My first saltwater tank

[starla]

I found this site via yahoo answers and someone named Robert. If he is here..thank you.

So I just started my 55 gallon salt water tank, Saturday it will be a week old.
I have about 45 pounds of live rock, I continue to add rock as I see what I like.
Think 70 pounds of live sand.
I added some TLC for Saltwater.
A protein skimmer (not running yet they told me start it up in a month)
and the filter I cant remember the name its got the little blue balls in it, and I am going to purchase the Nova Extreme light this week. 10000K daylight bulbs, 4X54W, 4 lunar lights, 4 X 54 460 nm Actinic Bulbs.

Thats it now I wait. I been checking my levels but everything is still zero the ammonia the nitrite and the nitrate.

No algae yet!
Thank goodness I have lots of patience!

My question when I get algae is that when I can add some snails or hermit crabs? Do I wait for it to cycle before adding these ?

I will wait till it cycles before adding fish . Do I wait for it to cycle before I start adding coral and polyps?

I am having such fun and all I really have it some rocks and ones got a worm in it!!!

thanks..:)

[Reefscape]

I found this site via yahoo answers and someone named Robert. If he is here..thank you.

So I just started my 55 gallon salt water tank, Saturday it will be a week old.
I have about 45 pounds of live rock, I continue to add rock as I see what I like.
Think 70 pounds of live sand.
I added some TLC for Saltwater.
A protein skimmer (not running yet they told me start it up in a month)
and the filter I cant remember the name its got the little blue balls in it, and I am going to purchase the Nova Extreme light this week. 10000K daylight bulbs, 4X54W, 4 lunar lights, 4 X 54 460 nm Actinic Bulbs.
<<Sounds superb and your certainly on the right path there Starla....Personaly, i would get the live rock up to min 55lbs and remove the blue bio-balls from the filter and just use the filter for flow>>
Thats it now I wait. I been checking my levels but everything is still zero the ammonia the nitrite and the nitrate.
<<Have you added an ammonia source? If not, now's the time to do it...You can use pure ammonia or raw shrimp / prawn. few options available to you, see the cycling stickies in this forum called Cycling Methods and Procedures>>

No algae yet!
Thank goodness I have lots of patience!
<<LOL...yes, we need plenty of that for this hobby>>
My question when I get algae is that when I can add some snails or hermit crabs? Do I wait for it to cycle before adding these ?
<<Yes, wait till the cycle is done before adding your cleanup crew>>

I will wait till it cycles before adding fish . Do I wait for it to cycle before I start adding coral and polyps?

<<Yes, for sure :) >>

I am having such fun and all I really have it some rocks and ones got a worm in it!!!

thanks..:)

A warm welcome to Aquaria Central...Hope you enjoy it here...Added a few comments above, and hopefully there will be plenty more from other members...

Niko

[Reefscape]

P.S Pssstttt...what do you have for water flow in the tank?? ;)

hint hint hint :)

Niko

[Grins]

I added some TLC for Saltwater.

Not familiar with it. Is it a dry salt mix or premixed solution?


A protein skimmer (not running yet they told me start it up in a month)

You can start it now, but before you do...what kind did you get?


Nova Extreme light this week. 10000K daylight bulbs, 4X54W, 4 lunar lights, 4 X 54 460 nm Actinic Bulbs.

They recently came out with a Pro version that will allow you more options in what you stock your tank with if you want corals, etc.


My question when I get algae is that when I can add some snails or hermit crabs? Do I wait for it to cycle before adding these ?

Wait for the cycle to finish.


I will wait till it cycles before adding fish . Do I wait for it to cycle before I start adding coral and polyps?

Yes, and consider setting up a QT tank, esepecially for the fish.

[starla]

Ok I need to find out what exactly I have but I did find a picture LOL I have this http://www.seatrademarine.com/Merchant2/reefaquariumsupplies_images/saltwater_aquarium_filters.jpg

for my filter but a couple of different things there is a 500 GPH almost like a sump pump that sits at the end of it (where it is showing the round sponge filter and the clear overflow thingy.) That pump has a tube that comes back up to my tank and pumps the water back in. Also my protein skimmer sits in there. I cant find a picture of my skimmer but it goes in with the sump pump area. When I go back to Nolans (thats the fish store I go to) I will ask.

