Thanks for the welcome, Some questions...

[Gmandese]

Hi all,
Thanks for your welcome as a new member. I have a few questions, please bear with me as I get the hang of this!
First, here's what I have:
1 55gal FO tank, w/2 24" 55w compact fluorescents, 8000k full spectrum. I plan to get 2- 50/50's when I can scrape up the cash! Also, about 50lbs of LR w/ lots of Coraline algae.
Also, not used; a custom strip light w/ 2 -48" bulbs, 1/ 6500k, 1 03 actinic w/ cooling fan
1 10gal nano reef (not THE Nano tank, just a 10 that I added stuff to)
with a custom light hood w/4 13w Cf bulbs 2/6500k, 2/03 actinic. About 5lb of LR, saving room for frag additions, and other stuff attached to LR.
1 10 gal with local (Jamaica Bay) species, some fish, red macro/seaweed, hermit crabs, (which I cycle through, then add to my main tanks) Snails, and some Green crabs. A better life than Blackfish bait!

I would like to add to the nano reef, I have some yellow polyps, with some button polyps on the same rock (freebies), and some sort of yellow leather, not sure what kind, but it was a frag my LFS let me have cheap. Also, a bubble-tip anemone, with a a percula clown, and 2 peppermint shrimp.

The thing is, I see a bunch of stuff here, and being a newbie to this group, I'm not sure how to proceed to buy something. It seems you all know each other (of course, that's what it's all about), and I'm not always sure what's being offerered (varieties, and such).
I'd definitely like to make it to the frag swap, but I'd also like to get some stuff going earlier, because my tanks looks kind of empty If anybody Has any ideas on how to go about adding certain frags in an orderly fashion, I'd certainly appreciate the advice, as well as recommendations on WHAT I should add, as well. The LFS's all have such beautiful, but BIG and expensive stuff, and I want to start small.

I could post some pics, if you'd like to see my stuff, when I figure out how! My avatar, if it works, is my clown from the reef.

Thanks for actually reading to the end of this long-winded post, I promise to keep future posts shorter!

Gerry

 

[jhale]

Gerry,

don't worry about the post being long, I'd say that was medium

but seriously you provided a bunch of info which is good.

your right the people who post here most often do know each-other, so it can get kind of crazy trying to read through all the "talk"
it's one big dysfunctional reefer community here

getting frags before the swap should not be a problem, you can post what you would like, or if you see someone selling or trading something just pm them and see what they say.

out of all the tanks you listed I'm most interested in the ten gallon with the local things. I think that's really cool to have a little representation of what's growing around us.

 

[Gmandese]

Thanks Johnathan for your reply.
My local tank, actually was quite easy to set up. I collected a LOT of crushed shells mixed with sand from a spot where some RR Tracks went into the water (why, I have no idea), and the tide had washed up big deposits. Some nice sized pieces, too. I also brought all the water home too. I set up the tank with the shells as substrate, added the water, set up the filter, and added the critters. Little by little, I replaced the sea water through water changes, no cycling problem since everything was "live", I even had a small filter running on my main tank for a month, then switched it over so it was ready to go!
Gerry

 

[jenniebutterfly]

welcome to mr. i agree, post in the want to buy section a list of things you want. that would be the easiest way to go about things. as for pics, you could upload them to here.

 

[ShaunW]

WELCOME TO MANHATTANREEFS.

Like Jonathan said, we do all know each other here, but that is what is so great about this site/club. IT'S A WARM, HAPPY PLACE vs. a cold, dry place.

The fragswap is going to be a great opportunity for you to meet the MR crowd and get many new frags. The last fragswap was off the hook, and this one is probably going to top it.

 

[SlamaJama]

welcome to M.R....its a great group of reefers!

 

[House of Laughter]

Gman,

Welcome, and sounds like you are off and running - more than one tank - you are going to fit in just right on this board.

Frags will be abumdant at the swap, there will be som many to choose from it'll make your head spin.

Come and enjoy, bring some cash, you'll need it to buy stuff.

Also, would love to see pictures of the local reef tank in the tank forum.

Enjoy and Welcome

House

 

[Gmandese]

Thanks to all of you who have posted so far, really makes me feel welcome.
Today I went out to Broad Channel to do some more collecting. Got some more Seaweed, mostly red, a few more crabs, some big snails, and I managed to capture about 6 pipefish! ( the locals down there call them needle fish). Kind of look like stretched out seahorses.They're really cool looking, they have made themselves quite at home already. Very active.

I'll take some pictures and post them soon, I guess in this thread. I know some of you are curious to see it. I really have to find better fish, though, I just have killies, mostly. If any of you in LI know of some good low tide collecting spots, please let me know!

I actually have some seaweed Macro red stuff left over, I'll keep it for a while, if anyone wants some, you can have it.

Gerry

 

[nanoreefer22]

Gerry,
Welcome to MR. Thats one great thing about the site is that everyone does know each other, it makes things around here a whole lot better. Looking forward to the pics of the tank.
-Kris

 

[Gmandese]

I just thought to ask this: Is there a pixel-size limit to the pics I can upload?
It would help to know when I'm editing to post them!

 

[jackson6745]

Gerry, save those green crabs for Oct 1st. I can't wait to start blackfishing.
Welcme to MR. You should be able to find any frags that you want here.

 

[Gmandese]

Here's the first set of pics from my Native species tank. I have a few more, I'll add them next.

 

[Gmandese]

Here are the rest of the pics. It may look haphazard, but nature is chaos!
(The critters like it.)

Gerry

 

[jackson6745]

Thats really cool. I see a bunch of bait...LOL Killies and Calico crab. I think a tiny searobin would make a cool addition to your tank.

 

[jackson6745]

Does the Calico try to eat t he killies?

 

[Gmandese]

Actually, I don't know. I just added him this afternoon with the pipefish.
If he does, I know where to get more

 

[jhale]

wow, I think I know what I want to do for a small tank

those needle fish are great. and the seaweed is so red,
do you think it will keep it's color?

as for the photo size we just ask that you do not post something so
big it makes everyone scroll over to see it.

 

[Gmandese]

The seaweed keeps it's color, I've had some for 2 months. New growth comes out green, then darkens to red.
As for pic size, I asked in an earlier post about the size, but i got no response before I was ready to add the pics. I cut down the originals to 25% of what they were. I guess next time I'll go smaller.

Gerry

 

[nanoreefer22]

Nice tank. Looks alot bigger than a 10 gallon. That fish is really cool looking, what's it eat?

 

[Gmandese]

I put in some frozen brine shrimp, and it (actually I have 6 of 'em, most were hiding at the time) went for it, so I guess that's a good start.
I put a variety of stuff in, brine, flakes, granules, chopped frozen krill, I guess something for everyone