Jef's Reef Tank

[Springs24]

Nice clown trigga...is he pretty reef-safe (now that he's probably older and bigger)

[CptAlexAhlgrim]

One: love the music!!! I'm probably going to go get his cd tomorrow.

Two: I want your aquarium!

Three: very well! Very!

And four: how much have you invested in your aquarium?

[oFallenDemono]

0:36 Aptaisia

[JefSmithers]

@miabelara Yes it was, kinda. I had slot of external filtration units. But have since put everyone in a 180 gallon tank, look for my update in a few weeks. Thank you for looking :-)

[JefSmithers]

@JefSmithers I meant "a lot"

[finger11yo]

is that a marine catfish how much was it and is it reef safe

[JefSmithers]

@finger11yo They call it a Coral Cat. They generally sell them at about 2" when they're cute. This particular one is now about 6" long, not as cute. They are fairly Reef Safe fish, they don't chew they only swallow what they can fit in their mouth. They clean up the gravel at night looking for tiny morsels, or suck shrimp meat out of Bandit the Clown Triggers mouth during the day. I keep thinking Bandit is going to have him for lunch one day because it anoys him.

[JefSmithers]

@JefSmithers Coral Cats are also poisonous, so have to be handled with a little care. They have poisonous spines in the dorsal fin and side fins.

[TheLabguy6]

hey does your clown trigger bother your corals. i bet he already got your red crab. in video looks like he was trying to have crab legs for dinner. i have a small clown trigger and getting ready to start buying corals. i love him fav fish and dont want to get rid of him . nice tank.

[JefSmithers]

@TheLabguy6 -Yes my clown bothers and has takem out many corals, and I knew it would happen. What I have found is corals he won't bother in the process. I love the guy and he is huge now, so I only put corals in that he won't munch, I also feed him, which is the mistake a lot of aquarists make is lack of feeding in fear of getting high nitrates & phosphates (get a algea scrubber). Bandit will not bother Mushrooms, Ricordia, and Button polyps.

[JefSmithers]

@TheLabguy6 In the past he has taken out two large fields of Star Polyps, but those are coming back in the new tank. My Purple Lobster and Strawberry Crab are doing great, but a few months ago Bandit lunched my Blood Shrimps. I'm going to introduce some more Blood Shrimp later on when he has other things to do. Watch for my updated video in a few weeks. I have since gone to a 180 gallon Flat Back Hex that is stunning (in comparison only) with quite a few improvements.

[28GallonBowfront]

Looks like you have aptasia growing on the side of your in tank refugium

[alnoel22]

is your naso tang gonna be to big for this tank and do clown triggerfish pick at corals

[JefSmithers]

@alnoel22 I have since upgraded to a 180 gallon, and yes Bandit has taken out quite a few corals, and I knew it would happen. What I have found is corals he won't bother in the process. I love the guy and he is huge now, so I only put corals in that he won't munch, I also feed him, which is the mistake a lot of aquarists make is lack of feeding in fear of getting high nitrates & phosphates (get a algea scrubber). Bandit will not bother Mushrooms, Ricordia, and Button polyps.

[Scojan87]

Nice setup you have, The Tangs and the Clown trigger will outgrow your tank though.

I know, I had a sailfin in a 75G, it grew too large, got really aggressive, and killed most of the other inhabitants

[JefSmithers]

Not sure I didn't think so. I never saw them even pay attention to each other. The scooter has died since this video was taken, so it is possible. The mandarin is doing very well. I've had him for well over a year.

[doRYEmon]

the scooter blenny and the mandarin ever fight at all?

[TLwalshz]

whats the name of the song

[JefSmithers]

@TLwalshz the music is by Matt Bachrach "Dreams" & "Silent Rain"

[JefSmithers]

@TLwalshz the music is by Matt Bachrach "Dreams" & "Silent Rain"

[dbq94]

i need help im a newbie to all this how did your rocks get all that cool stuff on it my=ine are just starting to turn purple after like a year

[JefSmithers]

@dbq94 -It helps to begin with really good live rock. I use several types of biological and mechanical filtration, as well as some supplementation to feed those micro-organisms.

[TLwalshz]

how do you keep your sand soo white

[JefSmithers]

@TLwalshz -I think because of the light in the video it looks whiter than it is.

[dmontalvo15]

Joe's Juice my friend!!! It will help. But good work.

[BiiGPAPASMURF]

IS YOUR TANK I 48 x 18 x 21?

