Salt Water Start Up, Darbex style!

[nacra99]

I like how they did the LR at the zoo. It was cool how they used zip ties, drilled holes, and used those rods.

You can also use marine epoxy putty. The one that they use to mount coral frags. Use that to fuse pieces of live (or base) rock together. When the marine growth covers it, you'll never know its there.

[nacra99]

Yeah I plan on waiting a year or so for this one since I read they are very picky on water. It says once they make it through the first month or so they will be one of the hardiest.

Well.. Mandarin Dragonets are not so much picky on water as they are picky with their food. Most ones you get in the pet store will not eat anything that is not moving. Which means you're gonna have to

1) try to wean it off live foods (very difficult but not impossible)
2) Feed it for the rest of its life with good quality live foods and gut loaded brine shrimp.
3) make sure your live rock / fuge supports a large enough pod population to keep them fed. This is usually hard to achieve with anything less than 75 gal aquariums.

If you feel up to the challenge... i vote for #1.

Any pics yet???

[myjohnson]

I like how they did the LR at the zoo. It was cool how they used zip ties, drilled holes, and used those rods.

A little over hang would be BAD@SS if you get the right lighting over it. You can grow low light stuff under/inside the overhang a little and high light stuff on top.

[Darbex]

I thought about just stacking them but was thinking about creating a little overhang

[thekarens]

We always just stacked ours, but if you're going for a certain look other options listed above are great.

[cichlid1409]

several ways:

just stack em
use a fish safe epoxy http://www.marinedepot.com/Two_Littl...TL1615-vi.html
use zip ties and drill holes in rock if necessary
drill holes and use acrylic rods

[Darbex]

How do you attach the live rock to build them up?

[myjohnson]

Really nice looking fishes!

Good pick if you can keep it alive long term Brian.

[Darbex]

Yeah I plan on waiting a year or so for this one since I read they are very picky on water. It says once they make it through the first month or so they will be one of the hardiest.

[semper]

I want a Mandarin too now.

you'd better hold off on this one, unless u have established tank with plenty of pods, it will die

they are beautiful, i kept a green mandarin and spotted mandarin in same tank for two years, but my tank was full of life

plenty of pods, and later on got it to eat frozen brine

[Darbex]

I want a Mandarin too now.

[tnguyen]

I want the hook up. I am definately going to do this right but at the same time try to save a little coin. I dont want to go all out and buy a chiller but I think a good fan should be a good insurance policy. I know my 90G planted never gets hot enough so I dont think this will either but better to be safe than sorry

A fan is good for this tank. You will increase the evaporation so an ATO is a good thing. The volumn for the nano is smaller so it will heat a lot faster than your 90G.

Thai, I think you were drunk when you hear all that rumors. They meant to say that I wanted to have all those tanks one day. Now slowly put that can down.

[Darbex]

I will see if I can fix it. I am a bean counter not an electrician.

[myjohnson]

I got a temp controller you can have. Might need a new senor. Something is wrong with it and since I got it for free I didn't bother fixin it.

[Darbex]

Now I just need to find two 5G tanks