Ok TLC is this and its from the bottle says "it eliminates NH3 and NO2
cycles aquariums in 3 to 7 days "(although not sure if this is true because today I finally have a small ammonia reading! so I am assuming i am just beginning the cycling process) "Improves water quality, safe for all fish, vertebrates and aquatic plants it says it contains live bacteria"

I know Nolan's pushes this allot for I also use it in my koi pond outside.

The rock I am still adding it, just, well I want to wait till some new rocks come in this week so I have more selection I figure about 60 to 70 pounds of rock.


The QT tank my husband and I have discussed we thought maybe a 12 gallon nano cube. Set it up in the guest room with some live rock. Would that be a good idea? There would not be any fish in it but it would still look nice.

thanks and I will wait till my tank cycles!

[starla]

ohh an after thought I was looking at some of the aquariums pictures on here and I see alot of square things on the outside of the glass. They are not very big but alot of tanks have them. Can anyone tell me what that is and do I need one?

[Grins]

Ok I need to find out what exactly I have but I did find a picture LOL I have this http://www.seatrademarine.com/Merchant2/reefaquariumsupplies_images/saltwater_aquarium_filters.jpg

for my filter but a couple of different things there is a 500 GPH almost like a sump pump that sits at the end of it (where it is showing the round sponge filter and the clear overflow thingy.) That pump has a tube that comes back up to my tank and pumps the water back in


yes that is a wet/dry filter and sump with an overflow box. The overflow box allows the water to fall from the display tank to the filter/sump. The pump is a return pump that will return the water back to the display.


Also my protein skimmer sits in there. I cant find a picture of my skimmer but it goes in with the sump pump area. When I go back to Nolans (thats the fish store I go to) I will ask.

Ask for certain because some are great, some are average and some aren't worth as much as the cardboard them come packaged in.



Ok TLC is this and its from the bottle says "it eliminates NH3 and NO2
cycles aquariums in 3 to 7 days "(although not sure if this is true because today I finally have a small ammonia reading! so I am assuming i am just beginning the cycling process) "Improves water quality, safe for all fish, vertebrates and aquatic plants it says it contains live bacteria"

I know Nolan's pushes this allot for I also use it in my koi pond outside.


I'd not use it, not in your marine tank. You don't want the cycle to happen fast, you simply want it to happen apporpriately and best that you get used to the saying that "nothing good ever happens fast in a marine tank".




The QT tank my husband and I have discussed we thought maybe a 12 gallon nano cube. Set it up in the guest room with some live rock. Would that be a good idea? There would not be any fish in it but it would still look nice.


I'd not use live rock in it. Here are some hints for setting up a qt tank: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/blog.php?b=129

[Grins]

ohh an after thought I was looking at some of the aquariums pictures on here and I see alot of square things on the outside of the glass. They are not very big but alot of tanks have them. Can anyone tell me what that is and do I need one?


could you link to a photo so we can help identify it?

[necigrad]

Sounds like a Magfloat.

[cuticom]

Yah sounds like some sort of magnetic algae cleaner

[starla]

Here is a picture of my tank
http://www.starlasdesigns.com/tank1.jpg my dogs toy box is beside the tank everyone says I need to move her toy box accept for the dog, she is not too happy when i move it, she drags each toy one by one, back to that spot.


Now its got the wrong light still my husband built that light top to match the bottom and then we bought the nova light and well we need a new light top again. I think this weekend He is planning on doing the light.

The tank seems to be cycling now my ammonia and nitrite is up so I watch and wait for it to finish.

My QT tank - I have a 10 gallon tank I am cleaning up. I have space below the main tank to hold it. Questions - Can I use just a regular fresh water type filter for this tank? Do I keep water in it or add water from my display tank as I need it? I hope in a couple more weeks to add fish, today I am getting more live rock, but when I add fish do I put them in the QT tank, acclimate them to that tank, and then wait the few days to ensure they are healthy and acclimate them to the display tank or do I just add them to the display tank?

