Diary - 75 gal Freshwater to saltwater conversion - WARNING BIG PICS

[Bifferwine]

Yep, aiptasia.

You can take a syringe (with the needle off) and mix up a paste of kalkwasser and water (you can find kalkwasser at your LFS, but my local Petco and Petsmart also carry it). Then smother the aiptasia. Also, you can mix up salt paste (using your fish tank salt) and smother them. Alternatively, you can try zapping them with lemon juice or boiling water. You can also buy products specifically made to kill them at your LFS like Joe's Juice.

If you can, try to kill them outside of the main tank (in a separate container) so that you don't get kalk paste or extra salt all over your other animals. If you can remove the rocks they're on while you work on them, great. If not, be extra careful where you get the stuff.

[mudrummer012]

OK, today was a much better day!

First off, I woke up this morning and went to the store and got a syringe. I went with the salt method for getting rid of the glass anenomies. I worked GREAT!!! I attacked them when the lights were still out with a flashlight with a red lens. It was VERY satisfying to watch them shrivel up when the salt mix hit them!

On a MUCH better note, the tank finished cycling today! I didn't believe my readings so I went to the LFS and had them double check. NH3 is 0, NO2 is 0 and NO3 is 10, pH is 8.1 sg/sal is 33/1.025, alk is 2 and cal is 400. Im doing a 10 water change tonight and then a 30ish on tuesday when I get back from vacation.

Do you think it would be safe to add a couple of shrimp on wednesday to munch on any aiptasias that I missed, providing everything stays fine over the weekend?

The down side though, is that I started my first algea stage today as well. I have some brown and some hair growing. Ive dialed down the lights to 8 hrs for the actinan lights and 6 for the 10k lights. Should I go lower or is that fine? I also filled the media cartridge of my mag 360 with a phosphate and silica sponge, that should take care of those two elements before I get back on tuesday. Honestly Id much rather deal with algea then with the aiptasias

[Bifferwine]

Shrimp are much more sensitive to water parameters than fish, and usually don't do well in a tank that has just cycled. If I were you, I'd add your first fish, then wait about 3 weeks before adding peppermint shrimp.

The algae stage is pretty much unavoidable. You're doing the best you can -- nothing is going to make it disappear overnight, but the phosphate/silica sponge and reduced photoperiod will help greatly.

[yote]

Congratulations on a completed cycle.Now comes the fun part of trying to stock slow.

[mudrummer012]

OK, I guess Ill add the first fish to the tank sometime next weekend then and hold off on the shrimps!

Now I know I should wait 2 weeks before adding a second set of fish to the tank, but should I just add one fish the first time? My goal for the first 3 fish is a coral beauty angel and 2 false percula clowns. Should I add all three at once, or the angel first then the clown pair, or the clown pair then the angel? (Hope that makes sense how I worded it.) Also, beyond the shrimp what should I be looking at as far as cleaning crew wise? Im more interested in snails the crabs at this point just cause of some of the stories that ive read. What type and about how many of each should I aim for? When should they go in, before fish, after fish, same time?

[dustin_P74]

aim for about 1 per gallon and since anything in your clean up crew doesn't add to your bioload you can add as many as you want at a time whenever you feel like it

[Piggy]

I would add my clean up crew seeing the tank is cycled. This would consist of snails,astreas,turbo,nassarius, or others. Also hermits and crabs but seeing you don't want any, snails should do. Later you can add shrimps and brittle star.

[dustin_P74]

you can add emerald crabs since they are a great addtion to the clean up crew and they will not prey on snails

[reeffreak]

Because of hardiness,I would add the clown pair first and wait several weeks for the angel.

When the cycle is complete,a cleanup crew(minus the shrimps) can be added at anytime.I tend to let the amount of algae be my guide,but one per gallon is a pretty good rule like Dustin said.

[Doc]

it was great to catch up on the build thread. Glad you are having success now. As for the fish, I agree with clowns first and then coral beauty. what is the "master plan" for fish, if you don't mind my asking?

start off small with the clean up crew as there needs to be enough food to keep them fat and happy. End up with 1 per gallon at a maximum but start off with maybe 10-15 critters (snails and an emerald crab) and see how things go for a few weeks. Good Luck!

-Doc