Here’s what I’ve been up to recently.
I set up a marine aquarium, for saltwater fish. Here’s the tank – it’s been cycling without fish for the past 1 month. It’s a 2 feet open top 20 gallon tank, with a hang-on filter, carbon filter, wave pump, protein skimmer, and light. In the saltwater is 1.5″ of crushed coral substrate, 2kg of live rock (4 pieces), and some seashells my wife kept from many years ago.
The set up also comes with a beautiful wooden cabinet stand, very nice.
So anyway after a month of patiently cycling the water to build up the bacteria, we went to bought some fish!
The fish came in an oxygen pack bag. I had to balance the water from my tank with the shop’s water for half an hour.
After that, in they go!
For starters, I got 4 fish – 2 clownfish (also known as anemonefish, popularly known as Nemo!) and two different types of damsel fish. In a few months time i hope to have a max of 6 fish and maybe one or two invertebrates.
These are the two damsel fish. The larger one at the top is a blue damsel, the yellow/purple one is a Fiji Blue Devil Damsel.
These are the two clownfish. Very beautiful, yes?
Anyway, as i kind of expected, one of the clownfish didn’t survive the first night at home 🙁 so i’m down to 3 fish now. Hopefully they settle in and the water can stabilize as soon as possible.
20 Comments
Boone
I’m impressed! You got to cut down on the fatalities in the future though…..
simon
well during transfer can’t really help if the fish die due to stress and new environment. But when it stabilizes i hope to keep them alive.
Boone
Yes…all the best. I think your fish is very beautiful…like the ones that hang out at the corals in Tioman….and this is just the start for you. Look forward to see your aquarium grow.
Tan Yee Hou
Very niceee!
I recently got a breeder box (http://www.petmart.co.nz/cart_product6966-1-2312.html?Title=56123%20AQUA%20ONE%20GUPPY%20BREEDER%20TANK) so I can breed my guppies more efficiently.
Have a very large tank out infront of my house.
The Working Gal
Wah….you are really serious, huh? Good for you… i must say from my exp, rearing fish is definitely easier than keeping a dog. A bit of work initially but after that, maintenance is much lower…. persevere at the beginning, yah… All the best!
simon
actually i’ve read both dogs and fish before, but i think dogs are far easier to keep! I know dogs need lots of space and exercise, but fish will die on you if water parameters are slightly off.
Joshua Chan
Some advice bro: you need check the water parameter regularly because it changes quite often with new tank. Ammonia (NH3), Nitrite (NO2), Nitrate (NO3) & PH. Ammonia is the most dangerous and has to make is keep low all the time. If there’s an increase in Ammonia, you have to change the water immediately. The other must have tool is hydrometer to ensure correct salinity.
simon
thx bro! i have a hydrometer to check the specific gravity. planning to get the 3 test kit next month, at the my colleague is testing the water for me (!).
lucia
hi simon! you are tagged:
http://lucialai.org/2009/09/16/3917/
mott
w-o-w…
how are the fishies doin’ now?
I kill (and buried) too many of them. Now, I’m afraid of eating them. 😉
cc
Wohoo! I see Nemo! Now, where is Dory? 😉
simon
mott – fishes are doign well, thankfully!
cc – dory will come later, although its quite expensive.
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Ivan Yoong
Nice…my setup started 2 1/2 months ago. There was another a 3 weeks before that and they all went karpoot! My gf wanted it with the lfs water; which to me is a no no at all. It could have been not stable.
So after that bad incident, i set up a new 33gallon tank; just like what i did 3 years back (with a more basic setup). This one has 2 canister filters (1 for bio-rings and the other for charcoal, filter sheets & a bag of Phosguard), a UV stabilizer & a protein skimmer. I will try to get the chiller soon; cheapest about rm1200! Keeping the water cool is actually more for the life corals i have put into the tank. Two days ago, I finally got my favourite small size fish…the Mandarin!
Bro, you need at least the basic test kits for kh(hardness), nitrate, phosphate & calcium…i m using the basic API Reef Master Test Kit.
Impress! Didn’t know you had the same interest…:)
simon
mandarins are hard to keep! gonna get some new fish soon tho.
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arindam
sir, have you added a sump in your new tank.
Simon
No.
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