Brand New to Saltwater... HELP!

[kkgaskin90]

Hello! We have always wanted a saltwater tank and finally took the plunge yesterday. We bought a 29g BioCube, water, sand, and live rock. I asked a TON of questions and forgot most of the answers, but through research found most of them back out. Went back today for the rest of the rock and to ask MORE questions, but my helpful associate from yesterday wasn't working. Instead there was a very... unhelpful associate. He said things not exactly the same as the first so I'm a little bit confused.
First and foremost, we had some hitchhikers on our first batch of rock (have yet to see any on our second, but unhelpful associate was pretty thorough in making sure we didn't get ANYTHING we didn't pay for). At least 2 brittle starfish and quite a few anemones-and something in a tube I can't identify. The anemones keep popping up all over the place. The associate today told me (he didn't see them, but I believe him) they were nuisance anemones and to kill them. Would anyone be willing to take a look at the photos and make sure that is correct before I start anemone annihilation? The link is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48795933@N03/ - 2 pictures are just the setup, but the other three each have an anemone. Also one has the tube (I believe the last one) critter. It is alive... goes in and out with multiple orange(?) striped "arms"-I couldn't seem to get a picture of it out, but here it is on the left side: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48795933@N03/9008786801/. Sorry I'm no good at terminology...working on it!
Any suggestions on setup or what to do about the anemones would be incredibly helpful
Today we also got a protein skimmer, hydrometer, and some stuff in bottles (part A and B) for coral... still a little unsure of this but we won't have coral until the tank is well established enough that they survive (2-3 months is what unhelpful associate said...is that correct?).
We were told come back in a week for a water test to see if we can go ahead and get a clean-up crew. Keep testing and 2-3 weeks later we *should* be able to add a couple Clownfish then go from there.
Sorry I'm so unsure! Just getting conflicting information/opinions and I want to make sure we do it right and not kill anything I'm flinching at the thought of having to kill an anemone (or a few anemones) as is. So I guess my questions are (1) Should we kill the anemones? (2) If so, what is the best way to kill them? (3) Can anyone tell me what the tube critter is? (4) Is 2-3 months the proper timeline before we should start looking into coral? (4) Am I missing anything?
Thank you in advance for any help or suggestions!

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by kkgaskin90 http:///t/395680/brand-new-to-saltwater-help#post_3523270
(1) Should we kill the anemones? (2) If so, what is the best way to kill them? (3) Can anyone tell me what the tube critter is? (4) Is 2-3 months the proper timeline before we should start looking into coral? (4) Am I missing anything?
Thank you in advance for any help or suggestions!
1. Yes, they are called aiptasia or glass anemones. They can sting fish and nearby corals. They multiply like crazy. If you pinch off any of the "arms" or tentacles, it has the potential to grow into another anemone.
2. Joes Juice, Kalkwasser paste, lazer beam, boiling water, Vinegar in a syringe, true peppermint shrimp, berghia nudibranchs. LOTS of ways to kill em'. I would say the easiest being vinegar in a syringe or Joe's Juice.
3. It's a micro feather duster. They are harmless filter feeders. They will, over time, populate the rocks, glass, and sump. They will use excess nutrients to grow, as well as calcium, alkalinity and magnesium to form their calcareous tubes. They are harmless and well liked.
4. 2-3 months is still a baby tank, IMHO, but most people do start getting comfortable enough with saltwater aquarium keeping and maintenance to start adding coral. Also, there are other factors to include such as what type of lighting you have, what your nitrate and phosphate reading is and what your average pH reading is.
4 again. List of your equipment, including brand names and a picture of your setup would be nice. There are some things that we can't know until we get a pic.

 

[jay0705]

w the apatasia. I just whacked a few I had. I took the piece of rock out of the tank and hit each one w boiling water. No more apt!!! I did this BC I got peppermint shrimp to eat them . Woke up sat to the dam thing eating one of my shrimp!!!!!!!