An RO unit - Ok so we been getting water from the fish shop its like 30 cents a gallon and I been reading and learning on here, and a RO unit is going to be a must. But I am not sure how they work. Is it used only when I am needing water for the tank, is it a permanent fixture to the tap? I read some of the links but I am still a little confused. Do I need to make room under the tank for this because if so I am not going to be able to put the QT under it.

Last thing - How do you all take such good pictures I tried this morning to get a picture of my hitchhiker but it didn't work out. I know how to take good pictures we have a couple of business and are always taking picture but **** if I can get decent pictures of this tank! So what am I doing wrong?

Thanks for your help!

[clown-lover]

Welcome to the Salty Side starla.. To answer your questions.

QT - yes you can use a regular old bio-wheel or filter with sponge for a QT tank. But it is suggested that you keep whatever you use loaded for bacteria so when the need arises all you have to do is fill your QT tank with saltwater (whether this is for a hypo or just basic treatment for something else) and get it up and running. I have a sump on my system to keep things like this so I just keep my bio-wheel filter in my refugium.

RO Unit, mine is permanently installed and I keep a 5 gallon bucket of water on hand at all times and use this water for top offs but also use it to generate the water needed for water changes. I keep mine under the kitchen sink as that is the water source closest to my tank.

As far as pictures go.. practice.. practice..practice.. It helps if you have a macro setting on your camera for close up pictures. Some people have professional setups.. I have a Kodak Sureshot.

[starla]

Thank you for the welcome so far I am loving it!

So when i finally do get my first fish I use the QT tank to make sure its healthy and then do I have to acclimate it again to my display tank ?

Also I keep reading about algae that I need algae well its a week old today and no algae yet.

Since it is a week old do I start my weekly water changes now or do I wait?

thanks !

[Reefscape]

Thank you for the welcome so far I am loving it!

So when i finally do get my first fish I use the QT tank to make sure its healthy and then do I have to acclimate it again to my display tank ?

Also I keep reading about algae that I need algae well its a week old today and no algae yet.

Since it is a week old do I start my weekly water changes now or do I wait?

thanks !


Hey Starla..

When your fish have come to the end of the quarantine period, you dont need to acclimatize them as the water parameters should be virtually the same as what your display tank is..

Dont worry too much about diatom algae, it will arrive soon enough...

Dont do a water change untill your tank has finished cycling...then do a 50% change to replenish trace elements in the water column.

Niko

[starla]

Update - Well I am on week two, my tanks readings this morning are
amonina - 0
No2 - .25 lower then on Tues when i checked last
No3 10 again lower then on Tues
PH 8.2

And I have a wee bit of algae Nolan at the LFS says its due to using RO water when the tank was set up (i didnt know it was RO water though LOL I do now) and using the live sand that is helping to keep the algae bloom down but I finally have some (never thought I would be happy to have algae.) So I added a couple of turbo snails and some blue hermit crabs along with that I have a bristol worm living in one of my rocks. And some form of sea star little wee things crawling on my glass. Many of my rocks have feather dusters living in them is cool to see them out.

Thats it for here. I keep waiting and wondering when I can start adding coral and fish but I am told patience..so I wait...:) Also I am told next week I can do my first water change (10%) I want to add my coral first and do my fish last thats my plan anyways.

As it stands now I check my readings every other day, I clean my glass every day. Will I have to ever clean out the filters and stuff or leave that alone? Thats go to be way down the road correct?

be good
starla

[Reefscape]

Update - Well I am on week two, my tanks readings this morning are
amonina - 0
No2 - .25 lower then on Tues when i checked last
No3 10 again lower then on Tues
PH 8.2

And I have a wee bit of algae Nolan at the LFS says its due to using RO water when the tank was set up (i didnt know it was RO water though LOL I do now) and using the live sand that is helping to keep the algae bloom down but I finally have some (never thought I would be happy to have algae.) So I added a couple of turbo snails and some blue hermit crabs along with that I have a bristol worm living in one of my rocks. And some form of sea star little wee things crawling on my glass. Many of my rocks have feather dusters living in them is cool to see them out.

Thats it for here. I keep waiting and wondering when I can start adding coral and fish but I am told patience..so I wait...:) Also I am told next week I can do my first water change (10%) I want to add my coral first and do my fish last thats my plan anyways.
<<Do not a water change untill your cycle has fully completed Starla, no need for it really>>

As it stands now I check my readings every other day, I clean my glass every day. Will I have to ever clean out the filters and stuff or leave that alone? Thats go to be way down the road correct?

