# 55G salt water noob setup



## Toofem

Hello, 

I've only been a member for about 24 hours, but I have learned so much... There's so much to read, and learn up on... Love this site!!

So, here's my tank... This is what came with it

Koralio nano 240 power head
Heater – Neptune 100w
Filter, couldn’t find name or anything on it… Looks same as one I had with my 30 gal
some crushed coral in tank 

I'm finishing a sanding project before I set up the tank (per advice from this site), so I'm probably a week or so out. 

Does the tank remind you of the paneling on 70's station wagons??  I need to get her lookin' beautiful to knock that out of my head... 

The guy who sold me the tank - his tank failed, so I will clean everything really well... But not tonight... 

Thanks again for any advice + direction... 

Lisa

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
build start date Feb 4/13 

update: change in build equipment
46 gal bow front tank
36" T5HO lighting (2 bulbs)
Skimmer - CPR Aero Force
Aquaclear 70
Power heads: 
koralia : 750 gph
tunze 6015 : 476 gph

crushed coral 30 lbs
aragonite sand 20 lbs
Rock - up to 70 lbs (not finished rockscaping)


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## Toofem

*Oh 1 more thing...*

I want a reef tank


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## altcharacter

Ok here is my advice on what you should do with this tank...and it will save you alot of headache in the future:

1) You have the room to put a sump/fuge underneath and I would highly recommend one (many reasons why) Also you haven't filled up the tank yet so you can still drill it.

2) Ditch the filter, as I stated above if you get a fuge then you won't need that filter. That type of filter is meant for a freshwater setup. You could toss some carbon inside of it but as most people will tell you a reactor of some type is better to use for carbon, gfo, or any type of media.

3) Ditch the light. It looks like a T8 and won't be able to sustain much except for possibly some softies. You could always start with this light and upgrade later if cash is a problem.

4) The powerhead is a great start to your saltwater setup but you're going to need another, more powerful powerhead to supplement the flow. My 20g has a Koralia 425 and a Tunze 6025 with also a return pump pushing 200gph.

One of the main reasons you want to use a fuge/sump is it creates more water volume for the aquarium and it also allows a safe place for copepods and amphipods to live and do their work without being eaten by fish or other predators. You can also put in macro algae in the fuge to help out with cleaning up the water from unwanted nitrates. A sump is also a place where you could put a auto-top off system to keep your water levels at par and it is also a place where you can put any type of filtration like a filter sock, gfo, or bio pellets. Also a great place for heaters and a protein skimmer (hides alot of stuff so you don't have it hanging in the tank)

Good luck with the tank and if you ever need any help or have questions, there are alot of people like myself that would be glad to offer and aide.


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## Toofem

*How big is said Sup tank*

are you talking, 10g or 20g tank underneath?? I read in the forum here, they have lights that go on when your tank goes off, or is it more like a bucket??

This is great info!!!!!! I was reading about the Sup tank in the forum... Sounds like it would be ideal, to take all the equipment and hide it under the tank... haha Sounds crazy, drill a hole in your fish tank!!


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## jd81

Welcome, and good luck with the build.

The filter looks like an Aquaclear Power Filter.

Not trying to discourage you, but I doubt this filter will be enough for a reef tank. You should consider getting a sump and refugium, especially since you are new, a sump will increase the total water in your system, and help with water stability.

I would also recommend power-head with a lot more gph

Important items you should do some research on:
Sump
Skimmer
Lights
List of fish that you would like to have.
Test Kit + Read on nitrogen cycle

Maybe try to look for other build threads for aquariums of comparable size and use their equipment as a reference.


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## altcharacter

Yeah a 20g would fit under there perfectly! And yes you would need to drill your Display Tank and put in a overflow to have this work. Although it might be a little more money in the front end, it will save you a ton of headaches in the back end. I do know alot of people who have sumpless systems but they also need to hang every piece of equipment off the back of the tank.

Keep the questions coming!


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## Toofem

*Omg!!!*

Ok... So, here I am biting at the bit wanting to setup a reef tank... I buy this 55 gal used aquarium, with stand for 175 bux... came with not nearly enough equipment to run the tank, which is no big, I expected any equipment that came with it would be a bonus...

So, I slept on it, dreamed on it... OMG... I'm so obsessive compulsive about this tank right now I think about nothing more...

My other half nearly shit twice and died when I suggested putting a hole in our new 175.00 tank... (can I say shit?)

I see, because I'm reading everything, that a sump tank is the way to go... What if it was a financial issue to start it?? Should I wait a few months before going ahead with my build?? I'm super stoked about doing this, but I'm also wanting to do it right...

Just some more talk on Sump for me would be super!!! What kind of parts are needed for a sump?? I see there are actual tanks (most I've seen look plastic) that are made as a sump.

That's all for now... thanks again for your input... it's super helpful and steers me in the right direction!!!

Thanks,

Lisa


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## bmc

Hey Lisa you got the bug! I just started as well, been waiting a month for the damn thing to finallly finishing cycling. If you are going to drill it and do a sump, now is the best time....i only thought about sump after the fact but now its too late for me !


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## Toofem

*hehehe oops*

tank is tempered glass... so, this 55 gal tank will not be drilled... The little missus just pointed out the sticker that says so in the tank... So, do I sell my tank and buy another??? Think I got ripped off or do you think I could make back my $175.00 if I sold it??

Lisa


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## bmc

I think you would get your money back if you did sell it out again and found one that can be drilled or find one that is already drilled with sump set up and go from there.


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## explor3r

Welcome to GTTA where you will find happiness...
I dont think that aquaclear would do much for you, hightly recommend to go with a sump as others member advised. Don't rush anything we all in this hobby have addictive personalities which it might not be a bad thing better addictive to saltwater than other things....
Im sure you can find good deals here just dont rush anything and good luck.


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## fesso clown

Good choice to sell that tank and look for something "Reef Ready". 
Reef Ready means that the tank is drilled. Even if your tank could be drilled 
you would have to spend around another $200 if not more just to get it "Reef Ready" 
Bulkheads, plumbing, Sump tank, Glass, silicone, PVC glue, overflowbox or "wier" time and huge learning curve getting it al set up correct. The beauty of drilling your own tank and setting up all the plumbing yourself is you will really understand it but it is very time consuming and there is a lot to get right. 
Might I point out an awesome deal from a stand up GTAA member "windowlicka" I don't know if it's still available. 

He has a 
"23G LONG (36") Miracles aquarium - Peninsula style tank (drilled for Herbie-style drains (SILENT!) on one end), full 'coast-to-coast' weir overflow. No chips, no scratches, no leaks. Sells with new 20G LONG (30") tank, converted into a sump (SKIMMER >> RETURN << REFUGIUM), pine stand and all sch40 plumbing (plumbing alone was over $200!): $200"

This is much smaller then your 50 was but just to give you an idea of the kind of "all in" set-up. 

Now when I say "all in" that's a lie. You would still need:
-A return pump 
-Heater
-lights
-powerheads
-Protien skimmer skimmer 
-GFO reactor (optional but recommended) 

Some will tell you to "go bigger" now because you will later anyway, it's probably true. 

Keep your eyes on the classifieds and kijiji. Ask before you buy and use this time to read and research.


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## Toofem

*Waiting to sell my tank...*

Thanks very much,

Now I'm here, I'll indeed swing my purchase pas you'all... I had a fresh water 30 gal with a 10 gal breeder/sick tank... So, I know I want to have something bigger than that... I really enjoyed that hobby, my ex took the tank though, and I never replaced it till now...

So, I would like 40-100 gallons, but I think 55 would be perfect (due to my small living room)... I think taking my time here is what has to happen... I need to learn some stuff before I go adding water... 



fesso clown said:


> Good choice to sell that tank and look for something "Reef Ready".
> Reef Ready means that the tank is drilled. Even if your tank could be drilled
> you would have to spend around another $200 if not more just to get it "Reef Ready"
> Bulkheads, plumbing, Sump tank, Glass, silicone, PVC glue, overflowbox or "wier" time and huge learning curve getting it al set up correct. The beauty of drilling your own tank and setting up all the plumbing yourself is you will really understand it but it is very time consuming and there is a lot to get right.
> Might I point out an awesome deal from a stand up GTAA member "windowlicka" I don't know if it's still available.
> 
> He has a
> "23G LONG (36") Miracles aquarium - Peninsula style tank (drilled for Herbie-style drains (SILENT!) on one end), full 'coast-to-coast' weir overflow. No chips, no scratches, no leaks. Sells with new 20G LONG (30") tank, converted into a sump (SKIMMER >> RETURN << REFUGIUM), pine stand and all sch40 plumbing (plumbing alone was over $200!): $200"
> 
> This is much smaller then your 50 was but just to give you an idea of the kind of "all in" set-up.
> 
> Now when I say "all in" that's a lie. You would still need:
> -A return pump
> -Heater
> -lights
> -powerheads
> -Protien skimmer skimmer
> -GFO reactor (optional but recommended)
> 
> Some will tell you to "go bigger" now because you will later anyway, it's probably true.
> 
> Keep your eyes on the classifieds and kijiji. Ask before you buy and use this time to read and research.


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## jd81

fesso clown said:


> Good choice to sell that tank and look for something "Reef Ready".
> Reef Ready means that the tank is drilled. Even if your tank could be drilled
> you would have to spend around another $200 if not more just to get it "Reef Ready"
> Bulkheads, plumbing, Sump tank, Glass, silicone, PVC glue, overflowbox or "wier" time and huge learning curve getting it al set up correct. The beauty of drilling your own tank and setting up all the plumbing yourself is you will really understand it but it is very time consuming and there is a lot to get right.
> Might I point out an awesome deal from a stand up GTAA member "windowlicka" I don't know if it's still available.
> 
> He has a
> "23G LONG (36") Miracles aquarium - Peninsula style tank (drilled for Herbie-style drains (SILENT!) on one end), full 'coast-to-coast' weir overflow. No chips, no scratches, no leaks. Sells with new 20G LONG (30") tank, converted into a sump (SKIMMER >> RETURN << REFUGIUM), pine stand and all sch40 plumbing (plumbing alone was over $200!): $200"
> 
> This is much smaller then your 50 was but just to give you an idea of the kind of "all in" set-up.
> 
> Now when I say "all in" that's a lie. You would still need:
> -A return pump
> -Heater
> -lights
> -powerheads
> -Protien skimmer skimmer
> -GFO reactor (optional but recommended)
> 
> Some will tell you to "go bigger" now because you will later anyway, it's probably true.
> 
> Keep your eyes on the classifieds and kijiji. Ask before you buy and use this time to read and research.


I think Windowlicka is selling his LED's as well.


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## Toofem

*Refugium*

So... Couldn't I set a refugium type area inside my tank?? If I decided to keep the tank I bought yesterday???


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## jd81

Toofem said:


> So... Couldn't I set a refugium type area inside my tank?? If I decided to keep the tank I bought yesterday???


Yes you can , but it will cost you a significantly more than the set-up that Windowlicka is selling. You are looking at a couple hundred dollars to get the tank drilled (if at all possible), plumbing, sump.


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## sig

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## sig

here is the drilled one and almost 175 

http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41282

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## fesso clown

Toofem said:


> So... Couldn't I set a refugium type area inside my tank?? If I decided to keep the tank I bought yesterday???


Not really.

If you keep that tank you could have a hang on back refugium but I think more then a refugium you need a protien skimmer. There are some decent hang on back models. 
You will get different opinions on hang on back filtration, my opinion after ignoring all the opinions on this same question and doing my first tank with no sump and using hang on back equipment and tearing it all down and starting over (wasting time and money):
I would NEVER have a SW tank without a sump. PERIOD.

Save yourself some money and time and do it with a reef ready tank.

EDIT (to self): never say never jeff, what about a nano or an AIO?


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## Toofem

Did I mention I live in a small 2 br townhouse... Not to mention... Give the new girl a 175 gal to setup... top of the line... heh heh... I'll show my better half...



sig said:


> here is the drilled one and almost 175
> 
> http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41282


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## PureHash

Most of the time the sticker on tbebottom pane of glass is tempered. Not the sides its because tempered glass has more tensile strength to hold the overall weight of water, gravel, rocks, andso on. My 75 has a tempered sticker on the bottom pane, according to BAs. It's the same tank they use for their display tanks and then drill the back with no issues, but they say don't drill the bottom

There is a way to test for tempered glass with a cellphone, or polarized sunglasses, but I'm not entirely sure how. Maybe another member can go more into detail on that.

Edit: I just got glass cut and assembled my own 15g display and sump for about75$.

You may want to consider building a tank custom to a old strong tv stand you may have? 
Then you can drill wherever you want to with no issues


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## altcharacter

A quick and easy way to test for tempered glass is to get yourself some 3D glasses from the movie theaters (they're polarized) and look at the glass itself from a few directions. If it's tempered you'll see dark squares in the glass. You can test this on your car also to see what windows are tempered.


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## Windowlicka

Lol! Thanks very much to JD & Fesso for the kind words & free plugs! 

Looks like my tank/stand/sump/plumbing may be back up for grabs (who'd have thunk that a Kijiji responder would fail to come through...! ).


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## Toofem

*Pondering*

I have been working on my sanding project and hope I'll get lots done today... Haven't had any bites on the tank as of yet.... I am considering, more like leaning towards... Building a setup without the sump... Just going with what I have and try this out...

I had been considering getting a set up unit from The Coral Reef shop, but what I'm looking for is bigger than I can afford, I love the tanks they offer, they really are perfect for the beginner hobbyist...

Money is tight, so I can't be going over board with this tank... Things that can wait... I'll put on the back burner...

As freakishly excited as I am... I really have to show some restraint... haha

So, I thank you all for your suggestions and links... I've followed them all, seen some awesome stuff... and will continue to learn from any and all suggestions... And all the great info that's already been written on this site.

So, thanks for everything... Sometimes can't reply to everything, because I need 2 get these stairs done!! But it's all appreciated and read...

Have a great Wednesday!!!

Lisa


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## Toofem

Windowlicka, this is not the news I wanted to hear!!! haha I was hoping you sold it + pocketed the extra 50 bux...


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## Ryan.Wilton

Hate to say it, but a tight budget may not allow for a reef. At least, it never has for me.


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## Toofem

*This is where I'm at...*

I hear ya... I really wanna try and make this happen... Even if it's a slow go before I can put it together... I am so happy I am working towards it, words can't describe... (maybe it comes through in my posts haha)

After xmas I was less than thrilled to finish my stairs project... (I discovered I'm allergic) good fun!! So, if nothing else, this dream I've had for a long time looks so much closer today.... And poof... Stairs are almost done!!

Sometimes it takes a push...

I will begin to collect what I need to put my tank together, in the next day or two I'll be staining my stairs... and touching up the base of the aquarium... 70's panel wagon aquarium... haha

I plan to wash tank and equipment... and set up a plan on paper for my tank build... I will ensure I get the equipment together before worrying about anything live... I just have to slllllooooooooowwwwww down.... But you guys got me so excited... And I owe ya all for helping me to complete my 1st carpentry job that I was procrastinating!!!

I think I can make this happen... With your help!! 

Lisa


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## bmc

Hello! Its definitely do-able with out a sump but it does mean more daily care and due diligence measuring salinity, topping off with RO water and daily testing and all that jazz. PLUS lots and lots of patience waiting for the tank to cycle for a good long 3-5 weeks and thats with live cured rock from a member's well established tank. I only started with adding snails after 4 week mark and then this week I added 3 shrimps and am watching daily!

No fish for another week or two pending how the shrimps do. Its a serious pain in the @#$#@$


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## Toofem

*Cool!!!*

post me a pic of your tank!! Sounds super (your tank) your almost there!!! I don't mind daily maintenance... I can handle that... It will take me daily maintenance to start knowing what it is I'm doing. I'm not at all worried about the cycle to start... I have loads of patience... It'll be a bit before I've got water in my tank...

Just sanded out the scratches in my tank stand... will hope the stain I have is a close enough match!!! Will see...

How can a member give me rock from there tank without disturbing their established tank? Just curious how that works...

all that jazz. PLUS lots and lots of patience waiting for the tank to cycle for a good long 3-5 weeks and thats with live cured rock from a member's well established tank. I only started with adding snails after 4 week mark and then this week I added 3 shrimps and am watching daily!

No fish for another week or two pending how the shrimps do. Its a serious pain in the @#$#@$[/QUOTE]


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## bmc

Hi, im not sure how it works lol they must have it in their sump and not in the actual display tank. I got about 35lbs off a guy from Kijiji, now getting a nice big display peice off SIG on this forum.

Here is what my tank looks like right now, going through some diatom bloom everywhere. nitrates 0, ammonia 0, no concerns water wise, have 2 powerheads, a hang on back marineland filter unit with no media other than live rock rubble, thats temporary until i can get another powerhead as there seems to be little in terms of movement at the back of the tank.

I do have a hang on the back skimmer but not setting that up yet until i can get a better idea of the bio load as i slowly but slowly add livestock.

Other than that, lots of moving organism, snails and my peppermint shrimps are having a blast. Pic posted was prior to powerheads being added and waiting for the cycle


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## Toofem

Your tank looks great!!! A bit busy, but I think when it's established, it'll have a lot of character!!

This is very cool, knowing your stage.... Thanks for sharing!!!! Every day closer to being right behind you!! haha

I really wanted that 17 lb piece as well, but truly wasn't ready for it... It'll be smashing in your tank!!


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## bmc

yea all the small peices i plan to move out or at some point try to afix it to the bigger peices. i plan to move some of the smaller peices it a quarantine tank


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## Toofem

well, the sticker says all the panes are tempered... So... I will have to deal, unless when I get it cleaned out over the weekend I manage to sell it for the 175 I paid for it...



PureHash said:


> Most of the time the sticker on tbebottom pane of glass is tempered. Not the sides its because tempered glass has more tensile strength to hold the overall weight of water, gravel, rocks, andso on. My 75 has a tempered sticker on the bottom pane, according to BAs. It's the same tank they use for their display tanks and then drill the back with no issues, but they say don't drill the bottom
> 
> There is a way to test for tempered glass with a cellphone, or polarized sunglasses, but I'm not entirely sure how. Maybe another member can go more into detail on that.
> 
> Edit: I just got glass cut and assembled my own 15g display and sump for about75$.
> 
> You may want to consider building a tank custom to a old strong tv stand you may have?
> Then you can drill wherever you want to with no issues


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## Toofem

ok, that totally makes sense...



bmc said:


> yea all the small peices i plan to move out or at some point try to afix it to the bigger peices. i plan to move some of the smaller peices it a quarantine tank


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## Toofem

*It's about the retro 70's wagon paneling look*

How can I safely cover this, fish friendly...


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## Toofem

*Slowly...*

Ok, for those that know, I have a stairs project that's underway... I'm done with the sanding, and while the coats are drying, I'm cleaning up the tank... Sure wish I had a better sink space!! What a pain!!

I have cleaned the crushed coral that came with tank, I'm still cleaning it... Bought some sand which I'll put in once tank has been cleaned...

Picked up basics like nets, thermometer... Looking at rock options trying to find best price... (still not ready for rock anyway)

I'm going to pick up salt today...

I've been thinking about lights... They will be pretty important as my tank is pretty deep...

I will need another power head, HOB refugium, HOB skimmer (not right away)...

Still need to pick up my test kits, are there any recommendations for a good test kit, has everything in it I need?? I notice the master test kit for reef tanks, and for salt water tank... I couldn't make up my mind which one to get...

I really want to cover the retro wood grain trim on the tank... Any suggestions??

I'm keeping my eyes open for used equipment... This site has been amazing...

I've been reading up on other peoples builds and have learned tons... Super looking tanks...

That's my update...


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## altcharacter

FessoClown has an awesome HOB refuge that is hacked from a AC110 (i think) ask if he's still selling it. Lighting is very personal to alot of people so you'll get 100 different answers from 100 people. I love LED but T5's are awesome as well.

Going good so far!


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## Toofem

*FessoClown*

I wasn't able to find it the ad... But when I searched his name said it was unknown user... The lighting - I want something sufficient... haha Something that will work with my tank/reef... 48" wide is pricey... so, if I can find something 2nd hand, that'd be good...

I have a job interview so, I'll check back this afternoon!! 

Thanks for your feedback.



altcharacter said:


> FessoClown has an awesome HOB refuge that is hacked from a AC110 (i think) ask if he's still selling it. Lighting is very personal to alot of people so you'll get 100 different answers from 100 people. I love LED but T5's are awesome as well.
> 
> Going good so far!


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## fesso clown

altcharacter said:


> FessoClown has an awesome HOB refuge that is hacked from a AC110 (i think) ask if he's still selling it. Lighting is very personal to alot of people so you'll get 100 different answers from 100 people. I love LED but T5's are awesome as well.
> 
> Going good so far!


I just sold it (finally) but thanks for the plug Dave. It is easy to make your own HOB Fuge. Check this out:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=AC+110+refugium+mod

Toofem, this guy did a great job on his sumpless 72 Gallon. Read his thread:
http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41031&highlight=kingston


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## Toofem

*Getting things together*

So, I've cleaned the crushed coral, still have to clean the new sand... The tank will be cleaned today... I am going to look for some dry rock at Big Al's and see how much it is... I like the base rock the best, and woot, it's cheapest...

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-pets-acce...AdIdZ451079997

Please advise, this guy has more than 1 ad on lights... I need lights, and wanted your opinion... Would these lights work to setup?? Also, if you look at sellers other ads, he has other lights... and few other new items... Please direct me on the lights... I am clueless here... It's probs my biggest purchase right now, and I don't want to purchase something that is useless...

Thanks for your help!!!

Also, if I make my current filter into a HOB refuge, then will I need filtration other than the live rock and sand?? Is the refuge a filter as well as breading

ground for healthy bacteria??

Thanks for your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lisa


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## JulieFish

It sounds like you are going about this the right way, taking your time and finding out answers to all your questions. 

The kijiji link you posted didn't work for some reason for me. For lights, decide if you want T5HO (less costly but to some not as pretty looking) or LED (more expensive but so pretty)... then you will still have a million choices but at least they will be narrowed down. 

If you want to know what I have, I started with a marineland LED strip. It looked great to me and all my corals grew quite fast, even my crocea clam was happy (they are extrememly light demanding). However that light eventually (recently) died and I've replaced it with par 38 LEDs from brights aquatics. They are very nice looking too and my corals are still growing so I'm happy with them. These are both relatively low price point light solutions, if money had been no factor, then I probably would have gone with a unit by vertex or SOL, they are customizable and all that. T5s are great too, but they don't make the colours on the corals glow in the same way as LEDs, and the shimmer effect from LEDs is nice too.

For filtration, live rock, live sand and a HOB refugium is adequate. The next step is a protein skimmer and/or using macroalgae to remove nitrates. I'd recommend both if you want to grow a variety of corals, but you can probably get by without. If you want to have several different softy corals, then I'd recommend putting a bag of activated carbon in your filter box, to remove the chemical warfare stuff that these guys release into your tank.

Hope that helps, it can be difficult to decide on lights and filtration, even when you know a lot about them. Have you decided against a sump? If I was to do it again, I would try using a sump.


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## Toofem

*Thanks for your input*

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-pets-acc...-Light-with-LEDs-Brand-New-W0QQAdIdZ451079997

above is the lights, he has T5 as well, this unit seems so skinny, but I suppose it's 6" ish above tank, so it would probs do it... My tank is about a foot deep...

I am leaning towards LED, I love the custom hoods... They are really fantastic, but not really ideal on my budget... 

I will put a skimmer in, but not right away... I wonder if I can still do sump (my tank is not drillable) so out of my refuge?? Run a hose out of it... Just curious....

Anyway, off to Big Al's with my partner... Need some stuff...



JulieFish said:


> It sounds like you are going about this the right way, taking your time and finding out answers to all your questions.
> 
> The kijiji link you posted didn't work for some reason for me. For lights, decide if you want T5HO (less costly but to some not as pretty looking) or LED (more expensive but so pretty)... then you will still have a million choices but at least they will be narrowed down.
> 
> If you want to know what I have, I started with a marineland LED strip. It looked great to me and all my corals grew quite fast, even my crocea clam was happy (they are extrememly light demanding). However that light eventually (recently) died and I've replaced it with par 38 LEDs from brights aquatics. They are very nice looking too and my corals are still growing so I'm happy with them. These are both relatively low price point light solutions, if money had been no factor, then I probably would have gone with a unit by vertex or SOL, they are customizable and all that. T5s are great too, but they don't make the colours on the corals glow in the same way as LEDs, and the shimmer effect from LEDs is nice too.
> 
> For filtration, live rock, live sand and a HOB refugium is adequate. The next step is a protein skimmer and/or using macroalgae to remove nitrates. I'd recommend both if you want to grow a variety of corals, but you can probably get by without. If you want to have several different softy corals, then I'd recommend putting a bag of activated carbon in your filter box, to remove the chemical warfare stuff that these guys release into your tank.
> 
> Hope that helps, it can be difficult to decide on lights and filtration, even when you know a lot about them. Have you decided against a sump? If I was to do it again, I would try using a sump.


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## JulieFish

huh. Is HE (high efficiency) the same as HO (high output)? I honestly don't know. Otherwise, the lights look fine. I think you might want a 4-bulb fixture though. You could get by with 2 bulbs, but later on you may regret it. I'm not too experienced with T5 options though so if someone else says otherwise then take their word


----------



## fesso clown

Lighting is going to be your biggest investment. Make sure you do your du-diligence there. Personally I would stick to known brands and would pass on that kijiji light and find a good used fixture instead. If you go the t5HO route you really do need to stick to name brand bulbs at the very least. ATI or giesseman are the best. Some people buy cheap fixtures (like your kijiji one) and replace the bulbs right away with good results. For decent "cheap" fixtures try http://www.aquatraders.com/
maybe try posting a Wanted ad here for a used fixture.

EDIT: I totally agree, you will want/need a 4 bulb fixture.


----------



## altcharacter

That light is a T5 and not a T5HO since the bulbs are 28 watt for 48". Not to say that isn't going to work but you'll be able to house softies and such with a little growth from corals.

And what those guys said. 4 bulbs would be nice or a 2 bulb setup with some type of LED's to suppliment.


----------



## Toofem

*awesome input! thanks so much!*

Ok! Sounds goood, bought some base rock from pet smart for 60 bux, do I need to cure it b4 I put it in tank? It's dry... Not nearly enugh! But its a start, will weigh it...


----------



## altcharacter

Is it base rock for a saltwater tank? Or is it just random rock meant for freshwater?

Either way I would start curing it in a bucket if you could. Or you could just do a fresh start and throw everything in the tank all at the same time and have fun!!

By curing the rock now you get out all the nasty stuff from the rock that you don't want in your tank.


----------



## fesso clown

So sorry to tell you but I am %99 sure you won't want to use that rock you just bought at petsmart in a marine tank. yikes! don't get it wet and return it. I am sure they will take it back. Rock for marine tanks needs to be porous and full of holes for bacteria to be able to infest it thoroughly. Macro rock (google it) is ideal and can only be bought at marine specific shops. 
Advanced Reef Aquatics in Milton isn't too far from you and is worth the trip for a good deal on SW rock. Another thing to do would be to wait until you have water in your tank and buy live rock off someone who is selling it as a system shutdown or whatever. Live macro rock is best IMO.










EDIT: I see people selling off live rock all the time. Watch here, kijiji and Aquarium Pros (you need to register there to see the classifieds, the process of stetting up an account on AP sucks and is frustraiting but well worth it to see their classies)


----------



## Toofem

*The rock I bought*

The rock I bought I understand to be base rock, but it was dry... Here is a picture... Nice and porous...


----------



## wildexpressions

rock looks good and they look like nice big pieces


----------



## Toofem

*let me know if this isn't good...*

Pls let me know if that isn't good rock... I paid 60.00 for it, and I haven't weighed it, but it looks like not remotely close to enough... I won't cure it till I know it's good for my tank... Presuming I have to cure it...

I'm getting closer... I got a quote from brights aquatics as well for lights, and I would really like to go for it...

If you like I can sell you 2 Full Spectrums and 1 True Spectrum for $290.00 incl tax and shipping

They looked like big pieces before I put them in my tank for safe keeping!!! Then they looked a little pebblish... hehe

The pic I took was of the 2 biggest pieces, I bought about 4 other pieces that were 1/2 the size of these ones...


----------



## Toofem

*On a side note - Refuge*

I intend on making my refuge today, and when my kid gets home will get him to help me move my tank for cleaning...

So, hopefully will get this doctored up... if the rock I have is good and should be soaked first, I'll soak it when I'm happy my crushed coral is clean + free up buckets!! Lots and lots of cleaning to do!!!!!!!!!!! My partner gave me the go ahead for the lights, but I want 2nd opinion, so I'll wait for that... 

I love this site, and appreciate the help you've all offered to me to get me well on my way!!


----------



## Toofem

*Sump question*

I am wondering about the sump tank, can I run it out of my HOB refuge to underneath?? Just curious... Probs won't start out this way, but... Am considering all options... It's hard to surf this site when I have so much cleaning of my tank to do!  I learn a ton from the builds...


----------



## Toofem

*Rock Details*

These two pieces are approximately 11 inches x 4"... Nice big pieces, the others are about 1/2 the size... I have a couple inquiries to purchase more rock 2nd hand... I don't mind cleaning things up and taking my time... I would love to see water in my tank, but it delights me every step of the way preparing it...



