Thinking of setting up a FOWOLR

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Good point. There is an absolutely gorgeous parrotfish at King Ed's that selling for a good price but I can't bring it home because I don't have a big fish only tank for it.

Having a big tank is only one issue with parrots. The specialized diet is a bigger issue.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by burgerchow

Yo, what I mean is that I'm assuming the op is savvy with fish husbandry, as he already has a large reef tank, and would know about asking about fish diets and special needs. What I mean is that if he saw a nice queen angel or even a goldflake angel, maybe a clown trigger, he could get them without worrying about whether they would eat his corals or invertebrates.
How many times have you been in a fish store and saw the most beautiful fishes, but regrettably have to pass because they weren't reef safe?
As for hiding places, the slate slabs make beautiful caves and crevices for hiding.

If you don't think I know my fish, I've been in the hobby for 35 years. Reef for 20 years.

Just have to say.... being in the hobby a long time does not mean you know it all.

At least hoping that is not what your are saying. Always something to learn. I am sure you have lots to offer... but most of us do not know who you are... and some comments in a forum can be quite amateurish... if you know what I mean. Amateurish meaning it seems like something a person new to the hobby might say.

Sorry to the op... but it drives me nuts when people talk in years of experience.

[burgerchow]

Originally Posted by paddyob

Just have to say.... being in the hobby a long time does not mean you know it all.

At least hoping that is not what your are saying. Always something to learn. I am sure you have lots to offer... but most of us do not know who you are... and some comments in a forum can be quite amateurish... if you know what I mean. Amateurish meaning it seems like something a person new to the hobby might say.

Sorry to the op... but it drives me nuts when people talk in years of experience.

Just because I rarely post, you wanna call me amateur? I don't spend my whole life trolling canreef. Lots of people around Vancouver know me. Ask seahorse or naesco. I never said I was an expert, heck, with all the new technology, it's hard to keep up. The original poster wanted to do a fish only tank without live rock and all I'm saying is that it can be done quite easily and NO, you don't have to have live rock to keep fish.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Yes, I've known Burgerchow for many years and he has a very beautiful, well-established reef tank. As he states, he may not post much but he knows his stuff.

The way I took his original comment (as he intended) was that if the OP puts in the same care he does in choosing his fish only inhabitants as he presumably does with his reef tank, then there is a whole new "world" of species that are now possible to keep that were not compatible with stocking a reef tank before. He was NOT suggesting the OP go willy-nilly on just picking up any and every fish without doing his research.

By posting his questions in this thread on Canreef, the OP is demonstrating that he is willing to do research prior to acting. That is the assumption Burgerchow (and I) got from reading this thread.

Burgerchow also only mentioned his fishkeeping/reefing history after being chastised by other members who jumped on his case for his original posting. He has never before mentioned how long he has kept fish or corals. He does not "brag" about these things, but in this instance, I believe he is justified in defending himself from people who assume he knows nothing about reefing due to his low post count. And he has never claimed to be an expert or sw guru. Never. Those who have attacked him over his original post are making the assumption that due to his low post count, he must be a sw newbie. Now if you are attacked in that way, would you not also defend yourself and point out that you've been successfully keeping reef tanks and fish only tanks for decades (so you're not just making empty comments but have the hands-on experience to back up your statements)? Could he have stated his comments better? Probably. Is this a reason to tear into him like this? No.

Unlike Burgerchow, I do spend a lot of time on this forum and I've noticed how some members are getting very quick to take offence or to jump on statements made by others. Good way to drive away members (both newbie and old-timers). I've been told by other Canreef oldtimers how this type of aggressive posting by certain members has caused them to stop coming on this forum for a while now. Each time this sort of "let's jump all over someone for a random comment" happens, other members lose more and more interest in posting here. In the end, we are losing lots of good members with lots to contribute and replacing them with people who feel this type of behaviour is fine and dandy. Soon, nobody else will post their answers to questions on here and only come to check the classifieds. Then we all lose.

Well that's my two cents on this unnecessary Canreef drama.

[burgerchow]

Thanks for the support Seahorse.

I guess I gotta post my fishkeeping resume now... LOL

well, here it goes.

1. goldfish as a kid. We had a large 30 foot cement fishpond and had hundreds of goldfish and koi in it. ( did you know that goldfish coud survive through the winter even when frozen in ice? Honest to god, one cold winter, the whole pond froze, and I guess they were in a state of cryonic suspension, cause once they thawed out, they were still alive)

2. Late 80's , Oscars and jack dempseys Asian arrowanas

3. 1990-1993 Went big into African cichlids, Tropheus, aulonacaras, peacocks, electric blue ahlis, was even breeding them

4. set up my first saltwater in 1993. 90 gallon fish only.
changed over to my first coral tank, running only lps. bubbles, candy canes, softies. etc


You gotta remember that people were just dabbling in sps at that time.
Information was hard to get. Before the internet, the only info you could get was from books and magazines. No such thing as Forums....google, or wikipedia. You wanted to know something, you asked your local lfs or had to buy a book. We learned by trial and error. It's great that new people to the hobby can access such a vast wealth of fishkeeping experience instantly with a few strokes of a keypad.


5. set up my first "true reef tank " in 1995. 90 gallon with a 100 lbs of live rock and 2 bak pak skimmers. Was one of the first people in canada to get ice cap vho ballasts, and was running vho lighting, Ran this tank for 10 years, even surviving a tank move in 2001. ( 40 mile move, took the tank, live rock, and even all the water, and everything survived) Roger from Roger's Aquatics and I did the move over 8 hours.