<<Filters i would do every week or else they will start to produce nitrates. Start this when the cycle has completed>>

be good
starla

Added some comments above in red..

Hope it helps

Niko

[starla]

HI Niko

So when do I know if its done cycling, when the levels are zero?

Ok the filters I have well something it has an overflow in the tank and then outside the tank is a filter with a round sponge in it do I clean that?

Then below the tank it has the blue ball thingy in it (sheesh I need to learn what I HAVE so I can sound somewhat intelligent!) do I have to clean that once a week also? And what about the protein skimmer?

Also Niko everyone talks about water current I got something that looks like a sump pump, and the pump in it I thought was 500 GPH but when I checked it said 1100 GPH do I have enough current?

The tank is 55 gallons.

thanks
starla

[Reefscape]

HI Niko

So when do I know if its done cycling, when the levels are zero?
<<You'll know when your cycle has finished when Ammonia and Nitrite are zero and your nitrate is >10 and stayed that way for a week without fluctuation>>
Ok the filters I have well something it has an overflow in the tank and then outside the tank is a filter with a round sponge in it do I clean that?
<<All filter sponges are best cleaned once per week in tank water>>
Then below the tank it has the blue ball thingy in it (sheesh I need to learn what I HAVE so I can sound somewhat intelligent!) do I have to clean that once a week also? And what about the protein skimmer?
<<The blue ball thingy ;) is your wet/dry filter....you can clean a cup full of these every month..Ideally, you can replace these with live rock rubble to remove the need to keep cleaning them>>
<<I would suggest to clen your skimmer every other month>>
Also Niko everyone talks about water current I got something that looks like a sump pump, and the pump in it I thought was 500 GPH but when I checked it said 1100 GPH do I have enough current?
<<Do you have any powerheads in the tank? That pump alone wont be enough...You need your total water flow to about 1375 gallons per hour>>
The tank is 55 gallons.

thanks
starla

Hiya Starla...Added some comments above in red...hope it helps

Niko

[starla]

Hi NIko

What do you mean by a powerhead? That pump at the bottom of my tank comes out and goes back into the water you can see it moving the water and the featherdusters it blows them all around is that what you mean?

thanks
starla

[Reefscape]

Hi NIko

What do you mean by a powerhead? That pump at the bottom of my tank comes out and goes back into the water you can see it moving the water and the featherdusters it blows them all around is that what you mean?

thanks
starla

Hey....No, i am refering to a water movement device which goes inside the main tank and gives added water flow to the tank...Follow the link below for an example...

http://www.capital-aquatic.co.uk/hydor-koralia-2-circulation-pump-3272-p.asp

Hope that helps mate

Niko

[starla]

Ohh I don't have one of them! Ok so what size?

Sheesh I just dropped 150 bucks on my cat today..:( she is sick so whats a few more dollars eh???

let me know what size and i will get it later this week

thanks you are so wonderful!

starla

[Reefscape]

Well, lets see what others think, but i would suggest something like a hydor Koralia 2...

If you return pump is 1100gph, you can probably drop that rate down to about 800 - 900 goh after pressure loss etc etc...and with the koralia 2, you would be in somewhere of a region of 1400gph, which is about right for a reef tank of your size..

Hope that helps...

Niko

[starla]

HI NIko!

So I have been talking to my husband about these live rock in place of the blue ball thingys, do we buy the crushed live rock? Is it just like the rock we have in it? Is that the rubble rock that cost like 9.00 a pound here. Fuji live rock is 5.99 a pound.

We haven't decided yet on this being newbies we are taking baby steps.

I am going to the LFS store today I want to look at those powerhead and i think i am going to add a digital thermometer this one in the tank is a pain in the butt to read!

Ok the brown algae its honestly not too bad, a little in my sand bed and some on the rocks. I thought it would be allot worse from everything I read. Will it still get worse? What happens after this? Is there like a cycle of brown then green ect.

