If You Are New to Reef Central, Introduce Yourself Here!

[scratt]

Hello everyone,

Thanks in advance for all of the helpful people on this site. I've been looking around and it seems like a really good community. I've had my tank for almost a year, but with very little done to it. I recently purchased a metal halide lighting system, and I'm now ready to get serious about turning my aquarium into a living reef.

Here are my specs:

100g Glass tank (72x18x20)
2-250w MH 14k from Hamilton
2-80w actinic
Fluval 404 canister filter
surface skimmer

Livestock:
7 brown/greenish mushroom corals on one rock
1 False Percula Clown
2 Green Chromis
1 Cleaner shrimp
about 5 hermit crabs
about 5 Astrea snails
about 7 Nassarius Snails


I'm mostly here for advice on what to buy next, and also to find frags that I can use to build my reef. I'm having a hard time searching for frags for sale locally. I saw the guideline about putting the city and state in the subject, but it looks like not many people do this.


Here are the pictures:


My tank


My lone coral


Thanks,
Matt

[Aquarist007]

To Reef Central

Your tank looks well taken care off. However it looks sparce on the live rock. This is a key to the biological filtration of your system--anywhere between 1-1.5 lbs of live rock
So I would suggest that be your next purchases---gradually 5 lbs a week which your tank can accept without ammonia spikes.

[scratt]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur

To Reef Central

Your tank looks well taken care off. However it looks sparce on the live rock. This is a key to the biological filtration of your system--anywhere between 1-1.5 lbs of live rock
So I would suggest that be your next purchases---gradually 5 lbs a week which your tank can accept without ammonia spikes.

I'm glad to hear that it doesnt look like a total mess. I knew it couldnt be too bad since most of the rock and almost half of the glass is covered with tiny tube worms. Thats in addition to the 15-15 larger tube worms that seem to be doing really well.

Instead of 5 lbs per week of LR, would it be advisable to add more live rock but do more frequent water changes? I want to get my LR from here but its a bit of a drive for me to buy 5lbs at a time. I was thinking more like 10-15 lbs. My LFS has almost no LR in stock anymore, though I could buy a few of their remaining pieces and do the 10-15 lb purchase towards the end?

What do you think about adding some small frags of coral to the tank now? Would it survive the ammonia spikes as I add in more LR?

Thanks,
Matt

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by scratt
I'm glad to hear that it doesnt look like a total mess. I knew it couldnt be too bad since most of the rock and almost half of the glass is covered with tiny tube worms. Thats in addition to the 15-15 larger tube worms that seem to be doing really well.

Instead of 5 lbs per week of LR, would it be advisable to add more live rock but do more frequent water changes? I want to get my LR from here but its a bit of a drive for me to buy 5lbs at a time. I was thinking more like 10-15 lbs. My LFS has almost no LR in stock anymore, though I could buy a few of their remaining pieces and do the 10-15 lb purchase towards the end?

What do you think about adding some small frags of coral to the tank now? Would it survive the ammonia spikes as I add in more LR?


Thanks,
Matt

Matt, the worms are a good sign

As a suggestion buy a good amount of live rock and put it in a plastic tote or tube. Cure the rock in there--doing regular water changes. At the point of zero ammonia and nitrates you can add to your tank all at once.

The other merit of this approach is that you are ruling out the possiblity of ich being introduced from the purchased live rock.
If you let the rock cure for 4 weeks--that chance is minimal to nothing.

Corals aren't a big bioload so you should be alright--unless you follow your suggestion of adding the live rock directly to your tank and doing water changes---that could cause of problem with water quality for the corals.

[markah]

Hi - Can someone give me a few tips. I purchased a RedSea Max to start and its been standing with the live rock and used RO/DI water for water changes...no lighting..Amonia Nitrites and Nitrates have settled...before I sart stocking..I need to get a few of the stringy algae out? Why did these stay?

[scratt]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
Matt, the worms are a good sign

As a suggestion buy a good amount of live rock and put it in a plastic tote or tube. Cure the rock in there--doing regular water changes. At the point of zero ammonia and nitrates you can add to your tank all at once.

The other merit of this approach is that you are ruling out the possiblity of ich being introduced from the purchased live rock.
If you let the rock cure for 4 weeks--that chance is minimal to nothing.

Corals aren't a big bioload so you should be alright--unless you follow your suggestion of adding the live rock directly to your tank and doing water changes---that could cause of problem with water quality for the corals.

Awesome, thanks. I realized after I posted that the rock I intend to buy is "fully cured". I saw the guy's warehouse about a month ago and he said he keeps the live rock in there for at least a month before selling it.

I'll double-check with the supplier and then follow your suggestion of keeping it in a tub if I'm not satisfied with how long he cures it.

