Tropical Fish Keeping banner

Pasfur's 180 FOWLR build

63K views 230 replies 45 participants last post by  sidluckman 
#1 ·
The aquarium delivery was rescheduled for Wednesday or Thursday, delayed in shipment. However, the other plans are coming along well.

Here is the ASM G-3 Skimmer:
Product Kitchen appliance Food processor Juicer


The Mag:
Technology Electronic device Powerhead Filter Fish supply


The Heaters, a Finnex Delux:
Technology Electronic device Electronics Router


And my live rock curing:
Dish Food Cuisine Ingredient Lunch

Glass


Yes, that is a home made skimmer. If you want to see the pictures of my sump skimmer, here is the photobucket link:
Home Made Skimmer pictures by Pasfur - Photobucket

Obviously, this skimmer is just to help with the live rock cycle. It won't last long!
 
See less See more
5
#213 · (Edited)
Ok, I have a hard time getting good pictures because the fish won't sit still! So, here are videos:

You can click on these pictures for video.

Begging for food...


Feeding time!
 
#214 ·
Your tank is so amazing!!!!! Well done.... What is the fish that has the top back end yellow and the front hlaf and back bottom reddy marron??
 
#216 ·
Cool, very very very very very nice tank lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#217 ·
I guess I could give some updates for those who don't want to read the entire thread. The tank was set up in March 2009, using about 80% dry rock from Marco Rocks & 20% live rock. The only filtration is a protein skimmer and UV sterilizer. This is a fish only system, but calcium and an alkalinity buffer are added regularly, which is why you see such intense coraline algae growth.

I have lost 2 fish during the process. The first was a Yellow Tail Damsel, which disappeared one day. The other was the Red Squirrelfish, which was a poor purchase on my part. The fish never really stood a chance against the aggressive feeding behaviors of these other fish. It died after having its eye bitten off during a feeding frenzy similar to that you witness in the above video.

I also fought some kind of fungal infection on the body of the Majestic Angelfish, which I believe was a result of bickering with the Clown Tang. I gave consideration to removing the Clown Tang, but it became unnecessary as the other fish grew into similar size. I never medicated and the Majestic fought the infection off on its own. This was probably 6 months or so ago.

The current stocking list is:
Clown Tang, Tomini Tang, Blond Naso Tang, Yellow Tang, Sailfin Tang, Scopas Tang, Foxface, Majestic Angelfish, Cuban Hogfish, Porcupine Puffer, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tail Damsel, Kleins Butterfly, & Clarkii Clownfish.

The Tangs have mixed well together with very little problems. You will notice that I have multiple Zebrasoma species, but only 1 each of the other genus's.

The growth rate of the fish has been amazing. The Kleins Butterfly was purchased at nearly the size of the Damselfish, and today it is a full grown adult size 4''. The Niger Trigger was similar in size when purchased, and today is nearly the biggest fish in the tank. It shows no aggression towards other fish, but the other fish give it space and never show any aggression towards it. The Clown Tang is still the dominant fish, and continues to grow and display amazing color. I am thrilled to have had such success with an extremely difficult species.

My favorite fish have to be the Sailfin Tang and Majestic Angelfish. The Sailfin is a Z. veliferum, and displays amazing dark stripes when extending its sails. It is stunning when the sails are fully extended and always catches the attention of guests. The Majestic Angel (aka Blue Girdled Angel) has always been one of my favorite fish, if only for its amazing colors. It is shy for an Angelfish, often hiding behind a rock at feeding time until I walk away, but then taking control of the feeding area at its will.

The favorite fish of house guests is, no surprise, the Porcupine Puffer. I bought this fish only for this purpose, because everyone kept asking if I had one! It was tiny when I bought it, half the size of my thumb. I had to hand feed it chunks of Plankton and Brine Shrimp cubes because it could not compete with the other fish in the tank. It also fought a long battle with ich, which I never treated, only fed garlic. The ich never showed on any other fish and today it has been several months since i've seen any ich on the Puffer. It is well past the critical stage and is now growing like a weed. I no longer have to hand feed it because it goes where it wants when it wants and the other fish allow it to take first stabs at feeding time.

I hope some of you enjoy the updates. I'll post another update before Christmas 2011. :)
 
#220 ·
I was bored tonight, so I shot some more video from a bit farther away. The fish behave a bit more natural in this post because they don't see me standing there with the camera.

Click to see video:
 
#221 · (Edited)
I enjoyed that video much more, by far. I was able to see more detail of each fish. Amazing color going on in that tank. I really like that Cuban Hogfish. I can't say when I've ever seen one. They don't have one in any of the tanks at our nearby Seaworld or Scripps Birch aquarium, at least that I have seen and I pretty much scour each tank with my eyeballs. One word, "Wow".

PS. Did you aquire your majestic Angelfish as a juvenile? If so, at what stage of their lives to their colors change?
 
#223 ·
I purchased my Majestic after its adult color was already present. Sometimes in captivity the color pattern will not change from juvenille to adult, and I didn't want to take a chance!
 
#228 ·
WOWza!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE IT!!! All your fish are GORGEOUS!!!!!

Love the Clarkii. I know they are common, but if I would not have been outvoted by the rest of the family I would have a pair of Clarkiis or Cinnamons.

Is your Sailfin fully grown?? How big is he?
 
#229 ·
An update on my tank. On 7/15/2012 I took the tank apart. Curse of the fishkeeper, I get bored after a few years of the same setup. The fish were doing great and I really enjoyed this tank, but the desire to do a freshwater heavily planted live plant tank caught up to me. I will do a build on this tank in the plant forum here at TFK.

The fish were all found proper homes with experienced fishkeepers, minus a few common varieties that were returned to the LFS. Curiously, the Clarkii Clown was missing, I have no idea when he disappeared or why.

I hope you've all enjoyed this build as much as I did. And I hope I don't look back and regret taking this tank down! Now, on to a new challenge, freshwater live plants...
 
#230 ·
well i would like to wish you the very best,and say thank you
for sharing this time.
good luck with the new tank i'm sure it will be everything and more. :-D
 
#231 ·
I love "MacGyvering" in the aquarium hobby. Personally, I prefer the real thing to "country crock"! Ingenious solution to a perennial problem: "I'm outta cash and I need more aquarium equipment!" Did you ever get the 180? I see that I am reading back a few years.

Luckily I have at least three GREAT LFSs in my area, any of which are reliable. Let's see your tanks.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top