Toofem said:


> The rock I bought I understand to be base rock, but it was dry... Here is a picture... Nice and porous...


----------



## Toofem

*lights*

If I buy these 3 lights from brights aquariums, he's just lowered his price a smidge for me... Please let me know if I should jump fast on these lights, and will I easily find housing for them?? Again, the lights I'm looking at are: 1x 18w Dimmable True Spectrum 2x 24w Dimmable Full Spectrum

http://www.brightaquatics.com/dimmable-true-spectrum-reef-led-system/
http://www.brightaquatics.com/dimmable-full-spectrum-led-reef-lighting/

Thanks for your input...


----------



## fesso clown

Toofem said:


> If I buy these 3 lights from brights aquariums, he's just lowered his price a smidge for me... Please let me know if I should jump fast on these lights, and will I easily find housing for them?? Again, the lights I'm looking at are: 1x 18w Dimmable True Spectrum 2x 24w Dimmable Full Spectrum
> 
> http://www.brightaquatics.com/dimmable-true-spectrum-reef-led-system/
> http://www.brightaquatics.com/dimmable-full-spectrum-led-reef-lighting/
> 
> Thanks for your input...


Those are Par 38 bulbs, I have no experience with them, seems like a good price but you will still need 3 fixtures for them. Any fixture will do but I imaging that's going to be another $50-100 for nice lamps you will like. Check Ikea. I wouldn't "JUMP" on them. There's no rush. Get some opinions from people who have used them. GTAA member Boxboy sells those too, check his prices. I think they are about the same. GTAA member wiseguyphil was selling some barely used ones too, do a search, he might still have them. 
Dimmable is very important, full spectrem is good. Here's how they look and different fixture options.

http://www.google.ca/search?q=par38+led&hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&tbo=d&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=uq0GUfCCM8Wg2QXAhICYCA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAA&biw=1390&bih=768#hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&tbo=d&rls=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=par38+led+reef&oq=par38+led+reef&gs_l=img.3..0j0i24l3.1186.2395.0.2951.5.4.0.1.1.0.434.785.1j2j4-1.4.0...0.0...1c.1.lb9-93a2pv8&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bvm=bv.41524429,d.b2I&fp=a288ed386753172c&biw=1390&bih=768

Check Reef Central (another forum site) for opinions.


----------



## thefishguy

With the par38 at the depth of you tank you may not get sufficient penetration to the sand bed and may get some dark spots. I would go with a 4 or 6 bulb T5HO light fixture.

I do not know any of the following posters so cannot attest to quality but doing a quick kijiji search and being on a budget these may be worth checking out:

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-pets-oth...ixture-Builtin-Timer-54wX4-W0QQAdIdZ447906127

With this one you would want to change out all bulbs before use for ATI bulbs so your looking at price of fixture + around $120 for new bulbs.

OR

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-pets-acc...ghting-for-sale-with-bulbs-W0QQAdIdZ448031766

The 48" 6 bulb fixture may be worth considering, you will be able to keep anything under these lights. You may even be able to get the price down a bit.

Hope this helps!


----------



## Toofem

*Lights*

It is Boxboy who is selling them to me...

I'll check it out... Thanks so much for the info!!!!



fesso clown said:


> Those are Par 38 bulbs, I have no experience with them, seems like a good price but you will still need 3 fixtures for them. Any fixture will do but I imaging that's going to be another $50-100 for nice lamps you will like. Check Ikea. I wouldn't "JUMP" on them. There's no rush. Get some opinions from people who have used them. GTAA member Boxboy sells those too, check his prices. I think they are about the same. GTAA member wiseguyphil was selling some barely used ones too, do a search, he might still have them.
> Dimmable is very important, full spectrem is good. Here's how they look and different fixture options.
> 
> http://www.google.ca/search?q=par38+led&hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&tbo=d&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=uq0GUfCCM8Wg2QXAhICYCA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAA&biw=1390&bih=768#hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&tbo=d&rls=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=par38+led+reef&oq=par38+led+reef&gs_l=img.3..0j0i24l3.1186.2395.0.2951.5.4.0.1.1.0.434.785.1j2j4-1.4.0...0.0...1c.1.lb9-93a2pv8&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bvm=bv.41524429,d.b2I&fp=a288ed386753172c&biw=1390&bih=768
> 
> Check Reef Central (another forum site) for opinions.


----------



## JulieFish

Like I said, I'm happy with my par38s from brights aquatics, but if money was no issue I would have gone with more customizable LEDs, so take that as you will. I'm happy but I could be more happy. My corals have definately grown in the month since I changed lights so that's the major thing that matters to me. You also need to think about fixtures. I got pendants at ikea for about $24 each as I remember. But then I also dropped $100 at home depot for my dimmer switch, timer, wire, electrical boxes, etc. so if you are going to be "installing" into your home take that into account too. Also it's a one to two day project, you need to find access to electrical in the walls or ceiling, punch holes etc.. The great thing about the par38s is that they can also be plugged into a $10 desk lamp or clamp light, so that's an option too. If you want to check mine out in person let me know. I'm up in Brampton, so probably a 40 minute drive from Burlington, but it might be worth it to know what you are getting. You are welcome though.

Edit: ya know if I was needing lights right now I would very likely jump on this http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41690. This is more of a "dream" fixture and when you get it used it's a great deal. I'm not sure if it would reach the edges of your 4 foot tank, maybe ask the seller how the spread is. The seller's a good guy too, I've bought corals from him in the past.


----------



## Toofem

*Waaaaaaaa*

*Whoah, I have a nibble on my tank, it's me taking a little loss, and I've even refinished the oak stand hahaha, but anyways, good news for my build if it goes through!! Wish it went through b4 my visit to Aurora yesterday!!

Today I put off no more the cleaning of the tank!!

Thanks for all the feed bank, it all helps me know what options are out there, and what ways are successful!! I can't believe how happy I am to possibly be tankless!! hahaha *


----------



## Toofem

*New Tank*

Purchased a new tank, and am still going to go sumpless...

-46 gal bow front tank
-black stand
-T5 HO 36" Dual-Lamp Aquatic Life which includes 10,oook lamp bright white and 420/460 nm blue
-Crushed coral and new bag of arogonite sand
-40 lbs rock
-salt

I still need to take inventory of the box of 2nd hand things I have... Couple power heads, couple heaters, some test kits, water additives

Still need refugium, skimmer, likely another power head

There was some silicone left on one pane of glass, any suggestions how to get that off, it's black... Also, I was using one of those sponges with the green scrubbie on the back, tried to get the glue from the label is stuck on the inside, I didn't scratch tank but I didn't successfully remove it all, it's still noticeable, any suggestions would be well received!!


----------



## Toofem

*tank has sand, coral and some rock*

I'm just cleaning up the rock and placing it as it's cleaned.... Got the spots off the glass with a razor as per Big Al's... I may put water in tomorrow if I can get filter and power head... Let's fire this baby up.... Took pic, not all the rock is in tank yet, but have about 50 lbs total...

Was talking to my partner today about an RO unit... I think we'll be holding off on that...  This rock is nasty, but I'm getting it really clean which is good...


----------



## Toofem

*RO filter*

Please let me know what you think of this filter...

http://www.costco.ca/Premier-5-stage-Reverse-Osmosis-Water-Filtration-System.product.10344948.html


----------



## marblerye

Toofem said:


> Please let me know what you think of this filter...
> 
> http://www.costco.ca/Premier-5-stage-Reverse-Osmosis-Water-Filtration-System.product.10344948.html


Nice RO filtration unit. If you pick it up, I'd recommend testing your TDS to see if there is anything in the water after it passes through the entire system. If you don't get a reading of zero TDS, just add a DI unit (must be separate from the drinking water line) just for your fish tank to take out anything left in the water to get you zero TDS.

Great thing about RO filtration units is, if you don't like the filters or what not you can always swap them out for different filters since the housing should fit the standard 10" filters. Beware RO filter units like the ones GE makes because they use dedicated filters that aren't standard and only they manufacture so you always come back to them for replacement filters.

Personally I use the ones they sell at Bulk Reef Supply after thorough research they definitely know what they're doing when they recommend these brands in their RO filtration units. My setup as follows; Purtrex sediment filter, 2 Matrikx carbon filters, Dow Filmtec reverse osmosis membrane, Omnipure inline taste and odor filter (for drinking water), and a double stage DI unit for the fish tank. I've also got the water tank setup in the kitchen and let me tell you.. life is so much better with it.

*By the way; the reverse osmosis membrane included in this system is kind of weak at 24GPD. That's a very slow system you might want to swap that membrane out for a nice Dow Filmtec membrane at 75GPD.


----------



## sig

It is useless for our needs until it has DI included. you will go and spend money to get DI resin. and as result you already coming to $200.

you also do not need 5 stages, 4 will be enough. You will get 0 with 4 stages, 5 or 100.
Zero is 0 and all additional stages is waste of money (for our hobby)

that is what you need

http://www.maxwaterflow.com/Build-y...arium-RO-DI-Reverse-Osmosis-system_p_545.html

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----------



## liz

I have to say I think that the BRS 4 or 5 stage is better buy. It is built for aquarium use and priced extremely well for all that comes with it. Once you get it - it is plug and play as they install everything for you. There is nothing extra that you need to buy - it comes with everything that you could possibly need.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulk-...ms/reverse-osmosis-systems/value-systems.html

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulk-...reverse-osmosis-systems/standard-systems.html

There is always a Bulk Reef Supply group order going on somewhere - there might even be one going on right now on this site? If you join a group order you get the lowest price advertised on a unit and BRS pays the duty - you just pay taxes and shipping.

The costco unit is not made for aquariums and you would have to change out the filters plus add a DI unit to it - $$$$ in the end - way more than you need to pay.

HTH, Liz


----------



## tom g

*ro unit*

yes ... agree with sig and liz


----------



## Toofem

*Thanks for the input*

Ok, love the idea of someone coming in to install RO filter, because... My partner and I haven't got a clue how...

I have seen this refugium before, HOB, I have room behind for it np... is this sufficient for 46 gal?

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aquafuge2-external-hang-on-refugium.html

I sent bulk reef supply an e-mail for more info...

I'm so close, was hoping for water today, but will wait, I put the lights on to dry the rock I cleaned, the dried up worm looking things won't hurt new tank?? I got as many worms off as I could while I was cleaning with brushes...


----------



## liz

They are not going to come to your house and install the RO/DI unit for you. They just install all the filters at their factory for you so that when you receive it in the mail all you have to do follow their simple instructions on how to set it up and you are good to go! That is what I meant when I said plug and play. 
Sorry hope this clarifies it for you,
Liz

Edit - anything on the dry rock won't hurt your tank. It just becomes part of the cycle.


----------



## Toofem

*RO filter...*

I'm not sure if I know how to build by way of your link Sid... I will spend more time researching them and in the meanwhile will purchase some jugs of RO water from my local water supply place... My aquarium shop sells it too...

I'm looking into refugium as well right now, so will hold out for water till I have refugium in my hands... Then i'll evaluate the power heads I have vs what I need... and then I'm close to water... There will be shady areas from my rock, I like the caverns for fish to hide, but will this cause sites for bad algae or are they ok?? Everything seems solid, love the way it looks...

Excited for water... Really excited for my tank to start cycling...


----------



## sig

the water should be first, but looks like you do not want to hear anything under SW euphoria

start to waste money on refusium >>> light for it >>> pump for it >>> sell it in a few months for the third of the price >>>> get new tank >>> drill holes>>> make sump

welcome to the waste club. Looks like everybody new (including myself in the past), think that people here trying to BS him/her when saying - do the right from the beginning

probably you will need this one
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aquafuge2-external-hang-on-refugium-with-light.html

and do not forget about pump, because looks like it is not included

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----------



## fesso clown

I think adding a refugium is a good idea but it is not really something you "need" to start you tank off. The point of a fuge is a place to grow pods and grow cheato. There are varying opinions on the effectiveness of a small fuge in terms of actual nutrient export by growing a small quantity of cheato. 
I think you should save your $$$ for a quality HOB skimmer and maybe look into a getting a reactors or 2. One for GFO and one for Bio-Pellets. 
If you don't know about running GFO or Bio pellets look it up...
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reactors/carbon-gfo-media-reactors.html

I don't know much about good HOB protein skimmers but something like this:
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-octopus-bh100-hang-on-the-back-protein-skimmer.html


----------



## Toofem

*I swear I'm listening...*

The additional up front cost of going with a sump tank wasn't in my budget... I swear, I'm listening to everything that's been said... I get the solid reason why a sump is superior start up...

Yes, my head is up my tanks ass right now... There will be no drilling tanks in my near future... (Promise I'll eat my words if this is an untrue statement)

I am ok with having a few extra parts if I do a rebuild...

keep your comments coming... I hang off every word... (this sounds sarcastic, I love learning about salt water and appreciate all you will and can teach me...

Thanks!!!!



sig said:


> the water should be first, but looks like you do not want to hear anything under SW euphoria
> 
> start to waste money on refusium >>> light for it >>> pump for it >>> sell it in a few months for the third of the price >>>> get new tank >>> drill holes>>> make sump
> 
> welcome to the waste club. Looks like everybody new (including myself in the past), think that people here trying to BS him/her when saying - do the right from the beginning
> 
> probably you will need this one
> http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aquafuge2-external-hang-on-refugium-with-light.html
> 
> and do not forget about pump, because looks like it is not included


----------



## kamal

I am sure not running a sump you will be "fine" but the term is subjective. Your setup will be far healthier and you will have better success as a beginner if you go the sump route. I am always on a budget in this expensive hobby. People are always giving away tanks pick one up.......cutting baffles for a sump at your local hardware store including the glass will be under $15, silicone $5, bulkheads and plumbing another $20. I am sure someone here will help you drill the hole if you ask nicely! I dont want to nag or anything but we love new salties and if you do what is suggested you will have an even healtheir tank and be more likely to continue in this amazing obsession.....ps we all make mistakes we are just trying to stop your before they happen


----------



## Toofem

*I started*

So, picked up 9 jugs of water, and fired this baby up...

I put...

aquaclear 70 - 300 gph
koralia - 750 gph
tunze 6015 - 476 gph
aqueon 200watt heater

7 lbs live rock, 50 - 55 lbs dry rock
crushed coral 20+ lbs
aragonite sand 20 lbs

I'm not sure the tunze is enough current... I will likely get another koralia 750gph...

lots of dead sea monkeys, few worms... I could have done better with the salt, but live and learn... The salinity is 1.021, that's the only level I checked so far...


----------



## liz

Did you mix up your saltwater and let it aerate for 24 hours before putting it in your tank?


----------



## Toofem

Nope, nope... Didn't do that...



liz said:


> Did you mix up your saltwater and let it aerate for 24 hours before putting it in your tank?


----------



## liz

You didn't mix it in your tank with all that sand and rock in there did you?


----------



## Toofem

Actually I had put 25 gallons in the tank before my water guy asked me if I mixed the salt in... Ok... No, I totally forgot the salt in my reef tank... Stoner moment... 

So, I didn't know to let it sit a day, I mixed it, put it into the RO water that was in the tank...


----------



## liz

liz said:


> Did you mix up your saltwater and let it aerate for 24 hours before putting it in your tank?


This a must and you have to do it at the same temp. as display water. You mix it up according to the directions in a separate container (as long as it is food safe) and let it aerate with a power head and heat for 24 hours prior to adding it to your tank.

What is the temp. of your tank right now as that will affect the salinity reading?


----------



## Toofem

the only thing living in my tank is the worms from the live rock (if they survived)... temp is 71 right now... of course temp affects salinity...


----------



## liz

Ok, I will leave you be if you know what you are doing.


----------



## Toofem

I'll wait to test it till temp is warmer


----------



## Toofem

No no... Don't leave... I know nothing... I just recently took chemistry, and should have considered that is all, and I hadn't... Glad you were here


----------



## fesso clown

You should be OK, be glad you didn't have any livestock. It will mix in your tank. 
I didn't know about the 24 hour salt mix thing until after 2 months of setting up my first tank, I actually never had any problems only letting my water changes mix for an hour or so but it is a "best practice" that I started doing as soon as I heard about it.


----------



## sig

I hope this is not final landscaping, otherwise I suggest to move all rocks to the back or make some king of amphitheater and to have more space in the front

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----------



## Toofem

*Rockscaping*

I'll move the piece of live rock, I stuck it in the front center thinking it was good place to start seeding... I had put it in back right corner, but it wasn't as stable as I would have liked... I'll give it another go in the back corner, it'll seed fine anywhere if I haven't killed any life that's on it...

I have too much rock in my tank, I may just need to take a couple out...

I had the amphitheater in mind before I began, just have too much rock...


----------



## Toofem

*what parameters should I be testing right now and how often??*

So, I was messing with the rock, had to adjust my power heads, as they were shooting the sand... maybe they are strong enough after all...

I'm not so happy with how the rock looks, I love the ledge in the middle to the back of the tank, will be good for corals... I will likely take a few rocks out so it doesn't look so rammed full...

The temp is a balmy 80, and the salinity remained the same at 1.021... I'm guessing the sea monkeys came from the live rock... I've been seeking for life, but don't see any... 2morrow the coral reef shop is open, and I can always get a live rock from them... There was a worm alive on the rock when I put it in tank (cold water though probs killed it)...

That's me today... lights on during the cycle??


----------



## marblerye

80 is a bit warm if you can dial it back to 78 that'd be more ideal.

Lights off during cycle unless you want hair algae to take over your rock.

Worms and life could have died off when you had the rock in fresh water sans the salt, if i read your previous posts correctly. 

Things looking great. If I were you I'd leave the rocks in there as is until after the cycle and then aquascape; it's one of those things where one day you love it the next day you hate it. Give it time to get an idea of the kinds of corals you plan to keep and then work from there.


----------



## liz

marblerye said:


> 80 is a bit warm if you can dial it back to 78 that'd be more ideal.
> 
> Lights off during cycle unless you want hair algae to take over your rock.
> 
> Worms and life could have died off when you had the rock in fresh water sans the salt, if i read your previous posts correctly.
> 
> Things looking great. If I were you I'd leave the rocks in there as is until after the cycle and then aquascape; it's one of those things where one day you love it the next day you hate it. Give it time to get an idea of the kinds of corals you plan to keep and then work from there.


I agree - good advice.


----------



## Toofem

Ok, lights are off... I dialed the temp back, we'll see where it ends up...

Oh, you read it correctly!! hehe

Poor sea monkeys



marblerye said:


> 80 is a bit warm if you can dial it back to 78 that'd be more ideal.
> 
> Lights off during cycle unless you want hair algae to take over your rock.
> 
> Worms and life could have died off when you had the rock in fresh water sans the salt, if i read your previous posts correctly.
> 
> Things looking great. If I were you I'd leave the rocks in there as is until after the cycle and then aquascape; it's one of those things where one day you love it the next day you hate it. Give it time to get an idea of the kinds of corals you plan to keep and then work from there.


----------



## Toofem

*Parameters*

Temp still at 80, working on reducing to 78
salinity 1.021
ammonia .25 ppm
nitrite 0
nitrate 0

I rinsed crushed coral, sand and rock in tap water... Do I have to counter this in any way?? 
Since I turned the lights out, I've noticed the mold that was growing bellow sand level has disappeared... nice!!


----------



## fesso clown

While you wait, read this: 
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php


----------



## marblerye

Not a good idea to rinse "live" things like live rock with fresh water as the huge salinity difference will kill off the life on and within the rock. Hopefully when you say you rinsed the rock you only rinsed it and didn't leave it sitting in fresh water too long; the life inside the rock will most likely still be there it'll just take a while to flourish again. 

Everything with time; this hobby will teach you a thing or two about being patient. Read anything and everything you can in the meantime.


----------



## Toofem

I rinsed the rock that I rec'd from outside source, it was really grungy and I wanted to kill off anything that could have been on it... The live rock I put straight in the tank... However I did at 25 gals RO water before I remembered to add salt...

will add some live something to the tank tomorrow rock, sand, water...



marblerye said:


> Not a good idea to rinse "live" things like live rock with fresh water as the huge salinity difference will kill off the life on and within the rock. Hopefully when you say you rinsed the rock you only rinsed it and didn't leave it sitting in fresh water too long; the life inside the rock will most likely still be there it'll just take a while to flourish again.
> 
> Everything with time; this hobby will teach you a thing or two about being patient. Read anything and everything you can in the meantime.


----------



## 50seven

I wouldn't freak out about everything being dead just yet. When I started my 35g reef, I set up my sump about a month before. I wanted to get it going but didn't really care how it turned out, as it was just a sump. So I threw in cold tap water and household table salt until I had it at 1.024 or so. All I had in it was a small DSB and some LR, both from a well-established tank. Then I tossed in my heater and a circulation pump. 

Within 2 weeks of running like that, I began to see small critters coming around. There were worms, feather dusters, and pods to name a few. 

The sump ran like that on its own, and once hooked up to my display tank a month later, it helped the system to cycle in a couple days. 

Just saying because you might be surprised to see who comes out of hiding in the next few weeks. 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Toofem

*That is the best news I heard so far!!!*

It'll be like Christmas as they all sneak out... Yay!!!


----------



## Toofem

*o my*

So, on the live rock I tossed in today, was a baby ananamea, can I help him survive? I have drops feeder wand...


----------



## liz

Can you get a picture of this baby anemone? It could be majano which is not good and will spread. Which looks like a baby anemone.

https://www.google.com/search?q=maj...rKdDy2gX0kYHgAg&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1366&bih=667


----------



## Toofem

Yup, look like what you sent me, this one, but more clear...

http://www.acquaportal.it/nanoportal/Articoli/Invertebrati/anemoneMajano/images/_maiano.jpeg


----------



## liz

You want to remove that as soon as you can as I said they are a pest and will multiple. 

Do you have any kalkwasser (kalk)? If you do take a small amount and make a thick paste out of it with some RO/DI water and spread it on the majano (s) being very careful not to get it on anything else as it will kill what it comes in contact with. *Before you apply shut down all of your pumps, apply it, wait about 30 minutes, and then turn pumps back on. 
If you don't have kalk try a little squirt of vinegar but you have to get it dead center of the majano in order to kill it. This method is not a guarantee that it will kill it though.

I would definitely inspect the whole rock for others though.


----------



## Toofem

that was the only one... I will go get some... just turned the tank off, here's video...


----------



## liz

where did you get the rock cuz I would be telling them that they have majano in their tank if they didn't already know?

If you aren't going to be long you can safely remove that rock from the system until you can kill the majano. Your tank just started to cycle anyway and removing one rock won't hurt it.

Good luck, Liz


----------



## Toofem

*went back to pet store*

I bought it at my coral reef shop, they don't keep lights on their rock, so it doesn't often grow there he says, i took the rock out and broke the piece of that my wee guy was on, then I put him in the freezer... He was soooo cute!! My 1st life sign in my tank and I had to murder him!! hehe damnit!!


----------



## liz

Good job - breaking the rock off works just as well! 

Sorry you had to kill him but give it some time and you will see all kinds of life in your tank - take a look in your tank in about 2 weeks with a flashlight and lights out lol


----------



## Toofem

*I can't wait*

But I will wait... Thanks for your help!! We quickly took care of that...


----------



## liz

Toofem said:


> But I will wait... Thanks for your help!! We quickly took care of that...


Yeah that one was easy lol


----------



## Toofem

*I wanted to love him, nurture him, feed him*

Was easy because he was 1, and you were quick!!


----------



## Nicholas

Looking good... I am by no means considered experienced yet, but I can tell you from my biocube that a sump will help a lot. I am setting up a 60g as well, and am getting it drilled, and a custom sump made. It may seem like overkill now, but it will be the most useful thing in the long run. I too am on a budget(I'm only 17). I have had to order the tank/stand/sump all at once for the best price, but that means I will have no money for rock, sand, powerheads, and protein skimmer, which means I will need patience. If I were you, I would let the rock cure and buy a hob overflow, which will lead to a sump.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/catalog/product/view/id/1346/

This way, you dont have to drill the tank, and you can have a sump!


----------



## sig

Nicholas said:


> L If I were you, I would let the rock cure and buy a hob overflow, which will lead to a sump.
> 
> http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/catalog/product/view/id/1346/


*or will lead to the huge floor damage if not done very properly*

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## Toofem

Using overflow box could lead to water damage?



sig said:


> *or will lead to the huge floor damage if not done very properly*


----------



## Toofem

*Parameters*

Feb 5th
salinity 1.021 ppm
ammonia .25 ppm
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
temp 80

Feb 6th
salinity 1.022
ammonia .5 ppm
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
temp 79

Feb 7th
salinity 1.025
ammonia 1 ppm
nitrite .25 ppm
nitrate 5 ppm
temp 79

I've had quite a bit of evaporation, more than expected... Will need to top off soon...

When will I need to do a water change?? After it's done cycling I presume. The heater is on the lowest setting, and tank is stable at 79... Will check my 150 watt heater (this ones 200 watt) The addition of the live rock yesterday was exciting!!! Now I wait...

One more thing, how often do I clean the filter (Im running a Aquaclear 70), I'm guessing it can use a rinse out due to the dead sea monkey's with the 1st live rock, or maybe if I leave it in it helps cycle??


----------



## Nicholas

If not done properly nearly any out-of-the-tank equipment can lead to a flood. You have to research how to make everything flood safe. If you research and ask a lot of questions, nothing bad will happen. Good luck with your setup!


----------



## 50seven

Toofem said:


> When will I need to do a water change?? After it's done cycling I presume. The heater is on the lowest setting, and tank is stable at 79... Will check my 150 watt heater (this ones 200 watt) The addition of the live rock yesterday was exciting!!! Now I wait...
> 
> One more thing, how often do I clean the filter (Im running a Aquaclear 70), I'm guessing it can use a rinse out due to the dead sea monkey's with the 1st live rock, or maybe if I leave it in it helps cycle??


Do a 10% water change a week after you add your first fish. Then continue doing 10% biweekly after that. I found that to be the perfect balance when I had a small tank. Any more than that is excessive IMHO.

Take any filter floss out of the Aquaclear. The only thing in there should be some live rock rubble or maybe bioballs. Filter floss just becomes a nitrate factory.

Also if you're looking in to adding a sump later without drilling the tank, look up Melev's leak proof HOB overflow. Its a DIY project that you can add later on.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Toofem

*I'm thankful for all feedback!!!*

excellent... about the water change!! I should take the stuff out of my filter now? I thought the xtra filtration would do it well... One of my live rocks is small enough to fit in there I think....

Saw some bugs crawling around on the rock I recently put in (2days ago), so this is promising something has lived... Hope they are good bugs... they were tiny, fast and black... only saw a few...

I can't wait to get my 1st shrimp... The tank (and you guys) will tell me when it's ready!!

I would really like to get in and move my rocks all around, won't they be less slippery now than later?? I have a grand idea, but I have to get at the ones on the bottom, total upheaval... I suppose it doesn't have to happen, I just have this vision... haha

Thanks for holding my hand through this...


----------



## liz

If you want to re-aquascape your rock I would do now while the tank is cycling rather than later when it is done. Go with your vision and create the rock work that you want! Can't wait to see it.


----------



## 50seven

The thing is with mechanical filtration that it needs to be cleaned out very often or else it will just accumulate a pile of detritus and then release nitrates and phosphates into the tank when disturbed. You could use a foam block to trap particulate, but you need to clean it out regularly.

On most reefs (including my own ) the only type of particulate filtration is a filter sock where the overflow drains into the sump. It's effective enough to trap junk but allows the water to flow unhindered. But it still needs to be cleaned regularly. 

+1 what Liz said. Do your rockscape now. If you need epoxy to held hold rocks, the epoxy tube that home depot sells in the plumbing department is reef safe and it's cheap. 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Toofem

*Rockscaping*

Ok, I'm going to post what it looks like now, but I'm not finished... I want to fix the two top corners... I took half the rock out, it's in pail with my RO salt water and a bubbler, the rock seemed to have quite a bit of algae on them... I'm worried about that... Did the algae just grow when I took it out of the tank and let it sit in bucket while I swore at my tank as my rocks ?? seemed to... some of it was pretty bright neonish... Doesn't look like it when it's in tank, just the rock I removed...

Thanks for all the input... I wouldn't mind any suggestions about my rockscaping... I had tried to open up spaces to swim through using shelf pieces... I was thinking of swaping the corner pieces, I think they would fit better inverted... looks kinda dangerous the way it is now in the left corner especially imho...

Glass of wine?? Cheers!!


----------



## Toofem

snap, 4got to upload the pic... hehe

I'm not very good at this aquascaping business... The rocks don't fit together as I expect them to...


----------



## altcharacter

Good start, but you might want to "lock" the rocks in place or else you'll find your livestock knocking them over. Although it's preference though, if you wanted to keep the rocks that way I would suggest some type of epoxy or putty to keep them that way.

If you want some help with aquascaping give me a shout and I can shoot over and give you a hand.


----------



## Toofem

*Gotta buy beer*

haha I would love help with my aquascaping... If you find yourself in the Burlington area... I'm not at all happy with how it looks!! haha I had some real nice pieces of rock that were not very cooperative when I placed them!!!!!! Would really love some help!! yes please!! I'll buy beer...


----------



## 50seven

Might I suggest that you go onto Reef Central and spend a few hours looking at different tanks and the aquascapes that they have. It will give you a good idea of what can be done. Look out especially for the tanks of Tiggsy, Nineball, and Chingchai

In all honesty the rock right now looks like somebody's cichlid tank and not a reef. Hope that doesn't offend you , but I know you can do a lot better. Maybe if you worked off some inspirational photos it might help. And you'll need the epoxy, or something to keep the rocks stable.


