saltwater aquarium build

[Bifferwine]

It's fine if the sand is uneven. It's also normal that the skimmer is not pulling out a lot of stuff. If the water is clean, the skimmer won't have much to pull out.

 

[troybuckle]

I think I’m ready for my CUC today. My water test are attached, the question I have is what I should have for a CUC, I would like a few snails, crabs, and hermit crabs. Also should I put some cuc in my fuge.

 

[BL1]

CuC is mostly a personal preference thing, as long as you have stuff for algae and detritus you'll be ok. You can try
emerald crabs (algae and detritus)
dwarf blue leg hermits (algae and detritus)
nerite snails (algae and detritus)
nass. snails (stirs sand, detritus)
astrea snails
turbo snails (algae)
cerith snails (algae and detritus)
serpent or brittle stars (detritus and leftover food)
sea urchin (algae)

Make sure to add you CuC a little at a time, if you add too much at once you risk starving most of your crew and wasting a bunch of money.

 

[troybuckle]

Ok so does this sound good to start with:
7 - nass. Snails (One hitchhike so that would give me 8)
1 - emerald crab
2 - dwarf blue leg hermits
4 - astrea snails
Should I put any in the sump, and I think I will add more later. Also do I add them using drip method?

 

[BL1]

That will probably be good. I float the bags for 20 mins then drip acclimate for another 30 when I get new inverts. As for your sump, that's up to you. I have 1 hermit, 2 cerith and 2 nerite snails in my sump so that I don't have to worry about algae build up but, you don't need them in there.

 

[troybuckle]

Ok so I’m back with my CUC (Nice the my LFS is about 2min from my house) I got:
5 - nass. Snails
1 - emerald crab
3 - dwarf blue leg hermits
2 - Turbo snails

 

[Bifferwine]

Sounds perfect! Get some astraeas when you can. They are pretty useful.

 

[troybuckle]

Sounds perfect! Get some astraeas when you can. They are pretty useful.

Will do, was planning on this time, but the lfs was out of them. I’m thinking that next Friday I will get my 2 clowns then 2 weeks after that more CUC. Then a week after that my first coral. I can’t wait to see life in my tank after the drip is finished, I’ve been looking at rocks for 3 weeks. :^:

 

[Cottonwood]

I got some white leg hermits and they do a great job with the sand! I'm thinking about getting some more of them because they bury themselves and are always digging in the sand, so they keep it turned well and clean. I'm glad I got them...might look into a few...they move around a lot more than my blue legs as well.

 

[troybuckle]

So a small update, Biff I got your Cheato in the mail today, showed up healthy and in good shape the packaging was good and held up perfect, thanks a lot very much appreciated. If it can get to Newfoundland in one piece then it can get anywhere in Canada. Some pics below. I think I might be the first Canadian to get Biff’s Cheato? So I added another 5 nass snails today and did a test:
Sg 1.024, Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate0ppm
I had a look in the LFS and they have 2 small clowns, going to pick them up tomorrow!

 

[Bifferwine]

Wow, that took 13 days to arrive! I can't believe it still looks so good. You are the 2nd Canadian to receive it, so there are still two more packages floating around out there. Thanks for the update!

 

[troybuckle]

I added two clown fish on Friday, they are happy and eating fine! Also I noticed that during the night once the lights go out they move to the back of the tank behind a rock and don’t come back until the lights come on again. It’s not all good though I did find 3 small aiptasia, so today I am going to go ahead and get 2 peppermint shrimp. So, I was wondering what is it I need to know about taking care of these shrimp and what do I feed them. Right now all I am feeding is vitamin enriched froze food.

 

[BL1]

I added two clown fish on Friday, they are happy and eating fine! Also I noticed that during the night once the lights go out they move to the back of the tank behind a rock and don’t come back until the lights come on again. It’s not all good though I did find 3 small aiptasia, so today I am going to go ahead and get 2 peppermint shrimp. So, I was wondering what is it I need to know about taking care of these shrimp and what do I feed them. Right now all I am feeding is vitamin enriched froze food.

They'll scavenge for their own food. I've got 10 in my 75, and I've never specifically fed them anything.

 

[Bifferwine]

Brian is right, peppermints will eat any leftover fish food. No special care is needed. Good to hear about the clowns!

 

[Dakwan]

So a small update, Biff I got your Cheato in the mail today, showed up healthy and in good shape the packaging was good and held up perfect, thanks a lot very much appreciated. If it can get to Newfoundland in one piece then it can get anywhere in Canada. Some pics below. I think I might be the first Canadian to get Biff’s Cheato? So I added another 5 nass snails today and did a test:
Sg 1.024, Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate0ppm
I had a look in the LFS and they have 2 small clowns, going to pick them up tomorrow!

i recieved mine as well around the same time... amazing how hardy the stuff is eh?

 

[troybuckle]

Hi Guy – It’s been a while since I posted, but I have some updates and Pics. Also I added a new coral, the LFS said it’s a pineapple brain, however you can notice a dot in the middle of it. I thought it was just a part of the rock the coral had yet to grow over, but it is actually a tinny crab. I think I am going to pull him out of there. Also I am going to do my first water change this weekend.

I can't get the link for the pic from Flickr.com to work,

here is the link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55058983@N06/5103091303/in/photostream/

 

[troybuckle]

brain

 

[troybuckle]

clowns

 

[troybuckle]

more clowns :D

 

[troybuckle]

More Misc Pics!