Seeking General Advice and Critque

[Gildurath]

Hello,
I am new to the SW life, and have posted a few questions already. I think I am getting the hang of it and am now just looking for some general advice.

Params:
Salanity: 1.0235
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: <10ppm for sure, but more likely 0-5ppm, hard to tell on test
Phosphate: 0ppm
PH: 8.2
Temp: 79-81
Calcium: No Test (Coralline Algea growing fine though)
Alkalinity: No Test

Equipment:
55g Tank
Side Hanging Protein Skimmer
Fluvial 404 Water Filter
In Tank Hanging Water Filter
150W MH Light (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=3827&N=2004+113352) (No clue on bulb)
Heater
Aqua Safe-System (RO/DI)

Livestock:
70lbs Live Rock
White CC or Sand in bottom (very coarse)
1 Percula or Ocellaris Clownfish (Still undecided) (Medium)
1 Blue-Green Chromis (Medium)
3 Blue-Green Chromis (Small)
1 Red Spotted Dottyback (Medium-Large)
1 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
1 Peppermint Shrimp
2 Emerald Crabs
2 Serpent Star Fish
1 Feather Duster (Shed it's crown from being stung by Apitasia once)
1 Fighting Conch
13 Blue Hermit Crabs
6 Red Hermit Crabs
4 Astrea Conehead Snails
10 Turbo Snails
1 Cerith Snail

Corals:
Mushrooms (3-5 Types, way to many, they are all over)
Leather - Multiple Toadstools
Brain Coral - Moon (Recovering, was almost gone)

Anemones:
Infestation of Glass Anemones
Green Tipped Anemone

Plants:
Maiden's Hair (Very little, but there is some)
Halimeda Plant (A few peices)

Bascially, I would just like any advice anyone can give about anything you think I need to know or should watch. My smallest Chromis, recently had its tail chewed off, and is in sick bay healing up. I think the Dottyback got him while he was sleeping. I am currently battling the Apitasia with boiling water, and lime juice injections. My peppermint and red hermit crabs are not touching the apitasia. Link to my Apitasia, they look a little like polyps. (http://www.rsitch.net/unsure2.jpg)

I feed mysis shrimp(frozen), flakes, shrimp pellets and freeze dried shrimp. I inject the frozen every 2nd to 3rd day, and feed the flakes/pellets the other days. The Dottyback does not eat flakes but he gets the pellets along with the star fish, which sink. My cleaner shrimp LOVES the freeze dried shrimp and will eat an entire one, he never cleans the fish though and hids near my hanging in tank filter.

I am considering getting a Tang of some type and a Lanwmower Blenny. I would also love to get a Dragonet, but most sites caution against a Dottyback and Dragonet in the same tank. I also want to get another emerald or sally light foot crab.

Some questions:
What does a UV Sterilizer do?

Should I have moon lighting, and are generic LEDs enough?

Should I buy mangroves?

Should I put the mangroves in my skimmer back pack?

I like buttons. Would some buttons be a nice addition to my tank?

I have a decent amount of brown algae growing on the back of my tank, my levels seems fine, should I get more snails to combat it?

Anyway, thanks for any input, and for even reading my post. I know it was long.

Ryan

[Reefscape]

What does a UV Sterilizer do?

A UV sterilizer used to combat and kill harmful, waterborne bacteria, viruses, fungi. The UV unit also helps control algae blooms by killing waterborne algae. I always say that a UV is a valuable tool to keep at hand, however, it is certainly not something to run 24/7 as a UV will ALSO kill the good bacteria in the water column, aswell as the bad



Should I have moon lighting, and are generic LEDs enough?

Yes, i like to recomend a moonlight kit. I believe it makes our lighting cycle complete on our tanks. Generic LEDS have been used in the past by many DIY people making their own light. The main to remember is if you nake your own, it needs to be water proofed incase of splash or salt creep..People tend to have their moonlights as a softblue, about 5 - 10 watts...



Should I buy mangroves?

Mangroves are not needed in marine systems for nutrient removal, we use some types of macro algae called "caulerpra" and "chaetomorpha"..These main two forms of macro algae are great at removing nutrients like nitrates and phosphates from the water which aids the tank keeper to keep nucience algae under control...



I like buttons. Would some buttons be a nice addition to my tank?


Yes, buttons would be a great addition to you tank. Some buttons like pink or the multicolured would look great to give you some great colour diversity..



White CC or Sand in bottom (very coarse)

You may want to review removing this and replacing it with aragonite sugar grain size reef grade sand...Crushed coral sand is notorious for trapping detruis and food particles which will lead to elevated nitrates..


Infestation of Glass Anemones

You may want to concider blasting them with a syringe filled with boiling water..Soon gets rid of them..


Hope this helps with some of your points there...

Niko

[Gildurath]

Thanks alot.

I will look into a Moon kit and a UV Sterilizer. The lights will make it easier for me to see my fish at night. :p And the UV Sterilizer will be good for when I get new fish to kill the bad stuff. I hope to setup a QT soon.

Glass Anemones Infestation, I have been blasting them with boiling hot water, and injecting them with lime juice. Both methods seem to work, but the lime juice is better. I am just putting about 2ml of lime juice a day into the tank and watching the PH.


I figured as much about the CC, but that seems like a HUGE job, and I have a lot of life in my CC. I figure the tank would basically have to have a mini cycle with the new sand? So I would need to find a place for my fish and inverts.

[Reefscape]

I figured as much about the CC, but that seems like a HUGE job, and I have a lot of life in my CC. I figure the tank would basically have to have a mini cycle with the new sand? So I would need to find a place for my fish and inverts.

Not really, there is plenty on here who have swapped over on a running system. Just split the tank into 1/3rds or 1/4trs and do one section, then another with a few weeks gap...this will keep the spike at a very bear minimum and allow the life to transfer to the new sand bed you have laid....

Niko

[Gildurath]

So literally live sand, should be very fine and very much like beach sand for texture I mean.

[AngieW]

I have a decent amount of brown algae growing on the back of my tank, my levels seems fine, should I get more snails to combat it?

I visited a really great LFS this weekend and one thing they cautioned against was overstocking with snails/hermit crabs because once your algae is under control and your tank is stable, the snails can starve to death and the hermit crabs will search elsewhere (ie, eat things you don't want them to) for food. I thought it was nice advice to give me rather than pushing me to buy (which I would have if they'd recommended it because they're very reputable).

[Reefscape]

So literally live sand, should be very fine and very much like beach sand for texture I mean.

Yes, its very much looking the same..

Niko