TXMAVERICKMH NEW TANK PICS NOV 2009

[txmaverickmh]

Hello Everyone,

I thought I would post some new tank pics to show everyone my progress as a newbie, I will be tearing this tank down soon though, because I am almost finished setting up my new big daddy tank, Marineland Deep Dimension 200gal, 48X36 footprint. Enjoy the pics!!!!

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[Europhyllia]

Oh I love those dimensions. I bet there is going to be a lot of fun things you can do with this tank. Such a different approach for a tank this size!

The rainbow lobo is beautiful.

Do feed that dragonet a little bit or send her over to my fat camp. She needs to gain quite a bit. ;)

What an interesting tang you have!

[txmaverickmh]

I actually just picked up the Mandarin yesterday from Aquarium Masters! She is picking constantly, seems to be a good hunter, and she even ate some frozen mysis shrimp!

[DrMark]

glad you figured out the pics......looking good.
good luck with the mandarin...........

[txmaverickmh]

I will take so much loving care and attention of that Mandarin just for you Dr. Mark!!!

FYI to other folks...I purchased the Mandarin this weekend against Dr. Mark's wishes which kills me because he is my mentor and my BOY BLUE!!!! But, sometimes we got to venture on our own and try things, I have an enormous, healthy copopod population due to the fact that I started my tank with very cured LR, and I dose phytoplankton, supplemental copopods, and I have some really perfect rocks to protect the population and give them the opportunity to breed readily in the tank as well as refugium.

It was even more of a bonus that I witnessed him or her eat mysis last night, going to try and check it out again.

MH

[Europhyllia]

Lol. That's funny because knowing how much you value his input I actually thought to myself 'I can't believe Dr Mark thought it would be a good idea to stick a mandarin and a sea star in a brand new system! I don't know about that DrMark guy...'

Best of luck with everything. I am glad she's eating mysis. :)

[txmaverickmh]

DrMark is my boy, he knows so much about this hobby, and is so freaking smart because he remembers everything he reads, species, care strategies, etc...but, we will see how it goes, I promise to be a good daddy!

The orange linkia star has been there for a very long time, and he is doing very well...it is amazing how fast those things cruise the tank when you are not watching! Please remember, I got my rock out of a very mature tank which has exponentially helped the maturation of my setup.

mh

[diego]

Michael these pics do no justice to your beautiful tank.

[Europhyllia]

be sure to post an updated pic in a few weeks of the mandarin. It's so rewarding to see them thrive and get healthy. :)

[DrMark]

be sure to post an updated pic in a few weeks of the mandarin. It's so rewarding to see them thrive and get healthy. :)

you really want updated pics to see if it is the same mandarin......JK
hopefully, it does well.......

[txmaverickmh]

Perhaps I will get a tattoo for my mandarin to verify he is the same when he is fat and happy months down the road!

AND, I officially would like to announce that I talked my mentor, Dr. Marky Mark into purchasing a fat daddy Mandarin that will be coming in with the big GC Reef MEGA ORDER on Wednesday!

Mark, I would like to take this moment to wish you the best with your new Mandarin, perhaps we will name him "Big Mike" in honor of me???? hahahahaha, seriously, your home tank is the epitome of a Mandarin feast heaven or something like that. He will do awesome!

MH

[Europhyllia]

LOL. I don't think I would be able to ID other people's fish ;)

[Big_Pun]

hey i was thnking about a mandarin tat, i was so happy when i saw mine eat prepared food now hes a fat monster, hangs out with my lawnmower blenny eating everything, if you look at my threads i have video of him eating formula one pellets

[Mr Cob]

It's a nice looking nano! How long have you had the sea star? Are you spot feeding it or something?

Love the rock work.

[txmaverickmh]

I believe I got the linkia orange sea star in the middle of August, so I would say about three months. He cruises the tank all day on the glass, rock and he loves hanging on the locklines. I dont spot feed him, but I do probably feed my fish pretty heavily due to the load I have in the 40gal. Yet, I do water tests with HIGH frequently as well as I have an Apex Controller with probes, and the water parameters are always good.

And my 5 year old loves when he loses grip and falls off the locklines! haha He is very healthy and a favorite of our guests. And like I said earlier, it is amazing how fast those things move bc if you sit there and watch them, it seems like they dont move, but if you work on the computer or watch TV, when you come back the sea star is on the OTHER SIDE OF THE TANK! Its crazy!

Michael

[Mr Cob]

Thanks, for the info Michael. I love Linkias, I had a blue one but it died after only 3 months. I would love to get another but just nervous about keeping it long term. I have always been a light feeder so that could have attributed to it's death.

[corruption]

The blue Linkias are more typically the problematic species -- other Linkias, and of course, Fromia stars are far more likely to survive... There are those rare specimens that make it though, and boy do I envy those owners ;)

-Corruption

[Europhyllia]

Rob check out this link:
http://en.microcosmaquariumexplorer.com/wiki/Spotted_Linckia_Sea_Star

These are hard to come by but apparently they are the linckia most likely to survive long term.
Apparently sea stars just get skinnier and skinnier over the course of several months before they actually starve so to see if it is really thriving in an aquarium it would probably take 6 months or more I guess?
I think Fenner said in his book he likes the marble stars (Fromia). Those can probably be spot fed.

[txav8r]

Looks like you have a TON of flow int that tank!

[Mr Cob]

Sweet Karin. Now...who has them...? LOL....gonna post in the sponsor forum. I love the coloring. Thanks.

Michael...from your picture yours looks small so, that's probably a good thing in regards to surviving.

[txmaverickmh]

After speaking to Minh (Orion) and seeing his Nano at GCReef as well as speaking to Jeremy at Reefs2U, I decided to kick up the flow a notch and added a Koralia 2 to break the water surface, and a Koralia 1 to shoot straight across the front of the tank, along with the two previous Koralia nanos that I had, and I have seen alot of success and happiness since the change.

Mr. Cob, I got my orange Linkia from Aquarium Masters in August, and I remember talking to Sherri and she said to stick with the orange ones as they are the hardiest and the other colors dont do as well. Also, through my research, I saw that they do not have lots of success in aquariums, many people told me not to get one, but I just loved it and I had to have it. He is probabgly about 3-4" in diameter and does well considering I have a very young tank only setup August 1st this year.

But, I do overfeed in the morning, light feed in evening, and I have a skimmer rated for much bigger than my tank, so it skims like crazy and really gets some stinky crap out of the water.

I also dose Purple Up every other day which has contributed to some great coraline algae growth, and I feed oyster eggs, arctipods and phytoplankton about every 3 days which is aimed at helping the clam, corals and such, but I am sure the sea star gulps the leftovers as well.

Hope this helps!

Michael

[Calvert13]

Hmmm ... I'm think'n of set'n up a nano again.