My First Aquarium and DIY Skimmer

[hachadwick]

I am studying for my next fish. What is a good one that will not kill or be killed by my clown and two firefish?
I saw this tonight at the fish store. I liked it:
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Bicolor Angelfish Dwarf Angel

 

[hachadwick]

nevermind, they like to nip at corals..lol

 

[little_fish]

You can over skim the water, especially if you are trying to grow soft corals. But I would wait on that issue until you have issues growing soft corals

 

[hachadwick]

Good to know.
I have noticed since the new lighting system has been running that I am getting a gold colored, bubble like algae growing EVERYWHERE. It's not killing stuff or anything and the CUC are actually eating it. I have adjusted the high 6 bulb setting on my fixture to only run for 3 hours a day, 3 bulb setting for 9 hours, and moon light the rest. We'll see what happens. I would take a picture, but the moon lights are already on for the night:)

 

[little_fish]

could be diatoms, which are normal in new tanks. Should go away on its own

 

[hachadwick]

Either way, my dad and I just ordered a RO/DI system. No point in buying it from the fish store for .60 a gallon. I think they are diatoms from what I can tell online. They have slacked off a little since they started, going away at night and then are growing during the day. The CUC is eating a lot of it.

 

[little_fish]

very cool!

 

[hachadwick]

So, now that there are a couple of corals in my tank, should I add some things to the water specifically for the corals? I have been feeding the ciders with flakes, brine shrimp, and seed weed but I have not been directly feeding or supplementing the corals. What are y'alls thoughts on this?

 

[Kelz88]

I used to feed my corals once a week, but now i only feed the brain. Everything seems fine. I dont have any high demand feed everyday corals though.

 

[hachadwick]

Yeah, I don't either. I do see on the Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums that some of the corals I do have would benifit for suppliments like calcium, Strontium, Iodine, Trace Elements, etc.

 

[Kelz88]

If you dont test for them dont add them. Water changes should be enough unless your packed with corals, reef ready salt includes those.

 

[hachadwick]

:scratchch oh really?:) I am using Instant Ocean...think that stuff has all I need?? I'm at the office right now, can't read the container:frustrat:

 

[Kelz88]

IO should, what color is the box? the regular kind is purple and i think the reef crystals are in the orange box. Either way i think you should be fine. Weekly water changes right?

 

[hachadwick]

I believe we bought the bucket of the purple stuff. I do water changes every 1 to 1.5 weeks( 10% water). We have a RO/DI unit on order so we can stop using distilled water for top offs and water changes.
What about adding zooplankton and phitoplankton?

 

[little_fish]

Those things are just going to dirty up your water, the corals wont really use them. As long as you are doing regular water changes, even with the regular stuff your levels should be fine for your corals. When you use up this bucket, then you can get the reef blend.

You can spot feed if you like, but you dont need to and some corals cant even be spot feed. What corals exactly do you have again?

Also I would change up what you are feeding your fish, brine is ok once in a while, but not all the time and flakes arent super good either.

 

[Kelz88]

If you like, just dont add too much. I used to just mix them together with a little tank water put them in a pipette and very gently squeeze out some to my favia and chalices.

I stopped doing this about a month ago though and everything seems more-or-less the same. I just didnt want to add to a nitrate problem i was having, once i cut out the coral feeding and added chaeto, it seemed to drop pretty quickly.

You might have to turn your skimmer off when you add the phyto as well but im not sure.

 

[hachadwick]

Here we go, my collection......

Corals:
- Stylophora Coral , 1 frag
- 2" diameter piece of Xenia
- Colt Coral Tree - 2 small trees
- Dark green with bright green color centered Polyps - 4 heads
- Rust colored polyps - about 15 heads
- Ricordea Mushroom - orange rings with bright green center - 1 mouth
- Frog Spawn - about 1" body with about 2 inch tentacles when spread out

Fish:
- 1 Spotted Cardinal - got him today:)
- 1 Nemo style clown fish:)
- 2 fire fish
- 1 conch
- 6 hermit crabs
- 1 emerald crab
- turbo snails
- i really tiny snail of some kind - he was a stow-away
- 1 tube worm
- 1 peppermint shrimp

I think that's everything that I know of:Cheers:

 

[little_fish]

Yep, none of those require feedings or anything added to the water :)

 

[hachadwick]

Thats nice to know...I was gonna buy a bunch of junk to add to the tank. Good thing you caught me! ;)
So, I got the skimmer running, the fuge going, the fish are happy, the corals seem happy. I have a good CUC and the water is clear. Whats next?! I feel like I need to build something...lol

 

[little_fish]

I think you can finally sit back and relax :)