Is there anything I can do to help with the website, please let me know. I do IT for a living, so I am pretty good at scripts, data processing, etc. I'd like to give back if possible.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by scratt
Awesome, thanks. I realized after I posted that the rock I intend to buy is "fully cured". I saw the guy's warehouse about a month ago and he said he keeps the live rock in there for at least a month before selling it.

I'll double-check with the supplier and then follow your suggestion of keeping it in a tub if I'm not satisfied with how long he cures it.

Is there anything I can do to help with the website, please let me know. I do IT for a living, so I am pretty good at scripts, data processing, etc. I'd like to give back if possible.

RC is huge--over 200,000 members .By far the site relies on guys like me and you posting and asking questions. With a membership that big there are alot of unlookers for everything that is posted. This is how we all learn and give back to the system.

[markah]

Hi Guys / Gals - Does anyone own a RedSea Max 250? Can you then tell me a little of your system and the way its performing...I am afraid to add coral and fish just incase the skimmer does not perform and I get a bunch of beautiful green unwanted algae.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by markah
Hi Guys / Gals - Does anyone own a RedSea Max 250? Can you then tell me a little of your system and the way its performing...I am afraid to add coral and fish just incase the skimmer does not perform and I get a bunch of beautiful green unwanted algae.

the time to add corals, inverts and fish is after you have readings of zero for nitrates and ammonia.
the filtration or denitrification of ammonia is taken care of by bacteria in and on the surfaces of the live rock.

skimmers in proportion to other organics they remove take little phosphates and nitrates out of the water.

that said --what is the colour and viscosity of your skimmate--can you post a picture--this will indicate that your skimmer is functioning effectively.

[markah]

Hmmmmm must take some pictures. I've set the system and running for about 45days only...The skimmer is functioning and foam is dry, not too dirty anymore...but working.

I just logged in today. Its the first day Im online chatting. Time is short each day from business.

[WaterKeeper]

Up late tonight?

Don't worry about skimmer production in an unstocked tank. Until there is much protein to remove you don't get much in the way of foam.

[oxymoron]

Hi there.
My name is Adam and I'm from Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada.
Im 27 years old and have been in the hobby for approx 6 months.
I find this hobby extremely rewarding and very addictive lol.
I'm still learning so I'd like to thank everyone for sharing they're experiences and knowledge ahead of time.
So a warm welcome from Canada everyone and I look forward to joining this community.

[Aquarist007]

To Reef Central

always glad to welcome a fellow Canadian to reef central

[wismie]

Hello,

I'm Catherine from Geneva, Switzerland.

Just starting a 90gallons corner aquarium, see this post : http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...0#post14975370

I used to have many freshwater aquarias (still have one), and started a small reef aquarium about one year and a half ago. It's quite small (about 26 gals), and I'm planning for a long time to "upgrade" to something bigger !

So finally I have (almost) everything ready to start it !

[Michael]

hello catherine, great to see you, ive just replied to your post in our corner club thread, welcome aboard, as you will see ive exactly the same set up as you, any questions just post in the corner club, we have around 60 members on there all corner owners and all very helpful as well.


To Reef Central

[oxymoron]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur

To Reef Central

always glad to welcome a fellow Canadian to reef central

Im glad to see a fellow canadian as well.
Is there much buy / sell going on between Canadians here or is it primarily US trading?

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by oxymoron
Im glad to see a fellow canadian as well.
Is there much buy / sell going on between Canadians here or is it primarily US trading?

I believe there is more saving right now for us to stay with CDN vendors----Salt Water Connection I believe is based in Alberta and Mops---which is mail order is based right here in Hamilton and services all of Canada and the USA

[WaterKeeper]

Abu Dhabi is that a Canadian province?

[markah]

Hi
Can anyone tell me if its okay to let loose a 1cm long mantis? It is black and looks good too...

[WaterKeeper]

Chancy at best. They will attack smaller fish and larger ones as they grow. They are kinda cool so if you have small, unused tank, you can place it there and all will be well.

[markah]

Nope no unused tank so its goodbye mantis tomorrow...and I thought he would remain that little clicker in my tank...

[WaterKeeper]

The little clicker at that size can live in a mason jar with seawater and a bit of sand from the tank. Chop a shrimp up and give him a little bit every day and he will be fine. They are very undemanding in their environment but change half the water every day or two until you find him a permanent home.

[oxymoron]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
I believe there is more saving right now for us to stay with CDN vendors----Salt Water Connection I believe is based in Alberta and Mops---which is mail order is based right here in Hamilton and services all of Canada and the USA

Thanks for the info I'll see if I can find these vendors. The shipping across the border might be something I'll try to avoid.

[oxymoron]

Originally posted by WaterKeeper
Abu Dhabi is that a Canadian province?

Lol not yet but we're working on it.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by WaterKeeper
Abu Dhabi is that a Canadian province?

Is Canada a state of the US yet?