New tank coming soon

[Dmitry]

Well, it's been weeks since I've had a tank and I'm dying here! :bagfish: In a few weeks my new 33 gallon cube should be ready for set-up. The guys at House of Fish are drilling it (external overflow, closed loop) and Paul is making a custom-made sump. I can't wait until it's all ready to be filled.

I'm keeping a bunch of LR from my previous tank in buckets with power-heads. Keeping them in darkness which, I hope, will starve out some hair-algae.

As I prep for the set-up I'm looking for opinions on live-stock. What I'm definitely getting down the road are a pair of Percs and a Pistol Shrimp/Goby pair. I'd love to have a Dwarf Angel in there (Coral Beauty or Flameback), but am concerned about the dimensions of the tank (it's 20x18x23.) You guys think it's enough horizontal swimming room? Angels aren't back-and-forth swimmers like Tangs, but...I'm conflicted. Clowns and the Goby won't be doing much swimming around and I'd like some activity in the tank! What else would you suggest? I'm thinking the tank isn't long/big enough for Wrasses (except Sixline, but they can get mean.) So what do you all suggest?

And after some consideration I think I will go with Black Sand. If at some point in the future I see it starts looking like crap (pun intended) I figure I can drop in a few cups of white sand to mix it up to dilute the nasty appearance. What do you think of this idea?

My clean-up crew in there will be a fighting conch, snails, hermits, 2 skunk shrimp and 2 peppermints.

I'm fantasizing about it all and am very antsy. It's a disease!

 

[bad coffee]

Welcome back to tank-ville!

If you have the time, try to cook some of your rocks. Do a quick search here and you should come up with some cool ideas.

B

 

[Dmitry]

Actually I'm a bit confused on what "cooking" rocks means. In one of the threads I searched it was pointed out that it really just means letting the rocks sit in saltwater and no light (which is what I'm doing.) Then I see some other people leaving the rocks in the sun for 3 months and other insanity. :bigeyes: I don't want to kill all the rocks!

 

[NYreefNoob]

rock

you shouldnt have to bake the rock. if it is in the dark most of the algea will be gone, take the rock and brush it to clean it all off. and get some turbo's a few weeks before it goes into tank and put it in the tub with rock.

 

[crox99]

I would add some blue reef chromises

 

[SIReefer]

I would go with a tiger pistol shrimp and a yellow watchman goby. They both stay relatively small & may pair up (very interesting to observe). I had a pygmy angel & it was very active - lots of movement & got the other fish moving too. A flameback angel is very colorful & is supposedly a good reef citizen. Jawfish stay small & are amusing to watch but you need at least 2" of substrate to allow them to burrow.
Good luck on your comeback.

 

[Dmitry]

HoF are already holding a Pistol/Goby for me. So that's in. Definitely a pair of Clowns. And I'm heavily leaning towards a pygmy angel. Are some better for this size tank than others?

I was thinking about Blue Green Chromis, but it'd have to be a decent size school. Just a handful can be kind of dull. (I know 'cause I used to have 3 and they weren't that interesting in that number). Does anyone know anything about Purple Chromis? I saw them on Saltwaterfish.com, but no real info was given.