6. 2005, set up amazon fw plant tank in my 55 gal corner bowfront, complete with co2, and 150 cardinal tetras. Got bored, and in

7. 2009 decided to set up my 120 as full reef including sps.
this is the first time I've done sps, They're ok, but my main love are lps.

I been shopping at J&L before they even had a store. Alan and John used to deliver stuff directly to my house in person.

Just because I don't post a lot doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing.
I spend my time on a lot of other forums, cause I have lots of other hobbies. Harleys, guns, r/c boats and cars, audiophile, etc.

Hell, we party like rockstars every day.

so Paddyrob, you got anything else to say, I'm calling you out.

[burgerchow]

Originally Posted by Palmer

Hi Everyone,

So I have had my reef up and running for 2 and a half years and pretty happy with it no major issues (besides the occasional RO flood.) I have also kept Cichlids for about 15 years and I am kind of getting tired of my 125 G african cichlid tank.

I like the aquascaping of the tank though (Big Buddha statue and lots of slate rock.) I am thinking I would like to convert it to Fish only but without live rock and as a separate system from my reef.

So would a good skimmer regular waterchanges and perhaps some "detritus free" bioballs with mechanical filtration do the trick? I know everyone is pro live rock and negative on wet/dry filtration but is that more for corals which in many cases are more sensitive to nitrates?

Also I could start another thread but any suggestions on fish for a 125 G 6' long tank? I honestly have spent much more time reading about corals over the last couple of years and have spent little time researching fish I would not put in my 120 G reef.

thanks!

Palmer

Go for it Palmer. You don't need live rock if you've got good filtration.

The fish might appreciate it too for the extra swimming space.

[lockrookie]

first off palmer anything can be done if you plan your head off so i say go for it have fun doing it and plan for future changes as need be to ensure the health of your waterlogged friends. alot of ppl told me not to have my returnplumbing mid tank. i did it solved the problems and i love it so imdoing it again.. just scarier with morewater volume now lol.

secondly i have learned from this thread and others.never to judge a fellow reefer by thier posts. or from date of joining. i myself have become a member since 2009 and still learning and experimenting. but have had kept fresh water since 93 starting salt in 09. when ppl give me advice i listen to both sides and come to my own conclusion. or just ignore ppl and do hat i want lol. i was told that it was too early for a manderin in my new tank. yet it did quite well till another fish killed it.

all in all there are alot of great informative ppl on canreef new and old to the hobby/forum and im thankful to have access to you all with out this collective of knowledge id still be running a seaclone skimmer and fluval 405 on my 90..gawd was i an idiot lol not to mention the horrible fake reef background i started with

do a utube search if you already havent there where a few cool vids of fowolr with driftwood and such that whereinterestingto watch the fish swim around...your imagination is your only limitation.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by burgerchow

Just because I rarely post, you wanna call me amateur? I don't spend my whole life trolling canreef. Lots of people around Vancouver know me. Ask seahorse or naesco. I never said I was an expert, heck, with all the new technology, it's hard to keep up. The original poster wanted to do a fish only tank without live rock and all I'm saying is that it can be done quite easily and NO, you don't have to have live rock to keep fish.

I think you should read my post again. I never called you an amateur.

I was standing up for someone who, as I also did, mistook your words.

I could care less for someone to post a "resume"... Just stating maybe understand that things you post may be misconstrued.

The person who replied about your buy any fish post replied with innocence. To which you replied maybe not so nicely... And a tad condescending.

Just saying. Read my post again. And maybe put it in context and don't let it tarnish your ego.

How should we know who you are?

[paddyob]

There is no drama. Its an obvious misunderstanding.

I agree. This forum has gone down in quality over the last while. That's what happens when something grows.

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Yes, I've known Burgerchow for many years and he has a very beautiful, well-established reef tank. As he states, he may not post much but he knows his stuff.

The way I took his original comment (as he intended) was that if the OP puts in the same care he does in choosing his fish only inhabitants as he presumably does with his reef tank, then there is a whole new "world" of species that are now possible to keep that were not compatible with stocking a reef tank before. He was NOT suggesting the OP go willy-nilly on just picking up any and every fish without doing his research.

By posting his questions in this thread on Canreef, the OP is demonstrating that he is willing to do research prior to acting. That is the assumption Burgerchow (and I) got from reading this thread.

Burgerchow also only mentioned his fishkeeping/reefing history after being chastised by other members who jumped on his case for his original posting. He has never before mentioned how long he has kept fish or corals. He does not "brag" about these things, but in this instance, I believe he is justified in defending himself from people who assume he knows nothing about reefing due to his low post count. And he has never claimed to be an expert or sw guru. Never. Those who have attacked him over his original post are making the assumption that due to his low post count, he must be a sw newbie. Now if you are attacked in that way, would you not also defend yourself and point out that you've been successfully keeping reef tanks and fish only tanks for decades (so you're not just making empty comments but have the hands-on experience to back up your statements)? Could he have stated his comments better? Probably. Is this a reason to tear into him like this? No.

Unlike Burgerchow, I do spend a lot of time on this forum and I've noticed how some members are getting very quick to take offence or to jump on statements made by others. Good way to drive away members (both newbie and old-timers). I've been told by other Canreef oldtimers how this type of aggressive posting by certain members has caused them to stop coming on this forum for a while now. Each time this sort of "let's jump all over someone for a random comment" happens, other members lose more and more interest in posting here. In the end, we are losing lots of good members with lots to contribute and replacing them with people who feel this type of behaviour is fine and dandy. Soon, nobody else will post their answers to questions on here and only come to check the classifieds. Then we all lose.

Well that's my two cents on this unnecessary Canreef drama.

[paddyob]

Sorry to the OP for the off topic.

Im outtie.