New Member says Hello! & Help!!

[pop]

Hi I'm very new to the Saltwater hobby. I set up a 52 gallon straight back hex that i purchased used along with a canister filter, cyclone skimmer. I've made every possible mistake since I set up my tank, but I'm trying not to get discouraged. (Wrong mix of livestock, dumping live rock in without curing, ammonia spikes, cloudy water, etc, etc.) I'm getting things under control now and I want to eventually move towards converting to a reef tank. (Recently ordered a 265 watt power compact so I can get start on collecting corals.)

I have a million questions, but to get started, I guess my big question is how can I tell if I have live rock or live sand? I've had the tank up for 2-3 months but I've messed up so many things along the way, I'm not sure if I've cycled successfully. I've sifted through the sand and looked under some of my live rock, but didn't see anything that looked like it was alive or moving around. How do i tell for sure whether my rock or sand are "live" and how do i tell i have a healthy tank? and whether I'm ready to start adding corals? Any suggestions for a total newb?

Fish
2 Percula Clowns
Yellow Tang
Blue Hippo
Kole Tang
Pearly Jaw Fish
Fire Goby
5 Emerald Crabs
1 Peppermint Shrimp
50lbs of Rock
1.5 inches of sand

 

[Rick C]

Welcome. A little more info about the sand and rock would help. Did you get it from an established tank etc...Have you added any established LR and LS to seed the rock and sand you have.

BTW watch out for the "Tang police." 3 tangs in a 52g is probably going to draw some attention.

 

[afboundguy]

What are you're levels at? (ammonia, nitrite and nitrates)

And "Live" rock/sand doesn't mean you have things moving around. When it is "live" IMO it is when the tank is cycled and you have a sufficient amount of the bacteria on the surface area of the rock that break down the ammonia and nitrites into not as toxic nitrates aka the nitrogen cycle...

Granted there are plenty of little creatures that will grow/come out of the sand and rock... I've had my rock for over 5 years and I have tons of sponges, feather dusters, pods etc etc... Still to this day I have new stuff growing on the rocks that amaze me...

BTW watch out for the "Tang police." 3 tangs in a 52g is probably going to draw some attention.

Yeah IMO but you shouldn't have 1 of those tangs in there nevermind 3 :.

 

[jamesdong009]

:w to the BRS. Many great people here that are always willing to help.

What are you're levels at? (ammonia, nitrite and nitrates)

Like Dave said, you'll have to check these levels before adding any corals.

(Recently ordered a 265 watt power compact so I can get start on collecting corals.)

Not to be a downer, but you'll be limited to the type of corals you'll be able to keep with power compacts (softies and some LPS)

 

[Doherty]

Like they said info on your water parameters would be helpful.

 

[Doherty]

What is the depth of your tank? Like James said you will be limited on what you can place in the tank especially at the bottom your tank looks deep. The PC's wont get that great penetration threw the water.

 

[Blueflu1]

"License and tang registration please" lol

I thought the same thing with the PC lights. Very limiting.

Well Pop, just pop in (pun intended) and ask questions here before you do things and I am sure you will get good advice and will cut back on any problems in the future.

.

 

[Behrmon]

Welcome and + 1 on all the above. Honestly you should give serious thought to rehoming the tangs for a happier reef for you and you fish in the long run. Hippo's can be ich magnets and that size tank for them will most likely create problems for you in the long run.

 

[Aquaman_68]

As the sound of a police car squeaks in the background:

Welcome to the forum.....We have alot of people here who are very fond of erectis "surgeonfish"


on a serious note...As stated above.....was the rock purchased from an LFS as "live rock" or was it taken out of a living reef..(& not left out to dry....)

On switching to a reef...to keep you in for the long haul...suggestion here...take it slow.....very slow.....you can make all the changes neccesary to have a flourishing reef from advice you can obtain in these forums....ask many questions & don't believe everything you hear...

My first advice won't be towards the tang area....but it will be toward the fish area...your tank is busting out of the seals with fish...Please refrain from adding anything more at this point...(& at some point you may have to remove one or two of the larger boys....(or) upgrade!!! to a larger system!!!


