Tank update

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piglet007

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Mar 8, 2005
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I wanted to post about my tank since I haven't been here asking tons of questions lately. I found a new lfs to deal with. It is privatly owned and fairly small and close by. I added a skunk cleaner, another emerald crab and a scooter blennie. Along with my current residents of an emerald crab, coral banded shrimp, fire shrimp, chocolate chip star and turbo snail ( that I must check on, he hasn't moved lately). I also have a horseshoe crab in there too and the damsel. I think I need some more snails and maybe another cleaner shrimp? I am probably going to get 2 clown fish sometime next week. The lfs is getting a bunch of tank raised ones in and he likes to keep them there for a few days. So probably the following week.

Update on my ccs, in case anyone remembers he wasn't doing too well, but he is now doing a bit better. I got tubeworms to feed him and he doesn't hesitate to hop on them when he knows they are there. It looks like the spot on his leg is almost gone. He is missing 2 chips but the lfs thinks that maybe something is bothering him at night. He is still curling his legs funky but I'm hoping for the best. Is he at least now eating.

The new critters are getting along. Everyso often there is a battle of the shrimpies. The coral banded shrimp thinks he owns the place. They keep their distance from each other. My two crabs are getting along I assume.

Oh yeah, I found that along with boogie ( the tiny snail that came from the live rock) I also have a white 3 legged starfish. From what I've read niether are bad but I'm wondering if they will get bigger?? THEN I was intently watching the tank (it is really fun to watch how they all interact) and some bright pink wormy looking thing came out of my rock. I havent' seen him come out fully and don't know how long he is. Resembles a centiped or something.. Yuck, but it's a bristle worm, I think a fireworm. I don't think they cause much harm either from what I've read and I am just tired of reading lol.

Sorry it was so longwinded, I just wanted to share.
 
Sounds like it's comming along well. How big is your tank? If it's not at least a 75 with a deep sand bed you prbly won't be able to keep the horseshoe. Even if it's big enough you still might want to think about it they tend to be organic sand storm makers in home tanks at best. Also if your l.r. isn't on the glass on the bottom of your tank it will undermine it. The coral banded is also pretty likely to kill your skunk they can be mean.
hth and it sounds nice.
 
My tank is 75 gallon. We don't have a sand bed and I have am thinking about switching. I was wondering if mixing the sand with the coral was ok. My husband went out to get me a peppermint shrimp and instead, came back with an emerald green crab and the horseshoe. He liked them both and the way they interacted. He listened to the info from the lfs. After getting home, orion girl told me the possible problems. I have had him getting stuck to the filters sometime in the middle of the night. When I got up in the moring he wasn't moving his legs. But he came back to life and hid out a few days. He has done this twice. I doubt he would do anybetter in the lfs though.

As far as the rock, what do you mean? I should keep in on the glass at the bottom?

Also, I have seen the coral banded pick on the others. Do they just begin to accept eachother without fighting eventually?
 
I would also like to know if you're supposed to keep the Live Rock touching the glass on the bottom.
 
why on earth do you not have a sand bed?? This would look so bad! Get one, soon!
 
WHAT would look so bad?? I have crushed coral as a bed right now. My tank doesn't look bad. So aside from "get a sand bed", answer my other question, could I add it to the coral that I have?? Or is that what you are referring to looking so bad? I took the advice of someone who has had a sw tank for 10 yrs and has no problems. He told me to go with the coral as did the LFStores. So we did take the advice from a few different people, along with our own research. And fwiw, hindsight is 20/20. I wish now that we would have went with a deep sandbed but we didn't. I hope you didn't think that we have NOTHING down.
 
piglet007 said:
My tank is 75 gallon. We don't have a sand bed and I am thinking about switching. FFS woman, chill out! this is what I mean, see, No sand bed,
Click to expand...
 
Okay, sand beds have a few benefits to them over crushed coral. CC will produce additional nitrates, as well as that, can cause your ammonia to rise at times since rotting debris tends to get caught in it easier.

Your horseshoe crab will most likely hurt himself in the crushed coral. It's rough, big, and doesn't allow him a lot of movement. Although you can mix the two, I'm not sure about any adverse effects of doing so. I switched from CC to sand without much difficulty and everything seems to be working out.

Also, sand promotes the growth of some beneficial anaerobic bacteria that cannot be sustained in CC.

The reason that maxilaria said to make sure the LR is touching the glass on the bottom is that the horseshoe crab will burrow underneath the LR if it's not and cause avalanches, or even crush himself by doing so. By having it touching the glass, it doesn't allow him to get underneat it, and it provides greater stability in the end.

Also, I know you trust your LFS, but be careful. The place I go to has been locally owned and operated for 20+ years by the same guy. Two of the gals in there have been working there for 10+ years, but I have received so much incorrect info from them it would make your head spin. Just be careful, do NOT buy in impulse as well. If you see something you like, come home and do your research on it before buying.
 
Oliver Oliver Oliver, you misunderstood my post. I thought I explained it better the second time, but apparently I didn't :duh: FFS? :confused: But anyway.



Thank you PABLO. I'm glad that you were able to answer my questions somewhat. My live rock is not on the glass, but it also isn't stacked up in there. I only have 10lbs right now. As I add more, I will definitely follow that advice.

I don't listen to anyone person, whether it be the lfs or the experts online because I realize that everyone has different advice to give based on their own research and opinions. Peoples tastes are also different but that is all obvious. I take a bit of advice from each person, depending on the way they speak (or type) to me. I've learned a ton since being on these boards and reading. So I know that I can't fully trust the lfs or anyone. I have to use my own judgement as well and what works for one may not work for another. Do you have a link for the information on switching out the coral, incase we decide to go that route? I am going to check around as well, to see if anyone has mixed the cc with the sand.
 
Piglet sorry for the delay. I wouldn't mix crushed coral with sand the point in the sand is it compacts and allows a low o2 evironment to develop to convert your nitrates to nitrogen. If you leave a little c.c. it's ok but, not much it's big and allows too much air movement. I also wouldn't take it all out at once you don't have much l.r. so it's doing quite a bit of the denitrification in your tank. I'd change it out about 1/4 at a time in a situation like yours also don't buy live sand just go to home depot and get plain old play sand it'll be live sand soon enough.
hth
chris
p.s. if you need more advice just p.m. me.
 
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