 

[kkgaskin90]

Quote:
List of your equipment, including brand names and a picture of your setup would be nice. There are some things that we can't know until we get a pic.
Thank you so much! Here's what I have: (setup 6/9/13)
Coralife BioCube 29 Gallon Aquarium on stand
36 Watt Actinic Blue Straight Pin
36 Watt 10,000K Daylight Straight Pin
0.75 Watt Lunar Blue LED Bar
Extra receptors for 4 additional LED Bars
Cooling Fans: 60mm, 15.83 CFM, 25.5 Db
Pump Flow Rate: 264 gph (1000 L/H)
22 pounds live rock
30 pounds Fiji Pink live sand
Filled with RO water from local store
Deep Six Hydrometer
Coralife BioCube Protein Skimmer (for BioCube 29) - not added yet, I was told to wait until I put fish in
Continuum Aquatics Parts A and B Reef Sculpture
Continuum Aquatics Reef Basis Kalkwasser
Here is the picture of the setup: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48795933@N03/9009942734/

 

[newb xd]

I started up my Biocube 29 approx 2 months ago. Impulse little research & too much faith in my lfs got me under way & I definitely jumped the gun on stocking it. I've had no loss thus far but I'm obsessively reading forums & quickly learning as I go. Aside from algae growth threatening my new hobby, I think luck has been in my favor so far. I'll be interested in seeing how your Biocube comes along & will be taking notes on all advice given Best of luck!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by kkgaskin90 http:///t/395680/brand-new-to-saltwater-help#post_3523379
Thank you so much! Here's what I have: (setup 6/9/13)
Coralife BioCube 29 Gallon Aquarium on stand
36 Watt Actinic Blue Straight Pin
36 Watt 10,000K Daylight Straight Pin
0.75 Watt Lunar Blue LED Bar
Extra receptors for 4 additional LED Bars
Cooling Fans: 60mm, 15.83 CFM, 25.5 Db
Pump Flow Rate: 264 gph (1000 L/H)
22 pounds live rock
30 pounds Fiji Pink live sand
Filled with RO water from local store
Deep Six Hydrometer
Coralife BioCube Protein Skimmer (for BioCube 29) - not added yet, I was told to wait until I put fish in
Continuum Aquatics Parts A and B Reef Sculpture
Continuum Aquatics Reef Basis Kalkwasser
Here is the picture of the setup: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48795933@N03/9009942734/
Hi, and welcome to the site.
Don't ask any fish store for advice, not even from helpful associates, come here and run it by the folks on the site. We don't want to sell you anything, we want to help you enjoy the hobby as much as we do.
Make sure the rock is on the bottom of the tank, and not sitting on the shifting sand. Make sure the rock can't fall, crushing critters or breaking the tank.
Deep six the deep six hydrometer...even as hydrometers go, IMO, that one is a piece of crap above all others. Get a Red Sea hydrometer, or even better, get a portable refractometer. You can't find a fractometer in the fish store (at least I have never seen one)...order it on-line....eBay has some pretty good ones for $20.00
I HATE Coralife anything, good luck with the skimmer, LOL...I paid upwards of $200.00+ (larger version) for mine, and gave the thing away.
You don't need supplements like Kalkwesser, or the reef builders for a while yet. What you do need are your own test kits (lab type) stay away from API. Go on-line and order Salifert or SeaChem. master kits or multi kits are cheaper then purchasing each test separately. Never, ever dose the tank with anything you have not done a test for to see if you even need it.
Your own RO unit would be best ($200.00), or purchase RO from Walmart, or other grocery store. My Fish store sells RO for $1.00 per gallon...Walmart sells it for 37 cents a gallon. Jewel sells RO for $49 cents a gallon. Most grocery stores sell refill water for jugs. The store water is not as good as your own unit, but it's the same as what you buy from the fish store.
Just in case you don't already know....Not only do you need to fill your tank, but water evaporates, salt does not. To keep the SG (saltiness) the same, we top off the water with fresh RO to keep the water level always the same. A water change is swapping out the same amount of the tanks saltwater, with new mixed saltwater....small changes once a week, or 3% change once a month.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by NewB XD http:///t/395680/brand-new-to-saltwater-help#post_3524220
I started up my Biocube 29 approx 2 months ago. Impulse little research & too much faith in my lfs got me under way & I definitely jumped the gun on stocking it. I've had no loss thus far but I'm obsessively reading forums & quickly learning as I go. Aside from algae growth threatening my new hobby, I think luck has been in my favor so far. I'll be interested in seeing how your Biocube comes along & will be taking notes on all advice given Best of luck!
Welcome to the site...sorry you had to find out how helpful the fish stores really are. Don't be afraid to ask questions, you don't have to tag along to learn...we are happy to help.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Flower, not all fish stores are bad. some are shady, yes. but, you cant lump them all together like that. LFS do have to make money by selling product. They are a business after all.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/395680/brand-new-to-saltwater-help#post_3524259
Flower, not all fish stores are bad. some are shady, yes. but, you cant lump them all together like that. LFS do have to make money by selling product. They are a business after all.
I suggested that one should not ever ask for their advice, and I stick to that.
On another thread, I also said that I will go to the LFS to purchase equipment or supplements that I want whenever possible, because I want them to stay in business. Nothing beats having someplace close as possible in a pinch. Going to the fish store is just fine when you know what you want...but going to a fish store and having no idea what you even need, is a different experience altogether. I also advocate to purchase critters from this site, because of the 14 day guarantee. I seldom purchase critters from the fish store anymore, because as soon as you walk out of the door...that's it.
Yes I lump them all together, not as being shady, but rather NOT a place to go to for learning about the hobby. A beginner has no idea if the helpful associate is a good Bologna server, who razzle dazzles them with bulls__t, or somebody who really knows their stuff. They all look you straight in eyes, and sound (to the novice anyway) like they know exactly what they are talking about.
What makes this site so great is that so many chime in to help, so if somebody gives bad advice, another will pipe in and straighten things out...making a real nice sort of safety net for getting advice.

