A Newbie's Tank ... My 1St

[Qxnviolet]

Haha, another AM supporter....have to agree its quite a nice place to go "shopping". Hope i can finish work early tonight and pop by for a while. Any nice clams left?

[jervismun]

Haha, another AM supporter....have to agree its quite a nice place to go "shopping". Hope i can finish work early tonight and pop by for a while. Any nice clams left?

AM ok lah... but they do have too many different sales ppl there, a lot of times they don't know anything... so more like friends/relatives hanging out there... so a simple question/task must ask a few times... that's my 2 cents observation.

But at least that place is "smoke" free. I was at Harlequin last 3 weeks and I was so pissed off by their hanging out gang smoking inside the store (at the round table near the entrance). As you all know, they have some plastic air curtain, so inside was like a smoke chamber. I left the shop immediately, still can smell the smoke inside my car... bad bad LFS. Don't even respect the basic rules of respecting nature and its customers.

Like that place coz it's quite strategic... on my way home, I'll take CTE, drop by AM, then take TPE/SLE home. And also that row of unofficial car park opposite the shop is a big plus. The royalty card programme is working well too... always end up buying more than $30, lol.

Bro, they still have quite a number of clams... colours not too bad. The tiny ones can't really tell coz they do not open big-big. You think they still have more LS (those exp ones) behind the shop? Open only to members? Coz the selections in the main store is not very exciting.

[Qxnviolet]

Haha, basically they'll display all the nice stuff in the front of the shop. Behind is sort of a quarrantine/holding area. Most of the times you will not find anything in the back thats not displayed out front. The LRs are kept in the back too...

[w3ish3ng]

behind the store is usually qurantine fishes, sometime have a few coral as well. and its also the resting place for the staff.

[jervismun]

behind the store is usually qurantine fishes, sometime have a few coral as well. and its also the resting place for the staff.

Ic... so you guys been to the back before Bro Qxn how's your shopping trip? Any good catch? Share with us lah!

[w3ish3ng]

not sure about who have been in there. but i have been in there a couple of times but you must have the stuff open the door for you not you anyhow go in la.

[Qxnviolet]

Haha, if you are quite a regular, just ask for permission. They won't stop you.... But, theres really nothing much back there too....

[Qxnviolet]

TaDDdaa...presenting the newcomer...

[jervismun]

Wah!!! That's not a Ultra right? So are we in a race or something? Em... I might need to get another clam to stay ahead!!! lol

Nice colour... wanna take some shots from the top? The colour will be more fluorence...

[Qxnviolet]

Erm, lazy to....LOL....better not say that (the race thing), we might get flamed. Haha, kidding, but you never know, there are very sensitive people out there... Was deciding whether to get the ultra maximas last night, but in the end decided they were too small...

[jervismun]

Erm, lazy to....LOL....better not say that (the race thing), we might get flamed.  Haha, kidding, but you never know, there are very sensitive people out there... Was deciding whether to get the ultra maximas last night, but in the end decided they were too small...

Yeah they are a bit too tiny... can't really see they're true colours... hard to decide also. Maybe next time we will come across larger specimens... the tiny ones will look like babies if put next to our Croceas, lol. Aiya the race thing is only a joke la... how to race with you, you are much more experienced, your tank more established and you have so much more space... so even if I'm a millionaire (which I am obviously not), I would merely buy new ones to replace old ones... lol

Wait a minute... if I'm a millionaire... I'll build a tank so huge I can fit in 2000 clams!!! And hire 2 biologists and a scuba diver to take care of my tank!!!

[Qxnviolet]

Haha, don't be so humble....you are much more dedicated to your tank than i am. I LOVE the Ultra Crocea in their display tank..... Anyway, heard you upgrading soon....how big a tank are you looking at? Maybe i can use yours as a guage when i wanna upgrade...

[jervismun]

Haha, don't be so humble....you are much more dedicated to your tank than i am. I LOVE the Ultra Crocea in their display tank..... Anyway, heard you upgrading soon....how big a tank are you looking at? Maybe i can use yours as a guage when i wanna upgrade...

Yeah talking about racing... u so kiasu! lol... oh I heard someone is looking at a 6ft tank (don't ask me how I find out)...

My next tank will still be a slightly bigger version of a nano. Around 60g to 75g with internal sump and refugium. Wanna keep it simple... modeled like the Aqua Medic Percula 90 tank... ok I cheapo copy the design, lol.

