I'm new to this website and not much expeirence for saltwater

[Kelsey Bishop]

So currently I have a 25 gal (around there) hexagon tank. I had a damsel, about an inch in size, in there alone for a long time. I moved and then all the sudden I had an explosion in population of bristlenose worms. Not long after the damsel past away. I tried to read up online about the worms and found mix things. I still have the sand and rocks but not sure if I should toss them and try all new live rock and sand or if bristleworms are actually good for the health of the tank. I plan on doing a reef tank over the course of this year, wanted to put in some form of zoanthus, mushroom, pagoda and or honeycomb corals. Possibly adding scarlet skunk cleaner, sexy and peppermint shrimp to the tank for cleaners. Not sure what to do for lighting either, have a small LED lighting system on top, and a 30 gal canister filter. Thanks for your time!

 

[Aquarian]

Hi welcome to living reefs!

Bristle worms are given a bad rap, they are cleaners, they will eat left over food
and dead or dying tissue. Most people see the worms eating their already dying coral and assume that the worm is the problem. That's is just not true.
You may have been over feeding and that caused the worm population to explode, do you know why the damsel died? Were you testing your water?

We need all the info on your lights in order to help you here. Post a pic

Shrimp are very sensitive to nitrates you'll need to be on top of your water parameters in order to keep them.

 

[Kelsey Bishop]

Thank you! I have greatly reduced my tanks and now want to focus more on this one, (got rid of four the day before I moved).

It is possible I had been overfeeding him, but I was only feeding the damsel every other day. I am currently not at home, and do not have a better picture in my files of the light

fixture. http://www.petsmart.com/fish/lighti..._id=36-16482&_t=pfm=category&pfmvalue=faceted That should be the lighting fixture. Store I got it at and about the price I paid for it. That is the tank, and no. I saved the previous water from before moving but for some reason did not check the water on nitrates or any other water conditions.

The damsel had great color before, same habits and everything. Woke up the next morning and he was upside down lifeless. I should probably add the damsel was about eight to ten years in age.

My plan for this tank would to be slowly build it from the bottom up. Working on getting the right equipment, (while on a college student budget), then sand and live rock, a coral, a type of shrimp, and slowly work my way up. Or vice versa on the shrimps and corals.

 

[Aquarian]

Sorry for the delay, if your thinking of keeping any kind of coral you will need much better lighting. Low end led lights would be Evergrow and ReefBreeders, high end would be Kessil,

 

[Kelsey Bishop]

Not a problem, thank you very much on the help. So the sand and LIve rock that I have should be safe for a reef at some point? Just need to make sure the water requirements are met and nothing is out of whack?

 

[Aquarian]

Are the live rocks and sand in a setup now or are they in dry storage?
What kind of sand is it?
Lighting and water quality are the most important things
Don't skimp on the lighting you'll pay more in the long run. Just take you time and do LOTS of research.

 

[Kelsey Bishop]

They are still in a setup, no running water or filtration system though. Came with the previous fish.
I am not sure. I got the fish, the sand, tank and rocks altogether. The guy had the fish for six or seven years before me.
I'm planning on not buying much of anything until near Christmas time or so, after some through research on product quality and such. Plus college budget, going to take me some time. Want quality at the same point. So definitely will be trying to go for things that will last and not need to be replaced, just cleaned.

 

[Northstar24]

If your water tests are coming back normal, there is no harm in using the sand and rock that you have for a reef tank