I just got my crushed coral in this weekend and put my saltwater into the tank. This has been running for only three days but wondering when I can start adding in my live rock. The tank is going to be a FOWLR. I read someplace that the live rock has to be assimilated into the tank as well , is this true?
just getting saltwater tank set up
- Thread starter katieface
- Start date
if your live rock is cured and very little die off you can add it in about a week when things stabilize in your system. once you add watch your water parameters and test for the cycle. once you have cycled you can add a clean up crew if you wish or fish, but add your fish slowly as to not overload the system too much. a wide range of descretion here. i assume you have a protien skimmer.
minireefer
Reefing newb
I think if you have not cycled you tank yet you can add the rock right away.It will help cycle the tank.If it is already cycled folow JHNRB plan.
Hope I'm not too late
If you haven't done so yet don't. Crushed coral is trouble waiting to happen. I don't even know why they sell the garbage. You need to use Aragonite since it will dramatically reduce your need to battle ph among other benefits. Before you get too far in your process of setting up go the GARF.ORG and you will be able to save yourself pleanty of time in the school of hard knocks. I wish I had known about them before I started my first system.
If you haven't done so yet don't. Crushed coral is trouble waiting to happen. I don't even know why they sell the garbage. You need to use Aragonite since it will dramatically reduce your need to battle ph among other benefits. Before you get too far in your process of setting up go the GARF.ORG and you will be able to save yourself pleanty of time in the school of hard knocks. I wish I had known about them before I started my first system.
Thanks for your advise everyone.....
Well i am at the stage now where my nitite and amonia are reading almost at 0- coloured charts and Im not too good with them.
I bought 3 molly fish and let them help cycle my tank...they were in there for about 3 wks when i noticed white spots on their tails. I went to the LFS and they said it was "ICH". They told me not to bother treating it as it could kill some of the Live Rock i put into my tank and basically was a waste of my time. I wanted a second opinion so i went to another fish store and they told me the same thing. Soooo....the fish are gone and now the tank is being cycled with only Live Rock....tank up and running for about 4 wks so decided to put in 4 hermit crabs....seems to be doing o.k. ...Levels are all showing the same....just wondering when i can put in a cleaner shrimp....is it too early as my tank seems to just be done cycling or near the end. Need some advice on where to go now....
Oh yeh...when i get my tank up and running and my fish get "ICH" how should i treat it without killing everything?
Well i am at the stage now where my nitite and amonia are reading almost at 0- coloured charts and Im not too good with them.
I bought 3 molly fish and let them help cycle my tank...they were in there for about 3 wks when i noticed white spots on their tails. I went to the LFS and they said it was "ICH". They told me not to bother treating it as it could kill some of the Live Rock i put into my tank and basically was a waste of my time. I wanted a second opinion so i went to another fish store and they told me the same thing. Soooo....the fish are gone and now the tank is being cycled with only Live Rock....tank up and running for about 4 wks so decided to put in 4 hermit crabs....seems to be doing o.k. ...Levels are all showing the same....just wondering when i can put in a cleaner shrimp....is it too early as my tank seems to just be done cycling or near the end. Need some advice on where to go now....
Oh yeh...when i get my tank up and running and my fish get "ICH" how should i treat it without killing everything?
ick
Ick in freshwater fish is different from that of marine fishes. The marine variety is a parasite and is best dealt with by having a Coral Banded Shrimp or Peppermint Shrimp to do a job of cleaning. If you are concerned with ick these would be good first additions to your reef. Don't get in too big of a rush to stock that tank. Everything can look perfect one hour of the day and go straight down the tubes the next minute you look at it. Approach stocking with caution unless you have unlimited resources and don't mind loosing expensive critters. Good first fish, in my opinion, are green chromis, they like to be in schools so you need 4 or 5 added at the same time. You can get them the smaller the better. One or two may die off but that still leaves them with a mini-school so they are happy. The added benefit of small chromis is that they will clean ick off of other fish. I discovered this after spending $30 on a peppermint shrimp to clean my diseased fish. The shrimp became food for my anenome within minutes never to be seen again. When I added 4 very small chromis they went right to work and within an hour had all of my fish free of any parasites, go figure. If you've had those mollies in there and if they died in there and your tank remained stable I would proceed with stocking but slowly and with due caution.
Ick in freshwater fish is different from that of marine fishes. The marine variety is a parasite and is best dealt with by having a Coral Banded Shrimp or Peppermint Shrimp to do a job of cleaning. If you are concerned with ick these would be good first additions to your reef. Don't get in too big of a rush to stock that tank. Everything can look perfect one hour of the day and go straight down the tubes the next minute you look at it. Approach stocking with caution unless you have unlimited resources and don't mind loosing expensive critters. Good first fish, in my opinion, are green chromis, they like to be in schools so you need 4 or 5 added at the same time. You can get them the smaller the better. One or two may die off but that still leaves them with a mini-school so they are happy. The added benefit of small chromis is that they will clean ick off of other fish. I discovered this after spending $30 on a peppermint shrimp to clean my diseased fish. The shrimp became food for my anenome within minutes never to be seen again. When I added 4 very small chromis they went right to work and within an hour had all of my fish free of any parasites, go figure. If you've had those mollies in there and if they died in there and your tank remained stable I would proceed with stocking but slowly and with due caution.