Last question I will try to grab a pic but we noticed this morning on one of our rocks a little red plant like thing growing on it. Ideas?

thanks
starla

[starla]

http://www.starlasdesigns.com/tank2.jpg is the picture we initially thought the red was like that purple hard i think corraline (sp) but this morning it is not it is definitely different for the red has little hair like thingys on it. I loved this rock due to the purple stuff on it and now well, it such a cool rock!

starla

[Reefscape]

HI NIko!

So I have been talking to my husband about these live rock in place of the blue ball thingys, do we buy the crushed live rock? Is it just like the rock we have in it? Is that the rubble rock that cost like 9.00 a pound here. Fuji live rock is 5.99 a pound.
<<if they charge too much for live rock rubble, simply buy normal live rock and take a hammer and chisel to it and break it up yourself into rubble (golf ball sized ) chunks..>>

We haven't decided yet on this being newbies we are taking baby steps.

I am going to the LFS store today I want to look at those powerhead and i think i am going to add a digital thermometer this one in the tank is a pain in the butt to read!
<<Sounds good to me>>
Ok the brown algae its honestly not too bad, a little in my sand bed and some on the rocks. I thought it would be allot worse from everything I read. Will it still get worse? What happens after this? Is there like a cycle of brown then green ect.
<<The level of diatom bloom is unknown really..Some have it really bad, where as others only get a light dusting. When the diatom bloom comes to an end, its will all be cleared up and "hopefully" you should have a nice clean aquarium again>>
Last question I will try to grab a pic but we noticed this morning on one of our rocks a little red plant like thing growing on it. Ideas?
<<Cannot say without a picture, there are various species of red macro algae..We'll know more when you post a picture>>
thanks
starla

Added some comments above in red..

Niko

[Reefscape]

http://www.starlasdesigns.com/tank2.jpg is the picture we initially thought the red was like that purple hard i think corraline (sp) but this morning it is not it is definitely different for the red has little hair like thingys on it. I loved this rock due to the purple stuff on it and now well, it such a cool rock!

starla


Any chance of a picture taken closer to the rock to better see it please??

Niko

[starla]

Hi HI!

Ok we tried for more pictures that is the best we can get.

I just got back from the LFS bought a new rock got it home and THERE IS A LIVE CLAM IN IT!!!! I will get a picture and post it. Should this clam worry me or just leave it be its like its go its only little carved out hole in the rock.

Bought a digital thermometer too no more struggling to read that other thing

Powerheads - no purchase yet because i wanted to ask about the wave makers? Is that a good idea? I can get 4 power heads at 500 GPH each and a wave maker.

Is this going to be too much for my little 55 gallon tank?

thats it for today will post a picture of my clam in the rock in a wee bit

starla

[starla]

http://www.starlasdesigns.com/tank3.jpg is the pic of the clam in the rock i just bought. I didn't see it for it was on the bottom and i picked this rock due to the nice colors that were on the top. When I got it home well there is a clam. Its about 4 maybe 5 cm long and it looks like it literally dug a hole in the rock.
Since putting it in the tank it has started to open

but now I am concerned will it damage my tank

worse yet....what if it dies? my tank is still cycling

do I feed it? Should I take it back?
let me know please I don't want to kill it

thanks
starla

[jagr200]

http://www.starlasdesigns.com/tank3.jpg is the pic of the clam in the rock i just bought. I didn't see it for it was on the bottom and i picked this rock due to the nice colors that were on the top. When I got it home well there is a clam. Its about 4 maybe 5 cm long and it looks like it literally dug a hole in the rock.
Since putting it in the tank it has started to open

but now I am concerned will it damage my tank
Nope shouldnt hurt the tank
worse yet....what if it dies? my tank is still cycling
Monitor you ammonia daily. If it spikes I would remove the clam
do I feed it? Should I take it back?
You can feed it but we dont really know what kind it is. Take it back if you want.
let me know please I don't want to kill it

thanks
starla

Comments in red.

I would get maybe 2 hydor koralia nanos. Then you can have one in each corner pointed to the middle of the tank. That would create a nice disturbance.

The little squares on the tank are probably magfloats. I consider them a must. Here is a link (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=4083&Nty=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All&N=2004&Ntt=magfloat&Np=1) to a glass ONLY magfloat. Here is the Link (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=13366&Nty=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All&N=2004&Ntt=magfloat&Np=1) to an acrylic ONLY magfloat. I recommended Drs Foster and Smith for all your purchases. Their customer service is second to none IMO.

