My patience is running out.

B

banthonyb71

Reefing newb
My tank has been up for a little over a month. I have 60ibs of live rock, 50 ibs of live sand. I have tested my tank for the following. Ammonia, nitrate, nitirite, Ph, phosphate, alk, and calcium. All of which are in there safe range.
I have no more than 15 small hermits, 10 snails, two peppermit shrimp and one very small false percula. 4x39w t5 lighting.

However anytime I go to my LPS to add anything, they tell me I should wait. I understand patience is the key in this hobby but geez can't I do anything?
I aske for an anemone for my clown and they adviced not yet. corals, not yet. I wanted a scooter blenny and a few turbo snails they say dont have enough to eat yet and I should wait on those too.

I dont understand. If all my water parimeters are safe why do I still have to wait?
 
They are right on about the anemone, turbo snails and scooter blenny. Your tank is no way mature and established enough to meet the requirements of those animals.

But corals -- I disagree. You can certainly get some easy corals. Mushrooms, leathers and zoanthids would all be fine in your tank. You could even get some of the easy LPS like candycanes, frogspawn/hammer/torch, brain corals, or blastos.

Anemones are some of the most difficult animals to keep in this hobby. They shouldn't be attempted in a tank that has been set up for less than a year.
 
I'd agree wit the above mentioned. I learned a lesson about patience its all worth it in the end, just wait, and you will be happy with less dead fish and a much more likable tank.
 
I feel your frustration. But looking for and buying some of the easy corals will help pass the time. Some of the cooler stuff in this hobby comes with time lots of time but it's worth it.. From what I understand..:frustrat::mrgreen:
 
Wow...and LFS that actually gave you a "wait" advice...extremely rare! Believe me...stick with the LFS. But I'd go with Biff's suggestion, too -- I have mushrooms, and they are super hardy...I had some in my 10g using regular flourescent, and they were doing well. They're in my sump right now w/ the flourescent untiL I get lighting for my 125....and they're doing well. So I suggest mushrooms, and be thankful your LFS cares :)
 
banthonyb71 said:
How can you tell me this? not even a blenny? I seen your tank build thread. You had all kinda things going on in there within the first month or two..:confused:
Click to expand...

A scooter blenny is not a blenny. It is actually a dragonet. That's why a "scooter blenny" is not a good choice for a new tank. You can get a blenny -- like a lawnmower blenny, or a starry blenny, or a bicolor blenny. Any of those would be fine. But you are not wanting to add a blenny -- you are wanting to add a dragonet. You are just calling it the wrong thing ;)

Dragonets are hard to keep and should only be attempted in large, established tanks that have a refugium to supply them with live food 24/7.
 
They are hardy, mine started to lose spines when my salinity went a little high, bought it back down and hes back to good ol foraging. They are hardy, Likewise, I've had my PJ Cardinal since my tank was a week old, bad advice from another LFS but a hardy choice none the less still here over a year later. You can't just start loading the tank down though. Selections need to be made so as not to upset you over a loss, and as not to kill a living animal.
 
Bifferwine said:
A scooter blenny is not a blenny. It is actually a dragonet. That's why a "scooter blenny" is not a good choice for a new tank. You can get a blenny -- like a lawnmower blenny, or a starry blenny, or a bicolor blenny. Any of those would be fine. But you are not wanting to add a blenny -- you are wanting to add a dragonet. You are just calling it the wrong thing ;)

Dragonets are hard to keep and should only be attempted in large, established tanks that have a refugium to supply them with live food 24/7.
Click to expand...

So a scooter is completly out of the question for me at any time? I have no refugium.
 
If you see one at the fish store, ask them to feed it. If it takes the food and eats, then you can get it. If it refuses to eat, then don't buy it. What makes scooters so hard is that most of them will only eat live food. They won't eat anything you add to the tank. So they starve to death very quickly in our tanks. If you have a refugium, that will provide it with a source of live food.

But if you can find one that readily takes prepared foods, then you can buy it.
 
I guess a better way to ask the questions is this....

gevin the specs of my build and the animals in my tank thus far.

What do I add next and when (cleanuop crew, fish, corals) in what order?

What are hardy fish rhat I can add besided damsels?

Mainy what would be a good blend of fish and corals with the lighting ,etc that I have?

for example a pair of clowns and........

I would like sum type of algae eaters, digging gobys of some sort.
 
Much like a few of the other member suggested, Mushrooms. Mushrooms of the hairy variety are great for 2 reasons, 1) they are an easy coral for you to add that is safe at this time, 2) like an anemone, your clown may host them as well. It very well may turn out to be a win win situation.
 

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