slouiscar
Member
Hey. I'm back... and I need some expert advice.
I made a bunch of newbie mistakes. But I learned a lot.
I now have a QT running and I've sucessfully added my first healthy fish!!
I have a 29 gallon, 40lbs of live rock, 3-4 inch sandbed, 2 300gph PH's, an eclipse 3 hood w/ 40 watts of lighting and a biowheel, (eclipse newbie mistake #1) temp: 80, pH 8.2, Amonia: 0, Nitrites: 0 Nitrates: 0.
After an ick problem and 2 fatalities I set up a QT. While waiting for my liverock to lose the ick I had some snail fatalities due to my PH's. I solved that by putting bioballs over the intakes. During the time with limited snails I had a hair algae-fest. I cleaned that by going no lights for 3 weeks. During that span I sucessfully QT'd a Clarkii. I purchased a half dozen astrea and 3 mexican turbo's. They seem to be keeping my rocks in good shape now. I also have 3 scarlet hermits and a peppermint shrimp.
Q1: I think I need to upgrade my cleaning crew. Perhaps a few more Scarlet hermits, some nassarius, a fighting conch... I want to keep my sand bed clean. I live in upstate NY near syracuse and the temp is low. I can't find these items locally, any suggestions on LFS in central NY? Can I order sucessfully from SWF.com in the winter? Will the livestock survive the shipping with the cold? Would you suggest other additions to this cleaning crew?
Q2: I want to move towards reef ready. I need to ditch the eclipse obviously. As with everyone $$ is a concern. I was thinking of adding a protein skimmer first. Then a retrofit and a DIY hood. Is that the right order? Skimmer first - then lights? I like the CPR 2 backpack - good idea? Would my filtration be ok w/ just the live rock and a CPR BP? I am thinking of buying used to save $$, any thoughts on that?. For lights I am looking at a Coralife PC retrofit, 130 watts w/ a 10,000k and an acintic. Any input on that choice?
Q3: If ordering from SWF in the winter is OK or if I can find another LFS in central NY I would consider adding a couple new fish. I might like a royal gramma, maybe a LMB or a bangai cardinal. Again, how are they shipping in the cold? A local LFS, where I purchased a nice clarkii, has a handful of bangaii cardinals. I had purchased a bangaii a month or two back frm a different LFS. He (or she) had an intestinal parasite and died in the QT, sadly. Is that still a problem? Are the SWF bangaii tankraised? I'm afraid to purchase them from a LFS. Any thoughts there? How are these 3 fish with a clarkii in a 29g? The clarkii is 2+ inches and right now he owns the tank.
This board has been a HUGE help in getting me set in the right direction. I was really discouraged starting out (no QT produced a sad stretch,:
) but you have guided me right and got my spirits back up. A nice FOWLR with a happy fish!! Help me stay on the right track!
Thanx.:joy:
I made a bunch of newbie mistakes. But I learned a lot.
I now have a QT running and I've sucessfully added my first healthy fish!!
I have a 29 gallon, 40lbs of live rock, 3-4 inch sandbed, 2 300gph PH's, an eclipse 3 hood w/ 40 watts of lighting and a biowheel, (eclipse newbie mistake #1) temp: 80, pH 8.2, Amonia: 0, Nitrites: 0 Nitrates: 0.
After an ick problem and 2 fatalities I set up a QT. While waiting for my liverock to lose the ick I had some snail fatalities due to my PH's. I solved that by putting bioballs over the intakes. During the time with limited snails I had a hair algae-fest. I cleaned that by going no lights for 3 weeks. During that span I sucessfully QT'd a Clarkii. I purchased a half dozen astrea and 3 mexican turbo's. They seem to be keeping my rocks in good shape now. I also have 3 scarlet hermits and a peppermint shrimp.
Q1: I think I need to upgrade my cleaning crew. Perhaps a few more Scarlet hermits, some nassarius, a fighting conch... I want to keep my sand bed clean. I live in upstate NY near syracuse and the temp is low. I can't find these items locally, any suggestions on LFS in central NY? Can I order sucessfully from SWF.com in the winter? Will the livestock survive the shipping with the cold? Would you suggest other additions to this cleaning crew?
Q2: I want to move towards reef ready. I need to ditch the eclipse obviously. As with everyone $$ is a concern. I was thinking of adding a protein skimmer first. Then a retrofit and a DIY hood. Is that the right order? Skimmer first - then lights? I like the CPR 2 backpack - good idea? Would my filtration be ok w/ just the live rock and a CPR BP? I am thinking of buying used to save $$, any thoughts on that?. For lights I am looking at a Coralife PC retrofit, 130 watts w/ a 10,000k and an acintic. Any input on that choice?
Q3: If ordering from SWF in the winter is OK or if I can find another LFS in central NY I would consider adding a couple new fish. I might like a royal gramma, maybe a LMB or a bangai cardinal. Again, how are they shipping in the cold? A local LFS, where I purchased a nice clarkii, has a handful of bangaii cardinals. I had purchased a bangaii a month or two back frm a different LFS. He (or she) had an intestinal parasite and died in the QT, sadly. Is that still a problem? Are the SWF bangaii tankraised? I'm afraid to purchase them from a LFS. Any thoughts there? How are these 3 fish with a clarkii in a 29g? The clarkii is 2+ inches and right now he owns the tank.
This board has been a HUGE help in getting me set in the right direction. I was really discouraged starting out (no QT produced a sad stretch,:
) but you have guided me right and got my spirits back up. A nice FOWLR with a happy fish!! Help me stay on the right track!Thanx.:joy:
