first cycle

aquaguy24

aquaguy24

Active Member
just keep testing ur water..make sure the ammonia and trites hit 0 and trate below 30ppm.. then u can do a water change after to lower ur nitrates...then wait a week and test ur water agian..if all levels are correct..then add a couple snails..if they do well go ahead and add to ur cuc...ADD AS NEEDED...some ppl like to dump 30 snails 30 hermit crabs and then have most of them die cuz theres not enough algea to support a large cuc...i'd stay away from hermit crabs cuz they will kill the snails for the shells and food...anywho...you have a couple aiptasia anenome on ur rock..its those brown polyp lookn thing..get rid of those asap..they can spread and take over ur tank stingin and kill ur corals in the future...don't cut, smash or rub to kill them. that will only lead to more..ppl usually use lemon juice, boiling water, joe's juice, aiptasia X..using a syringe u can squirt that stuff on the aiptasia to get rid them....good luck...i know a lot to take in all at once..but its all worth it....by the way..love ur aquascape...
 
frogdog

frogdog

Member
Originally Posted by aquaguy24
http:///forum/post/2796931
just keep testing ur water..make sure the ammonia and trites hit 0 and trate below 30ppm.. then u can do a water change after to lower ur nitrates...then wait a week and test ur water agian..if all levels are correct..then add a couple snails..if they do well go ahead and add to ur cuc...ADD AS NEEDED...some ppl like to dump 30 snails 30 hermit crabs and then have most of them die cuz theres not enough algea to support a large cuc...i'd stay away from hermit crabs cuz they will kill the snails for the shells and food...anywho...you have a couple aiptasia anenome on ur rock..its those brown polyp lookn thing..get rid of those asap..they can spread and take over ur tank stingin and kill ur corals in the future...don't cut, smash or rub to kill them. that will only lead to more..ppl usually use lemon juice, boiling water, joe's juice, aiptasia X..using a syringe u can squirt that stuff on the aiptasia to get rid them....good luck...i know a lot to take in all at once..but its all worth it....by the way..love ur aquascape...
is it this rock with the anemone?
 
mch2o

mch2o

Member
He is saying either Ghost feed with some kind of fish food do make your tank have a Ammonia spike or take it slow and add alittle at a time of your clean up creaw.
I.E. but one Peperment shrimp in there see how he does. Now the reason why I say that is because Peppermint Shrimp will eat the parasitic anemone Aiptasia and help to prevent the spread of it. It is a peaceful aquarium inhabitant and will not bother other reef inhabitants, including other shrimp.
As we can all see in your pics some of your live rock came with them on it.
Which is not a big deal long as you get one or 2 of them to take care of them.
There are alot of far more exp. ppl tha me out there that will be able to give you even more info .
Tank looks great. One more tip I would watch the rock on top. Imo you might want to try some super gule gel or something when you get fish or turbo snails for sure lol.
 
frogdog

frogdog

Member
Originally Posted by mch2o
http:///forum/post/2796986
He is saying either Ghost feed with some kind of fish food do make your tank have a Ammonia spike or take it slow and add alittle at a time of your clean up creaw.
I.E. but one Peperment shrimp in there see how he does. Now the reason why I say that is because Peppermint Shrimp will eat the parasitic anemone Aiptasia and help to prevent the spread of it. It is a peaceful aquarium inhabitant and will not bother other reef inhabitants, including other shrimp.
As we can all see in your pics some of your live rock came with them on it.
Which is not a big deal long as you get one or 2 of them to take care of them.
There are alot of far more exp. ppl tha me out there that will be able to give you even more info .
Tank looks great. One more tip I would watch the rock on top. Imo you might want to try some super gule gel or something when you get fish or turbo snails for sure lol.
Yes, as i said, the rock on top was hastily placed. Its already moved.
as far as the anemone. I think that was the only rock that has it on there. I will just return it to the shop tomorrow.
 
mch2o

mch2o

Member
IMO that is a nice looking peice of rock it has lot more coralline that any other of your rock really does. I would just keep and pick you up a peppermint shrimp they are good to have no matter what and they will take care of that problem if you get a frag later down the road and one tags along and ends up in your tank again. They can already be all over the other rock by now no point also
 
frogdog

frogdog

Member
Originally Posted by mch2o
http:///forum/post/2797417
IMO that is a nice looking peice of rock it has lot more coralline that any other of your rock really does. I would just keep and pick you up a peppermint shrimp they are good to have no matter what and they will take care of that problem if you get a frag later down the road and one tags along and ends up in your tank again. They can already be all over the other rock by now no point also