----------



## altcharacter

Toofem said:


> haha I would love help with my aquascaping... If you find yourself in the Burlington area... I'm not at all happy with how it looks!! haha I had some real nice pieces of rock that were not very cooperative when I placed them!!!!!! Would really love some help!! yes please!! I'll buy beer...


Beer you say???? 

I'll make sure to take a trip! I have to go see Chromey to pick up frags so I'll work something out with you.


----------



## Toofem

*Can't figure reef central out*

I'm not sure if there is a place to join, I couldn't find it... I tried looking around at posts, but have to be a member to search...

I'm not offended at all... I'm not even slightly happy with it...

I def think I need the epoxy, and altcharacter... haha


----------



## fesso clown

Take the time to figure out how to register on Reef Central it's a great site! IT's the same process as here.... If you think that's hard try to register on Aquarium Pro's (you should do that too for access to the classifieds) 
Or be lazy and for jumping off points try a Google search "reef central best aquascaping" or "reef central rock work" ect... The results will take you into threads.... Google is your friend.


----------



## 50seven

LOL re: Aquarium Pros 

Try these:

180 UK reef

And these are very long threads, but worth the read when you have time. For now, start here:

DSPS tank from Thailand

Coral tank from Canada


----------



## Toofem

*Dreamy rock scaping*

I'm gonna go get some putty and try again, wine will help!! haha

Those links you sent me were spectacular rockscaping... OMG... SO NICE!!!

Someone mentioned to me to go to home depot and buy..... I can't find the post where I was told what to buy... I'd love it if you could remind me... I'm not sure home depot would know... epoxy.... hmmmm was gonna go get... so, if you can remind me thanks!!


----------



## Toofem

*Epoxy in the plumbing dept @ home depot!!*

On my way to get it... Gonna grab case of beer too!! hahaha just saying!!


----------



## 50seven

Lowes and home depot both have it:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_23533-138-31270_4294822080

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## Toofem

*Snap*

Well, couldn't find any @ home depot, now I know what it looks like!!!

I'm likin' this new beer... Mmmmmmm!!


----------



## altcharacter

Dealbreaker! I'm american and even I don't drink Bud Light 
Actually we usually drink bud light or coors light when we go to Bills games.

I might be able to swing by tomorrow if you're interested. PM me your info dude


----------



## Toofem

*bud light*

hahaha but this is special, it's 6%!!! 



altcharacter said:


> Dealbreaker! I'm american and even I don't drink Bud Light
> Actually we usually drink bud light or coors light when we go to Bills games.
> 
> I might be able to swing by tomorrow if you're interested. PM me your info dude


----------



## Toofem

*water parameters again action...*

Feb 5 Feb 6 Feb 7 today
salinity 1.021 1.022 1.0225 1.021
ammonia .25 ppm 0.5ppm 1ppm 1ppm
nitrite 0 0 .25 ppm 2 ppm
nitrate 0 0 5 ppm 10 ppm
temp 80 79 79 79

sorry it's not too readable... Need to find a better format to display


----------



## altcharacter

seems like your nitrates are a bit high and is that the salinity you'll be running?


----------



## Toofem

I thought 1.021 was a good #, but I'm new at this so... 

I couldn't believe how dark the nitrites were, could be 5ppm, I'm getting used to looking at the colours... Maybe because of my big disruption yesterday, stirring everything up the levels are more concentrated to the water?? I didn't notice dead sea monkeys in the filter when I cleaned it today... Granted, they are practically invisible... and probs a little decomposed by now... I'll test water again tomorrow, see where it's at... (I didn't test yesterday cuz it was soooo stirred up and low in water)


----------



## fesso clown

Most of us keep our salinity around 1.025. FYI
The main thing you will have to contend with in regards to salinity consistency is evaporation. You should be maintaining a constant water level with fresh (no salt) RODI water. As you tank water evaporates it leaves the salt behind causing your salinity to rise. I am guessing that when you tested and got 1.0225 it was once your water was a little low from evaperation, and when you tested and got 1.021, 1.022, 1.021 that was after a top-off. It's best to have an auto-top off but you can manually dump in water a couple of times a day from a jug. Best to do it a few times a day to not have a swing in your salinity. 
Cheers!


----------



## 50seven

1.021 is fine for fish only. If you want corals, you should be aiming for 1.025-1.026

Yeah, don't worry too much about the levels until you get your aquascape set up the way you want. And now that you've got that epoxy, don't be afraid to take a hammer and break a few of those pieces smaller if need be.


----------



## Toofem

*salinity and rocks*

Ok, I'll adjust my salinity tomorrow!! and your right about the fluctuation, it was when the water was low...

I had the thought of smashing some of these rocks too!!! Maybe not tonight, haha... That is tomorrows job... I have a good list for tomorrow, sure hope I have some company!! haha  (No worries or pressure)


----------



## altcharacter

Try to increase your salinity a little at a time. You can make some water at 1.030 and add a little a few times a day so it brings up your salinity in increments while you do your usual top-off. No need in harming anything that's already in the tank.


----------



## bmc

Wow you`ve come a long way!!!! Can't wait till you add shrimpies


----------



## Toofem

*power bar*

I'm currently researching different power bars, I would like to get an aquarium safe one that has battery backup in case of power outage...

haha Thanks BMC Seems really far away still!! haha

I'm going to retest water since the levels were high yesterday and am curious where it's at since settling an extra day... I took the carbon out of my filter and the cork looking things in the bag... and replaced it with the sponge and live rock on top...

I will likely add some 1.30 salinity water tomorrow... There hasn't been much evaporation today...

Bought a magnet, it rocks!! the tank is sparkling!!!!!!!!

Uhm.... finally got a heater for my salt RO water 10gal bucket...

just crossed my mind I'll need another heater for my plain RO water too, how long would it take to plop a heater in water jug an hr or so before I added it to tank?? To bring it to 78 degrees??

Sorry... Putting things into place, few small loose ends...

OMG... I just had another question and well, it's gone... The moths are just fluttering around...

Thanks for following my thread and helping me through!!!


----------



## moose

I don't post very often...just lurk around lol...but great thread...and your doing the right thing by asking all the questions.

Wish I had of found this site when I first started out, would have saved me a lot of money..wasted on cheap equipment... my advice to you ....is take the advice you are given from the members here...

Ps...sig may be blunt ...I have personally never met him ... but wow did he provide me with alot of info through pm's when I was looking at running my sump in basement....and I'm looking forward to seeing his new build.


----------



## PKos

Hi Lisa

If you think about reef tank sell this one and buy the whole ready to go setup ( used one) for less then $1000.00.Try Kijiji or AquariumPros. And do not buy less then 90gallons if you do you will find not enough room in near future. I have 90 and now thinking about somethink larger in near future . Trust me $1000.00 sounds big but if you will try to get chip tank only ( marine or reef ready ) and buy all nessesary equipment it will cost a lot lot more. The lighting system it self will cost you in the store from $500 to $1000.00 and up. 
Good Luck


----------



## PKos

Ah didn't notice all forum pages giving the advice from first page.
I am noob on posting


----------



## Toofem

PKos

hahaha your funny!!!! Well... I bought this tank I have now, it's 46 gal... I know it's a wee bit small, and I'm breaking some rules with how I'm going to set it up to start... But... I will go forward with this one.... (the tank is cycling after all, I have rock, water in it)


----------



## Toofem

*hahaha*

been there


----------



## bmc

Hey word of advice, get a quarantine tank, I learned the hard way getting wild caught clowns which had Brooklyn disease (clownfish only disease). Now I have to wait until the disease is clear before I can add clowns again. Highly recommended I learned the hard way, now I quarantine all my fish before they go in the main tank.


----------



## Toofem

*Hospital tank*

I hadn't really considered having one... I had one when I kept freshwater...

I suppose if money was no limit, then many things would be different about this thread!!  It isn't up there on my needed list of things... I suppose until I have a problem... and put it higher on the list... Or while I'm keeping my eyes open, see a steal of a deal on something... The more I research the more I "want"... haha


----------



## Toofem

*Todays water parameters*

temp 79 (I am going to try a dif thermometer, this one doesn't read anything but 79, no matter how hard I try)

salinity 1.021
ammonia 1ppm
nitrite (same as yesterday) could be either 2 or 5 ppm
Nitrate 20

I'm guessing it's time for a water change??


----------



## altcharacter

WC is a go! Try raising your salinity a little bit with the new water incoming...just a little at a time like I had said.

Also, are you using a refractometer or a hydrometer?


----------



## jd81

Toofem said:


> I'm currently researching different power bars, I would like to get an aquarium safe one that has battery backup in case of power outage...


I don't think there is such a thing as aquarium safe power bar.

One power bar that I found very useful was:
iCAN 6 Outlets Power Bar - From Canada Computers
Each outlet can be individually controlled.

But it does not have surge protection, so get a power bar with surge protection (or UPS) in front of it.

And you may want to look into getting a GFCI outlet/bar as well, for your own protection.


----------



## Toofem

*salinity + WC*

I'm using this: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754109&f=PAD/psNotAvailInCA/No

kk, maybe after 2nd coffee I'll get going on wc... I notice since I took the carbon and stuff out of the filter, I have a lot of particles on the surface of the water... is this usual?? Not sure if it's sand particles... or what... seems like sand...

Yay!! WC 2day!! I'll do as mentioned, 1.030 salinity water... Just adjusting my salty water temp, it was above 80... so I can check it's salinity more accurately... (with my crappy hydrometer)



altcharacter said:


> WC is a go! Try raising your salinity a little bit with the new water incoming...just a little at a time like I had said.
> 
> Also, are you using a refractometer or a hydrometer?


----------



## Toofem

*wc*

Ok, I assume its a 5 gal watterchange ill do? 10%! I'm on it!


----------



## Toofem

*1st water chg*

Haha need a better system... Ill wait an hour + get water parameters... I'm gonna test everything this time! Ph+ such... I am super stoked about this tank!


----------



## jd81

This is a Hydrometer.

A Hydrometer is probably good enough if you are stocking fish only, but for corals, I should consider getting a refractometer. There are some on ebay that sell for $15-20.



Toofem said:


> I'm using this: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754109&f=PAD/psNotAvailInCA/No
> 
> kk, maybe after 2nd coffee I'll get going on wc... I notice since I took the carbon and stuff out of the filter, I have a lot of particles on the surface of the water... is this usual?? Not sure if it's sand particles... or what... seems like sand...
> 
> Yay!! WC 2day!! I'll do as mentioned, 1.030 salinity water... Just adjusting my salty water temp, it was above 80... so I can check it's salinity more accurately... (with my crappy hydrometer)


----------



## Toofem

*Water Parameters and jibber jabber*

I have a new used skimmer thanks to gta aquarium's buy sell ads and a pal of mine keeping an eye out for me!!

http://www.cpraquatic.com/products/aeroforce.html is the skimmer

Now I have to figure out how it works, the site above is where it was made and has a video, pretty sure I'll be able to figure it out!! haha

I am totally loving the dip in ammonia, but my nitrates are high still...

temp 79
salinity 1.023
ammonia .5
nitrite looks a little less than yesterday, but between 2 and 5 ppm
nitrate 20 ppm (same as yesterday)
PH 7.8

So, the PH looks a little low, and the nitrates are still high, should I do 10% tomorrow again? (also, I have rocks in my water that I'm using, and am going to test the water levels - a little late now) maybe I added a bunch nitrates... I have test kits for Ca, Mg, Alk, should I be testing these at this time??


----------



## altcharacter

anything you add to your system will produce some type of new cycle. Especially if it's some type of rock. I added a 3 pound rock from a LFS 15 months ago and received a huge cycle including some cyano!! Merry christmas to me! 

I would use the hydrometer for now until you have the funds to purchase a refractometer. Just keep your eyes out on the marketplace and you'll find one. The used ones usually go for $20-$30 and a new one is around $50

The problem with the refractometers from China is they usually have some type of bend in the lens that will give you a false reading. Once you calibrate it, it'll be fine to the desired position...like 1.025 or 1.026. If it does have a bend in the lens then it'll give you a false reading if the salinity is higher or lower. We proved this at the BBQ when all of us tried a sample of the same water and 4 refractometers all measured different amounts when all of them were calibrated at 1.026.


----------



## Toofem

*cyano*

Well, I thought it was Christmas when I received some cyano from my coral reef shop... just a tiny wee bugger... I loved him till Liz made me kill him... (just kidding Liz) hehe No more cyano in this tank!!! (OK, NOT THE SAME THING - Just googled it, NVM, I had pest anamone)

I meant, I have been keeping my xtra rock from the tank, in the water basin holding my clean salt water... I'm just wondering how clean the water is, since these rocks are sitting there... Likely had some die off when they got in the chilly waters before I had thermometer... Didn't have time to test water, I'll have to get to that tomorrow...

I will keep my eyes peeled for refractometer... The skimmer is up and running...

My 16 yr old son just told me I should take all the rock out and just get fish cuz it looks like crap... (I'll kick him later)


----------



## altcharacter

I promise you i'll come over asap to help you out with it!!! And we'll chat


----------



## Toofem

*hehehe*

I figured you may get a kick out of that, cuz I think you're with him (and me) on how the rocks look!! hehe

TYSM Altcharacter... We all know I can sure use the help!!


----------



## Toofem

*Power Bar at the top of the list*

Ok, I'm looking through options at Future shop, only cuz I have a $50 gift card there... I need one with as many plugs as possible... As you can see in this pic, I have many things plugged in....

So, I have a pretty immediate need to do something...


----------



## Toofem

*for the price*

I like this one from mops: http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/power-center-outlet-with-timer-p-1202.html

Even has timer, I would need 2 of em... I'm going to go into Future shop this eve, and see what they have, I'm sure nothing like this... Mostly they are all geared towards audio video equipment + systems.... But, would have a surge protection powercord, probs with 12 outlets I could put on my wall...



Toofem said:


> Ok, I'm looking through options at Future shop, only cuz I have a $50 gift card there... I need one with as many plugs as possible... As you can see in this pic, I have many things plugged in....
> 
> So, I have a pretty immediate need to do something...


----------



## Toofem

*Yikes*

Just thought I'd put a few days worth... Uhm with the Nitrates... I topped up tank I will do water change tomorrow, should I do more than 10%?? The skimmer has just a small trickle of water coming out of it, is this usual?? That's it...

Feb 10
Salinity 1.021
Ammonia 1 ppm
Nitrite 2 or 5
Nitrate 20
Temp 79

Feb 11- 10% water change increase salinity gradual towards 1.025
Salinity 1.023 
Ammonia .5
Nitrite 2 or 5 ppm
Nitrate 20 ppm
Temp 79
PH 7.8

Feb 12
Salinity 1.02 
Ammonia .25 or .5
Nitrite between 5 
Nitrate 160 ppm
Temp 79


----------



## Toofem

*new parameters and rockscape*

Thanks a million to Dave for hooking me up with an amazing aquascape!!! I love it!!! Plus he helped me adjust my skimmer, tons of help...

My parameters are looking good IMO...

today's:

temp 70
salinity 1.023
Ammonia .1 or .2 ppm
nitrite .5 ppm
nitrate 30 ppm

Nearly ready for a fish!!!

I need to add some water, I've been adding 1.025 salt water for top ups to bring the salinity up slowly...

I'm super excited about the BBQ in may cuz my tank will be super ready for it!!!


----------



## 50seven

Ha! There you go! 

Don't they say its not WHAT you know but WHO you know??? 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## altcharacter

Had a great time hanging out and talking yesterday and you're well off to a good start on this tank. Can't wait to see what you'll put inside of it!

Before:








http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=23734&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1361113323
After:








http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=23734&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1361113323

Also, I would start making fresh saltwater to top off since you had some LR inside of that container you were using. It might be keeping your nitrates high. All you really need is a 5 gallon bucket of water and you should be fine.

And get some freshwater ready for top-ups once you get up to 1.024 or so. And once you get the nitrates down a bit more I would go out and get some clean up crew like a few snails or a emerald crab and just feed them a few pellets to start out.

Thanks for the beer also!! Although the 2 hour drive back to the 427 didn't help but that's not your fault.


----------



## azotemia

Toofem said:


> I like this one from mops: http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/power-center-outlet-with-timer-p-1202.html
> 
> Even has timer, I would need 2 of em... I'm going to go into Future shop this eve, and see what they have, I'm sure nothing like this... Mostly they are all geared towards audio video equipment + systems.... But, would have a surge protection powercord, probs with 12 outlets I could put on my wall...


check out walmart or canadian tire i know one of them has this specific power bar (different brand tho). thats where i got mine, for 20 i think


----------



## Toofem

it wouldn't let me access your before and after...

I'm going to head down to Als, and I plan on getting a black background for tank, and maybe a pair of clowns... (If they look good and hardy)

I can't wait to see what I put in there as well! Especially now that the rocks look so welcoming...

The 13 gal pail I have is my mixed salt water, it has a small rock in it holding the air pump at the bottom... It was almost empty, I added 10 gals of fresh mixed salt water to it when I put the rock in the tank. I've been meaning to test the water before I put it in tank, but keep forgetting... I"m pretty sure it should be ok, but maybe there's something better than a rock I can hold the air pump in place??

I've been buying my RO water by the 5 gal jug... so, from top ups, I will need to pop a heater in there, a tiny one... to ensure the temp doesn't fluctuate in the tank. problem with that is... the bucket will have a fluctuating amount of water in it... so maybe when I need the RO water, I'll just heat it to temp an hr before I add it... not sure what the best method would be there...

traffic sux... I super appreciate you coming out to help me!!!!!!!!!!

It's nice to chat with someone in the hobby, I'm a sponge right now, suckin' in all the info!!!!



altcharacter said:


> Had a great time hanging out and talking yesterday and you're well off to a good start on this tank. Can't wait to see what you'll put inside of it!
> 
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=23734&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1361113323
> After:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=23734&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1361113323
> 
> Also, I would start making fresh saltwater to top off since you had some LR inside of that container you were using. It might be keeping your nitrates high. All you really need is a 5 gallon bucket of water and you should be fine.
> 
> And get some freshwater ready for top-ups once you get up to 1.024 or so. And once you get the nitrates down a bit more I would go out and get some clean up crew like a few snails or a emerald crab and just feed them a few pellets to start out.
> 
> Thanks for the beer also!! Although the 2 hour drive back to the 427 didn't help but that's not your fault.


----------



## fesso clown

I could be wrong but I don't think anybody matches their top-up water temp. I certainly don't. You should be topping up small amounts often rather then big amounts seldom.


----------



## Toofem

*ooooo that makes me very happy!*

What a relief!



fesso clown said:


> I could be wrong but I don't think anybody matches their top-up water temp. I certainly don't. You should be topping up small amounts often rather then big amounts seldom.


----------



## thmh

fesso clown said:


> i could be wrong but i don't think anybody matches their top-up water temp. I certainly don't. You should be topping up small amounts often rather then big amounts seldom.


+1

pewpew!


----------



## Toofem

My new inhabitants (if the upload worked from my ph)


----------



## 50seven

Am I missing something? I thought just yesterday you still had ammonia and nitrites?


Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## ameekplec.

Noob exuberance?

Should have waited a few more days for the ammonia to at least be out of the water. Clowns are hardy, but even they might not make it.

I would feed sparingly and really monitor your ammonia and nitrites...and wait a while before adding anything else.


----------



## sig

Toofem said:


> I like this one from mops: http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/power-center-outlet-with-timer-p-1202.html
> 
> Even has timer, I would need 2 of em... I'm going to go into Future shop this eve, and see what they have, I'm sure nothing like this... Mostly they are all geared towards audio video equipment + systems.... But, would have a surge protection powercord, probs with 12 outlets I could put on my wall...


Do not put anything electrical on the floors

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----------



## Toofem

The ammonia had been down a few days... the colour barely changes from the 0 lvl... I'm pretty certain there's about .01 ammonia in tank which I understand it to be acceptable... 

I don't plan on adding more... Clean up crew once the Nitrites lower... 

These guys are pretty happy... The pellets I bought seem slightly too big for their mouth... and they were not as interested in the flake... But, I'll work on it... 

Sig: The electrical situation is scary... I have an electrician coming over to switch my plates for me... At that time I hope to drill my power bars to the wall... right now, I'm not at all happy with how it looks, looks like a fire waiting to happen... I hope to have this fixed by end of the week... (fingers crossed b4 a problem happens)

I was going to wait another week for fish... But, well... I was super excited the ammonia was gone... and the gf was super excited to get fishies in there... 

No idea where the hermit crab went, saw him run off last night and haven't seen him since. The clowns are super happy looking... They have the whole tank to themselves... 

They tend to chill at one end of the tank, I expected they would chill in a cave or something... They hang out on the side which is a walk way... Hope they don't get too stressed there... 

Do they needs lights on? Or are they ok if I leave the lights off??? I don't have a cleanup crew to take care of algae, so I thought I would use the lights sparingly... 

I fed them 4 small pellets and a tiny pinch of flake which I crushed small... Is this adequate 2x a day?? 

Thanks for your help!!! I'll try and get a better picture put up today...

The directional flow of my power heads??? What is ideal??? I want it to be natural and am worried they chill at the end to stay out of the stream of the power heads... They like to hang at top of the tank too in the corner, I'm scared they are devising a plan....


----------



## altcharacter

For now just feed once a day so you don't crash your tank. Technically you should have purchased something like snails or a more hardy fish to begin with but that's all in the past now.

Don't worry about the clowns not being in the middle of the tank. That's basically what they do until the warm up to where they are...which might be awhile.

Flow of the tank more relies on where your dead spots are in the tank. For now just leave it the way it is until you notice something wrong.


----------



## Toofem

*water parameters*

*The tank is doing well, the clown fish are very feisty, friendly, maybe a little too feisty... One's fin looks a little nipped... they may not be as close of friends as I 1st thought, time will tell... They are still settling in and have 46 gallons to themselves... They seem to stay away from the rocks... Saw the wee hermit crab for 2 seconds yesterday, he's super shy... Wish he'd get out and eat some pellets the clowns didn't... I am sticking to flake for now... until I have clean up crew...

Temp 79
salinity 1.025 (raised d/t evaporation)
ammonia 1 ppm
nitrite .25 ppm
nitrate 40 ppm

I will add some 1.025 water for top up, if nitrates are still up tomorrow I'll do 10% water change...

Back to school for me next week, need to finish the stairs - procrastinator extraordinaire 
*


----------



## altcharacter

Just do the WC, couldn't hurt since your nitrates are still a bit high. Just keep an eye on your salinity now and the tank should be good.


----------



## Toofem

*wc done!*

Used all of my bucket salt water, so emptied it + rinced it out! Will get a sm power head for bucket instead of bubble hose... So, I always know I have clean water going in!

The fish spend 50% of their time apart now... Need to put some mood music on for them...nice + mellow...

I'm thinking about snails, clean up crew... Waiting for nitrates to lower!

My crab I have only seen once since I put him in! He's not getting those pellets, I should have tried with the hose! Ill try + shoot them out of where they are and maybe they'll get eaten!

Thanks so much for everyones help! Can't wait 4 the bbq!


----------



## altcharacter

Crabs are opportunity eaters, so if they don't want to eat they won't. If they're hungry they'll eat


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Been following this thread for a while and just my opinion but you really need to get a good clean up crew established before anything else gets added to your tank. Also, might have been a typo but you mentioned using saltwater to top off. You need to remember to always use RODI water for your top offs, not saltwater as this would slowly drive your salinity through the roof. Invest in a RODI unit as soon as you can and until then either pick up from LFS or find local members you can purchase from cheaper. That's what I did when I first had my 46g bowfront, then got my RODI unit and soon after upgraded to a 145g reef. I have a 50g storage container that remains at least 3/4 full of RODI water to use as top off or for salt mix for WC.


----------



## Toofem

thanks for your comments... My salinity was low... so I had been gradually raising it by adding my salt water when topping up... now my salinity seems bang on, so I will top off with RO water!! I do hope to have a RODI soon!! And I do need some clean up crew!!! Sooner than later!!! 46g - 145g eh?? That's a pretty awesome transition!! I would love to see some pics!! Maybe you have some posted already you could link me to them??? 



Chaoticblissx said:


> Been following this thread for a while and just my opinion but you really need to get a good clean up crew established before anything else gets added to your tank. Also, might have been a typo but you mentioned using saltwater to top off. You need to remember to always use RODI water for your top offs, not saltwater as this would slowly drive your salinity through the roof. Invest in a RODI unit as soon as you can and until then either pick up from LFS or find local members you can purchase from cheaper. That's what I did when I first had my 46g bowfront, then got my RODI unit and soon after upgraded to a 145g reef. I have a 50g storage container that remains at least 3/4 full of RODI water to use as top off or for salt mix for WC.


----------



## Chaoticblissx

No problem. Glad you were adding saltwater top offs for the right reason and not a regular maintenance. RO water is alright but you do really need to use RODI. It really does make a big difference as pointed out by other members on numerous threads. 
As for pics, that's one area I've been lacking on is posting any pics of my tanks lol. I've been asked numerous times to do some build threads on my 145g but with all the actual work that goes into it there doesn't seem to be much time left in the days to post much let alone maintain a good build thread lol. Maybe I'll get around to posting some pics ones of these days but usually I just email ppl pics when sharing ideas etc.


----------



## Toofem

*More new tank mates*

Ok... so, bought a combo pack at my coral reef shop, snails, 2 emerald crabs and some more hermit crabs... One of the emerald crabs only has 1 claw, will his claw grow back??


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Most will grow back and others seem to do fine with just one. I have 5 emerald crabs and 2 of them lost claws a long time ago and haven't noticed if they've grown back recently.


----------



## Toofem

*video*

I took a video, it's long and boring, and a little shaky...

will post my parameters once I get to it...






Good news on the HOB refugium, quote came down the pipeline... So, shouldn't be too much longer!!!!!!!!!

What (besides crud on the rocks) will the snails and crabs eat??


----------



## sig

Toofem said:


> Ok... so, bought a combo pack at my coral reef shop, snails, 2 emerald crabs and some more hermit crabs... One of the emerald crabs only has 1 claw, will his claw grow back??


very good combo- emerald crabs and hermits like to eat snails 

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----------



## Toofem

*well that's convenient!*

I was thinking more along the lines of... Sinking wafer, but escargo works too!

Maybe that's why the snails keep trying 2 escape!



sig said:


> very good combo- emerald crabs and hermits like to eat snails


----------



## Toofem

*water parameters*

Ok, on my list of chores yesterday was mix salt water... So, I did that today, and plan for 10% water change tomorrow!! 

Salinity 1.024
temp 79
ammonia .01
nitrite .25 or less
nitrate 40

Did a top up of RO water = 1 gal 
cleaned out my aquaclear I've been running and threw in the carbon sack till I do water change... All and all, everything seems ok... I'll work to get the nitrates down...

I do not plan on any more fish till after I get some corals, and am not going to get any corals till BBQ in May... so, let's hope I can keep this maintained well in the mean while!!!! 

No more leaving 0 salt water in the back up container!!!! No less than 75%...






took the clip out when the crab was done...


----------



## sig

Toofem said:


> Ok, o
> 
> I do not plan on any more fish till after I get some corals, and am not going to get any corals till BBQ in May... .


 how could you wait

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----------



## Toofem

*Corals*

Ok, so I get to try with all my might to get my nitrates down for next weekend... moose (from this site) has some corals... and as much as I said I was going to wait till the BBQ, haha free is free...

Thanks so much to Moose for holding them for me for a week... free... woot...

So, the algea is starting on the rocks from the lights being on... There's some tiny worms growing on the live rock from the coral reef shop... This is all very exciting...

I have been feeding my crabs cuz there's not much to eat in the tank yet... and I have claws to worry about... (he doesn't seem too smart my 1 clawed emerald crab) 




(I am a horrible video taker) haha

So, my mixing of the salt water I've noticed from reading the bucket is 1/2c to 1gallon, and that's to 1.021 which is how I mixed my salt... So, now I have to figure out how much salt to put in to make it 1.025 Good fun!! Does anyone have an exact amount??  I'm using the purple instant ocean salt...

I'm back to school on Monday...  lots less free time now...


----------



## altcharacter

What you'll want to do is do a general mix to 1.023 or so then just add a little water at a time to bring it up to 1.025-1.026. Just make sure it's freshwater that you're using and not the one that was sitting in the bin that you were using. I'm almost positive that was full of nitrates from the other LR that you had in there. 

Then just top-off with freshwater treated with Prime or some other dechlorinizer.


----------



## Toofem

*Thanks altcharacter*

Ok... So, I had emptied the bin of rock... I rinsed it out (a little - not enough)... There is some green slime in the bucket, seems to be growing on the heater and water pump... I'm guessing I didn't wash these out...

I buy RO water by the 5 gallon jug...

Your probably right... It was a dumb move to put something live in my fresh water... Probs something live that I killed... that's even better... 

Was perfect for you to come by and see my setup... Helps me out so much...



altcharacter said:


> What you'll want to do is do a general mix to 1.023 or so then just add a little water at a time to bring it up to 1.025-1.026. Just make sure it's freshwater that you're using and not the one that was sitting in the bin that you were using. I'm almost positive that was full of nitrates from the other LR that you had in there.
> 
> Then just top-off with freshwater treated with Prime or some other dechlorinizer.