 

[sweatervest13]

I have a buddy that recently set up a SW tank. He did not know that I have been in the hobby for a few years. I just checked out his tank that the LFS helped him set up. CC substrate, fake plants, very little live rock, 5 fish to "cycle" the tank, no power head, light with a hood completely covering the tank. So on and so forth.
They set up a 29g, and said that the LFS said to wait a week or two before adding any Tangs. Yikes!!
I found it hard telling that it was all wrong (because he spent so much money setting up the tank). I really wish he came here first to get some advice. A beginner has a hard time believing a hobbyists over the so called expert at the LFS. I am not sure why, but I guess that they think if we are so good, why are we not in business selling fish and equipment. IDK...
The best thing I could think of doing is inviting him and his girl over and showing them my system. By no means is it a fantastic system, but I would hope it would impress a beginner. We will have to see how it goes. I want them to succeed, but I don't want to sound like a know it all, and tell them that they need to change up a lot of the things they have going on so far.
BUT, I guess that I agree with both Snake and Flower. Not all LFS are crap, but they are all in business to sell you things. And the more problems you have the more they will try to sell you quick fixes in a bottle.
To the OP... Good luck with your new tank!!

 

[newb xd]

I've found these forums to be extremely helpful in the past week so I just had to sign up & start picking the brain of experienced hobbyists. The fun part is picking the best advice in a manner that isn't too overwhelming with info. I have the same equipment kkgaskin90 has so this thread seemed like a good place to interact

 

[kkgaskin90]

