running carbon?

[PufferGuy]

I just got some LR today, im still waiting for my live sand. Im running a HOB filter right now and i dont know if i should be running the carbon filter... since i dont want the carbon to kill all the good bacteria in there. Am i ok running the filter with carbon???

Also, on my LR there was a starfish... looks like a chocolate chip but it isnt gray with black "tips" but it has orange on it and black tips on the top and at the end of its legs... ill try to get a pic. I know they arnt reef safe, but can it stay in there untill i get coral? Also, will my tank cycle if the LR and the water all came from the same tank at the LFS? I bought the water to make sure i didnt mess it up.

Plz help. I dont wanna kill my starfish but i dont know what its gonna eat... i put fish food in there to start the cycle... will the starfish eat that? What could i do?

Thanks in advance

 

[PufferGuy]

Pic of the starfish

 

[RyanG]

If it does cycle that star is a goner.

 

[yote]

+1 Ryan
Stars just cant handle ammonia.

 

[PufferGuy]

By "if it cycles" i take it that it could not cycle... which is good.

Also though, can i run carbon?

 

[reeffreak]

Carbon doesn't kill bacteria,acually just another place for it to colonize,run it during the cycle.Live rock can smell like poop and the carbon will help.After the cycle,you can cut back on running carbon a few days to a week once a month.

 

[Stupidsreef]

The carbon will be fine.

If the starfish does survive and you could buy Whole UNCOOKED shrimp, it will gladly eat it. Fish Flesh will do to, or IF you can buy LIVE shelled clams or musles, (saltwater not fresh) it will eat these to. You'll have to skew them on a stick and then place them right on him or next to him. Just don't skew the star.

But if your tank goes through a cycle, as Ryan stated it will not make it.

 

[PufferGuy]

my buddy had a lot of fish from when he worked in Alaska this summer, im sure i could have a couple of pieces, would that work? He has salmon hallibat(sp?) and a couple other kids.

Do i have to hold it right next to it or can i just put a piece by it? Thanks

 

[PufferGuy]

Anyone know what those things on my LR are? Should i take em off?

 

[yote]

All I can see is a red X in a white square box.

 

[PufferGuy]

Here it is sorry... those leaft green things sticking off... Also its been a couple of days and no sign of a cycle yet. Im hopeful, im gonna leave it till after thanksgiving but i really hope i can save the star.

 

[reeffreak]

Still getting a red x Pufferguy.

 

[PufferGuy]

Hopefully now? I aways see it at first but not after... if you still cant see it, it looks like light green leaves coming off the rock that looks sort of dried up? They have coraline on them partially...

 

[Stupidsreef]

That looks like Halimeda Plant here's what Live aquaria says about it:

The Halimeda plant is a green calcareous macroalgae found within tropical oceans worldwide, and is a beautiful decorative plant for a marine aquarium. The irregular oval segments of Halimeda appear as several small green coins glued from end-to-end, forming a chain. For this reason, Halimeda may also be called the Money Plant. Calcareous algae deposit calcium carbonate in their tissues, and require a sufficient calcium level in the aquarium in order to thrive.
Halimeda are generally hardy in a marine aquarium, and few fish will feed on it. It is not an invasive plant that will cause harm to close neighboring corals or invertebrates. In addition to light, it requires a sufficient level of calcium to grow. They are not as tolerant of high nitrate or phosphate levels compared to some other algae.

 

[Stupidsreef]

my buddy had a lot of fish from when he worked in Alaska this summer, im sure i could have a couple of pieces, would that work? He has salmon hallibat(sp?) and a couple other kids.

Do i have to hold it right next to it or can i just put a piece by it? Thanks

Yes be sure to clean the fish very good first.

As long as your water movement isn't so strong as to blow it away, or other tank inhabit's taken it from him. You just have to make sure the star fish can fine it. Place a piece right next to it.

 

[Stupidsreef]

Hopefully now? I aways see it at first but not after... if you still cant see it, it looks like light green leaves coming off the rock that looks sort of dried up? They have coraline on them partially...

I try not to allow this plant into my system because of it's need for calcium. I have SPS that need calcium and I don't want this plant to use it. Without the calcium it will turn white and die, when this happens it just releases the calcium back into the water, which won't hurt anything.

 

[PufferGuy]

thanks for the help

 

[Stupidsreef]

thanks for the help

Anytime. I had it come in with some LR when I fisrt started, and I didn't know what it was.

It's nice to have someone know and help you out. And it's nice to be able to help out other as well.

 

[yote]

+1 For Stu.
The Halmedia will actually use calcium about twice as fast as any corals or coralline.It tends to suck the calcium up faster than you can add it.

 

[PufferGuy]

are there any benefits to having it? it doesnt seem like its usefull in any way