Umm.....What do I do?

[ph33nyx]

Ok...so I was moving some of my live rock last night to try make things look a little more aesthetically pleasing and upon turning over one of my rocks I found this!

A little while after being in the light it bacame this!

So, my questions are:
1) What do I have here?
2) My tank has only been cycling for a week. Do I need to add anything so these little guys don't die?
3) Does this change my original time line of not adding anything else to my tank for another three weeks?

TIA

 

[14 gallon nanocube]

kool free stuff .looks like some brown button zoas hitch hiked into your tank.how are your levels testing they eat microscopic water column stuff.don't worry about feeding them

 

[ph33nyx]

how are your levels testing they eat microscopic water column stuff

Since I've just been cycling for a week I haven't tested anything yet. Guess I'll have to swing by the LFS and pick up a kit.

 

[14 gallon nanocube]

what did you use for sand i forget if you mentioned it

 

[ph33nyx]

I used live sand (don't remember the brand right now).

 

[14 gallon nanocube]

actually have them test for ammonia to see if its even starting to cycle.those little guys take a lot of abuse they will most likely survive the cycle no problem.how much live rock do you have

 

[14 gallon nanocube]

If you buy good test kits like serra you can use them for saltwater and fresh water saves money.dont waste your money on test strips though they suck

 

[14 gallon nanocube]

with live rock and "live sand" which is not really live you may have a pretty low ammonia cycle.but it will take time for tank to mature for the bio load fish will bring in with feeding and pooping

 

[ph33nyx]

I've got 8lbs of live rock in the front and another 1lb (rock rubble) in the back middle chamber where I plan on having a refugium. I need to go to the LFS anyway to pick up a refractometer.
I did add a piece of shrimp, per someone's advice, to have something in there to rot though.

 

[Smitty]

If you've added 8lbs of live rock and also live sand to your 12gal, then you may not even see a cycle or it was probably short and quick. Congrats on the "good" hitch hikers.

 

[OhNoNemo]

If you've added 8lbs of live rock and also live sand to your 12gal, then you may not even see a cycle or it was probably short and quick. Congrats on the "good" hitch hikers.

+1 Smitty,its very possible when using live established stuff...like rock and sand...congrats on the freebies :D

 

[Nanna]

Kuddos to you for your lucky find!

 

[little_fish]

Congrates on the nice hitchhikers. And if you have added your piece of table shrimp and you dont have any swing in parameters, then you good to add your first fish!

Also the best saltwater test kits are API and Salfert. I would get the liquid test kits, the dip sticks are notoriously unreliable.

 

[ph33nyx]

Could any of this be due to the fact that the LFS that I purchased everything from (live rock, sand, etc) gave me salt water from his system?

 

[ph33nyx]

Also, with the new hitch hikers, should I go ahead and start looking into a CUC?

 

[fastrd400]

Could any of this be due to the fact that the LFS that I purchased everything from (live rock, sand, etc) gave me salt water from his system?

The salt water you were given from an established system absolutely helped, along with established live rock. Take them your water, have them test it, and buy yourself a test kit for home use. Like Little Fish said, you can get the API test kit to test the basics.

Nice little group of zoas you found there as well. They will most likely color up more being in the light now.

 

[14 gallon nanocube]

Also, with the new hitch hikers, should I go ahead and start looking into a CUC?

hell ya a few small snails and blue leg hermits.grab a few nass snails for the sandbed:bounce:and enjoy you are off to great start just remember small tanks can be tricky be patient and add things slowly

 

[Bifferwine]

Those are zoanthids, your first corals. Congrats! :)

 

[ph33nyx]

Ok...so I ran some tests: Salinity - 1.025 Ammonia - 0 Nitrate - 0 Nitrate - 0

 

[Bifferwine]

That's good! Perfect, in fact. Do you have a pH test? If not, you should get one and test for that too.