Damsel cage match!

[kpiotrowski]

Since going saltwater back in june I got rid of most of my freshwater to make time for just my reef. There was some stuff I just coudn't part with based on how little money I could get for it and what it was worth to me. This 85g 6 footer is one of them because it works awesome behind my couch.

Gonna stick about 20 damsels in it( previously planned just clowns) and see what happens next! figured with all the escape routes it will be a very active tank. Aquascape isn't finished yet, but gives the basic idea.

85g glass with overflow, 20g sump, mag drive 9.5 return and spray bar, etss reef devil skimmer, bioball chamber to be removed slowly after all fish are happy and tank is stable. home made ato, aquatraders 4x54w ho t-5, and thats about it.



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Oh, and if any one damsel get a little too out of control....the solution is 6 feet away in a 65g tank in the wall.




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Meet Henry ( my wife hand fed him while I was working back to back doubles....so she gets to name him!)

The solution to any damsel who get out of control.



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[TJL]

I think that it will be a very cool tank and just like African Chiclids they do better in pairs or large numbers. Looking forward to seeing it up and running.

Cheers, Todd

 

[kpiotrowski]

which reminds me....here is another source of food for my volitans. Hundreds of fry...I make sure to gut pack them first with New Life Spectrum. Much better than goldfish!



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[Krish]

Should be pretty cool and active like Todd mentioned! Are you running the wet/dry specifically to deal with the big bioload? If so, nothing beats them with FO systems. Good luck dude!

 

[kpiotrowski]

Was gonna run the wet/dry for a while at least as I plan to add all fish at once...after quarantine and treatment first. The sump with removable bioball chamber and skimmer were originally from my 120p, so I figured I'd put them to use. I plan to condition and treat all fish for ich at least in a 55g for a few weeks and then just throw em all in. might need some ideas for nitrate loving coral that will do well in lower light ( 216w t5 ho).

 

[Peppie]

This should be interesting to see.
Not sure about you quarantine process, as I understand it is to be 6 weeks, and 20 fish in a 55 how will yo be able to observe them all?

 

[kpiotrowski]

This should be interesting to see.
Not sure about you quarantine process, as I understand it is to be 6 weeks, and 20 fish in a 55 how will yo be able to observe them all?

damsels are cheap so I'm not too worried, and since I need to add all at once to help with aggression I have no choice but to quarantine toghether. if I wait untill there is a dominant one then it would make it hard to add any more especially if they were smaller. Adding them all at once helps to spread out the agression from the more dominant ones.

I was planning on giving them a week or so to condition them after the shipping proccess and then treat them all with prazi pro and then crypto pro as if they have ich. then just dump them in.

 

[Aquanaut]

Pom Xenia would be a great choice for Nitrate reduction and if there is plenty of flow, they can even to fine under CFL. I keep mine in my fuge and the Choc. Chips Starfish haven't touched them.

 

[Peppie]

damsels are cheap so I'm not too worried,

Not sure I agree with this approach. Just cause they are cheap doesnt make it OK to waste life. or do an inhumane experiment IMO