----------



## altcharacter

Take whatever container you're mixing the saltwater in and stick some type of powerhead inside of it and add vinegar to it to make sure it's nice and clean. It's a good idea to do this to your buckets every few months or so.

I did it lastnight and you wouldn't believe the junk that came off my powerhead.

If you're looking for a cheap powerhead, go over to Aquatic Kingdom on Dundas. I was there last week and they had a few used ones for $5. Can't beat that price.


----------



## Greg_o

altcharacter said:


> If you're looking for a cheap powerhead, go over to Aquatic Kingdom on Dundas. I was there last week and they had a few used ones for $5. Can't beat that price.


Great deal just clean them very well!


----------



## Toofem

*siphoning*

Ok... Someones gotta tell me what I need to siphon so I don't suck the hose... I know we don't know eachother too well yet, but I don't do hose... I nearly yacked in my clean water yesterday...

What is the best thing to use, do normal vacuums have a pump? I never had one before when I was doing fresh water... I used to be a hose sucker, and I'm turning over a new leaf...


----------



## altcharacter

put most of the hose beneath the water and then put your thumb over the end that isn't in the water. Yank out most of the tube from the water so the water that's in the tube is below the waterline in your tank. Viola!!! You have a siphon.


----------



## Toofem

*tricky maneuver*

I just had a puff haha so I'm not gonna think too much on this, but if this works, WOOT!



altcharacter said:


> put most of the hose beneath the water and then put your thumb over the end that isn't in the water. Yank out most of the tube from the water so the water that's in the tube is below the waterline in your tank. Viola!!! You have a siphon.


----------



## moose

Lmao....invest in a python ....it hooks to sink ...no sucking of hose required.



Toofem said:


> Ok... Someones gotta tell me what I need to siphon so I don't suck the hose... I know we don't know eachother too well yet, but I don't do hose... I nearly yacked in my clean water yesterday...
> 
> What is the best thing to use, do normal vacuums have a pump? I never had one before when I was doing fresh water... I used to be a hose sucker, and I'm turning over a new leaf...


----------



## fesso clown

Just get a shake syphon. Something like this:








You can get them at any LFS.


----------



## Toofem

*gotta*

http://m.petsmart.com/mt/www.petsma...001517B1882A&mr:referralID=NA&un_jtt_redirect

Bought the above vacuum, is returnable within 60 days if I don't like it!

Going to do a water change + test it out, only if my bucket salinity is 1.025


----------



## altcharacter

I use to have that one for my freshwater tank. Perfectly fine for what you're doing. Although I know alot of people say you're only supposed to vaccum your gravel once a month or so.


----------



## Toofem

*vaccuum*

I thought ya left sand alone in salty tank? I just bought it for the siphon part! My tank is doing really well! The rocks are awesome, they are satarting to grow odd things and I'm excited 2 find out what they will all come 2 look like!

My saline is spot on, 1.025... My nitrates are at 40ppm, nitrite + ammonia zip! So, water change tonight since I fed crabs!

So falling into place... And I haven't killed my clowns yet!


----------



## Toofem

*hahaha another video*

Ok, I suck at videos, but I just love my crabs... bahahaha... (I have a way with words too huh?)

OMG... This video is super long, but the 1st minute is hillarious... the crab antics... They got sooooo excited that food was put in for them... I put cool music to it tho... haha I <3 how "Claws" made fast work of the food, used his claws like scissors and took of with a HUGE piece...

Follow me on youtube if you like, 08bam09

Have some pics of the new corals that are going into tank... I'm super stoked... Can't wait to post pics of them in tank...


----------



## bmc

you have come such a long way! Love the vids, and cant wait to see your corals.


----------



## Toofem

*You are too kind BMC*

haha I love making the vids... Just love my crabbies... One of them is MIA right now, hadn't even come out for feeding time... And I've lost about 4 snails... At least two of them failed the smell check and I had no choice but to smell their stench... PU

Tank parameters today:

temp 79
salinity 1.024
Ammonia .1
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 30 ppm

I thought there was a snail stuck and dead behind a rock, when I went to get him with net, all I did was fling sand around and lose the shell I was after... So, I hope, really hope, there's nobody home in that shell...

4 more sleeps till I get corals... I'm pretty scared actually...

Back to school, not as much time on my hands....


----------



## altcharacter

Right now the snails really don't have anything to eat or munch on so most likely they'll perish. For my current tank I threw all of my existing rock and substrate into the tank and made sure I couldn't see the tank thru the algae on the inside. Then I put in 10 snails and they went crazy. In this early stage of your tank you're going to lose livestock due to the tank not being mature yet so just be patient.


----------



## Toofem

*Sad but true*

death of an emerald crab, and I think Claws maybe on his way as well...

I tested my salt water, and it had ammonia in it... lots... So, my tank has probably been cycling it... I have used it for 2 water changes and is probs why I had some deaths... So, cleaning bucked as instructed (thanks Dave)... Will mix more tomorrow after it's soaked, scrubbed and rinsed...

I think all the snails are on the move to the new rock put in with the coral on it... Hopefully they don't mess with the corals... I just saw a piece of coral that I was supposed to glue down but haven't yet on top of a snail... haha

The video is of Claws... without his side kick... But I show the corals that I got today!!!!! Thanks Moose!!!


----------



## Toofem

*Clown Fish*

Ok... So, one of the clown fish is getting picked on and acting weird... I'll test water today to see if there was a spike when I added yesterdays stuff... If I could separate them it would probs increase his likely hood of living... I fed them a tiny bit today in case it was hunger, the one that's acting weird looked like he ate a little...

Hopefully it's nothing...


----------



## altcharacter

The larger one of the group will always make the others submit. There will always be one female clown that will put the rest in their places or else...


----------



## Toofem

*<3*

Ok... Yes... I did read about clowns...

I suppose it could be time for a sex change... haha Not really illin', just conserving energy for the girl parts comin'... 

I'll be watchin' them like hawks...

The other one is dancing around like a weirdo... I think you are onto something!!!!!!!!!

I decided to feed a smidge of frozen brine, OMG... They both went nuts over that...


----------



## Toofem

*Fishies seem fine*

Besides the fact that they fight a lot, they seem fine!! 

I had a baby snail in the tank yesterday... couldn't find him this morning, that was pretty cool though!!!

Today is waterchange day... as I didn't get to it yesterday... I'll check my salt water (for ammonia) b4 I put it in, just to make sure I cleaned bucket well enough...

Timing is everything... I don't have so much time anymore...

Happy Tuesday!!


----------



## bmc

get an ammonia badge, then you dont need to check everyday.


----------



## Toofem

*brilliant*

you made me very happy today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



bmc said:


> get an ammonia badge, then you dont need to check everyday.


----------



## Toofem

*My wee baby snail do you see it??*

Ok, he was there when I went to bed... gone in the morning.... I really didn't think that my tank would be stable enough for snail breeding... haha

I have a question... I have two small corals that need to be attached... The only "glue" I have is the kind suitable for rocks, and it may work for the one, as it's firmer, but the other one is soft, and I can't press it down onto the glue to let it stay... The poor guy is slightly traumatized from me doing that... and he's finally getting comfy where I put him, but he looks squished where he is and I'd rather stick him than place him and hope he doesn't get moved by crabs...

I'm sure if I went to the coral reef shop, they'd probs have something, but thought I would ask 1st... see if anyone had input...

Thanks!!!!

Have I told you all how awesome you are lately??? I couldn't have done this with out you!!! Thanks tons!!


----------



## Toofem

*Hmmmm....*

*Hmmmm.... I have a situation... I'm unable to get water tonight... I have ammonia in my salt water (aerated)... I suppose I didn't clean the bucket well enough... Soaked it in vinegar water all night and scrubbed before and after soaking it... Still... ammonia... When I pick up water tomorrow I will test fresh straight out of his tap, and remember when I put too much salt in the tank?? I put the water back in my filler jugs... So, I could be polluting the fresh water (Most likely).... Grrrrrr

So, my tank has .25 ammonia and I can't do a water change till I have clean water!!!! grrrrrrr....

I've wasted 8 gallons this time of water (and 4 cups of salt)... Last time about 6 gallons!!! I'm frustrated I over looked stuff, which just caused a potential snowball affect and ya... I hope these guys can hang in there till I get some water.... I will soak my water jugs tonight with vinegar so they can bring fresh water home... I will rinse it really well there, they have rinsing station...

How about my bucket?? Stronger solution of vinegar? Clean it in bathroom by the slow trickle of a shower head? (wish I had a hand held)

Corals are looking really good... I fed the fish today and I saw a couple of them trapping food... was super cool!!!

In the picture the left vial is my salt water I mixed after I cleaned my bucket and remixed fresh water... The right vial is tank...

I put an ammonia tag in the tank and it says there's no ammonia...

So... Uh... My test kit could be wrong I suppose... OMG... shoot me now...

*


----------



## altcharacter

If the fish look fine and the corals seem fine then don't stress too much.
Get new buckets!!


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Maybe find someone close that could stop by with their test kit to compare against yours


----------



## Toofem

*today is a new day*

Thanks for ur suggestion, it prompted an update!

I took water to petsmart, he tested ammonia in tank and bucket... Tank had a smidge + the bucket barely changed colour but showed a hint...

I chose to do water change, about 15%... Used bucket, will test parameters 2morrow... Cleaned filter + skimmer, all seem happy! The ammonia badge says there's acceptable lvl of ammonia... shows barely...

Neurology is hurting my brain!


----------



## Chaoticblissx

So maybe your test kit is expired/inaccurate. Think I would still get another member to check or ask LFS if they would test and compare theirs to your test kit


----------



## Toofem

Ok, I was going to test water today and based on how it reads, was going to decide if I human errored my test last time or if the test kit is toast... I see that the test kits have an expiry date on them, but mine doesnt... Which leans me towards an expired kit... But, it has seemed to be working for me up till now..

yawn... Today is a new day... Let it be known, I would like to test my test kit... So, if you plan a visit to Burlington, please include me, send me a message!! 






another claws video...  Shows the corals too!!

Is it Friday yet??


----------



## sig

The expiry date for API is in the "LOT number"

The Lot number is printed at the top of each of the test kit bottles. The last four digits are the month and year. For example: If the Lot number ended in 0410, then the test kit was manufactured in April of 2010 and is good (supposedly) for 3 to 4 years.

The LOT number at the top of API test kit bottles are the date of manufacture. The API test kits typically expire 3 to 4 years after the date of manufacture depending on the type of test kit. These were the expiration periods that I found from API:

Ammonia Test Solution # 1 - 3 Years
Ammonia Test Solution # 2 - 3 Years
High Range pH Indicator Solution - 3 Years
Nitrate Test Solution # 1 - 3 Years
Nitrate Test Solution # 2 - 3 years
GH Test Solution - 3 Years
Calcium Test Solution #1 - 3 Years
Calcium Test Solution #2 - 3 Years
Phosphate Test Solution #1 - 3 Years
Phosphate Test Solution #2 - 3 Years
Copper Test Solution - 3 Years
KH Test Solution - 4 Years
Nitrite Test Solution - 4 Years

After it was opened, I would say maximum 1 year

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## Chaoticblissx

I'm in Hamilton but will be making a road trip Saturday to Toronto, Milton and stopping in Burlington visiting the usual LFSs. If you need to compare you could use my test kit. It's only a few months old.


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## Toofem

Thanks very much, the lot number ends in 1207... So, I'll replace it and not worry about it any further... I'm pretty sure it had been accurate, but likely caused me to freak out 2x over ammonia in my water that wasn't there...



sig said:


> The expiry date for API is in the "LOT number"
> 
> The Lot number is printed at the top of each of the test kit bottles. The last four digits are the month and year. For example: If the Lot number ended in 0410, then the test kit was manufactured in April of 2010 and is good (supposedly) for 3 to 4 years.
> 
> The LOT number at the top of API test kit bottles are the date of manufacture. The API test kits typically expire 3 to 4 years after the date of manufacture depending on the type of test kit. These were the expiration periods that I found from API:
> 
> Ammonia Test Solution # 1 - 3 Years
> Ammonia Test Solution # 2 - 3 Years
> High Range pH Indicator Solution - 3 Years
> Nitrate Test Solution # 1 - 3 Years
> Nitrate Test Solution # 2 - 3 years
> GH Test Solution - 3 Years
> Calcium Test Solution #1 - 3 Years
> Calcium Test Solution #2 - 3 Years
> Phosphate Test Solution #1 - 3 Years
> Phosphate Test Solution #2 - 3 Years
> Copper Test Solution - 3 Years
> KH Test Solution - 4 Years
> Nitrite Test Solution - 4 Years
> 
> After it was opened, I would say maximum 1 year


----------



## Toofem

*I'm not a fibber, just got over excited*

Ok... Famous last words, "not adding anything more to the tank until the BBQ"...

I received personal good news today, and was uncontrollable when I went into the coral reef shop...

I replaced the emerald crab, so claws has a side kick, he's pewny!! Just the sweetest.... I hope they get along!!

I bought an anemone... $40 He's from the sea in china... I bought few things from dollar store, I intend on floating a basket for my clowns and the anemone... To acquaint the two... This is really to me, what I made this tank for... And hope they all stay alive!!!

In a few days, after she's taken to my clowns I intend to start her on one particular spot (I've read a lot about them and know your all laughing at that comment) With any luck, she'll like the spot I think is perfect (away from my corals)

I've been noticing placement is everything for the corals... They are looking fantastic... couple may do better in dif spot though, and I'm excited to mess around with that... I've just wanted to leave them alone as much as possible while I get used to them... <3 them!!!!

The ammonia badge is registering no ammonia... I'll try and get a kit over the weekend...

PS the good news: I'm applying to Toyota right now (manufacturing) and there's 7 stages to the hiring process, they contacted me today as I got through to the 4th step!!

I wasn't able to photo the crab I was too busy watching him... But I'll get photos of my new tank mates soon!!


----------



## Toofem

He is already on the move! Haha


----------



## Toofem

*on the move*

Hehehe [email protected] where I put her + where she is!


----------



## altcharacter

The rock is getting a really nice color already. Take a Full Tank Shot so I can see what it looks like.


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## Toofem

*nice rock*

The pretty rock u see is from moose's tank! Came with the corals! Came with all kindsa of algea my crabs ate in 24 hrs!

The rock is changing though! The white rock has some neon green growth on it! Haha its smoothing out though!


----------



## Toofem

*it's almost fish feeding time*

I was unable to catch these clown fish when I tried last time with net, this time I am going to try and use the square basket I plan on putting them in, place it under the surface of the water, feed them and hope they go above the basket and try and catch em.... They are way too fast for me!! 

Dave, next time your in Burlington... You should stop by for a beer!! 

(get Dave to teach me how to outsmart my clown fish)

OMG... My idea worked! I caught one.... too bad the holes in the basket where too big!! bahahaha... Tried to get a picture of him squeezing himself out!! back to the drawing board, I know now that my basket holes are not adequate to keep the little buggers in!! hehe


----------



## Toofem

*anamone + corals!*

So, the anamone attached himself to a coral that was already showing signs of unhappiness... Today I separated them + the coral is at least half dead...

So...

I read that when coral dies they can regrow on skeleton? Like rebirth... I hope this will happen... I have 3 bulbs of this one coral + only 1 looks healthy... The dying bits are dark purple... Should I feed it? If so, what? I'm woprried like the snails, he's starving!


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## altcharacter

your coral is officially dead. I had a anem that walked over quite a few of my coral and killed a whole field of xenia...was really sad. Although it might come back, but I doubt it.

Wait atleast a week or so before feeding your anem so it can get adjusted to where it wants to be.

More coral will die if the anem walks over them...especially softies.
good luck!


----------



## liz

If you aren't already running some carbon then I would do so at this point with a coral death.


----------



## Toofem

*carbon*

Yup, I am running carbon, have since I thought I had an ammonia prob... Just haven't bothered to take it out... When I touched him, his feelers came in, so he has life left in him... he was "moving" under my hands... Poor guy...

The wee one that's alive, should I separate it from the dead one?? or wait and see over next couple days?? Looks like the bottom of him is purple a little but he looks so happy and healthy...

Thy were showing signs before the anemone jumped on the one...

On a brighter note!!! I've included a clown fish photobomb and a pic of one of them saying hello to the anamone!!  <3

(last pics of corals I was uploading from phone, so you got a bonus puppy pic haha)


----------



## altcharacter

Just let nature take its course. If it's dead then it'll just shrivel up and fade away. By messing with it you would just stress out the coral and give it less of a chance to live.

Also with your carbon you should be changing it every couple of weeks. If it's in there any longer then it could be doing you harm by harboring crap inside which would lead to nitrates and ammonia. This is why saltwater guys don't really use canister filters unless they're changed often.


----------



## Toofem

*carbon*

I've been cleaning out the filter, including the carbon pretty much weekly... I have only been rinsing it out... It needs to be changed up totally every two weeks? I rinse everything and then put it all back together...

That's sad...  I'm sad for my new corals... Those are the only ones showing bad signs...

I included a video... If you don't like ACDC, put your mute on haha...


----------



## altcharacter

Yeah the idea behind carbon is that it's porous and soaks up contaminants. By rinsing it off you're not really doing anything besides giving it more contaminants to soak up.


----------



## Toofem

*carbon*

Ok, got some loose carbon in a bin, just need a bag to put it in... Will see if I can use the bag that has the cork lookin stuff in it, nxt time I wc, ill get it out! Then change it every water change?

Can do! Fed a piece of shrimp to tank and the wee emerald crab ran off with it happily!


----------



## WiseGuyPhil

Carbon can be changed 4-6 weeks depending on the size of the setup as well as how you are using the carbon. Is this in a reactor or just a bag sitting in the sump?


----------



## Toofem

*carbon*

I'm running a hob filter until I get hob refugium... My hob aquaclear has a sponge (I rinse weekly), carbon bag and a live rock...


----------



## WiseGuyPhil

Awesome. I used to use the same method on my 20 gal.


----------



## Toofem

*corals and carbon*

The cabbage coral looks better today, Moose mentioned I may have had it too close to the monte cap as well, which isn't an issue now where I moved them to... The polyps are out... even on the darkened purple areas (75% of them are out)

I've attached pictures, cuz they still look bad, but the colour has changed on the one from dark purple to the same as the healthy one... I think the 25% no polyp ones are likely in too much current, so I'm going to redirect my power head to see if that helps...

So, I'm running a 45 gal, with no sump...


----------



## Toofem

4got to attach pictures 

I'm understanding that the coral was sloughing previous to being attacked by my anemone... And this causes the colour change and shrinkage... Interesting....


----------



## Toofem

*My clown fish*

Last night before lights out I noticed one of the clown fish floating in corner... It was 11pm (they don't understand time change I'm sure so be 12 for them)... I put lights out and hoped for best, hoping he was just sleepy...

So, in the morning... They seemed fine with lights on... However they've been much more exploring the inner caves lately, and spent lots of time chillin' there when lights went on... seemed ok though...

Just caught the one floating, he's struggling for balance... the other one is bugging the hell out of him too... What should I do??

It's feeding day (they didn't feed yesterday) so, I will feed a touch and see if they both eat...

Edited: they both ate... and acted pretty normal prefeeding excited... I'm going to go to Petsmart and have them test my water for me... I'll update soon...

Water parameters suck: 
temp 79
salinity 1.021
ammonia .7
nitrite .3
nitrate 40
PH 8
she said alk was perfect (I didn't make her elaborate)

I am a couple days away from the water change I need to do, as I am going to clean out my bin and need replacement water after which needs to aerate...

But I guess I answered my own question...


----------



## Toofem

*Clownfish*

If I can't separate these two there's no way this fish will live... Send me agile thoughts with lightening instincts...


----------



## bmc

get a breeder box put him in there. they sell at petsmart


----------



## Toofem

*thanks, I should have used that!!!*

I had a couple baskets I used!!

I caught the one who was the aggressor, it's lucky I caught anyone as it's not my forte yet... and these guys are crazy fast...

he's mad... but he'll get over it... The other one is looking better already... will keep an eye... I don't know how the salinity could be so low, I did add RO water yesterday due to evaporation... I need to test more regularly...

The anemone is in the basket with the feisty one... I may go get that HOB breeder...


----------



## Toofem

*so far so good*

Put clown + anamone back yesterday...

Tryin2 keep Anamone away from corals, so far he's hiding inside rocks! Hehe

Cleanin buckets then ill mix for my wc!


----------



## Toofem

*have a lot of algea*

I have algea, I've been keeping up with cleaning front + side glass... There's two dif kinds, one is growing like tiny lil tuffts...

Any suggestions, or is it all good? The heater seems to have a lot...

BucKets werre soaked in stong viniger solution + mixed salt water yesterday, so 2day ima do wc!

So I am going to take powerheads out 2 clean, heater + as usual, filter + skimmer


----------



## altcharacter

This is your tank going thru it's cycle. This is the time when you should have added a clean up crew like snails and crabs. Go out and get a few snails if you haven't done already. The only reason algae grows is due to having nutrients in the water. Do a water change and go get some snails.


----------



## Toofem

*that is wonderful!*

That's great news! Will do! You may notice the rocks are a bit ascew... Giving corals there own space... Rocks fell... Seems ok 4 now an not going 2 fix it... Anamone is hiding in the back... A little traumatized from me catching him perhaps... Give him a few more days + see...


----------



## fesso clown

Toofem said:


> Last night before lights out I noticed one of the clown fish floating in corner... It was 11pm (they don't understand time change I'm sure so be 12 for them)... I put lights out and hoped for best, hoping he was just sleepy...
> 
> So, in the morning... They seemed fine with lights on... However they've been much more exploring the inner caves lately, and spent lots of time chillin' there when lights went on... seemed ok though...
> 
> Just caught the one floating, he's struggling for balance... the other one is bugging the hell out of him too... What should I do??
> 
> It's feeding day (they didn't feed yesterday) so, I will feed a touch and see if they both eat...
> 
> Edited: they both ate... and acted pretty normal prefeeding excited... I'm going to go to Petsmart and have them test my water for me... I'll update soon...
> 
> Water parameters suck:
> temp 79
> salinity 1.021
> ammonia .7
> nitrite .3
> nitrate 40
> PH 8
> she said alk was perfect (I didn't make her elaborate)
> 
> I am a couple days away from the water change I need to do, as I am going to clean out my bin and need replacement water after which needs to aerate...
> 
> But I guess I answered my own question...


You are still cycling, you jumped the gun adding anything living other then snails a few weeks ago. You should have waited until your ammonia and nitrites are undetectable and your nitrates are at worst under 10 ppm before fish and especially the anemone. I will be surprised if the anemone survives. You should probably give/sell/loan it to someone with an established tank asap. 
Like Dave said get a few snails and don't get anything else for now. The tank looks good, you need to stabilize your parameters and the way to do that is be patient, do your WC's and let the benificial bacteria colonize your rock and spread so they can keep up with the nitrate cycle...


----------



## altcharacter

Yeah man, the tank is trying to get thru the cycle and you keep adding new life to the tank. Everytime you add anything new to the tank it triggers a new "mini-cycle" and then your ammonia goes up. If you add something during your cycle, all you're doing is adding more ammonia on top of the ammonia the tank is already trying to deal with. Then on top of that if you don't wait for the cycle to be done and add something else...you've just kept the cycle going.

Patience!!!!!

As for moving around the anem I would say don't do it. If it dies then it was meant to be. If you keep moving it around it will get stressed and die anyways. Same thing with the fish. Less movement and stress is a good thing. Just leave everything alone, add a few snails, and sit back and relax. Do a water change if you feel you need to. There's nothing wrong with doing two smaller water changes per week if it helps bring your levels down.

Good Luck


----------



## liz

altcharacter said:


> Yeah man, the tank is trying to get thru the cycle and you keep adding new life to the tank. Everytime you add anything new to the tank it triggers a new "mini-cycle" and then your ammonia goes up. If you add something during your cycle, all you're doing is adding more ammonia on top of the ammonia the tank is already trying to deal with. Then on top of that if you don't wait for the cycle to be done and add something else...you've just kept the cycle going.
> 
> Patience!!!!!
> 
> As for moving around the anem I would say don't do it. If it dies then it was meant to be. If you keep moving it around it will get stressed and die anyways. Same thing with the fish. Less movement and stress is a good thing. Just leave everything alone, add a few snails, and sit back and relax. Do a water change if you feel you need to. There's nothing wrong with doing two smaller water changes per week if it helps bring your levels down.
> 
> Good Luck


I agree - ++1


----------



## Toofem

*Ok...*

Ok... I scraped the sides of algea... I'm not going to add snails yet, I have 4-5 in there...

I'll do an xtra water change this week... and keep an eye on everyone... Thanks so much for all the tips and help!!


----------



## liz

You might want to even do small daily water changes to keep the perimeters at bay? Your fish are stressed because of them and could die - although doing the water changes could stress them out further?
Tough call.

4-5 snails is nothing - NAFB has turbo snails on sale - I would get a least a couple.


----------



## Toofem

*wc*

I was thinking every other day for my wc's this week, mix one day, let aerate, then change, 5 gal at a time is lil less than 10%. I put lots of algea airborne, so ill likely clean filter each water chg...

My stairs are done! I'll get a pic l8r!


----------



## JamesHurst

liz said:


> You might want to even do small daily water changes to keep the perimeters at bay? Your fish are stressed because of them and could die - although doing the water changes could stress them out further?
> Tough call.
> 
> 4-5 snails is nothing - NAFB has turbo snails on sale - I would get a least a couple.


NAFB has cleanup crews on sale this weekend too.

John posted this on aquariumpros:

"MEXICAN TURBO SNAILS $1.99 each 
BLUE LEG HERMITS $1.00 each
RED LEG HERMITS $1.00 each
MARGARITA SNAILS $1.00 each
CLEANER SHRIMP $9.99 each 
"


----------



## Toofem

*poor anamone!*

He came out... He's on the glass near my skimmer (which wasn't working this morning) I'll have to fuss with it AFTER coffee!

I'm just reluctant 2 get snails cuz I've pulled 6 out (dead)

I figured they didn't have enough food...

All the round snails died... My other guys seem healthy, although I did pull one of them out coiuple days ago.

I'm going to bigals 2day 2 return the fry box I bought, ill look @ snails, which ones are the hardiest?

Pulled out small emerald crab... Claws is still good...
Which kind of snail is hardiest?


----------



## altcharacter

different snails do different things. Nassarius snails mix up the substrate and clean the crap in the sand itself. Turbo snails are awesome for cleaning up algae on glass and on the rocks but don't eat anything else. Just an FYI, hermits have been known to kill snails. Actually, most of the time they kill them for no reason other than to try on their shells


----------



## Toofem

*that's why they gave me snail shells*

Shoot... They gave me snail shells, I took those out cuz they looked cluttery! I'm guessing that was a bad move! Hehe

Heading out 2 bigals, so ill see what's cheap...

I did scrape off lots of algae, but its still in there I guess!


----------



## JamesHurst

altcharacter said:


> different snails do different things. Nassarius snails mix up the substrate and clean the crap in the sand itself. Turbo snails are awesome for cleaning up algae on glass and on the rocks but don't eat anything else. Just an FYI, hermits have been known to kill snails. Actually, most of the time they kill them for no reason other than to try on their shells


+1 - I swear my right-handers kill them for sport haha

I completely agree with altcharacter - Turbos for glass and nassarius for sand.
I've felt that hermit crabs only helped me when I had solid plant matter growing in the tank (not just thin algae) and with Red slime algae - aside from that, they just murder snails (or eachother) for fun and irritate my corals by walking all over them continuously.


----------



## JulieFish

new snails do have a tendancy to die, I think (at least in my experience). I kind of suspect that they take the transportation/shipping to the store pretty badly, and many are dying before we even step foot there. Of course you can get lucky and hit a great shipment, but there's really no way to know. Make sure to drip acclimate snails too. They need a gentle transition to new water. In my experience, no matter what I do about half of my new snails die in the first 3 weeks. The remaining ones last for over a year. I think it's the acclimation and how strong they were in the store.

Do you have any snails left? If so, I'd leave it as is for awhile and see how they do with your algae (even just one). If not, go grab a bunch (like 10) and not margarita snails - these are a cooler water species and will not last long. Asterinas/turbos/trochus - whatever's available grab a couple of each. These will eat the algae. Wait a couple months but you will also want to grab a few nassarius snails or better yet, buy a handful from a member who's got them breeding. Nassarius live in the gravel and eat detritus and the other stuff in the gravel.

I enjoy watching my hermits and all my [non-fish-knowing] friends always seem to gravitate to the hermits, they like finding them. So I keep 3 in my tank but they are a bit of a nuisance toppling corals and walking on them. I'd recommend if you want hermits keep it to a token number, don't go crazy with lots and lots. They are good for quickly finding and eating food scraps too, and I don't think mine kill snails, it seems like some are more "killers" than others.


----------



## altcharacter

emerald crabs are so much better of a scavenger eater and cleaner than hermits. The whole idea of them killing snails just for the shells really sucks.

I use to have a red hermit that would kill all the snails in the tank just to see how their shells fit


----------



## Toofem

*good news!*

You guys rock! I love all the tips and info... Tested water + all parameters looked good...

I did add 5 snails, and Liz, I thought that may have been it too, that they didn't accimatize well... I did drip these guys... I don't know what kind they are... Ill google them + figure it out, he said "they all eat algae"...