Cheap fish to start with, chromis are great because they are not to hostile and fun to watch. When you have a few months under your belt and you get tired of them you can sell them back to the LFS or give them away, good luck catching them. :) I have several cleaner shrimp in my tank, you could test the water and get one and see how it does, get a peppermint shrimp it will help control aptasia also.
thanks guys
Thanks guys for leading me in the right direction....My hermit crabs seem to doing good....still living anyways :) I think i will try to add in the peppermint shrimp and see what happens.... hopefully he will be happy in my tank.
I have another question about these worms that are all over my Fiigi live rock....they are white and have long arms....mostly come out at night....are they spaghetti worms....when i research it that is the only thing that seems close to what i see in my tank....I believe they are o.k. and pretty normal to have in the tank..right?...there are also little white bugs i noticed tonight with a flashlight...sortof look like tiny white mites and move quite quickly , anyone have an idea what these may be?
Katieface
Thanks guys for leading me in the right direction....My hermit crabs seem to doing good....still living anyways :) I think i will try to add in the peppermint shrimp and see what happens.... hopefully he will be happy in my tank.
I have another question about these worms that are all over my Fiigi live rock....they are white and have long arms....mostly come out at night....are they spaghetti worms....when i research it that is the only thing that seems close to what i see in my tank....I believe they are o.k. and pretty normal to have in the tank..right?...there are also little white bugs i noticed tonight with a flashlight...sortof look like tiny white mites and move quite quickly , anyone have an idea what these may be?
Katieface
minireefer
Reefing newb
the worms you are seeing should be ok.When you add fish you have to becareful because the ick can come back.Ick cycle usually takes 4 to 6 weeks to break.If they don't have host(fish)to attach to then they will die.as lashlaroo said a cleaner shrimp will sometimes eat the ick from the fish.It look like your on your way to a healthy aquarium enjoy!
Algae problem!!!
Hey everyone,
Well tank has been up and running for a mth now and started to see brown algae growing on my crushed coral and the tank walls. I have just recently added my cleaner shrimp and 2 snails into the tank, could this be the reason or is this just something that happens with a newly cycled tank? How should I get rid of this? I checked my levels and everything supposed to be where it is to be....Where should I go from here?
Also......What is the best salidity for my shrimp, crabs, and snails?
Thanks,
Katieface
Hey everyone,
Well tank has been up and running for a mth now and started to see brown algae growing on my crushed coral and the tank walls. I have just recently added my cleaner shrimp and 2 snails into the tank, could this be the reason or is this just something that happens with a newly cycled tank? How should I get rid of this? I checked my levels and everything supposed to be where it is to be....Where should I go from here?
Also......What is the best salidity for my shrimp, crabs, and snails?
Thanks,
Katieface
Hiya Katieface,
I'm sure the others will tell you that the brown algae (diatom algae) is normal during the cycling process. Mine went away by itself, and turbo snails keep it stirred up, so that it goes down to the skimmer. How long are you keeping lights on and what kind of lighting do you have?
I grow macro algae (caulerpa and chaeto) in my tank and have never had a problem with nuisance algae.
Angela
I'm sure the others will tell you that the brown algae (diatom algae) is normal during the cycling process. Mine went away by itself, and turbo snails keep it stirred up, so that it goes down to the skimmer. How long are you keeping lights on and what kind of lighting do you have?
I grow macro algae (caulerpa and chaeto) in my tank and have never had a problem with nuisance algae.
Angela
Katieface see this thread... https://www.livingreefs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=225
minireefer
Reefing newb
Katieface,
As other have said algae blooms are common with new tanks .Try running your lights only a couple of hours day.till its ready for fish and coral.You can use a turkey baster to suck some of it out.Are you using tap water if so that will raise your phosphates and nitrates wich can contribute to algae blooms. I keep my tank salinity at 1.024-1.025.When toping off do to evaporation use only fresh water.
As other have said algae blooms are common with new tanks .Try running your lights only a couple of hours day.till its ready for fish and coral.You can use a turkey baster to suck some of it out.Are you using tap water if so that will raise your phosphates and nitrates wich can contribute to algae blooms. I keep my tank salinity at 1.024-1.025.When toping off do to evaporation use only fresh water.
I agree, your current brown alga problem is a result of tank cycle. your system is still not balanced and will go through several cycles of alga blooms or diatoms ect until the nutrient load is used up. good luck be patient. this is one of the points that some fall down. do not run out and buy stuff to get rid of the alga such as chemicals. continue to test and adjust water as needed and be patient. let us know how things are going. give it a couple of weeks or so.
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