Eric Alvarado

Looks like a stomatella to me... looks like slug or snail but with a little half-size shell?

Well, that back is not hard like a shell. It's soft like slug. Family has taken up to calling it the tank cockroach. It's really ugly

Anyone have any idea what this ugly hitchhiker is? He came in with the Live Rock.

He is tiny, about 1/2". You can see the Clown's tail in one of the pictures. He is sluglike or thought maybe a snail without his shell.

Again, thank you to everyone who has sent me PMs and posted on the board. Love having expert help

I did just introduce a tank bred clownfish and 8 narrsaris snails. Plan on picking up more.

So, right now my chemistry reads as such:

0 nitrites

8.4 PH

1.5 ish ammonia

5 ppm nitrates

Getting brown algae growing on everything. Assume it is diatom, but some of the live rocks I got from the LFS seem to be morphing as well. Not very surprised, but wanted to get some expert eyes to let me know if I should be concerned. The algae peels off in sheets when I wipe it off the glass. I have read that some people recommend reducing the light (I am wondering if this 4x54 T5 lighting is TOO bright) and that for a week or so I should either leave the lights off or reduce lighting.

Thanks!

Eric

Alright, I am plodding along

Last week, added rubble rock to replace the bio-balls.

I added 60lbs of dry rock from Macro Rocks and 10 lbs of live rock yesterday.

I have purchased lighting, WavePoint HO T5 48" 4x54, temperature is currently at 77 degrees. So far the lights haven't heated it up, but keeping an eye on it. Just added the lights 2 hours ago

I also added a coralife CP1300 pump to move water around.

I know I have a while to wait before that live rock turns into anything useful. so my question is, what to do next? I know I need to cycle the tank - it has been running with the rubble rock for about the last week, tank itself has been running about about 1.5 weeks.

0 amonia, 0 nitrates, 0 nitrites, and I have no idea Ph. Our card, if we look at it in the kitchen - looks like 8.2, if we use the fish tank lighting, it looks like 7.8.

So my question is: what are my next steps? Should I a piece of shrimp to get it cycling, or add a fish, or add something to bottom like a crab? (although, I'm not a big fan of those crabs).

Thanks!

A 1.5 - 2" sand bed should be no problem in the long run for trapping waste as long as you have the right clean up crew. That is not deep enough to have the dead zones in a deep sand bed that can cause problems down the road. I would leave the sand and invest in Nassarius Snails. They are great cleaners and keep the stand bed stirred to prevent dead zones. I would buy about 15 of them for a tank that size. Make sure to get the Tonga variety. They seem to be much hardier and better in the long run.

awesome, thanks! I do like the look and waves in the sand.

Thanks for all the great responses!

Where is the best place to grab crushed live rock in town?

Also, how long after I add the crushed rock should I add the actual live rock?

Thanks everyone !

Eric

I have owned many fresh water tanks over the years, a 90, couple 55s, 30, and currently only have a 10 for my son. I had a 45 Gallon Flatback Hex salt-water tank in around 1989, but my wife at the time didn’t like it so out it went.

I have since found a better match, and she talked me into getting back into the hobby. But when it comes to salt, I’m a completely ignorant. I have been spending the latter part of the last couple weeks reading up on what I could. So, I saw a decent deal on Craig’s list and I picked a used 55 Gallon TruVu Acrylic tank.

The 55 tank came with an assortment of dry coral, sand, and protein skimmer (replaced the pump on it, seems to be work fine). The tank has a built in wet dry system. (http://www.truvuaquariums.com/maa00055l.html)

So, I think I understand how the system works from the various kind people that have allowed me to bend their ear. It sounds like – minus the lighting – I am good to good for a beginner reef tank. I want the typical clown, nemi combo. I have no idea what other fish I want in the tank. I am happy to setup an environment and work within the confines of my primary choices (this is how I did all my fresh tanks too).

I have a few questions

The tank I received has bio balls in the second chamber, and it is supposed to have DLC canisters in the second chamber. The fish store I am closest too said they can’t get the DLC canisters anymore. Others I’ve chatted with have suggested no one uses the bio-balls anymore, and to use something else in it’s place. I’ve heard lots of ideas, from curlers, to egg crates, to more bio balls, to crushed live rock, but I am at a loss on which way to go. Any advise, as well as were to pick it up would be very helpful.

Lighting – The tank is all acrylic without a hood. The light sits directly on top of the top with a plastic cover that separates it from the tank. It has a couple 30watt bulbs. So I’ve been looking to upgrade the lights. Because of the open setup of this tank, it would need a set of lights that would sit on top of the tank (it would be super ugly to hang lights given the layout of the room). That said, not sure how much lighting I would need. Do I need 48” lighting? 2 bulbs? 4? 6? (tank is 48 x 1 x 17)

I ask this full knowing that – well – the lighting depends on what I am putting into the tank J For this first time around, I don’t mind having lighting the focused on the center of the tank, allowing the edges to be less optimal for corals, anemone, etc.

Any other advice on how to get me moving would be appreciated. I’m pretty patient and expecting a couple months before I expect to add fish. I have added water, and have the salinity set. I know I need live rock (again, not sure how much to get). I live in North Austin.

Thanks

Eric