They are super cool... I'm back2 no more till after bbq, all corals doing well, but claws (emerald xcrab) was right in the middle of one! Lil bugger...

I have about 8 tiny hermits + 2 small ones they have been in a few weeks now, and seem to all be accouted for...

The anamone looks bad!

Poor guy, I traumatized him...


----------



## altcharacter

hermits getting close to a snail is a bad thing but if a emerald crab starts walking close to a snail that's a good thing. The emerald crab is a opportunity eater, which means, if the snail has algae or anything else on its shell...the emerald crab will eat/clean it. I find when I put anything new in the tank like coral or rock, the emerald crabs will dart right for it and clean it bare.


----------



## Toofem

*Checking in...*

Ok... The Anemone looks hurting for sure... He's been up there dangling for 2 days... I still am hoping for him to come around.

I'm having a problem with my skimmer... I can't seem to get the submerged pump working... So, my skimmer has been off for a couple days...

The corals look awesome, if I do say so myself... except the monte cap?? Looks the same as when I got it though, and well, that's pretty good... hehe


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> Ok... The Anemone looks hurting for sure... He's been up there dangling for 2 days... I still am hoping for him to come around.
> 
> I'm having a problem with my skimmer... I can't seem to get the submerged pump working... So, my skimmer has been off for a couple days...
> 
> The corals look awesome, if I do say so myself... except the monte cap?? Looks the same as when I got it though, and well, that's pretty good... hehe


[offtopic]The pictures of your stairs in your attachments perplexes me. Random household items every other step. It's the 'why' of it all that has me staring at it.[/offtopic]

Anemone's in general have a hard time settling in any tank that isn't stable enough. Just make sure to remove it if it dies. In my case, the nem turned completely inside out through it's mouth.

It was super nasty. Also, keep your sniffer going - smell your water - as the nem will stink to high hell when it dies. Failure to remove a dead anemone will result in your entire tank's inhabitants being nuked off or getting ill from the toxins.

Honestly, IMO, that nem doesn't look TOO bad. Unhappy, yes, but it's not pushing out it's stomach and the tentacles look at least partially extended.


----------



## Toofem

*ROFL @ stairs comment*

Ok, the stairs... I should have removed said items off stairs, they were there to make sure my partner (and me after a few) wouldn't step on the drying ones... Total sense now huh? (I refinished them myself, why I was showin them, cuz I've been blabbing about it!)

The anemone looks worse every time I look at him... His tentacles were out more yesterday... Today I have MASSIVE amounts of algea... I was worried he has died and kicked up the algea growth? He is still stuck to the glass, can he be stuck to the glass and be dead?? Smell my water, so... Like.... Just inhale above tank?? hehe I love it when I haul out dead stinky snails... The stench is even better than my skim mate... 



JamesHurst said:


> [offtopic]The pictures of your stairs in your attachments perplexes me. Random household items every other step. It's the 'why' of it all that has me staring at it.[/offtopic]
> 
> Anemone's in general have a hard time settling in any tank that isn't stable enough. Just make sure to remove it if it dies. In my case, the nem turned completely inside out through it's mouth.
> 
> It was super nasty. Also, keep your sniffer going - smell your water - as the nem will stink to high hell when it dies. Failure to remove a dead anemone will result in your entire tank's inhabitants being nuked off or getting ill from the toxins.
> 
> Honestly, IMO, that nem doesn't look TOO bad. Unhappy, yes, but it's not pushing out it's stomach and the tentacles look at least partially extended.


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> Ok, the stairs... I should have removed said items off stairs, they were there to make sure my partner (and me after a few) wouldn't step on the drying ones... Total sense now huh? (I refinished them myself, why I was showin them, cuz I've been blabbing about it!)
> 
> The anemone looks worse every time I look at him... His tentacles were out more yesterday... Today I have MASSIVE amounts of algea... I was worried he has died and kicked up the algea growth? He is still stuck to the glass, can he be stuck to the glass and be dead?? Smell my water, so... Like.... Just inhale above tank?? hehe I love it when I haul out dead stinky snails... The stench is even better than my skim mate...


Haha, that makes much more sense.

OK, these are my Anemone Tips:

Are you allergic? If not, just touch it. NOT the tentacles to avoid a sting though. Sticky = GOOD.

Yes, smell the water. You will know if it's a goner before it stinks though

Look for continuous expelling of crud and crap from the mouth and watch for the inverted stomach.

Look for bleaching of colour.

If you have powerheads near it in your tank and think it's coming loose from the wall, put something like floss filter or pantyhose over the inlet side - if it gets sucked up and obliterated, it will poison the water and you will be doing water changes continuously for a long time just to save whatever makes it

And no, I've never seen a dead nem attached to glass like that. Another sign of an unhappy or unhealthy anemone is not attaching it's foot to anything or not staying put, sometimes even bobbing/floating around in the water.

If you desperately need it to move off of glass, place an ice-cube on the other side of the glass.
If it's on a rock, or the ice doesn't work, changing the flow can help get it moving.

I hope that helps. What are you trying to feed/are you feeding? (Sorry if it was already mentioned in this thread)

If anyone disagrees with any of the above, please feel free to correct me, I don't mind at all. Knowledge is Power!


----------



## Toofem

*Thanks so much for this info!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

What happens if I'm allergic? I'll take my chances with a sting, but I have a job interview tomorrow and as it is... I was trying to get my camera to take a pic of him, and I stepped the wrong way and threw myself into the couch, hit the side of my chest hard off the corner of the couch and knocked the wind out... I'm thinking this is going to hurt tomorrow, while Toyota puts my body through rigorous tests, weights, 4 hrs of hell...  should be super...

Sorry, anemone... I'll get my partner to touch him.... WOOT STICKY!!!!!!!

his colour is pretty decent except the edges of him have wee wee teeny tentacles, they are a bit dark in colour...

I don't mind he's on the glass, easy to see him there...

I pointed a turkey baster at him with brine shrimp in it 2 days ago, but he may have taken a turn after that...

I don't notice a mouth or stomach... He looks so much smaller than he was... He's all sucked in after my partner gave him a squeeze in the 3rd picture... although he looks so small, his tentacles look ok...

what is his fave food?? he didn't seem to like the turkey baster, or maybe I blasted him a little too eagerly??



JamesHurst said:


> Haha, that makes much more sense.
> 
> OK, these are my Anemone Tips:
> 
> Are you allergic? If not, just touch it. NOT the tentacles to avoid a sting though. Sticky = GOOD.
> 
> Yes, smell the water. You will know if it's a goner before it stinks though
> 
> Look for continuous expelling of crud and crap from the mouth and watch for the inverted stomach.
> 
> Look for bleaching of colour.
> 
> If you have powerheads near it in your tank and think it's coming loose from the wall, put something like floss filter or pantyhose over the inlet side - if it gets sucked up and obliterated, it will poison the water and you will be doing water changes continuously for a long time just to save whatever makes it
> 
> And no, I've never seen a dead nem attached to glass like that. Another sign of an unhappy or unhealthy anemone is not attaching it's foot to anything or not staying put, sometimes even bobbing/floating around in the water.
> 
> If you desperately need it to move off of glass, place an ice-cube on the other side of the glass.
> If it's on a rock, or the ice doesn't work, changing the flow can help get it moving.
> 
> I hope that helps. What are you trying to feed/are you feeding? (Sorry if it was already mentioned in this thread)
> 
> If anyone disagrees with any of the above, please feel free to correct me, I don't mind at all. Knowledge is Power!


----------



## altcharacter

a small chunk of shrimp from your local grocery store. I usually put it on the end of a chop stick and put it into the middle (the mouth) of the anem and wiggle it a bit until he grabs it and wait for him to have a solid hold of it. Then for the next 20 minutes I fight off the blood shrimp so he doesn't steal it


----------



## JamesHurst

altcharacter said:


> a small chunk of shrimp from your local grocery store. I usually put it on the end of a chop stick and put it into the middle (the mouth) of the anem and wiggle it a bit until he grabs it and wait for him to have a solid hold of it. Then for the next 20 minutes I fight off the blood shrimp so he doesn't steal it


+1. Or small chunks of silversides


----------



## Chaoticblissx

altcharacter said:


> a small chunk of shrimp from your local grocery store. I usually put it on the end of a chop stick and put it into the middle (the mouth) of the anem and wiggle it a bit until he grabs it and wait for him to have a solid hold of it. Then for the next 20 minutes I fight off the blood shrimp so he doesn't steal it


+1 - Blood shrimp, coral banded shrimp, cleaner shrimps, hermits, emerald crabs and other daring fish even!....try keeping them away from 8 nems all at the same time! That's fun!
When I don't have the time to deal with the protecting during feeding I usually just give small pieces to the other tank mates and after they go run and hide with their meal the nems can eat in peace.


----------



## Toofem

*I have too much time on my hands*






above is video of me feeding anemone

Thanks for the tips... Worked like a charm!! his mouth looks kinda fat now

I rescheduled toyota interview for april 3rd... went and got dr note about my bruised soft tissue...


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Just a quick note/reminder to make sure you remove any excess food that "failed" to make it to your nem. You don't want to leave that excess in your take rotting away


----------



## Toofem

*Oh dear*

dr gave me meds yesterday for my muscle pain... anti inflam + pain... I've been sick since about 4am... 1st time I got up to get a dri, k... I didn't remove the shrimp, was hoping claws would get it... I see once piece in there... a hermit is snacking...

The anemone looks the same as pre eating yesterday... that was a big hunk... when should I try and feed him again?

I will look after (hopefully I'll feel better) for leftover meat...


----------



## smcx

I'd say feed it about 1/4 of that amount, it'll be less likely to spit it out later. Also, don't let any pieces sit in your tank, you'll kill them nem (and other coral as well).


----------



## Toofem

*anemone*

So, he's looking lots better, still not back to his old self, but on his way I'd say...

Thanks so much for pointing out I was starving him to death... I am fed him yesterday about a quarter of what I gave him the day before... and i'll feed him that amount today...

Your comments and suggestions really saved his life... Thanks so much!!!

I fed a coral a piece of shrimp too, she's has been so happy ever since!!!!  When I fed brine I directed it at the corals as best I could hoping they got some particles...

Need to mix water for WC, salinity is good, still need test kit... Have a great weekend!!!


----------



## altcharacter

You should only need to feed an Anem once a week or so. If you try feeding them more they might spit out the food. Good to hear the tank is doing better


----------



## Toofem

*feeding*

I was making sure he was good! Won't feed him now for a weeK! Ill have a pot belly anemone! They are rare no? Hehe


----------



## smcx

I have 3 bubble tips and I only feed mine once a month. Lots of people say it's not necessary as long as they aren't bleached and they are getting good light.


----------



## Toofem

*what is this?????*

lovely colourful slime!! I was wondering if it was from my cabbage coral shedding?? Nobody has gone near it to eat...

I'll put my anemone back on his diet... I just wanted him to be healthy... I'll feed him a tidbit weekly till he returns to his old self...

Such a nice day today, ENJOY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

there's a pic of baby coral, he's on the right side see him???


----------



## Toofem

missed a slime pic


----------



## altcharacter

cyanobacteria, have fun!!!!


----------



## Toofem

ok, so, I read that I need to get better water flow in the areas it`s growing.


----------



## Toofem

*Claws*

Claws was acting up... Dave, I think you said it was a good thing if emerald crab was near snails??

hehe


----------



## JamesHurst

There's some red slime algae in those pics. Blow it off and suck it up with a turkeybaster asap. Don't let it spread, it's a pain to get rid of. I have right-handed hermits in a sump that I use just to get rid of red slime specifically.


----------



## Toofem

*right handed hermits*

hehe that sure sounds funny...

I have 1 red legged hermit, and 10 blue leg hermits... (last I counted they were all accounted for)

I brushed off the slime... it has come back some... I'm considering putting in another powerhead...

Today is water change day... Hopefully I'll get my skimmer up and running as it's not been for a week or so... (last wc)

I'm going to move which corner the skimmer is in so I can play with it easier... I thought put the big ugly one in the back corner was a good idea... not so much...

Today is fish feeding day (only been feeding them at most 3x weekly), crab feeding day (trying to feed him 1x weekly) and anemone feeding day... At times the anemone looks nearly back to normal, with a little wear and tear...

Today is MOPS day, haven't been able to get there yet, so... Will pick up test kit...

Spring has sprung... enjoy the nice outside weather...


----------



## altcharacter

A few tips on how to get rid of cyanobacteria:
1) don't overfeed, and when you do feed make sure to pick out any food that was leftover
2) get an airline hose and suck the red slime out rather than brush it off. 
3) frequent water changes
4) a good amount of flow

You really need to suck out that slime with a airline hose to defeat this. Your tank is having alot of problems that it's trying to catch up with so you're going to have a bit of a struggle to maintain it until it reaches that mature stage.


----------



## Toofem

*thanks again!*

Its back + more what I scraped off, I have a 1/4" hose, or 1/2" not sure, will try that, step up the wc's. Took parameters 2day! 40 nitrates, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite! I will mix up 5 gals for 2morrow wc, will utilize the small hose, and get what I can!

I've been super careful with feeding, they are on a diet!

All but the bacteria is well in tank, lost 1 of the newly added snales, didn't take to tank... Need 2 be hardy!

The skimmer is set to be fixed 2day too!

Happy Easter!

Lisa


----------



## Toofem

*Video of tank + bacteria*






Showing how the cyanobacteria has spread...


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> Its back + more what I scraped off, I have a 1/4" hose, or 1/2" not sure, will try that, step up the wc's. Took parameters 2day! 40 nitrates, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite! I will mix up 5 gals for 2morrow wc, will utilize the small hose, and get what I can!
> 
> I've been super careful with feeding, they are on a diet!
> 
> All but the bacteria is well in tank, lost 1 of the newly added snales, didn't take to tank... Need 2 be hardy!
> 
> The skimmer is set to be fixed 2day too!
> 
> Happy Easter!
> 
> Lisa


How long do you leave your lights on each day? Are they dimmable?

Yeah, the skimmer should help a huge amount. And yes to water changes - they're the best way to get those nitrates down if you don't want to have to build a denitrator or buy a reactor.

With nitrates at 40, I'm not too surprised about the cyano/red slime. What are your phosphates @?
Do you have any right-handed crabs? They eat the slime and cyano. Mine will ignore food to eat red slime whenever it shows up.

Sorry for all the edits  Are you using RODI water? Silicates in tap water will result in a cyano issue (cyano feeds off silicates in the water).


----------



## altcharacter

perfect example of what can go wrong when you rush a tank 
And for your next tank, you'll remember!!! Hopefully


----------



## Toofem

*damn skimmer*

I couuldnt get skimmer working! Have any plans 2 b in Burlington? Shoot me a message! (have beer)


----------



## Toofem

*lights...*

My lights are on from about 7-730 am - 11 PM...

Too much light

16 hrs/24 maybe the problem? No dimmer!


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> My lights are on from about 7-730 am - 11 PM...
> 
> Too much light
> 
> 16 hrs/24 maybe the problem? No dimmer!


IMO, yes, likely too much light. try 12 on, 12 off. If you run a sump, you can leave those on for 16 and off for 8 if you're running any macro, but for your main display you shouldn't be running lights that long.

Excess lighting will make algae growth go crazy.


----------



## Toofem

*thanks*

Thanks James! Ill cut back on lights, I don't have a sump!

You are one of my anemone gurus? What's up with him?


----------



## JamesHurst

The nitrates and phosphates are likely resulting in the anemone being super unhappy. I haven't seen a pic of it in the last week. How is it looking?


----------



## Toofem

*anemone*

I showed him at the end of the last video I posted of the red slime...

Here are some various photos... at times it does look like his stomach is turning inside out, or swollen or something... that doesn't happen often... That is how he looks when hes supper unhappy...

the 1st pic is how he looks right now...

He seems fineish most of the time...


----------



## Toofem

I sure do have algae... I'll cut back the lights to 12 hrs


----------



## JamesHurst

Anemones generally don't do well in a tank that hasn't completed it's cycle - they're best left to mature tanks. This is something I learned the hard way. 

But yes, it looks unhappy in that 2nd pic.

As a point of reference, here's mine dying over the period of a few months.
(bottom left in the far-back shots)

This was a long time ago, when I first started into this hobby. Lack of research and rushing things got me exactly where you are today.

So yeah, 1st pic is 2nd day with it. It looked like that for 1 month, then over the next 2 months, the following occured:

(see attachments)


----------



## Toofem

*fml*

Had my Toyota physical interview yesterday... Keep pushing off wc... And bacteria is crazy out of control! Its growing on the poor snails...

Time is not my friend these days

I'm worried about my tank mates, this just sucks!

in a bad mood today


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> Had my Toyota physical interview yesterday... Keep pushing off wc... And bacteria is crazy out of control! Its growing on the poor snails...
> 
> Time is not my friend these days
> 
> I'm worried about my tank mates, this just sucks!
> 
> in a bad mood today


Water changes will make a world of difference. #1 way of reducing nitrates and phosphates fast.

Do a couple water changes over the next week, maybe 10 to 20 percent.

When siphoning out the water that you're replacing, use the tube to get AS MUCH of the cyano and red algae as possible. The goal is to get rid of it - anything that's left will keep growing. Suck all that crud off your sand too.

I know it's a huge pain to do, but I promise that it will help with your levels if you do the above. If you're using tap water, make sure to condition it otherwise you're just going backwards.

Sorry things aren't going well for you. It WILL get better! The first year is the hardest.


----------



## Toofem

So... I pulled out about 11 gallons of water... 20 percent, got out tons of bacteria... 

I dropped 2.5 gallons of water on my floor! My gf lost her shit... (and got zapped by a power bar) good times! 

So, had to run my tank short 5 gallons, till water place opens (I buy ro jugs)

The algea growth really ceased since I reduced the lights! (thanks for that) 

I saw one of those bad anemones I had at the beginning... Hitch hiker... Will need to find him 2day + get him out! 

Anemone was fed yesterday, seems happy enough 2day! Ill test water + see where nitrates are at... 

Can't thank u all enough for your suggestions + help! My skimmer is not working... If anyone is in Burlington area, wants 2 come check it out for me... That would be super great!


----------



## Toofem

Replaced pump and skimmer works like a charm... Also I added another power head a few days back, one I had on hand... Haven't tested water yet... All but anemone look good! The anemone tends to feel yucky the day after he eats... He still takes food tho! Ill try + grab a video!


----------



## Greg_o

*skimmer*

More problems with the skimmer? Did the pump die 'naturaly' or did something happen to it?


----------



## Toofem

Love my skimmer! 

It seems the pump didn't wanna pump... So, its pumping now but not skimming yet! Haha. 

I wish I had a better knack for tweeking it! Should b just fine now, was working like a charm for a while!


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> Love my skimmer!
> 
> It seems the pump didn't wanna pump... So, its pumping now but not skimming yet! Haha.
> 
> I wish I had a better knack for tweeking it! Should b just fine now, was working like a charm for a while!


It'll take a few days to 'prime' and build up skimate ontop the foam, so if it's not producing skimate in the cup yet, that's normal.


----------



## Dax

Not sure how much or how often you feed the anemone, but IME too much food is also not healthy. In the beginning I was feeding mine 3 to 4 times a week and now I do it maybe once or twice in 2 weeks.

In case you haven't come across this site, here's some good info on anemones.
http://www.karensroseanemones.net/


----------



## Toofem

I didn't feed anemone @ all at 1st... Then when I learned I had2, I wanted 2 feed him everyday, now I feed him 1x a week... Thanks for the link, ill check that out! 

The skimmer is skimming this morn... Just a tiny bit... This makes me happy! 

I plan on waiting a couple more days for my nxt wc, ill take my parameters today + post em! 

I also have taken various vids of anemone this week, am going to compile it 2 1 video + post it 2day if I have time...


----------



## Toofem

*My really stellar videos!! *

I put these videos together, one is of the anemone and his various stages of yucky after he eats... (please check that out, would like feedback)

and the other shows skimmer and the tank in bits and pieces... Showing what's left of the cyano bacteria... Me babbling in the 2nd video...

Haven't tested water yet, I'm pretty confident it will be good, will get around to it...


----------



## Dax

I notice the steep learning curve you're going through. A little stressful, but doesn't it make you feel alive? 

Can't comment too much on the corals, but I guess they'll perk up once the parameters are stable. At the moment, I'm sure too much is going on. I was fiddling a lot with my tank in the beginiing but now find that the less I touch it the better things like it.

On the anemone front, it was spitting out something stringy (snot like) and I couldn't see how much you fed it. Looked to me like it wasn't fully digested so if you feed it once a week, maybe reduce the amount and feed twice a week. Also I suggest sticking the food to the tentacles and letting the nem pull it in.


----------



## sig

are you planning to kill the anemone?  In this case you should push harder.
Leave at alone an do not feed it. it will get enough food from the water for now.
In the future never try to put anything in it's mouth. Just put it close to the tentacles and healthy anemone will pick the food and consume it

good reading
http://www.karensroseanemones.net/

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


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## Toofem

No, I don't wanna kill him...  I'm doing a good job of it tho... 

will try + leave him alone... I do mostly  Someone else mentioned putting it on his tentacle as well, so... in a couple weeks (I'll skip a week) I'll feed him a tidbit on his tentacle... see if he'll snatch it... 

Someone had told me to dangle it near his mouth... hehe I'll read up on this site thanks...


----------



## Toofem

*off topic*

Got through to the next stage of Toyota... 1st interview in next two weeks...


----------



## Toofem

*Water parameters*

I did another 5 gallon (9.2%) WC... Left lights on too long last night and bacteria took off running again... Need smaller hose... Bought a smaller one, but need straw sized...

Water parameters:

salnity: 1.026
temp: 78
ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20 PPM (probs little less)
PH: 8.2

I will try and leave it a couple days now... and get in with a smaller hose...

Poor Claws (emerald crab) has it all over his fuzzy legs... and the snails on their shells...

PS... Love that anemone site, karensroseanemones.net!! OMG... So much info... It's amazing...


----------



## altcharacter

You need a timer on your system. The number one rule with this hobby regardless what it is would be consistency. Salinity, lighting, feeding...it all works together. If you aren't leaving your lights on for a consistent time your coral will suffer and you will get swings in Ph which will lead to other problems


----------



## Toofem

would this do??


----------



## JamesHurst

yup. or any 24 hour timer from the hardware store.


----------



## Toofem

that ones 10 bucks, I need hose anyway, I'll go see what home depot has...


----------



## Dax

Walmart has one with dual timers, one socket each. It's a Woods brand and I think $15. I like it because it is compact, digital, and no battery to retain its settings. If I need additional plugs I just use a power bar and take it where I need it.


----------



## Greg_o

Toofem said:


> Love my skimmer!
> 
> It seems the pump didn't wanna pump... So, its pumping now but not skimming yet! Haha.
> 
> I wish I had a better knack for tweeking it! Should b just fine now, was working like a charm for a while!


Do you have paypal? I feel bad you continue to have problems with the skimmer I sold you. Please PM me I'd like to split the cost of the pump you bought.


----------



## Toofem

Thanks Greg! U already split the dif of the pump with me when I low balled you! Hehehe no worries, I am happy with the skimmer! The trouble I had @ 1st was my noobness... This was only problem, and these things need 2 b replaced sometimes... It happens... It works brilliantly now! Just took a few days to get some foam brewing... 

Other news, check out how undead my anemone is! 

And... If you have good eyes, my dark burgundy coral has a baby on the rock, just below him on the right side! See it? 

Even with the chaos in my tank, I am managing to keep and grow life! Woooooot!


----------



## Toofem

Holy! When I came downstairs this morn, caught my clown in the anemone! My anemone is super happy today as well!


----------



## Dax

If the clown's are going to the anemone, here's something fun to try. Drop something too big for the clowns to eat and watch them take it back to the anemone. 
Now I drop big shrimp pieces 3 feet away just because I know the clowns will get to it. If another fish or a hermit gets there first, it's fun to watch the tug of war.


----------



## Toofem

that sounds super fun, but the clowns are not too too interested in the anem yet... Just caught them with the lights out... When lights are on so far today, haven't noticed them over there... (when I'm in the room they are pretty distracted - could you blame them) hahahahahahaha


----------



## JamesHurst

Dax said:


> If the clown's are going to the anemone, here's something fun to try. Drop something too big for the clowns to eat and watch them take it back to the anemone.
> Now I drop big shrimp pieces 3 feet away just because I know the clowns will get to it. If another fish or a hermit gets there first, it's fun to watch the tug of war.


+1 - When I feed shrimp pellets, my maroon steals them and carries them back to the hammer and makes sure it drops onto it  It's adorable.


----------



## Toofem

awe!!! My clowns sure go crazy when I put shrimp in... And I do feed them brine shrimp... But when I get ready to feed anemone they go nuts... 

Is it normal for clowns to act all hungry like the carp at the mandarin?? hehe Mine sure love me, they are very excited to see anyone near tank... my step mother recently said "feed your fish they're hungry"... hehe Just checking... Maybe I should feed them more regularly than the diet feedings they've been getting?? 

Only have 2 fish


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> awe!!! My clowns sure go crazy when I put shrimp in... And I do feed them brine shrimp... But when I get ready to feed anemone they go nuts...
> 
> Is it normal for clowns to act all hungry like the carp at the mandarin?? hehe Mine sure love me, they are very excited to see anyone near tank... my step mother recently said "feed your fish they're hungry"... hehe Just checking... Maybe I should feed them more regularly than the diet feedings they've been getting??
> 
> Only have 2 fish


hahaha. my fish are ALWAYS hungry. just know, the more you feed, the faster your nitrates and phosphates will increase. that means more red algae and cyano bacteria for you lol.

So no, don't feed more because they look hungry. Pinch a small amount of food under the water twice a day - a SMALL pinch for just 2 fish. After 2 minutes, there should be NOTHING left, foodwise - if there is, suck it out.

Also, my clown will catch food and drop it elsewhere, to keep her area "clean" of crap. In fact, it'll pick up entire frags and drop them on the other side of the tank. They're a wee bit O.C. when it comes to cleaning.


----------



## Toofem

I can't wait till they hang with anemone more often!!! I think only one was doing it, and the other was being aggressive with him over it, tad jealous... 

I have been feeding them as much as they can eat in about 30 seconds about every 3 days... every other if they are lucky....  

they have been on a diet since my nitrates were still up there for a bit... Speaking of feeding them...

Thanks for saving my anemone everyone!!!


----------



## Toofem

*what is this?*

@ the back of my tank, looks like teenie starfish... He's on the right hand side!


----------



## altcharacter

in about 3 months you'll be swearing at these little guys as they eat all your coraline algae


----------



## Toofem

What is it Dave? Do u know the species?

It'll take fopod away from snails?


----------



## Toofem

Is it asterina (spelling?)


----------



## altcharacter

yep, if they're light in color like almost white then they're usually ok but some people take them out. If they're darker in color like brown or black then those tend to eat coral.


----------



## Toofem

He seems white on the outside brown on the inside.... Super megga tiny yet! 

Today is combat bacteria day! Have new hose, super skinny! Should get out tons! 

I've been feeding anem by tenticles rather than shoving it in his mouth! Hehehe worksa like a charm, thanks sig!


----------



## Toofem

Pre wc parameters

1.026 salinity
0 ammonia + nitrites
20ppm nitrates 

1 sick clown... 

Also found that the bacteria was really hard 2 get off with small hose, pressure wasn't enough? 

Nothing noticable wrong with clown, fed this morn... Hiding now! 

The timer I got didn't have a ground prong... Doh! Will have 2 return it!


----------



## JamesHurst

tape a paintbrush to the end of the hose if you're just getting it off the rock.
how small is the tube? (inner diameter)... i use 1/2" or one size smaller.



Toofem said:


> Pre wc parameters
> 
> 1.026 salinity
> 0 ammonia + nitrites
> 20ppm nitrates
> 
> 1 sick clown...
> 
> Also found that the bacteria was really hard 2 get off with small hose, pressure wasn't enough?
> 
> Nothing noticable wrong with clown, fed this morn... Hiding now!
> 
> The timer I got didn't have a ground prong... Doh! Will have 2 return it!


----------



## Toofem

I think its 1/4" inside diameter...will try that next time! My nem says "hey"


----------



## altcharacter

1/4 is too large in my opinion. When I was sucking out that crap from my tank I found the tube that worked best was a airline hose. The small diameter sucks it up pretty fast while the larger tube won't have as much suction.


----------



## Toofem

Ok... its tiny... Truely, sand got caught it it... Maybe its 1/8"


----------



## Toofem

*Sick clown*

So, just finally caught a glimpse of this sick clown, and his orange is changing to white... looks very ghostly...

When I'm finished WC I'll turn lights out...


----------



## altcharacter

you might want to get him out of that tank asap before he spreads whatever he has onto the other fish. This is what a QT is for


----------



## Toofem

Argh... I dot have one of those! And I'd probs kill em trying 2 catch him... 

This came on super fast whatever it is!


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> Argh... I dot have one of those! And I'd probs kill em trying 2 catch him...
> 
> This came on super fast whatever it is!


Is it white spots? if so, it's Marine Ich.

Otherwise, sounds like Brooklynella ....are you seeing is gasping? lethargy? these are commons symptoms with Brooklynella. It's a parasitic protozoan infection.

Either way, you really should put him in a Quarantine. Formalin has been shown to kill this parasite....actually, Formalin kills quite alot of parasites. You would need to treat the fish in a QT tho.