....
I immediatly removed it last night after it being brought to my attention. i put it in a bowl of the tank water. Is it still alive, you think? I could put it back...
 
frogdog

frogdog

Member
I'm very concerned about my "LR". I need some answers.
I have seen NO sign of life AT ALL on the rock. They look almost white in color. I just get a feeling its dead.
There are little things hanging off the rock, but no worms, NOTHING.
the guy at the shop said he had it for around 2 weeks, shouldnt there be SOMETHING on it? I have alot of money in the rock, and I just dont feel good about it. Of course, I'm a noob, and it might be completely fine "LR".
 
frogdog

frogdog

Member
Originally Posted by aquaguy24
http:///forum/post/2797577
dont worry so much about the live rock..it will have tons of stuff growing on it soon.. be patiant..
thats good news. Im a worry wart. I paid like $450 for this LR, and it looks void of life.
I really didnt want to return it to the shop.
I hope you are right.
 
frogdog

frogdog

Member
Originally Posted by mch2o
http:///forum/post/2797417
IMO that is a nice looking peice of rock it has lot more coralline that any other of your rock really does. I would just keep and pick you up a peppermint shrimp they are good to have no matter what and they will take care of that problem if you get a frag later down the road and one tags along and ends up in your tank again. They can already be all over the other rock by now no point also

alright, I dripped some lemon juice onto the anemones and they seemed to die, then placed the rock back into the tank.
 
maryg

maryg

Member
How many pounds of LR did you get? And how much did you pay per pound? Seems like you overpayed and did not get what you payed for. There is not much coraline but there should be "life" on it. You did get that pest anenome so I am sure there is more life in there.
 
frogdog

frogdog

Member
Originally Posted by MaryG
http:///forum/post/2797675
How many pounds of LR did you get? And how much did you pay per pound? Seems like you overpayed and did not get what you payed for. There is not much coraline but there should be "life" on it. You did get that pest anenome so I am sure there is more life in there.
I got 89lb tonga $4.79/lb
the pest came on the ONLY peice of fiji I got. the rest is tonga
 
sueandherzoo

sueandherzoo

Active Member
I'm a newbie too but I really don't think you can tell if a rock is live or dead by it's outward appearance. Yes, bright colors are nice but not all live rock start out that way - it takes time. I bought some tonga branches and they were totally colorless but BOY after two weeks in my tank they are sprouting some really nice things! Also, just because you're not seeing any "critters" on your rock doesn't mean they are not there. First it could be weeks before they venture out in the open. Secondly, you won't see them much during the day..... in the evening after the lights are out use a red light to shine in there and I'll bet you'll see some worms and other stuff peeking out of the rocks. I sit and stare at my tank with a red-lensed flashlight WAY too late into the evening some nights.

Sue
 
frogdog

frogdog

Member
Originally Posted by SueAndHerZoo
http:///forum/post/2797683
I'm a newbie too but I really don't think you can tell if a rock is live or dead by it's outward appearance. Yes, bright colors are nice but not all live rock start out that way - it takes time. I bought some tonga branches and they were totally colorless but BOY after two weeks in my tank they are sprouting some really nice things! Also, just because you're not seeing any "critters" on your rock doesn't mean they are not there. First it could be weeks before they venture out in the open. Secondly, you won't see them much during the day..... in the evening after the lights are out use a red light to shine in there and I'll bet you'll see some worms and other stuff peeking out of the rocks. I sit and stare at my tank with a red-lensed flashlight WAY too late into the evening some nights.

Sue
I have sit there w/ a flashlight constantly hoping to see something... nothin'
last thing i want to do is return this rock and start over.
 
frogdog

frogdog

Member
I'll also add, that there is no heater in the tank yet, and no lighting. If that has something to do w/ why my rock isnt doing good.
I'm getting heaters today, and picking up my MH lighting...
 
bigarn

bigarn

Active Member
you have to chill .... it takes time. your rock will be fine.
before you know it you'll be posting in the hitch hiker ID forum.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top