When I said "helpful associate" I really meant it! I had NO idea what to expect... I thought I wanted a Finding Nemo tank (hehe) and he quickly set me straight. He was by no means going to sell me a Dory (Tang) unless I was going to buy a huge tank... I've asked questions both here and the LFS... his answers have completely jived with everything ya'll say so I trust him. He won't sell me some of the things I've asked for (more than just the Tang) and others he says wait til it's established, etc. But I do continue to double check all questions here and ONLY go to the LFS when I know he is working. Oh and my LFS has a 14 day guarantee... it's not just out the door and it's over with them so I appreciate that. Took me some time to figure out who to trust but I think between posting questions here and going there for what I decide I'll be ok
Speaking of questions: we lost power yesterday. When the tank came back on, I noticed there were TONS of what look like algea hanging on to the sides of the tank. Two tiny strands in a V. Should I do something about this?
Also, I am not using the supplements yet except for the Kalkwasser to kill all the stinkin Aptasia that keep popping up like Herpes of the Sea. Glad I kept receipts for the API kits... I knew I read somewhere that they weren't any good so I'll return and get one of the suggested ones and a Refractometer.
NewB - how is your tank doing?

 

[newb xd]

Where to begin? Well the only thing that quickly pops into my mind is ALGAE Other than my battle with the green stuff, my Clowns (3) seem to be doing ok. I've been building up my CUC, so far I have 4 Turbo Snails, 2 Blue Hermits, One Red Hermit, an Emerald Crab, & 9 Nassarius Snails. I had a Peppermint Shrimp but it was murdered, I think. I'm enrolled in Thrive's prescription program so I have my LFS test my water about one a week & everything except for my Nitrates is looking good. I'm dosing with Red Sea Nitrate & Phosphate reducer to slowly get things under control. The Nitrate problem was due to my uneducated choice to buy some live coral & give them plenty of light, bad idea :/ The coral are doing ok as far as I can see but my tank really hasn't been established long enough so time will tell I suppose. I didn't spend tons of money on those & got "beginner" level ones that I can't really name off the top of my head. I know I jumped the gun with the help of a few sales people but I'm obsessively checking levels, doing my water changes. & hoping for the best here. One surprise was the number of Copapods I've seen in my Biocube lately, there are lots of them all over the place in there. I've heard this is a good sign?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by NewB XD http:///t/395680/brand-new-to-saltwater-help#post_3524524
Where to begin? Well the only thing that quickly pops into my mind is ALGAE Other than my battle with the green stuff, my Clowns (3) seem to be doing ok. I've been building up my CUC, so far I have 4 Turbo Snails, 2 Blue Hermits, One Red Hermit, an Emerald Crab, & 9 Nassarius Snails. I had a Peppermint Shrimp but it was murdered, I think. I'm enrolled in Thrive's prescription program so I have my LFS test my water about one a week & everything except for my Nitrates is looking good. I'm dosing with Red Sea Nitrate & Phosphate reducer to slowly get things under control. The Nitrate problem was due to my uneducated choice to buy some live coral & give them plenty of light, bad idea :/ The coral are doing ok as far as I can see but my tank really hasn't been established long enough so time will tell I suppose. I didn't spend tons of money on those & got "beginner" level ones that I can't really name off the top of my head. I know I jumped the gun with the help of a few sales people but I'm obsessively checking levels, doing my water changes. & hoping for the best here. One surprise was the number of Copapods I've seen in my Biocube lately, there are lots of them all over the place in there. I've heard this is a good sign?

Friend...get OUT of the LFS rip off useless program. Get your own test kits, and the stuff you are dosing with, is snake oil and doesn't work. Do small weekly water changes and ONLY use RO water. There is no way to test for phosphates because the hair algae will give you a false negative reading on the tests.
Doing your own tests are easy, and you can test more often and know exactly what's going on. If you intend to keep coral, you may as well learn how now. You can't turn the lights off long enough to do much good if you have corals. Macroalgae would help a great deal to starve out the green hair algae. If you don't have a refugium, you can get a small in-tank or HOB refugium if your display is large enough to hold it.
I assume you have green hair algae, if you have regular slime green algae your CUC just needs to be upped. Corals need plenty of light, so it wasn't as bad idea. I kept my MH lights on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours with moonlights and never had an issue with green hair algae.