----------



## Toofem

doesn't look like ich... Just looked like his colour had faded to white... no visible spots or swelling... didn't notice him gasping, but he's been hiding in small cracks and caves most of the day... I'm going to try and get another glimpse of him, he was chased out of his hiding place by other clown, and quickly hid again... he acted lethargic for a few hours before I noticed him turn white...


----------



## altcharacter

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_1/brooklynella.htm

The most common rule with saltwater tanks is *Patience*

As someone once said "saltwater tanks are really just fiction. We all think we have the tank under control but they're actually always on the verge of crashing."

People who've had their tanks for years sometimes have crashes and they have no idea why.

If you don't get the fish in a QT he will die, so it might be better to take him out of the tank so he doesn't infect others. Or you could wait for him to die then take him out.


----------



## Toofem

I could only imagine the fiasco lookin for him! Nvm catching him! 

The other clown is being a bit lathagic but has spurts of energy... Its a sad day... These guys did so well!


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> I could only imagine the fiasco lookin for him! Nvm catching him!
> 
> The other clown is being a bit lathagic but has spurts of energy... Its a sad day... These guys did so well!


altcharacter hit it right on the nose.

SO:

Make a bottle trap out of a clear 2L bottle.
Howto: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fish_trap.php

If it's already hosting a coral, put that coral in a large open bag and wait for the fish to enter the bag.

Do you have an extra bucket, heater, and power-head or pump?
You can make a temporary QT out of that as a last resort.


----------



## Toofem

I have xtra bucket, power head + heater... Would need 2 get more water... Used it all... 

I have 2 go out after supper... So, will have to be tomorrow... Hope he makes the night... He's hiding so much doubt hed come out for that... Lights out now!


----------



## Toofem

*update*

I'm gonna try + not swear... 

So... Nemo seems a smidge better or no worse at the very least from yesterday...

My HOB filter wasn't pumping this morning... FML

But, I'm sooooooooooooooooo excited about the BBQ, I really hope we have some nice sunshine that day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Toofem

The pump seems to be catching... Its super clean... Gonna head out 2 bigals (with filter + receipt) hopefully they'll replace it!


----------



## Toofem

The sick fish is on the left or bottom depends on pic!


----------



## J_T

JamesHurst said:


> altcharacter hit it right on the nose.
> 
> SO:
> 
> Make a bottle trap out of a clear 2L bottle.
> Howto: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fish_trap.php
> 
> If it's already hosting a coral, put that coral in a large open bag and wait for the fish to enter the bag.
> 
> Do you have an extra bucket, heater, and power-head or pump?
> You can make a temporary QT out of that as a last resort.


Or a fish trap;


----------



## Toofem

Need refugium b4 fish trap JT! Haha 

Picked up some meds, reef store told me to take white lights out for 2 weeks... 

Will post what I bought later, am returning chemicals I bought from big als, 40.00! 

Am goinng to get full water tesst done... Will post parameters!


----------



## Toofem

I thought they were gonna give me calcium lvls and such but no... 

He says my nitrates are 20-40 ppm... Grrrrrrr its about time I get an rodi filter!


----------



## Toofem

So... Medicated tank with eurethromicon (spelling) 

No filter media... 

One suggestion I had was to remove the white light from hood, my lamp doesn't seem to run this way...maybe if I had a burnt out bulb it would? 

Have Toyota interview 2morrow, a quiz @ school + I desperately need water! 

Also... I've been using purple salt, not the orange salt... Orange for reefs... Duh... Read the label much? Which is probs y it doesn't tell me how2 mix it to 1.025... Next bucket will b orange... Ill grab it if I see it onsale...

The sick clown came out to eat... Still looks pale, but not gasping + nothing wrong with his body or gills...


----------



## Toofem

Wow... Some of the rocks are already cleared up... Look kinda green... Both fish are out playin around...


----------



## altcharacter

Good luck!! Hope it works


----------



## Toofem

I used to add benificial bacteria to my freshwater tanks after wc, do they have such a thing for salt water? Its gonna kill my good bacteria too? 

Saw a white baby shelled creature... Pretty fast moving in the sand... Hope he's friendly!


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> I used to add benificial bacteria to my freshwater tanks after wc, do they have such a thing for salt water? Its gonna kill my good bacteria too?
> 
> Saw a white baby shelled creature... Pretty fast moving in the sand... Hope he's friendly!


Same stuff. It's called "Stability". Made by Seachem and the same stuff in the white bottle that you likely used for freshwater. I use it too.


----------



## JamesHurst

So I have a small blue tang I got last week and overnight it looks to have gotten full blown ich or brooklynella. I'm treating with super ich treatment and with melafix and pimafix. If nothing improves in 3 days, will treat with Seachem's Copper-based meds. Let me know if yours improves


----------



## Daney90

You have a small blue tang in your 55gal? How big is it?


----------



## Toofem

*update*

fish is still lethargic all the time... hiding... colour seems pretty good...

The corals are pretty good, except the one I dropped a boulder on, he's not looking so good... (the one that just spawned)

The bacteria is less than yesterday, but the heavy areas haven't been touched yet... will dose today and tomorrow pull out 10 gallons WC and vacuum up what I can...

Skimmer is skimming away...

Claws is out and about... Hermits are scurrying as usual... Snails are doing their thing...

Anemone was pissed I didn't turn the lights on, but otherwise he's fantastic... Chillin' on the wall... easy to keep my eye on him...

Ooooo Tangs grow.... Hope yours gets better soon!!


----------



## JamesHurst

Daney90 said:


> You have a small blue tang in your 55gal? How big is it?


I have a small blue tang in my 40G. It's an inch, nose to tail. I mis-worded my message, I don't think Toofem has a blue tang.



Toofem said:


> Anemone was pissed I didn't turn the lights on, but otherwise he's fantastic... Chillin' on the wall... easy to keep my eye on him...
> 
> Ooooo Tangs grow.... Hope yours gets better soon!!


Just tell your Anemone that there was a big thunderstorm today  

And yeah, me too - I've only had him a week and he had this issue when I got him (didn't notice until I was already at home). He's in tiny 3G QT for now - noticed it when I was literally walking out the door so didn't have enough time to make more water to set up the 10G QT.

When I left, it was vertical (tail down, mouth out of the water), skipping along the surface. I thought the dullness on his side was just stress from the bagging when I got it, but apparently not. I feel so bad for the little buddy. Stuck at work, wondering how it is


----------



## Toofem

Awe... that's sad... I hate it when they are suffering... <fingers crossed>


----------



## JamesHurst

Blue Tang is dead.

I need to pay more attention when buying fish. I should have called them the day I got it home and saw the white coating on it.

AHHHrrrRRRGG. These last couple months have been such a pain. Makes me just want to walk away from this hobby.

Stressed. Upset.


----------



## altcharacter

This hobby cycles thru people very fast due to the problems inherited with it. One of the only ways we can truly learn is by our mistakes. I've been doing this for 2 1/2 years and I still consider myself a full out noob. Although, what I do know is what *NOT* to do with an aquarium. This comes in time but we all need to learn from our mistakes.

Good luck!


----------



## JamesHurst

altcharacter said:


> This hobby cycles thru people very fast due to the problems inherited with it. One of the only ways we can truly learn is by our mistakes. I've been doing this for 2 1/2 years and I still consider myself a full out noob. Although, what I do know is what *NOT* to do with an aquarium. This comes in time but we all need to learn from our mistakes.
> 
> Good luck!


Thanks, I think I was just a bit upset there. 

For me, it's only been a year and half for me and it's become my life. Day-in, day-out, I'm researching and testing and, well, devoting every single spare moment to this display tank. It feels like it's been years since I started this as a result. I get a bit too comfortable and start messing with things. In the past week, I've installed a UV sterilizer, pellet reactor, new ATO, multiple new pumps and powerheads.... too much too quick, I know. I tell others to be patient, but don't typically listen to my own advice 

This fish was sick from the day I got it, but now my worry is that my mandarin is ill with the same thing. I'm not sure if i'm just looking for problems now though. The mandarin has 3 TINY white specks on it's fin and side. could just be nicks for all I know - Didn't see them until white ledss fired off for the night.

The final stroke of death for the blue tang was getting stuck on it's side against the powerhead's foam intake in the QT while I was at work. It was too weak to pull itself off of it most likely. I feel super bad.

I take it personally that I didn't catch the symptoms earlier. My g/f has been basically having to beg me to get off the forums and away from the tank. Last week I decided to leave things be and not touch anything. Even went to go see MUSE live at the ACC. End of the week, I started too "look" more closely at the tank. Red algae, out of nowhere, everywhere. Lethargic fish. MASSIVE chunk missing from my gold striped maroon's tail (flame angel is being a huge dick - anyone wanna buy a flame angel? ). Spent the Friday night getting levels back down and getting the red algae out. Monday comes, blue tang needs QT then dies.

Sooooo no more "taking the week back" anymore for me to say the least.

Anyways, sorry for the momentary thread hijack, I know you're going through the same hell right now as I am.

And thanks altcharacter, sometimes I need to remember I'm not the only one who's gone through this. The blue tang was an impulse buy, it's time for me just to take care of what I have and just enjoy it.


----------



## Toofem

Hey no problem, it's not all about me!! haha 

Sorry you had to go through that... Poor Tang... Probs wherever you bought it knows about the problem and you could get money back... or fish credit for future... 

Home sick today with cold... 

I am researching madly as well... at least you guys with experience can point me in the right direction...


----------



## Dax

Toofem said:


> I am researching madly as well... at least you guys with experience can point me in the right direction...


I have links to information up the wazoo . 
A lot of them have to do with how to deal with problems 

Since there are literally thousands of topics you could research, ask about some specific ones and we can try to steer you in the right direction.

Here's your read for the day
http://www.reefland.com/forum/stickies/21726-what-water-quality.html


----------



## JamesHurst

Dax said:


> I have links to information up the wazoo .
> A lot of them have to do with how to deal with problems
> 
> Since there are literally thousands of topics you could research, ask about some specific ones and we can try to steer you in the right direction.
> 
> Here's your read for the day
> http://www.reefland.com/forum/stickies/21726-what-water-quality.html


 Good post. Here's something to go along with it. It's the natural ocean levels that everyone strives for: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm


----------



## Toofem

*Life gets in the way...*

Been a busy sick week... I'm starting to feel better, but damn, my nose hurts!!

I've grabbed some recent pics, before and after medicating with Erythromycin for the cyanobacteria issue...

Thank goodness my anem is happy and healthy... All corals made it through, some got more pissed about the antibiotic than others... The cabbage coral wasn't happy @ all, and the mushroom stock one... the anem was unhappy, but got over it...

Fish... still acting odd, but much less lathargic, with that being said, haven't seen him in about an hour... haha Still shows lack of colour, but that comes and goes.... very odd...


----------



## Toofem

I have to look back to previous pics to see if my rocks were green before... I don't remember this colour...

snap, didn't post my pics on this one...

old pics dont show this green colour.....


----------



## Toofem

more pics that didn't post on the last message


----------



## Toofem

*Awe... happy couple*

this is a one in a million shot!! haha feeding time love!!!!


----------



## Toofem

*I did a very bad thing*

Ok... So, tank is all wonderful... lights are off now, so will really inspect the bacteria that's left... Hardly any... but today is a new day...

All tank mates are good... my quirky clown is going to just do it's thing I think... He's likely affected by the mas amount of bacteria that was in the tank. Hopefully he'll return to normal, or maybe this is his normal...

So, I noticed the skimmer was a little sluggish... There was a speck of something clogging the airway... So I freed it... Then I left it running with too much air... and it foamed over into my power bar which was on the floor...

Nothing bad happened...

replaced power bar, is now hooked underneath my tank, with the cords looped the way they should be I hope... Yes, yes... something bad could have happened, and to boot I wasn't home.

I was distracted away from the tank, meant to go back to check the skimmer... I knew I had to check the skimmer... 100%... So... well... Just wanted to say.... I learned a valuable lesson, and am lucky nothing worse happened...

I have a grounded box plugged into the wall behind tank, it sits on the floor as it's on a short connection. The power bar is hanging inside cubboard securely... (I'll take pics) everything is plugged in...

I've had 2 electric things happen recently (the other with my water spill)... I think they were both careless... I hope the setup I have now prevents the next electrocution...

Lots of these really fast baby snails... I think the fish are eating some of em... They are white... I thought I would try claws with a piece of shrimp instead of his usual piece of seaweed... That's when I noticed a swarm of wee snails... after the shrimp... I swapped out shrimp, and realized it maybe the powerhead I have currently directed at the front of the tank... may have been too much for him to contend with...

I am noticing some hair algea growing in the tank...


----------



## Toofem

*emerald crab*

Claw's has a white ball on one of his legs... Looks like crabmeat...

Will take pics of electric setup + post parameters shortly!

40ppm nitrate will do wc
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
1.026 salinity


----------



## J_T

Toofem said:


> Claw's has a white ball on one of his legs... Looks like crabmeat...
> 
> Will take pics of electric setup + post parameters shortly!
> 
> 40ppm nitrate will do wc
> 0 ammonia
> 0 nitrite
> 1.026 salinity


That is very, very high Nitrates. I would consider doing a handful of smaller water changes. If you tried to add a fish right now, it would likely become very stressed due to them!


----------



## Toofem

The high nirates are due to death of cyanobacteria... I.did 15% today, will do another in couple days + see! 

Any remaining bacteria is dead... Theresa a little below sand lvl but doesn't look alive either...


----------



## Dax

J_T said:


> That is very, very high Nitrates. I would consider doing a handful of smaller water changes. If you tried to add a fish right now, it would likely become very stressed due to them!


After 2 years my tank is finally down to 40ppm nitrates and I am overjoyed. It was almost always over 100 and at one point it was closer to 200. I have anemones, soft corals and LPS with no plans for SPS. My goal is to get down to 20ppm and hopefully keep it there. At this level fish will not care and non-SPS corals should do fine. At the really high levels (200) you will notice things are not happy, but at the 100 level I guess it's like slow poisoning. You don't notice in the short term, but in time it will kill you.

I am telling this story not to say it's ok to ignore nitrates, just to say it's nothing to panic over. I was concerned and tried a bunch of things but found that once I stopped messing with the tank, that made the most difference.


----------



## Toofem

The cyano bacteria is 99% gone! 

Emerald crab still has white ball on him... No quarantine tank 2 medicate... What are his chances? Probs fungus? I'm guessing due to the spike frome the death of bacteria... 

All else seems good, haven't seen these baby snails, maybe they got eaten...

Any suggestions on hair algae? This is my nxt threat...


----------



## altcharacter

usually most types of medications will kill your inverts...
if the crab dies, go pick up another


----------



## Toofem

Nothin goin in this tank b4 bbq! Want to make sure it settles... Hermits are all busy! Snails don't seem as pleantiful... 

Keeping lights to 6 -8 hrs... Corals don't like this...

I have hair algae...


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> Nothin goin in this tank b4 bbq! Want to make sure it settles... Hermits are all busy! Snails don't seem as pleantiful...
> 
> Keeping lights to 6 -8 hrs... Corals don't like this...
> 
> I have hair algae...


right-handers love hair algae.


----------



## Toofem

JamesHurst said:


> right-handers love hair algae.


what are right-handers??


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> what are right-handers??


Sorry, my bad. Right handed hermits. I swear by them. They eat hair algae and red algae like its going out of style, har har har


----------



## Toofem

I've got about 10 hermits in there... how would I know if they are right or left handed??? Look at the claws I guess... I haven't noticed any of them picking at the hair algae though


----------



## altcharacter

they're not picking at the hair algae because you feed them to much. Believe me...if they were hungry they would eat the hair algae


----------



## Toofem

Hehehe your probly right! I have been on a no feed binge trying 2 kEep nitrates down! 

I do not specifically feed hermits, they have always been busy + eat off rocks... 

I will try + make them hungry!


----------



## altcharacter

the hermits are opportunistic eaters so they'll eat anything that is easy which is usually leftover food or seaweed. Which means your snails will eat after them which might be the reason you can't find your snails.

I've owned quite a few hermits and I've grown to hate them. They really aren't good for a clean up crew and they do more damage than good. It's always fun to put in frags in your tank and wake up the next morning to see all your frags upside down from the hermits


----------



## Toofem

I'll feed less... I haven't even fed "claws" lately... 

feeding the anem less and less... feeding him by tentacles.... works like a charm.... he's happy.... no problems.... 

going to settle on every other day for fish.... today is the day... 

need 2 fix my power heads, I have snow glove effect going on in tank last couple days...

the sick clown seems ok, but on the lethargic sde of ok...


----------



## altcharacter

That's the thing about "feeding" the hermits. You shouldn't need to feed any of your clean up crew. That's why they call them CUC...they clean up whatever is left. Feed your fish everyday but just enough so they eat for 30 seconds or so. Even if it means you put a little bit in and watch them finish it, then add a bit more and make sure they eat it. Everyday for feeding is alright as long as they eat it. Don't worry about the crabs or snails, they'll get by.


----------



## JamesHurst

hey did you ever sort out your sick clown?

The blue tang got my other fish sick.

Last night I dosed Metronidazole and Prazipro directly into my reef display.

Overnight, my mandarin has gone from covered in ick/brook to NOTHING. Absolutely spotless. The trick it to mix them. One or the other won't do anything. The only coral it bothered was my GSP, apart from that everything is booming. LPS, gorgonians, SPS, softies, anemones, etc etc etc

The rest of the fish don't have even the smallest spots on them and they're actually all out and about, a rarity in the last week since the blue tang died.

Anyways, this is the way to go IMO if you cannot catch your fish whatsoever to QT it. Hopefully this info comes in handy for someone


----------



## Toofem

My clown acts weird... Tonight his colour was a little transparent... Other times he's cloudy... He's been lathargic.... Hasn't pulled out of it... Comes out to eat... 

He's not gasping for air, no visable marks on him... 

Bacteria is gone! Unbelievable! 

That sux that ur other fish got sick, but glad they are feeling better!


----------



## Toofem

*here is pic of clown*

This is a good one, shows his lack of colour... Seems happy 2day despite how he looks. Anyone see this b4, is it a clown thing?

Have a great weekend!


----------



## altcharacter

looks like a clown to me


----------



## Toofem

Funny! The colour is very transparent... The black on his tail is very clear... His buddy wasn't in this pic 2 see what normal is...


----------



## Toofem

*Dave knows how to BBQ!!!!!!!!!!*

had an awesome time at the BBQ yesterday!!

Am overdue for an update so here we stand!!! 

my pally's... The rock is becoming over grown with hair algae...

My new hammer... which may have trouble in my tank due to lighting... he's towards the bottom right now, because the top is pretty full and he's aggressive so I don't want him too close to other corals...

The pink zoa's look pretty amazingly awesome... and happy 2 read they are a beginner coral... the other zoa's haven't opened yet, and not 100% sure what colour they will be... probs the one that was being chopped up in the frag demo???

Anemone question: does he looks perfectly healthy to you?? (he does to me, but what do I know??) (I know toadstool doesn't look happy here, but he does that, the two of them are touching right now and seem happy - I can't move them cuz toadstool is totally affixed to the rock he's on) clowns have been visiting the anem, catch them here and there!! 

ahhh yes, and pic of my new cleaner shrimp thrown in there too...

happy mom's day to all the moms!!!


----------



## jamie1985

Hey

I cant comment on anything other than the hammer because i dont have any of the others but yiur hammer is definitely not happy there....mine is is a mod to high flow area and at the top of my tank and loving it there...below is a pic....









Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Toofem

Thanks! I love your tank, I'll glue him2 a [email protected] top! He's not so happy today, but was only added yesterday!

Thanks very much for sharing!



jamie1985 said:


> Hey
> 
> I cant comment on anything other than the hammer because i dont have any of the others but yiur hammer is definitely not happy there....mine is is a mod to high flow area and at the top of my tank and loving it there...below is a pic....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------



## jamie1985

Thanks! Also, what are your water params at?

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Toofem

Try + keep salinity @ 1.026, temp is 78-79, 0 amm, 0nitrite, tested pre wc, and I have 40 nitrate... 

The tank is almost 4.5 months old...


----------



## fesso clown

The nutrients are coming from somewhere, my guess is that you might be feeding too much. How much and how often are you feeding? You have 2 clowns in there right, anything else (other then the nem) ?


----------



## Toofem

*Contents of tank*

11 hermits
1 emerald crab
1 cleaner shrimp
few snails (been having trouble keeping snails)
2 clowns
anemone

corals
cabbage coral = pretty huge
pally's
zoa's
4 mushrooms or so (only 1 big one, but it's had a baby since in my tank)
monte cap (not at all happy, hasn't hardly been green since I put him in)
hammer
mushroom stock one, not sure what he's called
another soft coral, not sure what it's name is...

I don't feed every day, usually 1-3 days I'll feed fish only... the anem I still continue to feed, but weaning him off, just tiny tidbit about 1x week

Just got over that nasty cyanobactera problem... where I was doing WC every other day... The WC was overdue when I tested and showed 40ppm nitrate...

45 gal tank w/o sump...

40 ppm nitrate is down from 60ppm... a month ago... Can you ID these two so I can call them by name proper?? 

Check out how undead my anem is!!  seems pretty damn happy now... was a close call for sure!!!

I will test water today and update parameters... was a week ago I tested 40ppm...

I just tried to find the names... 1st pic Tongon Mushroom??? 2nd pic beside the anem = toadstool coral?? I know Moose told me names when she gave em to me... DOH


----------



## BIGSHOW

looks like a plate coral and a toadstool


----------



## Toofem

*how much feeding*

I forgot to answer how much I was feeding, and thanks for the ID!!  I wish there was a "like" button like Facebook!!!

if it's been 3 days I feed 3 tiny pinches of flake and drop 2 pellets, which tend to get away from them (teeny bit too big), I usually see hermits after those, but with the shrimp in tank, she snaffoo's anything that goes in tank...

If i feed them daily/ every other it's two tiny pinches...

sometimes I feed frozen small stuff, they love that... maybe I over feed when I do that... Do you turn things off when feeding??? It blows away quckly... (I was turning off filter, but not lately - such a noob)


----------



## fesso clown

It's a good idea to turn off powerheads and your filter when feeding. When feeding frozen thaw it in a small cup with tankwater and strain off the water after it had thawed with a screen or a net. Don't add the thaw water to the tank. 
At about 3:30 in this video he explains what I mean:
http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=327297


----------



## Toofem

*thanks FC*

wrong link posted... please recopy.... Thanks greatly!!


----------



## fesso clown

here you go:


----------



## Toofem

*Thank you*

Thanks very much, I'll go watch it!!

Ok... I learned something really good!!!! I have been mixing it with tank water, but I then put the contents of the thawed food + tank water and thawed water in the tank...

I really appreciate you catching me on this!!!! Thanks again, very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Toofem

Dealt with hair algae on one rock, it'll grow back, but for now, my paly's will be happy! 

Tried feeding fish cleaning water, worked like a charm! Next gonna get a separate powerbar for feeding time, so I can switch off + on powerheads + filter!


----------



## 50seven

How is the frogspawn from Moose doing? I got one head like yours and it's opening to a diameter of 3 inches already!


----------



## Toofem

*hmmmmmm*

You men and your "inches"...

Prove it 57 (can I continue2 spell ur name this way?)

I am throwin in a couple pics of my closet anemone lover clownfish... He is much more affectionate in the dark! Haha

Hard 2 pic photos off phone lemme tell ya! Hope I grabbed the right ones!


----------



## Toofem

*apparently I grabbed none at all...*

I need coffee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

all my corals came from Moose!!  (except zoa's I scored at BBQ)

They are all doing well... except the monte cap which is at the bottom of the tank, and needs moved higher, but he's in small pieces...

I had a freak out yesterday, the rock was looking a little redish... I'm terrified the cyanobacteria will come back... I'm hoping it's just that purple good stuff on the rocks...

My toadstool backed off my anem yesterday... they both seemed to have some war wounds, but the toadstool won this fight... (I can see the anem is flowing into the toadstool again, perhaps we'll have a repeat)


----------



## Toofem

*just remembered something*

One of the ladies posted early on in my thread, pre fish I think... Said 2 turn lights out + shine flashlight...

I saw scurrying bugs... Cool things growing on rock u don't see in light... Was awesome sauce! Wanted 2 say thanks 4 the tip, this is gonna be a more frequent event I think!

Do the bugs get eaten by the crabs?

So kewl! <3 my tank!

Will also finally get timer setup (bought two prong one, finally returned it) should help things out some!


----------



## 50seven

Toofem said:


> You men and your "inches"...
> 
> Prove it 57 (can I continue2 spell ur name this way?)


Sure no problem. A chick on another forum calls me "ketchup"...


----------



## 50seven

Toofem said:


> One of the ladies posted early on in my thread, pre fish I think... Said 2 turn lights out + shine flashlight...
> 
> I saw scurrying bugs... Cool things growing on rock u don't see in light... Was awesome sauce! Wanted 2 say thanks 4 the tip, this is gonna be a more frequent event I think!
> 
> Do the bugs get eaten by the crabs?


The bugs are copepods, and won't usually get eaten by crabs. They mostly fall victim to dragonets (like in your avatar) and wrasses.


----------



## Toofem

*57*

Are you kidding me? For realzies that's debi's hammer? Will mine do that too? Its at the top, 2 heads are not as happy... The other one seems happy, but maybe 1 inch max! That's crazy!

Oh ya... And...

Hermit crab molted... He was beside his legs and hasn't moved much since yesterday, today he molted, is it normal 2 chill while molting?

Need 2 get on top of my water... Means 2x week... Probs make all the dif...

School sucks all my time!

Cuss word!


----------



## Toofem

*My hammer*

ya, the polyps are like 1/2 inch...

Yours is crazy... I hope mine hangs in there... How old is your tank??? Mines not even 4 months old...  Feb 4th I put water in it...

My rock with mushrooms on it fell in behind... I need to get in there, but I have to move rocks... bummer...

still have hair algae... the back wall is coated nearly... tried scraping while I was doing w/c and got some, needed 2nd pair of hands for that job...

Fun watching the hermits scale the wall....

ok sorry blah blah blah

PS

Only fish I have are 2 clowns... I'm waiting for coral reef shop to get in yellow goby + pistol shrimp... and hoping I get nitrates down before then...


----------



## moose

Hey there...50seven's pic is of the frogspawn ...that's the coral with the one head....the two head coral is the hammer.

I find the hammer prefers to be no higher then mid tank ...well in my tank anyways.

I have about 6 heads of the hammer left and they are doing well near the bottom of the tank, not in direct flow.

I'm also suffering from green hair algae at the moment almost appeared overnight......the joys of the hobby


----------



## sig

50seven said:


> Sure no problem. A chick on another forum calls me "ketchup"...
> 
> [/IMG]


It is good one 

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## Toofem

phew... thanks for clearing that up... I was having coral envy big time!!! 

I will see how he is tomorrow... i only have 2 T5's running... if the one head doesn't perk up... I'll move him back to his 1st spot... was close to bottom and right behind the power heads...

I have to dig out the mushrooms that fell... I have to glue everything down or these hermits get at them, and knock them around....

Let me know if you find something helpful to combat the hair algae...



moose said:


> Hey there...50seven's pic is of the frogspawn ...that's the coral with the one head....the two head coral is the hammer.
> 
> I find the hammer prefers to be no higher then mid tank ...well in my tank anyways.
> 
> I have about 6 heads of the hammer left and they are doing well near the bottom of the tank, not in direct flow.
> 
> I'm also suffering from green hair algae at the moment almost appeared overnight......the joys of the hobby


----------



## Toofem

*Hey Moose...*

Could you post me a pic or two? One of your hammers and one full tank shot??

No hurry... Just would love to see it!!


----------



## 50seven

Sorry, I thought it was the same one. But I think if the hammer is happy, it should come out similarly. In my tank I find that if an LPS is happy it will stretch out as far as it can. But like Moose, I do find they don't like too much flow.


----------



## moose

Toofem said:


> Could you post me a pic or two? One of your hammers and one full tank shot??
> 
> No hurry... Just would love to see it!!


I will try to post some pics up soon ...I always seem to have trouble posting them...(thats why i havent posted any of my tank yet)...I'm not to computer smart


----------



## moose

50seven said:


> Sorry, I thought it was the same one. But I think if the hammer is happy, it should come out similarly. In my tank I find that if an LPS is happy it will stretch out as far as it can. But like Moose, I do find they don't like too much flow.


Hey 50seven....no you are correct toofem also got one head of the frogspawn from the BBQ or at least I think she did......glad to see yours is doing so well


----------



## Toofem

Nope... Didn't get a piece... I would haved liked it tho! I love all your corals!
 (well... I wouldn't say I love the montecap, but, hope he perks up when I move him up!) he feels the same about me I'm sure! Hehe 

U can email me pix, I can post em here if that's easier! 

Cabbage coral is gonna take over soon! Its massive! 

Hermit is still in same spot, I peeked in this morn + he tucked in his shell fast! So, his agile... Hope he's good, he's my 1st one, only red legged hermit!

Pic is my homemade rocks! Soakin... Can already see cavities from salt! Lookin cool!


----------



## Toofem

video showing them today...






You can really see the colour on the rocks now Altcharacter!!! They've come along way!!! Moose's rock has spread this awesome purple... I love how it looks...


