75G startup

[Marinne13]

alright, well my stocking list was 2 clowns, Foxface, goby, six line wrass and maybe 2 chromis

maybe the chromis first?

 

[Ted]

yes chromis first. They are better in odd numbers. So three is better then two if you dont end up with a highlander fish. I ended up with a highlander fish. He has killed 5 other chromis...so since he wants to be the only one of his kind I have let him have his wish.

 

[Marinne13]

maybe I shouldn't get chromis lol...I could swap them with a dottie back or something

 

[Ted]

Love my purple dotty back...

 

[Marinne13]

yeah they are cool, might have to swap the chromis with one...not sure which fish is the hardiest out of my selection without chromis though

 

[Ted]

Out of your stocking list the clowns would be but they could be mean to new additions. I assume you are looking at a one spot foxface cool fish but not a first fish. Six line really would need some pods to supplement his diet. Which goby are you looking at?

 

[Marinne13]

yes a one spot foxface, my husband really wants one although I am not sure

didn't know the wrassy needs pods, might have to change that option as well

I was looking at the pink spotted watchmen goby

 

[Ted]

Six line doesnt have to have pods but it will benefit from them. They are foragers and will pick off pods, flatworms, even heard that they will eat bristle worms. Main diet will be what you feed. The foxface is considered with caution in a reef. Never had a pink watchman I did have a sleepier banded goby was such a great looking fish but make sure you have a screen top with either of those. My banded went carpet surfing. To be honest....if it was me...I would go with the clowns or a dotty back. Both are semi aggressive, if you add a bigger fish like a fox face or a flame angel later I dont think it would much of a issue. Six line later will be just to fast for them to chase down. My dotty back charges my chromis at feeding time but they get along ok otherwise and he has never bothered my mandarin.

 

[Marinne13]

alright sounds good, yeah the fox was going to be the last fish added...I will prob do two clowns first

 

[Marinne13]

anyone know what this white grass looking stuff is?? also I am having an explosion of diatoms, I even left the light off all weekend

 

[Ted]

Diatoms are just part of the beginning they will go away when the silicates are consumed up. The "white grass stuff" no idea what it is called but I have had it in places in almost every tank I have owned. Normally I find it if I move a rock it is on the shaded back side. Nothing to worry about just keep a eye on it just in case it greens up and turns out to be hair algae. I really doubt that is the case though.

 

[Marinne13]

yeah it has been on the rock for awhile now...my ammonia is now at 0 but Nitrites have stayed at 5ppm for the past 4 days and Nitrates at 5-10ppm

PH is stable at 8.0 and Salinity at 1.024

I also got that MP40 in yesterday and holy cow that thing pushes water, I am already thinking about getting an MP10es w but I have about depleted my spending money :grumble:

I really want an in-sump skimmer as well, we didn't expect to get this 75G so I have a BH1000 hanging on the back

 

[Ted]

I understand about spending some money. To be honest you have spent way more then me already but you have some really nice equipment. If I was you I would be looking for a in sump skimmer next. You have the mp40 and that should be plenty for the tank. Seems that you are almost there as far as finishing the cycle.

 

[Marinne13]

yeah, I am hoping maybe another 4 days or so...yeah the in sump skimmer is the next purchase

 

[Marinne13]

So I went to my LFS and bought 3 pices of fully cured LR that he has had for over a year...we put the rock straight into a bucket and I drove it home (literally 2 blocks away)

my nitrites went down and I had zero ammonia, 6 hours later still zero ammonia and same level on everything, the only reason I did this is because the rock I got from Live aquaria was pretty dead when I got it and no visible creatures at all (prob why I had 8ppm in ammonia)

I doubt I got any kill in 10 minutes of transport in water, his rock is full of little bristle stars and worms which are starting to explore...I am just happy to watch something move lol

 

[Ted]

That was a great idea...I bought all my rock local.

 

[Marinne13]

yeah, I kind of wanted some good hitchhikers and had zero...I am good with bristleworms and bristle stars

they keep peaking their heads out of the rock, I am just sitting here with a beer amazed lol

 

[Ted]

I do that all the time....minus the beer.

 

[Marinne13]

I had a couple stars in the bottom of my bucket and threw them in the fuge on a piece of rock...they climbed right in so hope they are ok

not sure how hardy they are

 

[Ted]

Bristle stars should be fine...