I like the concept of a small tank, sorta like creating a bonsai garden. More intimate and more creative... also easier to take photographs when things are nearer to the glass. Will look at quality instead of quantity... so that's a feel of the next time to come... but surely add in my all time favourite juvenile Emperor Angel. Will it "kacau" my clam and SPS? Oh my next tank will be primarily Clam and SPS... em... sounds familiar right? Haha again, cheapo copy ppls tank again...

[Qxnviolet]

Hrmz, internal sump and refugium means ??? Those tanks with additional compartments used as sumps/refugium? Erm, my wall cant fit in a 6ft tank.... Im kind of planning for a SPS/LPS/Softies only tank.....with maybe 5 fishes or left. Find corals easier to take care of than LS. Maybe im just lousy.....

[Qxnviolet]

Wah!!! That's not a Ultra right? So are we in a race or something? Em... I might need to get another clam to stay ahead!!! lol

Nice colour... wanna take some shots from the top? The colour will be more fluorence...

Just for you....hrmz, next time buy clams must put them in a normal glass tank before buying. Totally different colouration from the top and front

[Qxnviolet]

Under Atanics....

[Qxnviolet]

Looks like Super Suns?!~ Nah, its just my normal ones opening happily...

[Qxnviolet]

My yellow ones are catching up....opening much bigger than before.

[jervismun]

Hrmz, internal sump and refugium means ??? Those tanks with additional compartments used as sumps/refugium? Erm, my wall cant fit in a 6ft tank.... Im kind of planning for a SPS/LPS/Softies only tank.....with maybe 5 fishes or left. Find corals easier to take care of than LS. Maybe im just lousy.....

Yupe those kind of tanks, lol. But I will still prepare an empty sump at the bottom for future expansion. Anyway... still too early... still in the drawing board. Corals easier than fishes? Em... I'm not sure leh, but yes keeping too much LS can produce very high bioload. I will probably do the same too... 1 or 2 mandarin for sure

[Qxnviolet]

Yupe those kind of tanks, lol. But I will still prepare an empty sump at the bottom for future expansion. Anyway... still too early... still in the drawing board. Corals easier than fishes? Em... I'm not sure leh, but yes keeping too much LS can produce very high bioload. I will probably do the same too... 1 or 2 mandarin for sure

Haha, yeap....its the bioload thats worrying me...but then, say say only....when i see the fishes in the shops.... LoL....let me know your plans and progress yah? Went AM just now?

[jervismun]

Haha, yeap....its the bioload thats worrying me...but then, say say only....when i see the fishes in the shops.... LoL....let me know your plans and progress yah? Went AM just now?

Didn't drop by AM... broke already, no point going Paycheck coming in next Monday (I hope). Nice pix of your clams (top view)... yes I agree we need to use better glass for viewing our clams. Wanna make our tanks together? Then we can specify better glass for our front panel... I heard a brand called Starfire, am I right?

[Qxnviolet]

Erm, heard of it before....but have no idea what it does, what its advantages are or how much it costs more than a normal panel. Haha, i got no budget to make any tank for the next few months, you go ahead and i'll sneak behind and copy....

[Terryz_]

Starphire glass is primarily a glass that contain lesser iron than normal glass... Thus it will be clearer... Not sure of the percentage or iron and blah blah blah...

There is a cheaper type of glass... Diament glass, the price is cheaper and very clear too...

[jervismun]

Erm, heard of it before....but have no idea what it does, what its advantages are or how much it costs more than a normal panel. Haha, i got no budget to make any tank for the next few months, you go ahead and i'll sneak behind and copy....

Those glass will offer better clarity (coz lesser iron/metal content I think) so u see colours better... definitely more expensive la, but if only the front panel, maybe can afford la. Copy my design? No problem coz I copied from somewhere too... but I'm looking at a small tank, around 3.5' x 2' x 2'. You probably looking at a 5' and beyond.

How much they selling the Ultras again? You bought anything this afternoon?

[Qxnviolet]

Starphire glass is primarily a glass that contain lesser iron than normal glass... Thus it will be clearer... Not sure of the percentage or iron and blah blah blah...

There is a cheaper type of glass... Diament glass, the price is cheaper and very clear too...

Oh okayz, thanks for the info Terryz_! Will keep that in mind. Was quoted around 4 to 5k for a custom built tank(Tank + Sump + Cabinet + Basic Equipment). Is that expensive?