New additions

[SSalty]

25 more pounds of live rock, changed the crushed coral to sand, bought an emerald crab, pepermint shrimp, some hermits and snails, also one of the rocks I bought had a mushroom coral on it:Cheers: (this is my first coral in the tank) figured it was good for starters. I think I spent an hour in front of my tank trying to get the live rock to look good. I will be adding more rock as soon as the store gets some more in. Tell me what you think.

Anyone know what the two white things, right of the mushroom are?

Emerald crab, this guy is pimp, he immediatly started eating away after I put him in the tank.

I will be adding more fish pretty soon, still reading all the information I can obsorbe before I make any decisions. As always your honest opinions are appreciated.

 

[bobby]

I think your off to a very good star. How long has it been set up? What are your pereameters? BTW it looks nice.

 

[Bifferwine]

Cool, that looks like really nice rock, lots of coralline. Do you have enough algae to feed the crab? If not, mine love the sheets of dried seaweed that pet stores sell as tang food. If your mushroom is happy it'll start dividing like crazy, soon enough you'll have a whole bunch of them.

 

[SSalty]

Thanks for the quick replies. I bought the tank used from a guy but it wasn't in the best condition, with the help of a LFS, we got it to come around nicely. It only had 20 pounds of live rock with crushed coral. My PH is 8.0, ammonia .2, nitrite 0, Nitrate 10. I will be doing a water change this week to knock down the ammonia. Bifferwine, I am glad you mentioned the seaweed, there isn't much algae in my tank yet, and luckily the guy I bought the tank from had some seaweed that he threw in with it. I will definatly try giving him some seaweed. And yes I did get lucky with the rock, it look awesome in the tank. One question, how often should I be feeding my fish? I have a tomato clown and a blue damsel. Right now I am feeding them a little pinch, twice a day. Also, how often should I give the crab seaweed? Thanks.

 

[bobby]

I would cu the feedings down to once a day or less. I feed mine 1 time every 3 days and they do fine. I'm sorry to say the inverts might not make it because your tank is cycling. Hopefully the tank still has the good bactieria in it and this is a mini cycle. I hope it turns out good for, good luck and keep us posted. Oh by the way what kind of equipment are you running on the tank. Power heads gph, filters, and skimmer.

 

[Bifferwine]

Once or twice a day is probably fine, just as long as all the food gets eaten, you want to minimize the amount that ends up on the bottom. The seaweed can sit in the tank all day if the crab doesn't eat it, so I'd just start with a little piece and when it's gone replace it. I don't really know, since my tank has so much algae I don't need to supplement my crabs' diet :mrgreen:.

As for the fish, that looks like a maroon clown. Tomatoes only have one strip near their head (juveniles have a little one on their backs too).

 

[SSalty]

I would cu the feedings down to once a day or less. I feed mine 1 time every 3 days and they do fine. I'm sorry to say the inverts might not make it because your tank is cycling. Hopefully the tank still has the good bactieria in it and this is a mini cycle. I hope it turns out good for, good luck and keep us posted. Oh by the way what kind of equipment are you running on the tank. Power heads gph, filters, and skimmer.

Why do you say they might not make it? Not enough bacteria? Could you please explain a little more, thanks.

 

[bobby]

Invert can't handel the cycle (nitrite and amonia) as well as fish can, however if its a small and quick mini cycle they should be fine. Inverts arnt as hardy to stuff like that as fish can hadle it better.

 

[bobby]

If you recently moved the tank depending on how, you may have lost the good bacteria. Then again this just might be a mini cycle due to the added bioload you just added. Do you know the cycling procses if not I will be happy to explain it in more detail.

 

[Bifferwine]

Bobby is right, snails are much more sensitive to nitrite and ammonia than fish.

 

[SSalty]

If you recently moved the tank depending on how, you may have lost the good bacteria. Then again this just might be a mini cycle due to the added bioload you just added. Do you know the cycling procses if not I will be happy to explain it in more detail.

I know the basis of the cycle, fish waste and die off produces ammonia, then the ammonia turn into nitrite then nitrite into nitrate. I don't want to make you have to go into full detail, but if you could explain the parts that you think are most important would be awesome, when ever you get a chance.

Thanks man:Cheers:

 

[bobby]

Well I dont the parts most important , however, I do know the bacteria is on all the suface areas sand, livrock, glass, filter media, etc... So if when you moved the tank, if you washed it out, washed the sand, or changed all the filter media at once, then you might have killed off the majority of the good bacteria and it will have to grow back hence the cycle. But if you didnt and just added more live stock the you might not have enough bacteria to deal with the new bio load, so you will then have a mini cycle should be quick. All your doing in the mini cycle is growing a little more bacteria to cover the newly added bio load.

 

[SSalty]

Cool, that looks like really nice rock, lots of coralline. Do you have enough algae to feed the crab? If not, mine love the sheets of dried seaweed that pet stores sell as tang food. If your mushroom is happy it'll start dividing like crazy, soon enough you'll have a whole bunch of them.

You are right, my crab also love the sea weed, I put a little piece by him and he immediatly grabbed it and started munching, it's funny how the littlest things about your own aquarium can be fun and exciting. Also, the mushroom is doing great it is looking healthier and fuller each day, there is also some little ones growing on the same rock. I also think the inverts are doing just fine they are very active and have been alive for little over 2 weeks.

Thanks again Biffer, and Bobby. I will keep you guess posted on my progress.

 

[Bifferwine]

Cool. Good to hear things are going well.

 

[JellyMan]

congrats on the progress keep us updated.