[starla]

HI Jagr200

Yup that is what it is so I am now the owner of a glass cleaner.

I'm keeping the clam it seems to be doing well it opens and close every day.. I had to buy some hmm bio plankton (sp) to feed it.

thanks
starla!

[starla]

Ohh its been a little bit..:)

So my tank is almost 6 weeks old. It is done cycling all levels are good. I check everyday. Little paranoid! I have read two books one on Salt Water Fish and One on Corals. The diatom was quite surprising for I expect to see this massive bloom and really it wasn't that bad.


And I have started to slowly stock my tank

It is 55 gallon

Clean Up Crew
2 emerald Crabs
2 Turbo Crabs
1 Star Serpent
10 tiny hermit crabs
sea cucumber
2 peppermint shrimps
numerous hitchhikers and of course the clam that came embedded in my rock (whom is doing very well!) I have no idea what kinda of clam but I moved the rock up closer to the light and the clams seem to be doing even better!

Fish
Two clowns

Coral
Two mushroom corals
One toad stool
One pipe organ

Not much but I am trying to go slowwwwwwwwwww


Everything seems to be doing well and my lights are finally on a timer, the protein skimmer is doing its job and I am doing water changes (10%) once a week and rinsing out the sponges once a week.

But I have a couple of questions

1) what is good algae and bad algae is there pictures some where to compare?
2) I want to get fish I want a yellow tang first - I plan to QT it for about 4 weeks accept for whatever reason my QT tank has a high nitrate level. This is the same water I have in my display tank. So why the high Nitrate (.25 compared to Zero on the display tank) ? Do I need sand in the QT tank or live rock? All I have is a filter, heater, and light. Also if I get this yellow tang can I treat it for ICh - just in case or is that just not smart to do? I am scared to death to get ICH !!!!
3) My next fish I want to get is a longnose butterfly - Is this a good fish? Again I will QT it for a few weeks. Thats it for fish. I know, not many, but I want a nice tank, not an overstocked tank.
4) Corals- so far I have easy to care for corals and they are doing very well!! My tank is becoming more alive so do I start to QT these corals? Any suggestions? I do want a brain coral! And I don't want anything aggressive I just want a nice peaceful tank.

Thats it..:)

Thanks for your help!
starla

[Reefscape]

Ohh its been a little bit..:)

So my tank is almost 6 weeks old. It is done cycling all levels are good. I check everyday. Little paranoid! I have read two books one on Salt Water Fish and One on Corals. The diatom was quite surprising for I expect to see this massive bloom and really it wasn't that bad.


And I have started to slowly stock my tank

It is 55 gallon

Clean Up Crew
2 emerald Crabs
2 Turbo Crabs
1 Star Serpent
10 tiny hermit crabs
sea cucumber
2 peppermint shrimps
numerous hitchhikers and of course the clam that came embedded in my rock (whom is doing very well!) I have no idea what kinda of clam but I moved the rock up closer to the light and the clams seem to be doing even better!

Fish
Two clowns

Coral
Two mushroom corals
One toad stool
One pipe organ

Not much but I am trying to go slowwwwwwwwwww

<<Awsome...all sounds superb to me..>>

Everything seems to be doing well and my lights are finally on a timer, the protein skimmer is doing its job and I am doing water changes (10%) once a week and rinsing out the sponges once a week.

But I have a couple of questions

1) what is good algae and bad algae is there pictures some where to compare?

<<Good algae's to have are caulerpra, Halimeda, Chaeto...bad algae's are briopsis, hair algae, green or red bubble algae and cyano bacteria. Google search each of these to get a description and pictures.>>

2) I want to get fish I want a yellow tang first - I plan to QT it for about 4 weeks accept for whatever reason my QT tank has a high nitrate level. This is the same water I have in my display tank. So why the high Nitrate (.25 compared to Zero on the display tank) ? Do I need sand in the QT tank or live rock? All I have is a filter, heater, and light. Also if I get this yellow tang can I treat it for ICh - just in case or is that just not smart to do? I am scared to death to get ICH !!!!