----------



## Toofem

*moved rocks a bit*

Moved hammer rock down a few inches from light... Seems very happy
Moved montecap2 top, loose pieces keep getting knocked around by hermits, we'll see how this goes
Had 2 move anemones rock2 get 3 mushrooms that fell behind... I tilted rock, and anem moved + toadstool + anem have lots of room... Toadstool is facing the crazy cabbage coral which opens really far... (lights just went on 4 these pics)

We'll see what happens... May add one or two of my rocks 57 helped me make when they have cured...

have a good weekend!


----------



## Toofem

*hahaha*

4got to attach the pictures! Haha

Hard to tell what pix I uploaded... Check out the rock colour! Really excellent!

I meant to post a tank shot... Lots of empty space in front + @ top since I moved stuff around!


----------



## Toofem

*pest anemone????*

Hey... I just spoted this... turned the rock around for a picture... looks like one of those pest anemone's I had before, except this guys a lot bigger, and darker in colour...


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Yep, looks like an aiptasia anemone and yes its a pest to most people and can spread if not controlled.


----------



## Toofem

thanks so much, I thought the same thing... will research it...


----------



## Toofem

*Peppermint shrimp??*

To eat aiptasia anemone?? Any opinions???


----------



## JamesHurst

Peppermint shrimp


----------



## Toofem

I picked one up 2day from big als! + a watchman goby + a tiger pistol shrimp! 

Peppermint shrimp is tiny! Barely bigger than the anemone I want him 2 eat!


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Aiptasia-X. Works great for me. Just stay on top of them as they appear and they won't come back. 
http://www.redseafish.com/index.aspx?id=4418

http://www.redseafish.com/index.aspx?id=4418


----------



## Toofem

*Oh Gawd...*

so... of course... checkin' out the tank after new tank mates went in... I notice cute sand mounds... throughout the rocks... looks soooo cool.... wait, what's that????? That looks like cleaner shrimp tentacles... white long thin tentacles in the sand.... wait one just floated away....

Where is this cleaner shrimp?? He was MASSIVE.... 2" probs...

Due to his tentacles he was always easy to find...

pistol shrimp and goby???? I highly doubt the 1/4" peppermint shrimp did it...

He was less active last few days, but I thought the activeness of 1st few days in tank was nerves maybe....

(BTW: red legged crab I was whining about not long ago is just perfectly fine)

One other issue... I noticed from some live rock that went in... I see some pink stuff.... like slime... or... jelly, ya, more like jelly.... doesn't look like it's a friendly life, any ideas (with my brilliant description) what that could be??

It's a sad cleanershimpless day... what about his carcuss?? (I am presuming he's dead)


----------



## Toofem

*pic of the pink stuff*

Just on the rock above the mushroom corals is that pink jelly stuff... If someone can I'd it for me, that'd b swell!


----------



## Toofem

*so... researched pink jelly*

Didn't see pic yet, but sounds like its a growth of this pest anemone I have in tank...


----------



## wildexpressions

hard to say if your cleaner is dead or alive. They molt/shed their skin and when they do they often go into hiding afterwards. It may be dead as well though as they are not the longest lived critter so when you say it was massive it may have been old but then again you say 2" which is not massive for a cleaner. I'm not sure how long they live. I've read various statements from a full live span of just over 2 years up to 3.5 or so. 

does the pink jelly thing have tentacles?


----------



## Toofem

*thanks for your reply!*

If I throw a piece of thawed raw shrimp, he's fast on it, but don't wanna lose xtra piece of food...

He is probs betwEen 2 and 3"

Took another pic, no tenticles... Kinda has holes in it like sponge...

Doesn't look anything like anemone... Looks like small spots of cyanobacteria apearing under sand bed, maybe its a form of that...


----------



## wtac

Looks like a sponge to me (post#442) as there are openings in the pink mass.


----------



## sig

Toofem said:


> Didn't see pic yet, but sounds like its a growth of this pest anemone I have in tank...


yes. looks like aphtasia. try to deal with it asap

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Circled in red.....looks like sponge
Circled in blue.....looks like possibly small aiptasia

Hard to tell from dim photo for sure.

Agree with above post in regard to cleaner shrimp. They tend to hide very well after molting and if the shedding fell apart easy that would confirm it was just the cast off. If the body was a full body you would know that it had died.


----------



## altcharacter

agree with Chaotic 100%
Keep the sponge and kill the aiptasia
Get yourself a small 10g tank and make a QT tank so you don't have to worry about these things. You keep stuff in it for a week and if you see anything like this then you can deal with it in a smaller tank rather than your DT


----------



## Toofem

Thanks guys! Your the best! 

So, the one aptasia is pretty big vs $y teeny peppermint shrimp. Some sites say use scissors + when it replicates the shrimp (if he's hungry) will eat them... 

Think for him ill pick up that aptasia-x for the big one, I was considering taking the rock out, and chiseling off hunk that he's on... And hope that the shrimp eats up any other wee aptaisia... Only problem is I have a coral on that rock, + its a big rock...


----------



## Toofem

And altcharacter yes... Will get a wee qt... School (if I pass my final exam) is done in a week + a bit... Can't do much b4 that... 

When I pass, will start lookin for a deal...


----------



## Toofem

Regarding the cleaner shrimp, I've only seen 2 of his big long tenticles... No body... I just searched with flashlight... Nada...


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Cleaner shrimp can hide very well, especially after molting. 
A small 10g tank is only like $16 at BA's....you don't need to shop for a deal here. A tank and a Koralia Nano Reef Pump for like $27 and maybe a small heater if you can't maintain at least 72 which isn't usually too hard in most homes. All you need too do is keep the corals isolated in clean new saltwater for a week or two to allow time for things to appear and allow you to keep a close eye on them and treat them separately if needed. The QT tank doesn't need to run full time either. Keep it small and use new salt water each time you bring home new corals and drain it after you move them to your main tank.


----------



## Toofem

This is very interesting.... 

I thought water had 2 b alive.... I need coffee, but I like the thought of only firing it up for an addition... 

Yawn... Happy Monday!


----------



## altcharacter

in a QT type of environment you don't want to mix your waters together. QT water should stay within the QT and never go into the DT. Although you can take some DT water and put it into the QT but you will be subjecting your livestock to whatever is in your DT so I've heard of people using fresh SW for a few days then adding a bit of DT water to the QT so the livestock can get use to their new tank with ease rather than throwing them in.

although this is just an opinion...


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Agree with Alt, the idea is that your DT is pristine and clear of any pests or parasites and parameters are spot on......at least this is the theory lol. I'll admit my DT is not always pristine water parameters but I've found a balance that my coral, fish and myself can live and be happy with. Keeping in mind that its a mixed reef without SPS corals. Your DT is what you wanna keep under control. That's the basic idea. Introducing new fish or coral without time in QT risks adding all kinds of undesired "stuff" to your DT that you will then need to hunt down and rectify in one way or another. My theory, and I'm not saying its right or the only theory out there, is that your start your QT with fresh mixed and aerated saltwater. You know that you are not adding anything to the new specimen when starting with fresh saltwater. I never use water from anyone else's tank and dump the transport water down the drain always, for both fish and coral transports. I float the transport bags in a new bag from my home also to avoid any transport water getting into the QT and take the coral or fish out by hand and place into QT. This is not to offend anyone but some things take time to appear and even the most amazing reef could be host to something deadly without anyone knowing. Once in QT, slowly over the following weeks you remove water from your DT during small water changes and add a combination of DT water and fresh mix saltwater to the QT during a water change slowly acclimating your new addition to your reef system without the instant shock when dumping straight into your tank. Again, this is my theory/thoughts however I'll be the first to admit that it hasn't always been followed however can also state that I have experienced the consequences of not following this practice.


----------



## Toofem

This is super! My thoughts on what a qt were way more extravagant! This is not something I resaearched because I already decided it wasn't a cost I could handle..

Thanks for setting me straight on that... Will pick up soonish (won't be adding anything more any time soon) 

So the sponge is helpful in tank + adds filtration... This is goodish... (although, it looks like bubble gum... Gross... )

Still no sign of cleaner shrimp... Even the 2 tenticles have dissapeared! I still have hope!


----------



## Toofem

*Still no Cleaner Shrimp*

No shrimp + no carcass or shed shell, which would likely have come to surface if he slipped out of it don't you think??

Anemone not only lived, but he's doubled in size easily... haha I hardly ever feed him, and when I do it's a teeny scrap, cuz he's growing so fast...

So, I was thinking tomorrow I may drop a scrap of raw shrimp into tank... because cleaner shrimp snafood 2 pieces previously to his disappearance... And when I say snafood... I mean he was speedy... I'm not holding out much hope... he's been missed... When tank is more stable I'll replace him...

kk... that's my pout for the day... I'm graduating soon and need to concentrate on other stuff...

if anyone reads this haha should I try breaking off a big piece of the rock the bad anem is on?? I think I could do it... the peppermint shrimp isn't biting...

PS my last 3 tank mates are hiders... sigh... I thought they would be more out in the open, not just hiding and eating my cleaner shimp... (ok, that's simply speculation - but ya gotta admit it looks bad on them)

I hear the pistol from time to time...

tank is overdue WC... will shoot for tomorrow... and think I'll try the hammer and screwdriver thing to break the rock... it may piss off the coral, but I'll get him back quick...


----------



## Toofem

This sounds ideal... and it makes sense!!!!!!!! I will definitely do this...



Chaoticblissx said:


> Agree with Alt, the idea is that your DT is pristine and clear of any pests or parasites and parameters are spot on......at least this is the theory lol. I'll admit my DT is not always pristine water parameters but I've found a balance that my coral, fish and myself can live and be happy with. Keeping in mind that its a mixed reef without SPS corals. Your DT is what you wanna keep under control. That's the basic idea. Introducing new fish or coral without time in QT risks adding all kinds of undesired "stuff" to your DT that you will then need to hunt down and rectify in one way or another. My theory, and I'm not saying its right or the only theory out there, is that your start your QT with fresh mixed and aerated saltwater. You know that you are not adding anything to the new specimen when starting with fresh saltwater. I never use water from anyone else's tank and dump the transport water down the drain always, for both fish and coral transports. I float the transport bags in a new bag from my home also to avoid any transport water getting into the QT and take the coral or fish out by hand and place into QT. This is not to offend anyone but some things take time to appear and even the most amazing reef could be host to something deadly without anyone knowing. Once in QT, slowly over the following weeks you remove water from your DT during small water changes and add a combination of DT water and fresh mix saltwater to the QT during a water change slowly acclimating your new addition to your reef system without the instant shock when dumping straight into your tank. Again, this is my theory/thoughts however I'll be the first to admit that it hasn't always been followed however can also state that I have experienced the consequences of not following this practice.


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Go to LFS and get aipasia-X. Its well worth the 18$ or so. You will use it numerous time over the next year or so as they can come back or be transferred from new additions. It is well worth the tiny investment to control the aipasia without hauling your rocks out each time to chisel a section off to remove the aipasia anemone. That could disturb your tank more than the aipasia! I always keep a bottle on hand just in case.


----------



## Toofem

ok... will do... he'll be an easy one to kill using that method... Your right, this won't be the end of it...

goin' to get it now... gonna do that + WC... then study!!


----------



## Chaoticblissx

If you can't find any let me know and I could let you use some of mine till you can find it. I know Advanced Reef Aquatics has some n Milton, I'm pretty sure Coral Reef Shop has it in stock as well. Oakville Reef Gallery stocks it usually as well.


----------



## Toofem

Got [email protected] bigals for 16.99! Coral reef shop didn't have! The fun will soon begin!


----------



## Toofem

*Hahahaha*

ok, this is funny.... came home with my aiptasia-x and the anemone is gone... WTF??? He's either taken off or eaten... or... something... he's not on the rock at all...


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Something probably disturbed it and it hid. It will come back out. When you hit it with aiptasia-x it will suck itself in too. Just make sure you cover it and got some into its center and it won't come back.


----------



## Toofem

*no... no... say it aint so...*

Claws had perished + I removed him (all in one piece) this morning... A snail + a hermit were lookin for breaky...

Sad sad... Gonna go look up life expectancies for the gang I have in tank...


----------



## altcharacter

Sorry to hear Lisa, but unfortunately it's the circle of life...just like the Lion King.
Livestock die, they just do sometimes


----------



## Toofem

*am I being dramatic? hehe*

Ahhhh yes... I'm coming to terms with that today! Hehe

Will replace once + get on top of stuff in tank!

Don't forget I'm noob! Hehe


----------



## Chaoticblissx

Are you 100% sure the crab was a full crab and not just a molt? They molt like shrimp and can sometimes be hard to tell its just the shell. And when crabs molt they will hid for days till their shell hardens. If you are sure it was him and not just a molt I'm sorry for your loss, but as Alt said it is just they way things go sometimes and something's will die no matter how perfect we strive to keep our little pieces of the ocean.


----------



## Toofem

Ya, it wasn't floaty... it had weight to it... and I doubt the hermit and snail would have been too interested in molt... it was a full intact crab... So... pretty positive... I'll let ya know if I'm wrong!!  

Still no cleaner shrimp or carcass...


----------



## Bayinaung

Hey I went through 6 pages and no FTS. you gotta have a few FTSs every few pages of posts I think


----------



## Toofem

you must have been reading my mind!


----------



## Letigrama

Hey Lisa,

I agree with JD81. Rather than asking questions here, do a internet search on all those subjects, read and read some more, then come back to them with specific questions. These guys have a lot of great advice and knowledge. 

I do agree with all that what you got is not good for reef, except the tank and the cabinet?

I am totally new to SW and I thank this forum and my obsessive research or nothing will be alive now. 

Good thing is that your are obsessive compulsive, just be more obsessive than compulsive right now. Reef is extremely hard and requires proper equipment. $175 is actually very little compared to what you will spend on a reef tank. Any piece of equipment you need right now will cost you from $50 and up. Do research, look at prices and equip needed.

This hobby is a time consuming- extreme high maintenance one- all worth it at the end.  
Good luck!


----------



## Letigrama

Toofem said:


> tank is tempered glass... so, this 55 gal tank will not be drilled... The little missus just pointed out the sticker that says so in the tank... So, do I sell my tank and buy another??? Think I got ripped off or do you think I could make back my $175.00 if I sold it??
> 
> Lisa


Most likely only the bottom panel is tempered not the side, where the drilling needs to be done. At least that was with my tank.


----------



## Toofem

*water change day finally*

Letigrama, you are reading back in January, many things have changed since then... Including my tank!!

did a full tank clean today... was surprised that the nitrate was remaining at 40ppm even while I neglected my wc... (school will be done friday - all in my favour that is)

took a few tank shots after tank clean... as last shot was blurry....

my clown fish bit me... bugger... hard spooked me!!! probs cuz i was wiping outside glass with paper towel, they don't like that!

my tank is.... because of this site... i couldn't have done it without all of you!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks so much for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!

will my watchman + pistol ever come out of hiding??? goby sees me move my arm from 5 feet away, was hard to get this pic, sorry it was sideways...


----------



## Toofem

sorry, but took a better pic, and have you seen my crazy anemone lately?? between him and the cabbage coral, they will take over the tank for sure...


----------



## Dax

Toofem said:


> sorry, but took a better pic, and have you seen my crazy anemone lately?? between him and the cabbage coral, they will take over the tank for sure...


Anemone looks good. Stop feeding or slow it down otherwise it will keep growing. It will be fine on light alone, plus the occasional snack.


----------



## Toofem

I have cut back from 2x a week nibble... will throw him a morsel monthly... Don't want him taking over my tank too quickly...



Dax said:


> Anemone looks good. Stop feeding or slow it down otherwise it will keep growing. It will be fine on light alone, plus the occasional snack.


----------



## Toofem

build start date Feb 4/13
46 gal bow front tank
36" T5HO lighting (2 bulbs)
Skimmer - CPR Aero Force
Aquaclear 70
Power heads:
koralia : 750 gph
tunze 6015 : 476 gph

crushed coral 30 lbs
aragonite sand 20 lbs
Rock about 40 lbs

10 blue legged hermits
1 red legged hermit
2 clown fish
yellow watchman goby
pistol shrimp
5 snails 

Corals
hammer 
Cabbage
pink zoas (not so happy)
brownish zoas (not so happy)
brownish pallys
mushrooms
montecap
toadstool
plate coral

hitch hikers
starfish
baby white snails
pink sponge

water parameters
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
1.025 salinity
40 ppm nitrate (pre wc today - didn't take post wc)
barely 8 ph


----------



## JamesHurst

Looking good! Get those nitrates down and that PH up. You can get simple PH additives. Seachem makes a great one that you can't overdose with.

Next time my g/f swings over to burlington, I will come with and pay you a visit with some Kenya trees and super hardy green zoas. They're always happy. Mind you, some people find they simply cannot keep zoas.

Nem is looking Awesome btw! But yeah, it'll grow fast if you feed lots haha.

Congrats on the progress!!


----------



## Letigrama

Toofem said:


> Letigrama, you are reading back in January, many things have changed since then... Including my tank!!
> 
> did a full tank clean today... was surprised that the nitrate was remaining at 40ppm even while I neglected my wc... (school will be done friday - all in my favour that is)
> 
> took a few tank shots after tank clean... as last shot was blurry....
> 
> my clown fish bit me... bugger... hard spooked me!!! probs cuz i was wiping outside glass with paper towel, they don't like that!
> 
> my tank is.... because of this site... i couldn't have done it without all of you!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks so much for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> will my watchman + pistol ever come out of hiding??? goby sees me move my arm from 5 feet away, was hard to get this pic, sorry it was sideways...


i KNOW lol. I realized after I posted. I cant believe it you have come a long way since January, wow! great tank,


----------



## Toofem

Off topic: I passed my test yesterday, and booked 1/2 tests to get certified... that's July 10, and well, life will be crazy till after that!!! waaaa.... 

I have included a pic of my pink zoas, who haven't been happy since I put them in, but they look like they are slowly dying... any suggestions??? I'm not sure if they are diseased or just dying... the hermits are keeping them cleaned up pretty good... 

I know you don't like hermits Dave, but I love mine... They rock!! Most other tank mates are good.... still no sign of the cleaner shrimp... the goby was checking me out yesterday... 

also, I'm having problems keeping the bottom of the tank near sand bed clean... there does seem to be some cyano bacteria, but its a different colour than last time... looks similar, but it's only on the glass and sand bed so far, not on rocks... I'll go take a couple pics of the glass...


----------



## Toofem

*the glass and just now pics*

So, the back has lots of air bubbles in the hair algae... wish I could find a critter that would eat the hair algae... My hermits eat some, but don't keep up with it nearly...

and, you may notice, next to the goby/pistol shrimp burrow under the rock there are 2-3 snails on top of each other... I'm very suspicious... Someones up to something...


----------



## altcharacter

At this point we could suggest alot of things....but would you listen?


----------



## Toofem

I'm listening


----------



## JamesHurst

Those bubbles are the phosphates and nitrates trapped in the algae. or O2.

B/c it's on the back wall, the hermits may not get up there.

water change, reduce lights, and manually remove it. maybe get a mexican turbo snail, they work wonders when they're large enough.

There's a lot you could do to reduce nitrates and phosphates during the long run, such as reactors. cooler lights may help reduce growth (pinkish bulbs are warm, bluer are colder).


----------



## Toofem

Lights... I tried 2 setup my timer for 8 hrs and I didn't do it right, so... Will [email protected] that today... 

My hermits do scale the back wall... But they don't keep up with it... I should fire them! 

I've been bad at wc in the last month... Scheduled my test for Jul 10 to become certified... So, ill try to not let that slip this month... 

So, you think the pink zoas are upset with the nitrates? 

I need water, will get tomorrow + schedule 2x wc weekly... + monitor nitrates... Try + get em down! 

I've been letting other stuff get in way... so that's one obvious thing I haven't been doin... : cool: 

Need 2 replace my rusty power head as things were likely at bay due to good water circulation... The algae has backed off some since I scraped back wall. I'm assumin the crazy growth of algae isn't helping water conditions... Maybe ill get some water from coral reef shop... And not wait till tomorrow...


----------



## Letigrama

Hi all,

again. warning, this is rookie advice. For the algae and Cyano. Absolutely get big mexican turbo snails. they will eat everything and anything in no time. they are inexpensive. My nano 25g was filthy like yours now. Put 3 mexican snails and is **** and span. When they are out of food, I move them to my other tanks. I just put 2 big ones from the nano in the big tank and as I type one of them is eating my diatom bloom from my powerheads with force. BA missisauga has tons and they are huge. 
For the bubbles and stuff in your sandbed. What kind of goby we are talkinga about. I have 2 adults diamond gobys and they get to the bottom of the sand, mine looks like someone just dropped in there, is amazing what they do. Get one of these guys and you'll see.
For the Zoa's awww, they look pretty sad alright.... other than you water parameters off, it has to be lighting? 

Good luck, most definetely get some MExicans!


----------



## Toofem

*answers*

The goby I have is a watchman... Hides most the time... No bubbles in sandbed, just in the hair algae on back glass...

Snails have not done well in tank, and I never replaced the missing ones... So will do...

The lighting I have is 2 t5 bulbs, one is brite white and one is blue... I would like to replace it to a 4 bulb... Everyone else seems ok with the lights, they don't care for the 8 hrs lights as much as the 12+ hrs I used to run them at...

The cyano is not growing fast like before, but I know that can change on a dime...

Ill catch up on the nitrates, get snails + I imagine this will help... Fishies get food only every other day lately... Been more flake than frozen, setup switch off for feeding time, put skimmer, filter + ph's to it... lots more control!

Gonna head out to bigals... Should I get 5gal tank2 quarantine them? Can do this...

My tank is loaded with baby snails... Cone shaped and now round ones, they are white + fast!


----------



## Toofem

*answers*

The goby I have is a watchman... Hides most the time... No bubbles in sandbed, just in the hair algae on back glass...

Snails have not done well in tank, and I never replaced the missing ones... So will do...

The lighting I have is 2 t5 bulbs, one is brite white and one is blue... I would like to replace it to a 4 bulb... Everyone else seems ok with the lights, they don't care for the 8 hrs lights as much as the 12+ hrs I used to run them at...

The cyano is not growing fast like before, but I know that can
change on a dime...

Ill catch up on the nitrates, get snails + I imagine this will help... Fishies get food only every other day lately... Been more flake than frozen, setup switch off for feeding time, put skimmer, filter + ph's to it... lots more control!

Gonna head out to bigals... Should I get 5gal tank2 quarantine them? Can do this...


----------



## altcharacter

Turbo's might or might not eat cyano. It all depends on how they feel.


----------



## JamesHurst

altcharacter said:


> Turbo's might or might not eat cyano. It all depends on how they feel.


Yeah my turbos typically only touch the green stuff, no red, no brown.


----------



## Toofem

Big als + coral reef shop didn't have turbos... I picked up 5 white snails... Ok, one was an empty shell! Haha ill sort that out nxt time! Picked up premixed salt water, so... Will do wc tomorrow!


----------



## explor3r

The best thing you can do is try to get out as much as you can manually, shut down everything and shypon it trying no to disturb or brake the bubbles.
As mention before reduce the light hours, add flow and reduce feeding you will see with time will go away...keep at it and do more water changes........
Ohhh for the sand try strawberry conch they clean very well the sand


----------



## Toofem

*wc day!*

K, so did 10 gal today, scraped 1st, got a lot of hair algae out! Check...

Post wc parameters: nitrate: 20+ ppm

Will do again Thursday 10 gal...

Could the pink zoa be unhappy because I'm using wrong salt? (getting orange bucket soon, but using purple bucket) hmmmmmm 
Maybe the algae he snagged will perk him up!


----------



## Toofem

Check the pic that shows brown zoas... Underneath is this feathery lookin thing, never noticed it till now... Can u see it? Is it friendly? 

Pics didn't post on last message. Tank looks lots better!


----------



## JamesHurst

That's an aiptasia


----------



## fesso clown

ON the bright side you're getting some nice coraline growth.


----------



## Dax

The stuff on the glass with bubbles looked possibly like dinoflagellates. Hopefully not, but manageable. The aiptasia under the zoas you want gone so best thing to do is, using a syringe, squirt some boiling water at it.

Here's something crazy to try. Block out all the ambient light from the tank using cardboard or bedsheets. Now shut off the running lights and leave the tank alone for 2 days. Everthing will survive . This should trim back a lot of your problems which will probably come back, but at least you'll see the effect.


----------



## Toofem

*under the zoas*

are you sure its an aiptasia?? has a stripe in it... looks more like a feather to me... I did buy Aiptasia x for the aiptasia that went MIA... he was MUCH bigger than this wee guy... I think this guy looks kinda like a feather duster... tried to get 't turn out any clearer...

I know eh? Thanks to Moose's rocks, there is coraline everywhere in the tank... I love that!!!! Does it grow in more than one colour?? I notice a dark and a light purple (both were on Moose's rocks)

Did I tell you I dropped my hammer that is attached to a nice sized boulder... Oh ya, head first no less... Looks as though I may have lost all but one of the heads... had a total of 5 before... more 2+2+1...

The goby + pistol shrimp are happy as can be... pulled out couple dead snails...

Lights out for 2 days.... I think I could loose a few marbles doin' that... Maybe I'll try...  better feed em 1st... 

need to go get my water (still buying RODI water from local water depot)

I will see about a trip to Mississauga to pick up some turbos, and maybe some strawberry conch... Would that be closest place to me?? Big als doesn't have em, and coral reef shop doesn't have em....

P.S. should I have a minimum number of snails??

I have been reluctant to replace them since they die off... But I recall one lady telling me that a % of snails won't make it...

Should I wait, or put em in??? I only have about 6 or 7... 4 (not mexican) turbos, and dunno what other kind are, have 3-4 of them... they have cool shells that have spikes kinda or bumps... they are cool lookin, and the hermits like the shells ha... I think I need to put some more hermit shells in tank, cuz the pistol shrimp confiscated most of the empty ones...


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> are you sure its an aiptasia?? has a stripe in it... looks more like a feather to me... I did buy Aiptasia x for the aiptasia that went MIA... he was MUCH bigger than this wee guy... I think this guy looks kinda like a feather duster... tried to get 't turn out any clearer...


I'm almost dead sure. I have had lots of aitasia with amazing patterns. they spread like mad though and are nasty lil buggers.


----------



## Toofem

ok... will get at it...


----------



## Dax

Aiptasia/Duster test: Poke it, and if it retracts really fast, duster. Aiptasia will retract much slower. 

Are you acclimating your snails? .. that may have a lot to do with your survival rate. They usually take a few days to bite the dust if they are shocked. Give it a try.


----------



## Toofem

This last batch I did not... totally busted... all previous batches I have.... 4 of the snails are still active and seem happy, the other one got himself stuck in a weird spot and he was upside down, very vulnerable.... 

the wee guy under the happy zoas is gone.... totally vanished... I haven't seen my peppermint shrimp in over a week, but he's tiny... and after he was added, he hid all the time... I'll hunt for him this eve after lights out for a while... 

How long do baby snails take to grow?? I have scads of them in the tank... will be nice when they are a little more useful... I'm guessing I have 100 give or take in the tank... is this normal?? some are cone, more are round, all are white with a faint grey line... very, very tiny.... my camera doesn't pick them up well... they are usually on the rocks, the clowns bug or eat them on the glass... 

tank looks great since last big wc... will do another tomorrow, mixing day today... (also, I cut real far back on lights, don't think I can cover them up completely, I may go 2 squirrely!!) 

I'll try that out soon, my tank could probs use the rest... how would that affect the nitrates?? 

my poor poor pink zoas... hopefully I can get 2x wc done for next couple weeks and will see difference in nitrates... and zoas will be happy...


----------



## Dax

If your nitrates are around 20-40, I wouldn't sweat it too much. Mine used to be over 100 for 2 years+ and is finally down around 20-30. I tried everything but I guess it just took time to settle down. I have everything you have in your tank, so I['m confindent no reason to worry about the nitrates.


----------



## Toofem

*zoa's and video*

So, the zoa's have been closed most of the time since the BBQ... there is some die off... I've been reading about an RO dip or iodine/coral dip... problem is it's on a rock that's holding other rocks in place... move that one, I'll have an avalanche I think.... So, here's your video, shows the wee critter pretty well... he came back out pretty quick afterward, which I was pretty shocked.






he is tiny that's for sure... you see him at the beginning of the video the best...

oh ya, nice epoxy job eh?? haha


----------



## Toofem

*WC day... will take parameters after*

so, the tank is pretty good, the cyano is slowly spreading... mostly on sand and glass...

I did an RO dip for my pink zoas and my pally's... I'll let you know if I see an improvement...

The anemone is a little pissed with the lack of lights... but, he'll get over it...

4 snails still happy... noticed peppermint shrimp for the 1st time since I put him in... hope he's finding some aiptasia to eat...

I'm pretty sure my cleaner shrimp is long gone... Still no sign of him... would like to replace him but will wait for a bit...


----------



## altcharacter

So you see how much of a problem it is to add livestock to a tank before it's ready? This is how we learn in reefing unfortunately. 

I did the same thing with my first tank and I've learned to wait. Waiting sucks...


----------



## Toofem

*yup yup*

If one wants 2 learn how not to do it, this is the perfect thread...


----------



## Dax

Me thinks you touch your tank too much. Makes it hard for the system to find a balance. It's difficult I know, but must resist the temptation.
As I said before, lights completely out 2 days; like going cold turkey. If you get the shakes then call a friend.


