Can I add stuff now??

[nikkoabenales]

Hello guys!

So my tank has been running for 23 days now...

My previous post was regarding what i saw on my LR. https://www.livingreefs.com/threads/help-something-on-my-lr.49942/

I loved that hitchhikers but I think I messed it up when I added a yellow tail damsel, some snails and a hermit crab (this on destroyed, ate, ate and ate everything... including the hitchhikers from my previous post...

Someone told me to do water changes weekly so i do WC every sunday. the fish, snails and crab looks happy and the LR now have brownish ash looking stuff around them (also on the powerhead...a lot of them actually) and some purple spots.

My question is, is it supposed to look this dirty?
Even the glass has some stains now...

And can i add corals now? :)

 

[Ted]

Some more information would be helpful. Have you tested your water? what are the readings? What lights are you using? If your readings are good and you stay within your light limits then you can start on corals. Try to get beginner corals and look for ones on rock because you look like you need more live rock in your tank from the pictures.

 

[Big K]

Does that crab look like this?

If it does, it's NOT reef safe. Mine ate my starfish (and no telling what else) before he got a new home in the sump.

 

[nikkoabenales]

@Ted - here are my latest readings:
salinity: 1.024
ph: 8.4
phosphate: 0
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0
calcium: 410
magnesium: 1300

I got a combination of blue t5 and white t5 both 14w. do you think my lighting's enough for my 15 gal?

and what corals do you think i should start with?

also, can i add more LR with the livestock already in my tank plus the corals i will add? thanks!


@Big K - yeah, the shell's different but the crab itself looks exactly like that... guess, he'll be heading to my friend's fowlr... :)

 

[Ted]

For easy stuff mushrooms...softies etc...you need 4 watts per gallon t5 lighting. Lps and above you need double that....here is a help full link... http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/refinement_definition.cfm?rid=5

 

[nikkoabenales]

Oh, so i need at least 3 more t5's? will 3 blue and 2 white t5 combination work? :)

 

[Ted]

for beginner corals , yes

 

[nikkoabenales]

Okay, so i got rid of the hermit, finally caught the YTD (this dude survived the hellish cycle... i wanted to remove him from the tank way before but he was like a ninja.. so hard to catch...) and transferred them to my friend's fowlr...

Then i got 2 small clowns and this torch coral... but it's been there for almost hours and it's still like that... it was so beautiful when i chose it but i think something's wrong...

I also upgraded the lighting, 3 blue and 2 white t5's...

Should i return the coral to the lfs? i feel bad for it. it doesn't look happy...

btw, any suggestions for the background? it kinda looks like a rusting glass.. lol

 

[nikkoabenales]

the clowns look happy... :)

 

[Ted]

how did you acclimate it to your tank? For corals I use the drip method. It will take a few days after moving it for it to relax and come back around.

 

[nikkoabenales]

Oh no... I did not do anything. i just let it floating in its bag for 30 minutes then got it out of the bag... that's it...

I did wrong right? again... :(

 

[Ted]

Well....not the best method. For corals, heck most saltwater creatures you need to get them use to your tank levels. You can float the bag to equal the temp. Then add some water from your tank in small amounts. Like a half cup to a cup...do that 4 or five times over about two hours. Then take it out of the bag and put it in the tank. Do not add the bag water to the tank. Not adding the bag water reduces the chance of adding something you dont want to your tank. More then likely your tank water and the stores tank water have different salinity levels.

That being said its not the end of the world. Give the coral some time to adjust.

 

[nikkoabenales]

I see.... Thanks! I'll try to do that next time...

It's now starting to get better so I guess I did not do too much damage....

Do you think I need a skimmer? :)

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Skimmers would be overkill for tanks under 40g, water changes is what you'll need to maintain.

 

[nikkoabenales]

So a 10% water change weekly will be enough?

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Yes.

 

[nikkoabenales]

aryt... thanks mariobrothersleve!

 

[nikkoabenales]

Update!!!

 

[Ted]

looking good

 

[nikkoabenales]

@Ted - Yeah! I'm so glad that my water params is still okay... I think I can say that it's stable now... And if it was not for your help, I would never be able to to manage.... So, thank you.....