<<I would not house a yellow tang in a tank of your size>>

<<water changes, wash media in the QT tank, this will bring the nitrates down. No sand or rock, just some PVC pipe for hiding places. Not just with tangs, but with any fish, treating a fish for a disease / infection that they "could"contract is bad practice>>

3) My next fish I want to get is a longnose butterfly - Is this a good fish? Again I will QT it for a few weeks. Thats it for fish. I know, not many, but I want a nice tank, not an overstocked tank.

<<Your tank is too small in my opinion for a LN Butterfly..70 - 75 gals minimum>>

4) Corals- so far I have easy to care for corals and they are doing very well!! My tank is becoming more alive so do I start to QT these corals? Any suggestions? I do want a brain coral! And I don't want anything aggressive I just want a nice peaceful tank.

<<I do not quarantine corals, i simply acclimatize>>

<<A Brain coral is aggressive..Its one of the more aggressive stoney corals>>

Thats it..:)

Thanks for your help!
starla


Added some comments above in Red...Hope this helps..

Niko

[starla]

Hi Niko!

thanks for your reply. Ok so a yellow tag is too big for my tank the book I read said it could go in a 55 gallon. What fish do you suggest? I want peaceful not aggressive. I looked at a wrassa hmm have to get my book out was like a rainbow color very pretty. Angels are aggressive from what I read correct?

Ok no treating the fish for ICH unless they get it. Is 4 weeks too long /too short for QT?

No other fish until I get my QT tank in line anyways. I love my clowns people keep telling me to get an anemone for them but I read not till the tank is 6 months old. I don't want anything to die!

A brain coral is aggressive? I will have to read on them again. How are they aggressive? yes will re read on these guys. So some suggestion on coral. My tank is only 6 weeks old so I am not planning to add anything else for at least a couple more week. It is so hard to pick things out. And then decide where to place them in the tank, high flow low flow High light low light. Sheesh even with reading the book I still get confused!

And this gluing of coral I still haven't figured that OUT! Doesn't that hurt them?

Ok last question I have 4X54W of the one light and the same for the blue light and then the lunar lights (i need to learn this stuff sheesh I am learning all about the fish and coral and care for them but ask me to name one of the thingys in my tank that make it run and I can say those blue balls in the bottom !) . I have them on timers. A total of 10 hours . But I changed the night time one so that the blue lights stay on TWO hours longer then the bright white ones. Will this create a problem??

Thats it I promise not to bug you anymore..:)


starla

[starla]

Niko your right I grabbed the fish book (Marine Fishes by Scott Michaels) and it says 75 gallons. I think this is a great book.

If anyone is interested The coral book I read was Aquarium Corals Selection Husbandry and Natural History by Eric Borneman. I found this book for a newbie to be too much. Overwhelming actually. But I think it will come in handy as I learn more about corals ect.

starla

[Reefscape]

Hi Niko!

thanks for your reply. Ok so a yellow tag is too big for my tank the book I read said it could go in a 55 gallon. What fish do you suggest? I want peaceful not aggressive. I looked at a wrassa hmm have to get my book out was like a rainbow color very pretty. Angels are aggressive from what I read correct?

<<There is a lovely array of fish in the Goby, clowns, blenny, cardinals, firefish and jawfish....Each provide peacefull species and very colourfull. Angel i would say are semi-agressive>>

Ok no treating the fish for ICH unless they get it. Is 4 weeks too long /too short for QT?

<<4 weeks is just fine>>

No other fish until I get my QT tank in line anyways. I love my clowns people keep telling me to get an anemone for them but I read not till the tank is 6 months old. I don't want anything to die!

<<I agree, its best to wait for the tank mature before introducing an anemone>>

A brain coral is aggressive? I will have to read on them again. How are they aggressive? yes will re read on these guys.

<<Stoney brain corals have stinging tentacles which extend at night when they feed. These do pack quite a punch with their sting. Closed Brains in the Favites SP. are about the worst for aggression. Even open brain corals such as trachyphyllia are still classed as semi-aggressive>>

So some suggestion on coral. My tank is only 6 weeks old so I am not planning to add anything else for at least a couple more week. It is so hard to pick things out. And then decide where to place them in the tank, high flow low flow High light low light. Sheesh even with reading the book I still get confused!

