Diving straight in - Sameer's Waterbox Infinia 230.6 build thread

[PjFish]

I assume you were not referring to me specifically, but for the record, I do not advocate to feed only once a day (!) to reduce nutrients.

I sense that lots of folks overfeed, and if I remember correctly Rich R confirmed that fish can overeat.

I feed 12 fish the following:
1. 3 x throughout jo the day dense high quality different type of pellet food until 2 pm; AVAST 40 seconds per feeding interval.
2. I give one large sheet of nori daily for 2 tangs + foxface, and
3. I feed high quality frozen food later in the evening until they are all (!) full.

My German friends say this is too much. I can manage nutrients and I feel this a good compromise. I might slightly cut back at one time.

Are you still feeding dandelion greens ? I’ve gone through literally pallets of it back when I was breeding Iguanas & turtles. But due to the fact their white milky fluid is rubber latex Ive been leery adding them to my feeding routine. But really haven’t seen any documented cases of adverse effects..

 

[H2OPlayar]

yeah, always a debate in my head about what's the 'right' number of feedings per day.. there is definitely conflicting opinions in the forum as we could see in @Alexander1312 's post about how much feed is good enough.. I just wanted to slow down until I get the nutrients problem under control.. But after looking how cool even these soft/LPS corals are (had a great chat with @H2OPlayar about this last month), a part of me says to f*** the nutrients and forget SPS.. I am sure I will change my mind again one day, but at this juncture, I feel that I have a tank that I 'enjoy looking at' with vibrant, energetic and colorful fish and some softies and LPS, and I believe that's what matters the most in this hobby.

No need to debate in your head. Watch the fish. If they are eating all of the food you put in, do it again in an hour or two. If they aren't eating all of the food, feed less each time. 4x feeds a day minimum for fish like chromis that swim around a lot. Tangs graze all day and would love 4 smaller feedings a day. Get an autofeeder, I like the one I just got that can dispense flake and shedded nori from Eheim. SPS don't care about your nutrients that much, they just want stable chemistry.

I've had 5-6 green chromis in my 300 for a couple years. They are fine with enough space and food. Feed more often.

 

[Alexander1312]

Are you still feeding dandelion greens ? I’ve gone through literally pallets of it back when I was breeding Iguanas & turtles. But due to the fact their white milky fluid is rubber latex Ive been leery adding them to my feeding routine. But really haven’t seen any documented cases of adverse effects..

Yes sir. Every. Single. Day.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Are you still feeding dandelion greens ? I’ve gone through literally pallets of it back when I was breeding Iguanas & turtles. But due to the fact their white milky fluid is rubber latex Ive been leery adding them to my feeding routine. But really haven’t seen any documented cases of adverse effects..

Interesting note!
I do mainly steamed broccoli and ample nori sheets for the herbivores

 

[PjFish]

Interesting note!
I do mainly steamed broccoli and ample nori sheets for the herbivores

Yeah if you have a latex allergy you will find out real quick chopping up dandelion greens lol

 

[PjFish]

No need to debate in your head. Watch the fish. If they are eating all of the food you put in, do it again in an hour or two. If they aren't eating all of the food, feed less each time.

Spread sheet on how often and quantity each fish poops after feeding may be note worthy!! Then can balance ratio of intake!!

 

[Alexander1312]

Are you still feeding dandelion greens ? I’ve gone through literally pallets of it back when I was breeding Iguanas & turtles. But due to the fact their white milky fluid is rubber latex Ive been leery adding them to my feeding routine. But really haven’t seen any documented cases of adverse effects..

Sorry, a clarification here. So I am feeding the leaves, and I do not think I have seen this ever leaking any milky fluid, which I know they will have eventually. I posted somewhere the source for this feeding routine.

 

[Slingfox]

I agree with the posts above that if you want to keep anthias and chromis you must feed multiple times a day otherwise you are unnecessarily stressing them. I have six chromis (used to be 7 but one jumped) and they do not exhibit any aggression with each other. I believe this is because they have my Bimac Anthias and Convict Tang who keep them in check. To protect themselves against the boss fish the chromis need to stick together—they can’t waste energy fighting amongst themselves.

I have 24 fish in a 110g display tank. Every day I feed one sheet or nori, 3.25 cubes of frozen, and 2 feedings of pellets (I plan to increase to 3 or 4 eventually). Each feeding of pellets is very small (eg, less than one quarter of a gram!). My fish are full bodied and the tank is mostly chill albeit the tangs and anthias need to assert their dominance periodically to maintain the pecking order.

Here is how much my Ehiem feeder dispenses during each pellet feeding: 0.23 grams of Small size TDO pellets.

I also feed one clam a week to ensure my Copperband is well fed, and one extra 3-cube frozen feeding a week after the weekly water change.

I typically don’t have nutrient issues: My phosphates stay in the 0.10 ppm range and I have undetectable nitrate so I dose ammonia so that some amount of nitrate is detectable.

 

[spuri87]

Major addition to the family:

Despite struggling with high nutrients and several Supporting members suggesting to reduce the bio-load, we decided to add yet another member to our family.

