Before Discus. I Had This

[Second Hand Pat]

Discus are a LOT cheaper. I had an sps tank years ago.

Yes Darrell, discus are much cheaper. Any pictures for yous sps tank?

[Chillinfish]

How where you able to keep the gorgonians? I have tried them in my reef and they never last but three weeks or so.

Looks good by the way.

Andrew

[Darrell Ward]

No Pat, I wish I did. They were on my old computer that died, and I didn't have them on any backup.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Andrew, not sure. Used all RO for water and WCs. Did a 20% WC a week. Feed them every third day or so and kept up with the calcium etc. They did need a good flow and I never let them sit on the sand or bury the base. See that in the lfs and great way to start an infection in these guys.

On a second thought it could be the source, I ordered them from Sea Life Inc in the keys and always arrived in great shape.

[Second Hand Pat]

No Pat, I wish I did. They were on my old computer that died, and I didn't have them on any backup.

[discuspaul]

Great looking marine environment, Pat !
Wish mine had looked that well when I kept saltwater tanks years ago.
No, I have no past pics, and yes, a discus set-up is much less expensive !

[Second Hand Pat]

Hey Paul, with MH/actintics, protein skimmers, RO and reef sumps it seems easier to keep a nice marine setup these days.

This particular tank was a caribbean biotope. The rock was from the gulf and everything else from the keys. The gulf rock is very pretty. The few coral pictures were on cultured live rock.

[Darrell Ward]

Yeah, I remember that gulf rock. It would grow all kinds of sponges and other cool things. There use to be some guy who aquacultured it, (can't remember his name now) because I believe it was illegal to harvest it wild.

[Second Hand Pat]

Darrell, any rock taken off the coast of florida has to be aqua-cultured. Believe there are two guys who offer gulf rock.

[Darrell Ward]

Yeah, with the popularity of saltwater these days, probably several people are cultivating it. Seems like the guy I was thinking of, was out of Tampa. Heck, if I lived down there, I would probably get a lease, and do it as well. Either that, or build a lake and raise Peacock Bass. Either one would be an interesting way to make money.

[Second Hand Pat]

That would be the life, going out on the boat. Diving all or part of the day. Maybe a little fishing going out or coming in. I could be loving that. Oh...and the peacock bass pond in the back yard.

[Darrell Ward]

[jimg]

Very Nice Pat!
I stopped in house of fins in greewich ct one day after work in the early 90's and walked out about $4,000.00 poorer!
I used to sit there all night with small flashlight waiting to see what would pop out of the rocks. everything I bought lived and multiplied for almost 5 years until I moved into this house. When I moved into this house I renovated it and the tank was in the cellar and I ended up giving everything to a lfs.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Jim, I have done that many times with a flashlight. It was like Christmas every time watching for some cool creature to emerge. When I found one I didn't know, had to hit the book in the hope of id-ing it.

[joanstone]

Funny, I remember doing that with a flashlight when I started in saltwater years ago, I was thrilled just to see my first little feather dusters and pods! Nice photos/tank. Yellow headed jawfish are some of my favorite fish. I still have a couple of saltwater tanks, but will phase them out eventually, they are hard to leave and the $$ can be big. I have always wanted to check out House of Fins, some day I'll get down there. Now I use my flashlight to check out discus eggs and dwarf shrimp. I really like my moray eels, but am also really liking the return to freshwater.