75gal. Looks happy, not fat, not skinny, but he's not much longer than about 1 1/4".
I was aware of the pod/shrimp diet when I selected him at the LFS. They told me he would scavage and eat fish poop. :roll: But it's possible that he's going to eat more than what I thought. I can always get a scoop of the coarse stuff out of the 29gal, even though it's really not rubble sized.
Milton, you said you painted part of the tank around the sandbed. This is to help the pods? I see them in the substrate of the 29gal, but I assumed it was the little open spaces in the substrate. Where they would almost have to swim thru the sand in the 75gal.
Of course you guys know that this little scooter is cute as the dickens to the wife and she cannot understand why we can't have as many as the LFS, who had about 10 in a 20gal tank. So the more good info the better.
Thanks
I am confused a bit. I assumed that pods will be throughout the sandbed and live rock. Do they really only use the liverock? If so, I better get me a pile of rubble. I was trying to have as large a open area as possible. In my 29gal with the coarse aragonite I see them everywhere in the substrate. But in my 75gal I have only seen them working on leftover food or pieces of shrimp etc. I just thought they were harder to see in the sand. I have a small scooter Blenny in the 75gal. Looks happy, not fat, not skinny, but he's not much longer than about 1 1/4".
I was aware of the pod/shrimp diet when I selected him at the LFS. They told me he would scavage and eat fish poop. :roll: But it's possible that he's going to eat more than what I thought. I can always get a scoop of the coarse stuff out of the 29gal, even though it's really not rubble sized.
Milton, you said you painted part of the tank around the sandbed. This is to help the pods? I see them in the substrate of the 29gal, but I assumed it was the little open spaces in the substrate. Where they would almost have to swim thru the sand in the 75gal.
Of course you guys know that this little scooter is cute as the dickens to the wife and she cannot understand why we can't have as many as the LFS, who had about 10 in a 20gal tank. So the more good info the better.
Thanks
I have been adding rubble to various spots in the tank. I would definitely consider moving some of your bed from the 29 to a corner in the 75 if there is some to spare. A little rubble on top of it wouldn't hurt to boost the pod population. Macroalgae in a refugium with rubble and coarse sand seems to be the ideal breeding ground.
I think that a dragonet that eats poop may be starving. I would supplement, but not replace, pods with brine if it shows interest.
I painted the edge around the sandbed in an attempt to make the most of the 12 x 30 footprint of the tank. If the theory is accurate, painting the 2 edges will boost productivity of 40 square inches of bed.
I think that a dragonet that eats poop may be starving. I would supplement, but not replace, pods with brine if it shows interest.
I painted the edge around the sandbed in an attempt to make the most of the 12 x 30 footprint of the tank. If the theory is accurate, painting the 2 edges will boost productivity of 40 square inches of bed.
Thanks Milton, I might try to get a couple rubble piles started in the back, out of sight.
I am begining to think that is the standard answer at the LFS about what fish will eat.
The painting idea had me puzzled because I thought that the light was traveling thru the glass and covering it would not make much difference. I will have to experiment with that. Not that it's real bright at any of my tanks, but if it will boost pod production, that's good. I did a deal from IPSF and had the pod starter kit plus I brought up some nylons with substrate from the other tank when I started this in October. So I should have had a good start.
Is the care for a Mandarin the same as for a Scooter? Can they be mixed in a tank? One of each?
I am begining to think that is the standard answer at the LFS about what fish will eat.
The painting idea had me puzzled because I thought that the light was traveling thru the glass and covering it would not make much difference. I will have to experiment with that. Not that it's real bright at any of my tanks, but if it will boost pod production, that's good. I did a deal from IPSF and had the pod starter kit plus I brought up some nylons with substrate from the other tank when I started this in October. So I should have had a good start.
Is the care for a Mandarin the same as for a Scooter? Can they be mixed in a tank? One of each?
Painting the side made sense to me as light from above is natural but from the side isn't. Basically you are gaining more natural sandbed. I don't know if I will be able to see a difference over. One side and the back are unpainted at this time but they don't get much direct light.
I have heard that Scooters are more likely to vary their diet, however, I have also seen a few starve to death recently at the LFS. There is coral sales display tank in the shop with both a Mandarin and Scooter in it. They are both happy and doing well. Minimal interaction though. Both are males I believe.
Several other customers are considering doing similar setups to save their dragonets that are in higher stress community tanks and are having to compete for food.
I have heard that Scooters are more likely to vary their diet, however, I have also seen a few starve to death recently at the LFS. There is coral sales display tank in the shop with both a Mandarin and Scooter in it. They are both happy and doing well. Minimal interaction though. Both are males I believe.
Several other customers are considering doing similar setups to save their dragonets that are in higher stress community tanks and are having to compete for food.
:wink:
MiltonP,
Love the tank. As a matter of fact I have setup my 29 in a similar fashion. I have approximately 25lbs of LR, 50lbs of dead sand and 20lbs of Arag-Alive. The 'pods have exploded in the last few days. Looks like its snowing in the tank sometimes! The LR is supported on egg crate submerged in the sand as is yours. I have not added a refugium yet, but I plan to in the near future. One question I have is whether you are going to add a skimmer to your setup? I have one on mine at this time, but I've read a lot of posts and some folks with smaller tanks skim and others do not. Just curious as to the best route to take.
Thanks.
Denny
MiltonP,
Love the tank. As a matter of fact I have setup my 29 in a similar fashion. I have approximately 25lbs of LR, 50lbs of dead sand and 20lbs of Arag-Alive. The 'pods have exploded in the last few days. Looks like its snowing in the tank sometimes! The LR is supported on egg crate submerged in the sand as is yours. I have not added a refugium yet, but I plan to in the near future. One question I have is whether you are going to add a skimmer to your setup? I have one on mine at this time, but I've read a lot of posts and some folks with smaller tanks skim and others do not. Just curious as to the best route to take.
Thanks.
Denny
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