[JefSmithers]

Yes

[laexposicion]

Thank you for your answer my friend, I really like the Clown Trigger its my favorite fish, but Im really afraid it will kill my Shrimps and Electric Scallps, I will will think about it before taking the risk..... I forgot to ask you, how do you have configurated your Fluval? I use the Fx5 and all the baskets I have them with piolishing pads, What do you recomend? And how often do you clean it? Thank you for your help. bye. Fernando A.

[JefSmithers]

One thing to consider is that the clown trigger was a baby when I put him in this aquarium. Another is that the shrimps were there first. I remember puting a cleaner shrimp in about 2 months ago and the Clown Trigger did attack and eat him. I also have two pepermint shrimps that travel between the refugium and the main tank and have not been eaten. I definatley think the Clown Trigger would eat your scallops.

[JefSmithers]

I have three pepermint Shrimp, two Blood shrimp, one Strawberry Crab, one Purple Lobster and several Hermit Crabs that are so far not bothered. I do know this, that I definately have to feed the Clown Trigger at least two times ti three times a day making sure he gets his fill. My Fluval 404 is made up of carbon 2 layers, & ceramic 2 layers. I clean it once every 6 weeks. -Jef

[BiiGPAPASMURF]

WHAT DOES UR MANDARIN EAT?

[JefSmithers]

Mandarins are tough, they can only go in well established tanks that have enough tiny invertibrates (Copods, etc) to eat. Mine is doing well. He has been in the tank now for 8 months

[JefSmithers]

@BiiGPAPASMURF -Copodes and other things, he is still doing great. The aquarium has to be well established and a lot of good live rock helps.

[laexposicion]

My frien how come your Clown Trigger does not eat the shrips? I really want a clown trigger fish but aquarist says that it will eat some soft corals and wil kill my shrimp, how does yours behave? Thank you!

[JefSmithers]

@laexposicion -Keeping him, "Bandit" fed wells helps alot. As you can see he's pretty fat. The only shrimp he eats is the raw frozen jumbos. There are a couple corals missing, but no shrimps, Lobsters or crabs. My one Kenya Tree is now five thanks to his pruning. He's considerably bigger now and seems to be looking at other resourses of food, but feeding him two or three times a day helps keep his mind off of it . . . I hope. He's too cool!

[BiiGPAPASMURF]

is that tank big enough for all those fish?

i love the tank.

thanks

[JefSmithers]

Techically no, but I have a refugium, a large sump and a large overflow, as well as several other filtration units on this system. But space wise I am working on the completion of a 180 Flat back hex with a large sump as well as an addition 100 gallon tank that ads capacity as well. It will be a much nicer fit so then I can put my Powder Blue tang in with them as well. Thanks! -Jef

[tvshowuploader3]

So how many hang on filters u using in your aquarium? does it help to keep corals grow larger and healthy too and does it help to let the condi anemone bye happy too in a home aquarium?

[JefSmithers]

Just one Aqua Clear 110. I do have a Fluval 404 as, I just don't consider it a hang on filter. I'm not sure it helps with the coral growth. But I'm sure those lights I described do. As far as the Condylactus, the female Gold Striped Clown feeds it. Thanks for asking -Jef

[tvshowuploader3]

Nice work on your tank dude 5 star but how did u make your bubble anemone so big now do u have a filtreation thing in your aqua clear 110 can u tell me what filtreation u using thanks on your aqua clear 110? would a aqua clear sponge help to clean the tank and remove algae to should that be fine in my biowheel 200 filter?

[JefSmithers]

It's actually a Condylactis Anemone, the Gold Striped Clowns feed it when I'm feeding shrimp, krill or scallops. I use ceramic media in the Aqua Clear as well as carbon and the typical sponge for particulate. Algae or cyno bacteria is general controled by water quality and lighting. Thanks!

[JefSmithers]

Good question about the Purple Lobster, he's doing great. I've had him about 8-9 mo's. I'm not sure if he's connect to my disappearances. A couple of weeks ago a Coral cat came up missing and so did a Cleaner Wrasse. About months ago a Yellow Tail Damsel disappeared, nothing I would consider important . . . Yet!

[crzyp852]

nice tank. quick question i heard purple lobsters tend to EAT other fishes or/and inverts how has yours been acting cause i just purchase one and am now a little worry :-/....

[FishyMoe]

not so sure about the clown trigger...

[BiiGPAPASMURF]

BEOTCH

[JefSmithers]

Why BEOTCH?

[DGKDecks]

hey can i replace the 55w light in my PC with a 96w PC ?

[JefSmithers]

Not that I know of, usually ballasts are matched with your bulb output.

[JefSmithers]

Thank You, I looked at your latest, and it's great too. Again Thank you!

[SkilfulLeader1]

Great work!! very nice