saltwater/reef tank,

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MeadowRidge Farm

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Anyone on here have a saltwater/reef tank? We have a 72 bowfront set up into one, and I just bought a starry blenney to put into it. Now, I was told that starry's will distroy all the live coral by eating it. Anyone on here have one of these fish along with live coral? I hate to think of putting up another tank. When I mentioned that to my hubby (this is his saltwater and tropical fish hobby)he said the blenny will be fine in the tank, but others have told me dont put him in it. He's in a isolation tank right now. (only because he is new) On the aquarium forums I am on, they all have mixed ideas about this. So what would you do, if your familiar with sw/reef tanks?
 
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i used to keep a saltwater tank, fish only. never had corals so i can't help you but the store where you bought this fish should be able to advise you. good luck with it, it would be a shame to lose your corals over one fish! i'd love to see pics of your tank. i miss mine but just don't have the time for it.
 
I had 150 gallon reef tank. It was GORGEOUS. When I moved I sold it. It was sad to see a 10 year thriving and growing reef destroyed. But my answer to you would be this. The focal point and MY reason for having a reef tank were for the soft and hard corals. So I never wanted to add anything that might even create a problem. So I just went and started a 110 gallon fish tank for the species I wanted that didn't go into my reef. There are so many fish you can add to your reef that are safe why go with something questionable. But to be honest I do think I had some small blennies.

Good luck with your tank.
 
How hard are saltwater tanks to maintain? I think they are beautiful, but have not ever had one (just tropical fish).
 
Well, your water quality is the secret. And you have to do partial water changes regularly. I did mine once a week. I really never found it difficult at all but it was time consuming and I had big 50 gallon garbage cans filled with new salt water and you would have to siphon out old and put in new. Some people have elaborate systems set up to add and remove water. I was the the elaborate system in my house.
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Went to look for pictures and they are all on my older computer. UGH.....found a few taken with those old crummy pen cams that were so blurry. Tried to take a close up of one of the shrimp too. I had a bubble anemone that was HUGE Probably 10" wide when it was fully open. Wish I could find that photo with his clown fish. Now you have given me and itch again Meadowridge!
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I am not familier with the Starry blenny, but I thought all bennies were reef friendly. I have had reef aquariums for about 12 years now. Mine, however, is in pretty sad shape right now. When we moved I had to put the live Rock outside with filters for way too long before we could get it set up again. I have also negleted replacing lights as often as they should be. It is a very expensive hobby. If there is any question about the fish I would not risk it.
 
I will post some pictures of our tanks tomorrow. I buy all our fish and supplies at Foster and Smith, which is known world wide for there fish. I was told the bleeney would be fine with the coral. I mentioned it on the saltwater/reef forum I am on that I got him..and it was on there I was told about people having problems with them eating the corals. Bob (hubby) has had reef and salt water tanks for about 40 years, so he does know something about them. They are fairly easy to keep and care for. Carol, did you use instant ocean reef salt? We mix it as we need it doing a partial change about once every other month. We never leave our water sit. Just mix and pour. I dont think they are any more work then our tropical tanks are. We do have the R/O system, and a ultra violet sanitizier with the tank, besides our 2 canisters. I usually check the water about once every few days..with a hydrometer, and its always right in line. I have seem some who have another aquarium off to the side and run there water thru that...not for me..I like SIMPLE.
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Carol, did you use instant ocean reef salt? We mix it as we need it doing a partial change about once every other month. We never leave our water sit. Just mix and pour. I dont think they are any more work then our tropical tanks are. We do have the R/O system, and a ultra violet sanitizier with the tank, besides our 2 canisters. I usually check the water about once every few days..with a hydrometer, and its always right in line. I have seem some who have another aquarium off to the side and run there water thru that...not for me..I like SIMPLE.
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I probably used Instant Ocean the most, but also remember using Tropic Marin and Red Sea. There is a chart out somewhere on the Internet telling you what properties each have if you want to get technical. Me? I am like you......I kept it simple. I did 10% changes once a week and then maybe once a month 20%. I was a water change freak. I mixed my water as needed also. Put a pump in the bottom garbage can (garbage cans I use ONLY for the tank
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) to make sure everything was mixed well and that the PH was what it was supposed to be. Once my tank was established I very rarely had to even test it. It pretty much ran itself as long as I did the water changes. I did use my hydrometer every week to make sure every thing was OK. More or less just tinkering with the tank.

I will say that even though a reef tank can be time consuming my saltwater fish tank was WAY MORE WORK. I had about 8 fish.......but they were LARGE. I had stuff like a 7" clown trigger, a 9 inch Naso Tang (dirty fish) 6" Regal Angel, etc. You know what they say....what goes in must come out. That is why I liked my reef tank more. Kept a few small fish........I could sit and watch my reef tank for hours. Some much going on with the live rock. Very cool.

Have you ever been to GARF.ORG Amazing reef tank site.

This has been my desktop photo for YEARS........HAVE FUN!
 
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This is our saltwater /reef tank, 72 gal bowfront. The fish we have in this tank would be a 1-Butterfly, 2-Pajama Cardinals, 2-Anthias, 1-Pendula Clown, 1-Yellow Tang, 1-Sixline Wrasse, 4 white starfish, (there so small) some hermit crabs for cleaning, and soon to be added the starry blenny. He is so weird looking, I wish I could get a good photo of him. He looks like he has antlers tipped with white stars, and tusks coming out of his mouth.
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Not the best pic, the red is actually more deep red and the purple dont show up very good. THink I need to ask Santa for a new camera.
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How hard are saltwater tanks to maintain? I think they are beautiful, but have not ever had one (just tropical fish).

Jill the boys had more tanks in their rooms for their entire lives than I can begin to count and some were huge. I have most of them now up in storage. They had all freshwater all the time and were easily maintained but I wanted a salt water tank for me because the fish you can get for them are simply gorgeous creatures. Salt water fish to me in my opinion are just so much more colorful and pretty. But that being said, you can certainly make a very beautiful fresh water aquarium as well with all the pretty lighting and background decorations. Most of our tanks had a theme that was fun. My favorite was one tank where I had these crazy illuminating sharks that liked to stand on their nose and I set it up with a sunken pirate ship, treasure chest that opened and closed and when it opened it had lots of pretty coins and jewels, and there were skeletons and a cave etc. neon lights and a pirate background. Was really neat.

Oh, we had a piranha too that only had one eye......the boys fed him meat.....his name was Captain Ron after the movie with Kurt Russel. Loved that darn fish but I killed him by accident one winter when the power went out and his tank got too cold.
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Very nice Corinne! Again, good luck with your tank.

Carol
 
Jill, I think alot of people get intimidated by saltwater/reef tanks, and think that they are a ton of work. Its true, when Bob had his first sw/r tank back in 1970, that tank was a real pain in the butt to keep up with and once we moved "upnorth" it became twice as bad...we had very hard water. But, things have changed so much with the upkeep, its really just about as easy to keep a saltwater tank as it is a freshwater tank. Just that the fish are "pricey" compared to freshwater, and so is the coral and live rock, and sand. I think you should go for it.
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Corinne
 

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