Welcome to the hobby & the forum!!

B

 

[pop]

Wow! I cant believe all the great feedback!!! Thanks a million times over for taking the time to offer your advice. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate it.

To answer your questions:
1.) (Everyone) - I started with 15 lbs of LR on a bed of LS from the previous owner, so he claimed. He had his set up for a year. Since then I added 35lbs of LR purchased from various LFS that were selected from LR tanks. I didn't know enough at the time to ask if is was cured or not.

2.) (Everyone) - Amonia, nitrites, Clean. PH is 8.4, Nitrates around 20 PPM, salt .025

3.) (Doherty) - Thanks for the info about the PC limit on corals. My long term goal is to set up a larger tank after I know what I'm doing, so for now I'm opting to go low budget.

4.) (Blueflu1) - tank depth 20"

5.) (Behrmon) - The hippo has Ick and I've been treating him for 3 weeks. Hell of a time trying to get him well. Looking like I may have to trade him soon.

6.) (Aquaman_68) -Yeah, I will be moving to a bigger tank in maybe a like a year from now, but I'm realizing that I may need to trade some livestock before then. And no plans to add anything else.

Also I've been struggling w cloudy (chalky) water.

 

[pillowfish]

:w to BRS!!!

What are you treating the hippo with for the Ich? I will just reinforce what people have already said in regards to the tangs. Also I will say that lighting and a protein skimmer are 2 of your biggest and best investments in this hobby. It doesn't need to be the most expensive or top of the line brands, but you don't want to be replacing equipment every 6 months or so as well. Good Luck and take it slow..................HTH!

 

[snowmaker]

A great bio - boost would be to pick up some grunge - like substrate / rubble from a well established, years old tank, or maybe "Garf's grunge" which I tried and attribute some for the success of my sps system to handle a relatively large bio load.

 

[Blueflu1]

Yea, I am wondering the same thing as tabittha stated about how your treating the tang with ich. The best way IMO is to remove him to a quarantine tank and treat him with hyposalinity. (You can google it to see the process). For Hypo you need to have a good refractometer to make sure your accurate with your salinity. Do not use any copper based medications in the tank. Most (including myself) do not use any type of medications in the main tank as they can remain in the tank (rock and silicone) and cause problems in the future.

 

[Aquaman_68]

what type of test kits you using?

 

[pop]

I have been using Kick-Ick to treat the Hippo, i dont have a QT set up as of yet. This is my first tank. I hope to set a QT and a Sump as soon as i know what the heck I'm doing. )

My test kit is Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Saltwater Master Test Kit. It covers PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate.

Again, Thanks to all for you feedback. This is really helpful.

 

[Shenlung]

Once you get the stuff sorted out that people have mentioned above, I'm going to give you the greatest and hardest to follow piece of advice I've ever been given in here....
Leave it ALONE. Don't touch it, don't fiddle with it, don't even breathe on it if you don't have to, just do your tests, do your water changes, and keep things fed, but keep your hands out of there as much as possible. I kept having cloudy water, algae problems, things looking sickly...all manner of unsightly horrors going on and the more I tampered with the tank, the worse it got. I left it alone for the past 3 or 4 weeks, my water is crystal clear, the algae is almost completely gone, my corals are exploding..... I don't know who told me that, but they were absolutely right. Patience and non-interference are all my tank really needed.....you should see the extension on this torch! ::

 

[KJB]

Welcome to BRS!!!! This is a great place full of very helpfull, caring people. You will get good advice, all I would say is......take it.

Good Luck

Kevin

 

[Aquaman_68]

That test kit is good for saltwater FO but...

You need to invest in another brand of test kits if & when you decide to go reef...Parameters like: Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium etc...will have to be monitored as well... Elos test kits atm are the most reliable....


HTH,
B

 

[Gina McReeferson]

:wto the BRS!

-Gina and David

 

[jbishop]

Welcome to the club