<<A reminder please of the light fixture you have>>

And this gluing of coral I still haven't figured that OUT! Doesn't that hurt them?

<<He he he...Nope, not at all...There are various methods of attaching corals to rock, depending on the type of coral. There is glue, cocktail sticks, fishing line, elastic bands....etc etc>>

Ok last question I have 4X54W of the one light and the same for the blue light and then the lunar lights (i need to learn this stuff sheesh I am learning all about the fish and coral and care for them but ask me to name one of the thingys in my tank that make it run and I can say those blue balls in the bottom !) . I have them on timers. A total of 10 hours . But I changed the night time one so that the blue lights stay on TWO hours longer then the bright white ones. Will this create a problem??

<<Ahhh...a lighting fixture... :) ...Should no create a problem at all..Just aim for about 8 hours of white lighting for the tank. Some choose to have the actinics (blue light) on for an hour before the whites, and an hour after the whites go off>>

<<To answer your question about corals...There are an array of soft corals to choose... Have a look at the soft coral section here..Look for corals that require low to med lighting... http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/categ.cfm?pcatid=597 >>


Thats it I promise not to bug you anymore..:)


starla


Added some more comments above....Bug us as much as you like Starla, thats what were all here for...Unless your clown-lover, of which i just like to hurl lots of abuse at ;)

Niko














That was a joke by the way about Clown-Lover :silly:

[Reefscape]

Niko your right I grabbed the fish book (Marine Fishes by Scott Michaels) and it says 75 gallons. I think this is a great book.

If anyone is interested The coral book I read was Aquarium Corals Selection Husbandry and Natural History by Eric Borneman. I found this book for a newbie to be too much. Overwhelming actually. But I think it will come in handy as I learn more about corals ect.

starla


They are both very good books in my opinion....You may want to check out

The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists (http://www.amazon.com/Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Commonsense-Successful/dp/1890087025)

Another very good book indeed ;)

Niko

[starla]

I just bought a new book from amazon thanks Niko!!

:P~ I do love the clowns

and I even named them one of course named Nemo and the other....barricuda!!!!!!!!!!!


starla

[starla]

I finally got a reef Master test kit and tested the rest of my water. Everything is right on the nose! So all my water parameters are okay, this is good news for me..:)

But I am now noticing a greenish look to some of my rocks, its not a like the diatoms where I could remove it or blow it off my rocks ect. Nor is it fuzzy or slimy or anything like that, the rocks are just a bit greenish. I am assuming this is algae.

Do I just leave it alone and see what develops , do I do something about it?

Presently I clean the tank glass every day. Inside and out.
Clean the sponges once a week (sometimes twice if they look yukky) (just started to clean them in the QT tank)
Do a 10% water change every week.

Suggestions?

thanks
starla

[Grins]

If the green on the rocks is hard and a bit neon in shade it could be the start of coraline.

[starla]

Thanks Grin ..it is neon green and hard I tried to remove some last night so this a good thing.
Now I want fish i wish I could fix my QT tank

sighs
starla

[Grins]

You can fix it...and tell your husband that dumping the QT isn't wise. It would be like dumping birth control if you didn't want children just now.

[starla]

So this morning I get up and a few things the bubbles for one which I found threads on here and it seems ok (i moved a power head yesterday so I think this is why the bubbles) , Some hard white spots on the back of my tank again I found threads on here and they seem ok, but my neon green algae now has some red mixed in with it. And its on the rocks and its like part of the rock. You cant wipe it off or blow it off like I could with the diatoms. I am going to try and get a picture.

Grins said the start of coralline but I thought that took months and months my tank is only about 7 weeks old. Either way I think this is a good thing right?

[ChangDriX]

Good thing its coraline growing

[starla]

Tank is still doing well. Have a few more pieces of coral no other fish yet :( stupid QT tank! No real issues with algae or anything like that I hope it stays that way. I am faithful on my water changes every Wednesday I do 10% plus clean my sponges. I am getting compliments on it already and well its still pretty bare if you ask me LOL.


Maybe one day soon I will be able to add fish.


starla