----------



## Toofem

Dax said:


> Me thinks you touch your tank too much. Makes it hard for the system to find a balance. It's difficult I know, but must resist the temptation.
> As I said before, lights completely out 2 days; like going cold turkey. If you get the shakes then call a friend.


Yup... I've almost driven you all mad now haven't I? Ok... the WC is getting done this AM... I'll cover the tank afterward... 48 hrs... I'll post parameters in a few...

thanks for makin' me chuckle this morn!!


----------



## Toofem

*Post WC parameters*

ok...

temp 78
salinity 1.025 (love love my refractometer)
Ammonia nil
Nitrite nil
Nitrate 30 ppm
PH 7.8 (added a cap full of 8.4 by aquavitro)

I also have B-Ionic Calcium buffer system and Ions for reefs which I have not used ever... I don't have a test kit to test for these ions... but The Reef Shop said they would test them for me if I brought in a bag of water)

 I covered the top of the tank to the lights only, left the back open... is this right, ok, enough air for them... etc...


----------



## Dax

I noticed when my tank was covered with glass lids, which effectively hampered gas exchange, my PH was always low. I now only have half glass and the rest is like a mesh. Made a big difference. 
IMO dosing to "correct" PH probably won't fix anything unless you know why because the problem will always return ..... and as you already know stable PH is far more important. 
Here's way more information on PH than you need, but good to know:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/


----------



## Dax

Toofem said:


> ok...
> I also have B-Ionic Calcium buffer system and Ions for reefs which I have not used ever... I don't have a test kit to test for these ions... but The Reef Shop said they would test them for me if I brought in a bag of water)


Maybe you need some tough love.
I think your setup seems fine so try this plan for the next 4 weeks:
1. Do the lights out (2 days) then go back to normal light and feeding cycle.
2. 15-20% water change approx. every 7 days (no more, no less)
3. Top up for evaporated water as required (usually every day)
4. Take a reading of your parameters every couple of days and write it down to see what's happening. You only really need to check PH, alkalinity, and nitrates; calcium if you have the kit. Ammonia. nitrites, Temp. and salinity shouldn't change.

 That's it. 

- DO NOT dose anything new
- DO NOT add anything new
- DO NOT gravel vacuum for your water change
- In other words, DO NOT put you hands in the tank.


----------



## fesso clown

dax said:


> maybe you need some tough love.:d
> 
> 1. Do the lights out (2 days) then go back to normal light and feeding cycle.
> 2. 15-20% water change approx. Every 7 days (no more, no less)
> 3. Top up for evaporated water as required (usually every day)
> 4. Take a reading of your parameters every couple of days and write it down to see what's happening. You only really need to check ph, alkalinity, and nitrates; calcium if you have the kit. Ammonia. Nitrites, temp. And salinity shouldn't change.
> 
> that's it.
> 
> - do not dose anything new
> - do not add anything new
> - do not gravel vacuum for your water change
> - in other words, do not put you hands in the tank.


+1
no touchy
no dosey


----------



## Toofem

Ok... Your right... You've all said it at one time or another... That I'm fussing with it too much...

It's been covered for nearly a day now from light...

I log my parameters, new additions and deaths, but I will listen and test more frequently... 

Will keep my hands out of tank... 4 weeks!!  piece of cake!



Dax said:


> Maybe you need some tough love.
> I think your setup seems fine so try this plan for the next 4 weeks:
> 1. Do the lights out (2 days) then go back to normal light and feeding cycle.
> 2. 15-20% water change approx. every 7 days (no more, no less)
> 3. Top up for evaporated water as required (usually every day)
> 4. Take a reading of your parameters every couple of days and write it down to see what's happening. You only really need to check PH, alkalinity, and nitrates; calcium if you have the kit. Ammonia. nitrites, Temp. and salinity shouldn't change.
> 
> That's it.
> 
> - DO NOT dose anything new
> - DO NOT add anything new
> - DO NOT gravel vacuum for your water change
> - In other words, DO NOT put you hands in the tank.


----------



## fesso clown

I don't know if this is good advice but maybe stop testing for a few weeks. Just do your waterchanges and top up's and make sure the temp and salinity are correct. By not knowing your parameters you will be lees likely to try to "fix" them. 
The only real magic bullets for you right now is waterchanges and patience.


----------



## Toofem

*PH*

I think that me using the purple salt which is for fish not corals is contributing to the PH... But I'm not 100%... I'll be rectifying that soon. The tank is totally open... I don't use a cover...

Thanks for the PH read... that was helpful... bookmark these things for future as well...


----------



## Toofem

*I have a question!! *

Looking forward to lunchtime today!!!! Get to unveil my tank!! My poor nemos.... But it's my anem that'll be most pissed I'm sure... (fed him a tiny blast from the turkey baster before lights out, to keep him happy)

No touchy touchy...

I have a question... because I have had a few variations of answers... I was hoping for a consensus...

My tank is almost 5 months old...

Lights: how long?? 8 hours a day??

Food for fish: I feed mine a super small amount and around every 3 days... (my nemos act like carp at the Mandarin) Once a day would work for me, and would ensure daily routine... I feed flake mostly, and frozen I'll give every 3 days...

Food for corals: I don't have any... When I feed fish frozen food, I usually blast the pallys and the hermits clean up what they don't eat... I try to blast other corals, pallys are the only ones who close up to hang onto the food...

--------------------------------------------------------------------

so, I hadn't set the timer up proper for the lights... They went on in the middle of the night... So, I've been doing it manually... I'm sure I needed to set it opposite I had set it... I'll figure it out... I wanna make sure we have some evening time with the tank... (not for fussing, for enjoying) haha So I was thinking 1-9 PM lights or 2-10... obviously they will have daylight in the morning...


----------



## JamesHurst

These are all things you will need to figure out over time. They will be specific to your tank and it's inhabitants' needs. I would recommend asking other what they do in their tanks. To start you out:

I have a 30 Gal cube with a 15 Gal sump.
First, some info regarding the Livestock.
Coral - VERY heavily stocked with LPS, SPS, Clams, Softies, Anemones, etc. (Mixed Reef)
Fish - 1 Flame Angel, 1 Yellow Tang, 1 Maroon Clownfish, 2 Fire Gobies (1 purple, 1 red), 1 Spotted Mandarin/Dragonet
Inverts - 1 Peppermint Shrimp, 1 Mexican Turbo, 7 Astraea Snails (all currently removed because they're dicks and knock corals into my floor of hammers), 5 Left handed Hermit Crabs and one massive black mithrax crab that I can't catch (a hitchhiker that grew up in the tank.

1. Lights:
I use dimmed LEDs. So even though they run for over 12 hours, they are typically dimmed to less than 50% of their potential power for most of the day.
a) 12x Cool White LEDs - ramped on at 8am, off at 8pm, 2 hours of 'Cooking Time' from noon to 2pm (Cooking time = lights on full)
b) 12x Royal Blue - ramped on at 7am, off at 11pm, 5 hours of 'Cooking Time' from 11am to 4pm
c) 5x UV LEDs - on 24/7 (dimmed to 8% at night)
d) 1x Cyan, 2x Green, 2x Red, 1 Deep Red - on at 5am, off at midnight and only ever at 8% power - these are strictly for supplemental colour and fill.​
2. Food:
My feeding requirements are of course much higher than yours, only due to my habits of overstocking.
a) I feed a TINY pinch of flakes and pellets 2 times a day.
b) I spot feed frozen mysis shrimp to all my corals (well, the ones that eat) once a week. I have a large pod population so the frozen is only supplemental.
c) I feed phytoplankton once a week (stricly for all the gorgonians and clams)​
3. Water Changes:
I have an RO/DI filter. I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals.
5 to 10 gallon water change every 1 to 2 weeks.

4. Dosing:
A touch of "Stability", maybe half a cap, helps on occasion, especially when adding new livestock or doing water changes.
I also have b-ionic but haven't used it - I dose purple-up for a week, once a month which helps calcium levels.

5. Filtration:
NAC 3.5 Protein Skimmer, Phosban 150 w/ Activated Carbon, Phosban 150 with NPX Bio-pellets, and TONS of Macro algae - Caulerpa and Chaeto.

Maybe some others can chime in and give you an idea of what they do. No doubt you will see trends that we all follow, but also huge differences - everyone's tank requirements will be different based on their livestock.

Everyone here says to stop fiddling with your tank, but honestly, I never stopped fiddling with mine. And my tank is doing better than most I've seen. When I step away from the tank for a few days, all shet goes to hell.

What I would instead suggest is not making any big decisions or changes until you know what the effect and outcome of that action will be.

If you want lights to be on when you're hanging out at night, get seperate actinics or royal blue leds to run in the evening. Even a cheap submersible actinic light bar from Marineland works. Your whites are really warm toned so keeping them on for long periods will encourage nasty growths ie cyano, red algae, etc. My red LEDs are bad for that too.

Anyways, I hope that helps. Hopefully some others will chime in.

Cam



Toofem said:


> Looking forward to lunchtime today!!!! Get to unveil my tank!! My poor nemos.... But it's my anem that'll be most pissed I'm sure... (fed him a tiny blast from the turkey baster before lights out, to keep him happy)
> 
> No touchy touchy...
> 
> I have a question... because I have had a few variations of answers... I was hoping for a consensus...
> 
> My tank is almost 5 months old...
> 
> Lights: how long?? 8 hours a day??
> 
> Food for fish: I feed mine a super small amount and around every 3 days... (my nemos act like carp at the Mandarin) Once a day would work for me, and would ensure daily routine... I feed flake mostly, and frozen I'll give every 3 days...
> 
> Food for corals: I don't have any... When I feed fish frozen food, I usually blast the pallys and the hermits clean up what they don't eat... I try to blast other corals, pallys are the only ones who close up to hang onto the food...
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> so, I hadn't set the timer up proper for the lights... They went on in the middle of the night... So, I've been doing it manually... I'm sure I needed to set it opposite I had set it... I'll figure it out... I wanna make sure we have some evening time with the tank... (not for fussing, for enjoying) haha So I was thinking 1-9 PM lights or 2-10... obviously they will have daylight in the morning...


----------



## Toofem

Wow... seriously... This puts a lot into perspective...

Thanks so much for taking the time to break down your tank for me... Wow... Can you post a pic or two??  Sounds delightful... Do you have nitrates?



JamesHurst said:


> These are all things you will need to figure out over time. They will be specific to your tank and it's inhabitants' needs. I would recommend asking other what they do in their tanks. To start you out:
> 
> I have a 30 Gal cube with a 15 Gal sump.
> First, some info regarding the Livestock.
> Coral - VERY heavily stocked with LPS, SPS, Clams, Softies, Anemones, etc. (Mixed Reef)
> Fish - 1 Flame Angel, 1 Yellow Tang, 1 Maroon Clownfish, 2 Fire Gobies (1 purple, 1 red), 1 Spotted Mandarin/Dragonet
> Inverts - 1 Peppermint Shrimp, 1 Mexican Turbo, 7 Astraea Snails (all currently removed because they're dicks and knock corals into my floor of hammers), 5 Left handed Hermit Crabs and one massive black mithrax crab that I can't catch (a hitchhiker that grew up in the tank.
> 
> 1. Lights:
> I use dimmed LEDs. So even though they run for over 12 hours, they are typically dimmed to less than 50% of their potential power for most of the day.
> a) 12x Cool White LEDs - ramped on at 8am, off at 8pm, 2 hours of 'Cooking Time' from noon to 2pm (Cooking time = lights on full)
> b) 12x Royal Blue - ramped on at 7am, off at 11pm, 5 hours of 'Cooking Time' from 11am to 4pm
> c) 5x UV LEDs - on 24/7 (dimmed to 8% at night)
> d) 1x Cyan, 2x Green, 2x Red, 1 Deep Red - on at 5am, off at midnight and only ever at 8% power - these are strictly for supplemental colour and fill.​
> 2. Food:
> My feeding requirements are of course much higher than yours, only due to my habits of overstocking.
> a) I feed a TINY pinch of flakes and pellets 2 times a day.
> b) I spot feed frozen mysis shrimp to all my corals (well, the ones that eat) once a week. I have a large pod population so the frozen is only supplemental.
> c) I feed phytoplankton once a week (stricly for all the gorgonians and clams)​
> 3. Water Changes:
> I have an RO/DI filter. I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals.
> 5 to 10 gallon water change every 1 to 2 weeks.
> 
> 4. Dosing:
> A touch of "Stability", maybe half a cap, helps on occasion, especially when adding new livestock or doing water changes.
> I also have b-ionic but haven't used it - I dose purple-up for a week, once a month which helps calcium levels.
> 
> 5. Filtration:
> NAC 3.5 Protein Skimmer, Phosban 150 w/ Activated Carbon, Phosban 150 with NPX Bio-pellets, and TONS of Macro algae - Caulerpa and Chaeto.
> 
> Maybe some others can chime in and give you an idea of what they do. No doubt you will see trends that we all follow, but also huge differences - everyone's tank requirements will be different based on their livestock.
> 
> Everyone here says to stop fiddling with your tank, but honestly, I never stopped fiddling with mine. And my tank is doing better than most I've seen. When I step away from the tank for a few days, all shet goes to hell.
> 
> What I would instead suggest is not making any big decisions or changes until you know what the effect and outcome of that action will be.
> 
> If you want lights to be on when you're hanging out at night, get seperate actinics or royal blue leds to run in the evening. Even a cheap submersible actinic light bar from Marineland works. Your whites are really warm toned so keeping them on for long periods will encourage nasty growths ie cyano, red algae, etc. My red LEDs are bad for that too.
> 
> Anyways, I hope that helps. Hopefully some others will chime in.
> 
> Cam


----------



## Toofem

*The unvieling of the tank*

So... the bugger under the brown zoas is lookin' unmistakenly like an aiptasia...

The pink zoas look like crap... Gonna see what they look like when they've adjusted to the light... Then what?? Leave them alone, let them die off in tank? Just making sure...

There's a hermit on them now cleaning them up...

Oh, forgot to mention, I had a death of hermit the other day... found fleshy legs... that's the 1st hermit I've noticed die...

Tons of wee snails... The clowns had a feeding frenzy... They love escargot...

Thanks for your help guys...


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> Wow... seriously... This puts a lot into perspective...
> 
> Thanks so much for taking the time to break down your tank for me... Wow... Can you post a pic or two??  Sounds delightful... Do you have nitrates?


No probs 

I removed all my snails and forgot to replace my carbon last week. So yes, yes I do 

Here's some pics, sorry if they're not the best quality. Most of these pics are a couple weeks old so a huge amount of corals are missing from these pics.
Also, here's some pro shots I took recently: http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46249


----------



## Toofem

*Woah*

Love the carpet anemone's... and pic #7 is gorgeous... Looks like a blooming fruit tree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is it??

Very full tank.... Looks gorgeous.... So many beside others...

How come my corals get pissed when they are next to others?? (my corals don't play well with other corals) haha


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> So... the bugger under the brown zoas is lookin' unmistakenly like an aiptasia...
> 
> The pink zoas look like crap... Gonna see what they look like when they've adjusted to the light... Then what?? Leave them alone, let them die off in tank? Just making sure...
> 
> There's a hermit on them now cleaning them up...
> 
> Oh, forgot to mention, I had a death of hermit the other day... found fleshy legs... that's the 1st hermit I've noticed die...
> 
> Tons of wee snails... The clowns had a feeding frenzy... They love escargot...
> 
> Thanks for your help guys...


Are you sure it wasn't just a crab molt? They shed their exoskeleton regularly. Sometimes I think I've lost crabs until I realize the body I pulled out is hollow. If it was fleshy though....

And yeah, again I PROMISE YOU it's an aiptasia  haha

With regards to the Zoas, if they look like they're turning inside out, I've had this happen before. I left them - they died off mostly, then regrew back within a month. Yes, I usually leave zoas in to die, unless they're covered in a fungus or disease.


----------



## Toofem

*Omg*

Wow... Love love the professional pics... They are gorgeous... Keep shooting!!!  I thought some of my pics turn out good!!  haha

And shout me next time you visit CRS... Stop in for a brew + a view...


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> Love the carpet anemone's... and pic #7 is gorgeous... Looks like a blooming fruit tree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is it??
> 
> Very full tank.... Looks gorgeous.... So many beside others...
> 
> How come my corals get pissed when they are next to others?? (my corals don't play well with other corals) haha


The corals I have touching are all Hammers and Frogspawns. Torches touching other Euphillia is a no-no.

Other than that, it's careful placement and same-family corals touching (ie. Acans touching Acans, Duncans touching Duncans, etc.)

The trees are Gorgonians  The blue one? It's a Blueberry Gorgonian.
Here's another pic of it. Haven't sat down and tried to get any clear shots of it yet though.


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> Wow... Love love the professional pics... They are gorgeous... Keep shooting!!!  I thought some of my pics turn out good!!  haha
> 
> And shout me next time you visit CRS... Stop in for a brew + a view...


Absolutely I will! I'll bring you some freebies too.  I have Zoas and Kenya Trees growing out my butt.... errr, I have too many.

My g/f is from Burlington, so we head down there every few weeks.


----------



## Toofem

*Woot!! Yay!!*

Sounds awesome!

Hermit: Ya... was def a dead one... His meat was showing... Ok that sounds bad, but he was dead for sure...



JamesHurst said:


> Absolutely I will! I'll bring you some freebies too.  I have Zoas and Kenya Trees growing out my butt.... errr, I have too many.
> 
> My g/f is from Burlington, so we head down there every few weeks.


----------



## Toofem

I love hammer (yours is stupendous), torch + frogspawn... I have only 1 head that's happy of my hammer... I hope he lives + breeds... I want lights... I wanna change my lights once I'm working! I was I contact with someone for good lights, but cheaped out... 

Now... I'd like to research lights... You system is very advanced for my noobness who can't even get my timer working... Heh heh


----------



## JamesHurst

Toofem said:


> I love hammer (yours is stupendous), torch + frogspawn... I have only 1 head that's happy of my hammer... I hope he lives + breeds... I want lights... I wanna change my lights once I'm working! I was I contact with someone for good lights, but cheaped out...
> 
> Now... I'd like to research lights... You system is very advanced for my noobness who can't even get my timer working... Heh heh


I only started in this hobby a year and a half ago ish, it doesn't take long. I used to Google everyhing. I only joined here initially to sell stuff and ask a question, then never left lol.

I'm a noob who got way too obsessed and had no patience. Still obsessed, still no patience lolol.

Regarding lights, I built mine using kits from RapidLED 

Literally all of my money goes to the tank, this is a pricey pricey hobby.


----------



## Dax

JamesHurst said:


> I'm a noob who got way too obsessed and had no patience. Still obsessed, still no patience lolol.
> 
> Literally all of my money goes to the tank, this is a pricey pricey hobby.


And there you have it. Pretty much the same story of all successful reefkeepers. Unfortunately, the only real way to have a successful tank in a small amount of time means IF YOU ARE ON A BUDGET, YOU HAVE TO GO SLOW. I tried the slow/budget route and quickly realized it's very difficult. I defiinately didn't have the necessary patience or discipline. For example, If you upgrade your lights, your skimmer, add a couple of reactors ... bang, most of your problems are gone. Of course that means $$$$.

IMHO, until you get your tank to the point where you are in control, don't fight it too much. That's the reason my advice is to ease off.

To answer your questions from before:
Lights 10 hours is good
Feeding small amount every day is fine (maybe turn off pumps)

When you record your parameters, don't make any changes. Just see what the tank is doing, especially leading upto and after water changes.


----------



## JamesHurst

Dax said:


> And there you have it. Pretty much the same story of all successful reefkeepers. Unfortunately, the only real way to have a successful tank in a small amount of time means IF YOU ARE ON A BUDGET, YOU HAVE TO GO SLOW. I tried the slow/budget route and quickly realized it's very difficult. I defiinately didn't have the necessary patience or discipline. For example, If you upgrade your lights, your skimmer, add a couple of reactors ... bang, most of your problems are gone. Of course that means $$$$.
> 
> IMHO, until you get your tank to the point where you are in control, don't fight it too much. That's the reason my advice is to ease off.
> 
> To answer your questions from before:
> Lights 10 hours is good
> Feeding small amount every day is fine (maybe turn off pumps)
> 
> When you record your parameters, don't make any changes. Just see what the tank is doing, especially leading upto and after water changes.


+1, I absolutely agree with the above. Keep a notebook and write down levels when testing and whenever you make a change, write it in.
Kind of like a diet notebook for those trying to solve dietary issues


----------



## Toofem

*thanks guys!*

I do keep a diary... For tank... Wc tomorrow, waters mixed... There's only 1 or 2 pink zoas left, rock is sparkling clean! Hope this one that's left keeps on keeping on...

Happy Canada day! And happy pride!


----------



## Toofem

*been a while*

Hey... Just a quick update... I've been quiet, I have a HUGE test on Wednesday...

The cyano bacteria is spreading... mostly on back wall and on equipment such as power heads, skimmer pump... back wall....

I think there's water stillness on the ends on the sand... any suggestions on how to get extra flow in the corners? I tried adjusting the PH's... I have 3 in the tank as it is... anyway, just seems on one side... the side with the 2 PH...

not sure how well it comes up on pics... but around edges of sand bed on glass there is many colours of red... some of it I think is coraline... there is some that is green, like florescent almost....

Anyway... Just a quick update... Have a great weekend!!!

PS... its not on the rocks... the off light time killed off a bunch... should have taken a tank shot, cuz the places I showed you is the worst... and mostly on the one side of tank...


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## Dax

Get a diamond goby. It is amazing at keeping your sand clean and will be compatible with pretty much anything. The only thing is that it will jump so make sure your top is covered well.


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## Toofem

*Goby*

I love goby's... I have a yellow watchman goby... he is pretty good at cleaning, but very scared, doesn't explore away from his pistol shrimp too much... only 46g tank, so I won't put in competition for old yellar... haha

I did aiptasia x the aiptasia, but alas, look who's back!!!

There is something growing on a rock... couldn't get a pic or video with the light coming in the way it is from outside... I'll try when it's dark... It's very very white, and very very round.... I'm bad with sizes but I'm guessing its about a 1/4" in dia at least... possibly a sponge?? That's what it looks like to me...


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## Toofem

*Tank video udpate*






I'm such a nerd... Sorry I'm mumbling most of it...


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## Toofem

*Hey...*

off topic: got lost going to my test so rebooked it for Aug 20th... can't wait!!

Tank is doin' ok... this week cleaned all equipment... there was lots of hair algae and cyano bacteria on it...

Have had a problem with flat worms on one of my cabbage corals... Which I siphoned out today as many as I could with turkey baster... (they have been troubling my coral - hasn't been happy since they arrived) 
, 
The cyano bacteria doesn't seem too troublesome yet... Much slower than last time... I've cut down on feeding the tank when it was growing a bit more, and cut down on lights which both seemed to help..
Killed 2 aiptasia's with aiptasia-x...

some of these baby snails are getting big, I've seen a few bigger ones...

since I'm rambling about new stuff... noticed recently a significant size difference between the two clowns... and I had thought the big one looked pregnant... I hadn't seen eggs though, and seems like the stomach isn't so big now...

all inhabitants are good, the peppermint shrimp came out for feeding time today (which he'd eat the aiptaisia!)

My toadstool coral isn't looking very happy... I was wondering if the anemone was stinging him... he's starting to improve...

the mushroom coral that was born in the tank is really getting big... can't get a good picture of him the way I have his rock...

The pictures I attached are oldest to newest..., have taken them in the last couple weeks...

Hope your all well!!


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## Toofem

Not sure why the pics didn't add... grrr 

Here they are...


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## Toofem

*Update*

Added some new stuff...

1 cleaner shrimp (added 4 days ago)
1 conch (ID please - he's very, very well fed, terrific addition) (added 4 days ago)
1 110 aquaclear refugium (added today)

As you may see I have bad cyano on the glass + sand in one corner, the conch was only added 4 days ago, and he's amazing...

So, changed the water 3 days ago... maybe 2... and I didn't notice my filter wasn't running... it got jammed up I don't know when... but when I pulled the filter off it stunk... Sand has been getting into the motor, I have sponge on the bottom now to help prevent this...

The cyano with the lack of filter went nuts... I was at big als when they opened... I expect the next few days will be very touch and go... and I hope I don't lose anything...

Anyway... That's about it... should settle, had to move some rocks to fit everything in... that sucked, but I think it's actually better... we'll see...

Big Als didn't have cheato (spelling) so it's another algae forget what it's called... I put in a 2" sand bed w/rubble rock + 1 live rock (if there was any life left on it, was in stagnate water)

Note the last pic, my new cleaner shrimp cleaning my goby... this really shocked me!! He let him (for a short while)...

So ya... that's me...

Just gotta mix some water, lost d/t adding the refugium... and wait...


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## sig

it would be beneficial to clean power heads sometimes.... They work as nitrates storage in your tank

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## Toofem

I probably cleaned them 4 weeks ago, was going to do them tomorrow...  The hair algae gets on it quick...

correction, I think it was 2 weeks ago... it's nuts...


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## Toofem

*You were right*

They were really sludged up... I'm sure they will be again by the end of the week...

Oh ya... and by the by.... I cannot regret any more than I do, not doing sump... But you all know that... (I'm guessing) heehe


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## Toofem

*set up fuge... having problems with light*

So, I bought this terrarium lid which sits on top of 110 fuge...

So, ran the light last night... and the dt is way too lit, like for sure it was a full moon night for them last night...

My ph lvl is a lil low... 7.8... has always been this, no fluctuations...

I would like 2 run lights opposite tank... any suggestions 2 keep the spill over off the dt???

since I added the conch and the fuge, the cyano is off the sand... it's just on back wall...

Anyways... I've googled this, but not really seen anything helpful...

Shout out to George, chaeto looks great in the fuge!


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## Toofem

*Sup... Tank update*

Hello,

The tank is doing well... I thought I would post an update. There is still hair algae, but not as much as before...

Today added a lawnmower blenny + an emerald crab...

couple new corals and a new wee orange bubble anem... No cyano bacteria...


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## altcharacter

She's alive!!!! The tank is looking amazing dude and I am very happy that you're still coming on.

Keep up the amazing work!


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## moose

Lmao, I was just gonna say the same thing, Dave 

Glad tank is going ok ))))


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## Toofem

*Howdy*

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.... ya... that's right... I'm done school!! Holy heck!! I'm actually an RMT and working!! (perhaps more cash in my future haha)

Anyways... Just wanted to say hello... warn ya I will have more time on my hands!! and post a few pics... tank is doing well... hair algae almost gone, removed a bunch by hand recently, so, we'll see how that goes. Anyone been to the Rippley's aquarium? Will check it out soon...

I think I had a death recently, I haven't seen my lawn mower blenny since I returned from vacation... should I have fed him? He never ate when I fed the fish. I feed frozen brine, and tried flake, never saw him eat. Other than cleaning rocks etc. I had him about a month or so... There's still pleanty of hair algae he could have munched on...

All corals are doing great.... my anemone is a beast... I have a new wee orange anem, he's super cute... about the size of a toonie... He's to the left of the leathers in the pics.

Hope you all have power!!!


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## altcharacter

Oh my God she lives!!!

Your tank had a explosion of coralline algae!!! That is amazing

It's looking much better these days and I hope you add some more color to it. You should go to the London Fragfest with your wife and pick up a few things.

P.S. I was passing by your house a few weeks ago and I was going to stop but didn't know if I should since I lost your phone number when I switched phones.


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## Toofem

*dude! your always welcome!*

Yo, stop in any time your in the neighborhood! I'm workin and not always home... but Chris would be happy 2 c u! the tank is good, it does need colour for sure (not purple) haha when's this frag show in London???

I'll PM u my cell! I dropped my last phone in the bucket I was mixing for wc... so, I don't have yours either! hehe


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## Toofem

*Is anyone around anymore*

I really do not get on here much... But when I do, I do not see anyone around... Where is everyone... 

I grabbed some random pics that were on my puter...

One thing I could use help with is...

If I had some purple coralene algae on my glass... besides the magnet glass cleaner... Is there something else I could try and clear off the front... I slacked with doing it, and now its a bit out of control. 

If anyone is around... let me know!!


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## Toofem

*Oh ya... one more thing*

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-pets-liv...rything-great-for-beginner-W0QQAdIdZ576029324


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## JamesHurst

Why on earth are you selling everything?


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## Toofem

*Why why why*

Hi James...

I am not for sure selling. The tank causes me no problems at all at this point. I conquered cyano bacteria, hair algae.... The fish and corals are healthy and thriving...

Something has come up... It would be easier for me to sell...

I am very attached to the critters though... Remember when my anem was hurting... I thought he was a gonner for sure... He is soooo healthy and massive... Is a great home for my clowns...

I am putting feelers out there right now... If someone agreed to take it all, I would sell everything I have for a set price... I will need to get more organized and do a proper inventory and ad... as this site didnt like my kijiji ad link.

Anyway... Thanks for asking...


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## Toofem

*closed down tank*

All you wonderful peeps I would like to thank for holding my hand while I got this tank up + running...

Life got hectic... I wasn't able to keep tank. I will always remember all the help I received during this crazy time...

I had faulty lights, and I nearly lost all corals... I replaced the lights and gave away tank...

Anyways... just wanted to letcha know...


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## Greg_o

Aww shucks. It's a crazy world, who knows, maybe one day YOU'LL BE BACK!

In the meantime all the best to you!


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