View attachment 79842

Bioload has increased dramatically, nutrient export can’t keep up, feeding schedule is around the clock, and somehow this tiny frag produces more poop than the entire tank combined. Hopefully, he will help with water changes once Daddy's back starts to hurt.

In other news, we have a wandering zoa in the tank. Tuxedo Urchin is roaming all over the tank wearing it's new hat.. It looks hilarious and cute at the same time, and definitely catches everyone's eye.. I am thinking not to intervene and let nature take it's course.

2 of the remaining 6 Chromis have decided to go on a hunger strike.. they are always hiding, even when I am feeding the tank.. I have increased the number of feedings back to 2/day after reading comments from other BAR members above and debating in my head to decide what's more important to me personally - Corals or Fish! At the moment it's the fish.. Softies, couple of Torches and Duncans are doing well thus far.

Also added a 2 head Gold Hammer and a single head Dragon Soul torch I bought from @tribbitt

 

[FinalPhaze987]

Congrats on your new frag! Having gone through taking care of a newborn and a tank recently, its hard as hell but very possible.

If the wife ask you to make a bottle in the middle of a waterchange, do it...or prepare for that post partum fury! Trust me on this one.

 

[PjFish]

Congratulations on the new edition. Those frags grow before your eyes literally not sure your going to be able to glue that one down!!

 

[PjFish]

Oh those frags consume large amounts of calcium/magnesium for their skeletons. Also iron and zinc which Im sure you got an automatic doser when you’re not around! Guess you’re starting your own DBTC Family woot!!

 

[clownvan]

congratulations @spuri87 !! Those little frags consume everything that everyone said and most of your patience as well

 

[spuri87]

Added a 6 head (4 big + 2 small) Dragon Soul Torch I got from @CaseyP.. the one above it is a CC 21 tails torch I got from @Royce023 .. As all new reefers, I like the flow and movement of these torches.. I am sure this will change with time and I will probably start liking zoas and sticks more!

After 1 of the wrasses jumped out of the tank, I made it a point to check my tank every night before going to bed, and slowly I became obsessed with the life at night in my reef tank.. I love how the tank looks so different at night, and still with so much life - wrasses web, sea cucumbers in action, Snails all over the tank, Amphipods crawling on the sand bed.. Last night, I saw 1 of the halloween crabs without their shell and one leg less than what they should have, struggling to find its shell that I found in another corner of the tank.. I dont know how that happened (must be a fight that this one lost?), but I moved the shell next to it before it became a tasty meal for the hermits, wrasses and probably the Marine Betta.. Honestly, I don't know if it will survive but felt good to give it a 2nd chance to live!

 

[clownvan]

you know babies take to water immediately and will help them learn swimming quickly. You should convert your tank to a BOWLR tank

 

[Slingfox]

If you have chromis which hide in the rockwork even during feedings, it is highly likely they are getting bullied by the other chromis. The ones hiding likely won’t survive long run but only time will tell.

 

[spuri87]

If you have chromis which hide in the rockwork even during feedings, it is highly likely they are getting bullied by the other chromis. The ones hiding likely won’t survive long run but only time will tell.

Yeah unfortunately that’s what is happening.. 2 that died were hiding, not eating, got weak and when they came out they had torn fins and red marks on the body (video shared before).. one of the other 2 that are still hiding and not eating came to the surface of the water gasping for air with torn fins 3 days back, I caught it and moved it to the sump and trying to spot feed but it doesn’t seem to eat.. the other one in display is hard to catch, still actively hiding but not eating.. I can foresee the same fate for these 2 as well..

Interestingly, these 4 came in the original batch of 5 chromis I added in October.. they were bigger in size.. feels like the remaining alpha has defined the pecking order! I hope the smaller ones I added later dont challenge the king and can stay alive!

 

[Slingfox]

Yeah unfortunately that’s what is happening.. 2 that died were hiding, not eating, got weak and when they came out they had torn fins and red marks on the body (video shared before).. one of the other 2 that are still hiding and not eating came to the surface of the water gasping for air with torn fins 3 days back, I caught it and moved it to the sump and trying to spot feed but it doesn’t seem to eat.. the other one in display is hard to catch, still actively hiding but not eating.. I can foresee the same fate for these 2 as well..

Interestingly, these 4 came in the original batch of 5 chromis I added in October.. they were bigger in size.. feels like the remaining alpha has defined the pecking order! I hope the smaller ones I added later dont challenge the king and can stay alive!

What you should do is add some anthias (either a pair or a small group). They have similar shape in body and also stay out in open water. It will keep the chromis in line and from killing each other. I use Bimac Anthias but I assume most will work. My Bimacs also chase my single Azure Damselfish around once in a which keeps that fish from being a bully. Ironically, having some aggression / boss fish helps keep the tank peaceful.

 

[spuri87]

What you should do is add some anthias (either a pair or a small group). They have similar shape in body and also stay out in open water. It will keep the chromis in line and from killing each other. I use Bimac Anthias but I assume most will work. My Bimacs also chase my single Azure Damselfish around once in a which keeps that fish from being a bully. Ironically, having some aggression / boss fish helps keep the tank peaceful.

very interesting! thanks for sharing.. I really want a school of anthias and a copperband, but given the bioload, not in a position to add anything right now.. One day, some day!