Newbie....easy question

17 posts • Page 1 of 2

Discuss all topics related to saltwater / reef tanks.


jilli_boo
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:38 pm

Newbie....easy question

by jilli_boo

I just started my reef tank at the beginning of Feb.
I let my tank cycle and I have preformed the water change.
Before I did the water change my parameters were:
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: 10ppm
ph: 8.2
After the water change:
ammonia: .25ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: 5ppm
ph: 8.2

I am planning to go to the LFS tomorrow and purchase a couple of fish,
something hardy that will (hopefully soon) go along with soft corals, and
mushrooms and things of that nature.
Oh yeah, and I'm getting more live rock and some lace rock, I know that I
do not have nearly as much rock as I will need altogether.
I only have 16lbs. so far.

I am just wondering if I am on the right path so far, and am I right in
getting a couple of hardy fish to make sure my tank is stable enough
to keep on proceding.

Thank you so much
I have read here for quite awhile and I know this place is great!


dick_headers
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:59 pm

by dick_headers

Hi jilliboo,

How many lbs of sand do you have in your tank, or how deep is it? Is it live sand or silicate? If I were you, first I's introduce some cleaners to your tank, but not too many. A feew hardy hermit crabs, and some snails.. You could add a damsel to see hows your water going. Later on you can take him out, and get a store credit for it. Did you ever put any food, nutrients into your tank? If you haven't done so, start to doin it, slowly. If the ammonia level stays at 0, and your nitrate start raising, that means your water more than likely done with the nitrogen cycle, but it's still not fully estabilished. Have you noticed any algaes on the glass or on the substrate?

I suppose you have enough filtration, but it 'd nice to know exactly what oyu have.

Also, probablu you know that, wait with corals. Go get one fish, and some inverts, and start feeding, than let us know what's goin' on.. Be lucky, DH


jilli_boo
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:38 pm

by jilli_boo

I'm sorry I didn't add in my filtration.
I have a MarineLand Canister Filter 350
and I also have an Aqua C Remora HOB w/ Maxijet 1200
I have Live Sand about 1 to 2 inches deep

I added live rock from the beginning, and my tank wouldn't
start cycling and so I had to add shrimp to jump start the cycle.
My tank is now fully cycled.

Yes I do algea growing....I have been cleaning it off of the glass,
and I do have hair algea growing, along with something like feathery
stuff coming from some of the worms that were in the live rock.
I have never seen the wormy things moving, but some are white and
some are like a black color. Are those wormy looking things ok?
The live rock came from a very highly reputible LFS, that I dealt with my cichlids
before.
The live sand has brown algea growing on top of it.

Do I need any other nutrient additive?

I know that I need some sand sifting going on in there and the LFS that
I'm going to tomorrow will be very helpful.
Thank you


dick_headers
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:59 pm

by dick_headers

You good to go with your filtration, I belive you have enough bio filtration cuz your rocks and sand. I figured you have about 50-60 lbs of sand in there. You still can add some powerheads ( Maxijets the most commons,900 or1200 to your size) or/and some extra filtration, just for water movement and aeritation.

Brown algaes are normal, not to panic. One of the best sign ( and the nastiest at the time:-) that your tank fully cycled and getting estabilished. It'll go away with correct and timely maintance. But it's time to put some cleaner group into your tank. You can look about 6-8 hermit crabs( specially blue legged when they're small), bout the same amount of nails ( margarittas, turbo, torchus or astraea, all of them are great algae "killers") for the start. A few nassarius snails to your sandbad.. I wouldn't buy or introduce a sand shifting starfish yet. I think he would starve to death in your system. They need at least a couple of month old sandbad.. Im not going into the microfauna stuffs, but if I break it down they have to have nutrients just like other inverts.. When you start feed you livestock, detritus will settle down on the bottom, and if your crabs not fast or/and hungry enough this detritus more than likely will ends up in your sandbad. That detritus is very important for those sand shifting creatures, besides the microfauna provided by the live sand... But as I mentioned, wait with those stars a bit. Nassarius snails are also great sand shifters, but they'll leave the sandbad if they can't find nutrients there. They will survivr with algaes though..

I'll tell you about those white and black worms ( which aren't really worms though, but the pizza guy just got here, so it's PIZZATIME!!!! Be back shortly


jilli_boo
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:38 pm

by jilli_boo

HAHA we had pizza for supper.
Thanks for the great info.
It sounds like I'm doing ok so far!
I'll be checkin' back in to find out what those things are!
Thanks.


dick_headers
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:59 pm

by dick_headers

It was good..
So those "worms" I think are calcium deposits on your live rock. You probably can't see them anywhere else but on your live rocks. They 're look a lot like worms, but they aren't. They're also fine, don't worry about it. If you could send me a pics, I could tell you exactly what they are, but i'm pretty sure it's Ca deposit.

Hair algae not a good thing to have, you have to get rid of it before it's too late. Check your calcium and alkalinity levels, and add more filtration if you can. Or at least powerheads. Low alkalinity, calcium and too much of light are the best friends of hair algaes.. Cut back on light, raise your alkalinity above or at least 7 dkh , and the Calcium between 380-450 ppm.

I think your tank is fully cycled, so how about add a small lawnmower blennie? They little "clowns" loved those brown nuisance algaes, in my experiences. Good luck when you visit your LFS tomorrow.
Do you have any coralline growth alraedy?
Who introduced you the AquaC Remora skimmer?


dick_headers
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:59 pm

by dick_headers

Those worm like things mostly on the bottom right?


dick_headers
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:59 pm

by dick_headers

the feathery stuff can be aiptasia.. do some research on aiptasia, check the pictures if it's matches with yours..


jilli_boo
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:38 pm

by jilli_boo

The little things are just on the live rock.

The hair algea is just minimal, and I have been sucking it off with turkey baster,
I will take a more agressive approach to keeping it under control.
Here are some pictures that I just took:
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj17 ... CN8315.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj17 ... CN8312.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj17 ... CN8311.jpg

I haven't noticed any coraline algae yet.
I will get some more live rock tomorrow and I know that
the LFS does have some really nice live rock with coralline growing.

I do plan to get another powerhead, just haven't yet.
And I was going to look for a good blenny.

As for the Aqua C, I did alot of looking around and reading......
Finally just decided to stop reading and get it.
It and the canister are doing a great job keeping the water nice and clean.

Thanks so much


dick_headers
 
Posts: 424
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:59 pm

by dick_headers

You're welcome.Great pictures! Not to worry, those are calcium deposits caused by tube worms. Basically it's a calcium based tube,cave for protection. Whenever you buy those rocks, your chance to find any survivors in those tubes are close to 0.. Usually a stronger wave enough to wash them out of their tubes...

I bought my first Remora skimmer about 3 years ago.I went like WOW!! What a foam, nothing but pure polution gunk junk in the wast cup..Great skimmers, you made a great decision. A bit noisey, but I can live with that. Very short break in period, amazing results.
You are on the good track, just keep us posted.

Newbie....easy question

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