first timer

harrinsa1

harrinsa1

New Member
I started my new tank about two weeks ago. I have no expirience on fish keeping whatsoever. My father had a 55 gallon FW tank but doesn't have any idea about SW tanks. My tank as of now has:
2 blue damsels.
2 clownfish.
1 Hermit crab.
The tank is a 29 gallon tall and has tap water treated with a de-chlorinizer in it and I have been adding stress zymes to help promote bacteria growth in the filter. My filter is set for up to a 50 gallon tank and so is the heater. The tempurature is hovering around 82. I added the fish and crab in as soon as I got the tank salinity to hover aroud 1.022. I have crushed coral as substrate and hope to one day move up to a coral tank. Is there anything that I might have overlooked in getting this tank? any other suggestions to eventually help me to my goal? Last but not least any dangers I should be particular in watching for?
Thanks.
 
seasalt101

seasalt101

Active Member
1st off welcome to the boards 1st thing you did wrong was using crushed coral as a substrate 15 years ago that was the normal thing all is not lost but you will have to vaccuum about 1/3 of it every week cc traps nitrates you will need to get a skimmer, highly recomended, with a 29 you are maxed out on fish but you can still get some more crabs or a couple of shrimp. do not use tap water buy ro or get a ro machine stop adding chemicals you might want to switch the cc to live sand if you do when you vaccuum the tank only a third at a time thats important. vacuum real good in a small area and take 2-3 netfulls out when you do your water change if you don't vacuum well you can stir up a bunch of nitrates you don't want that when all the cc is out you can add ls anything else?
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
Also, you need to raise the sg to 1.025-1.026 for the crab.
Did you cycle this tank before putting the fish in? What are your water parameters?
 
harrinsa1

harrinsa1

New Member
/Users/Steven/Pictures/iPhoto Library/2006/06/24/P6240019.JPG Here is what my tank looks like.
Yes it is still in its cycle stage. The people at my LFS said that I should be fine with the clowns and the damsels while the cycle took place. soo far so good fish wise. and my crab has shedded/ molted, whatever they do. the LFS said everything was good. I tested the water there yesterday and they said that my ammonia was falling and my nitrites were peaking. My tests have seen the ammonia rising and and peaking, that was at the weekend.
 
harrinsa1

harrinsa1

New Member
Here is what my tank looks like.
Yes it is still in its cycle stage. The people at my LFS said that I should be fine with the clowns and the damsels while the cycle took place. soo far so good fish wise. and my crab has shedded/ molted, whatever they do. the LFS said everything was good. I tested the water there yesterday and they said that my ammonia was falling and my nitrites were peaking. My tests have seen the ammonia rising and and peaking, that was at the weekend.
 
seasalt101

seasalt101

Active Member
here is the best advice i can give a beginner DO NOT LITEN TO THE LFS they are there to sell and do not give a crap about your hard earned money cold hard facts you will probably kill your fish not because you are a cruel person but just misinformed and you will go back to your lfs and they will sell you a yellow tang or a puffer because they look cool fact is they will die too tank is to small do research get a good book "the conscientous marine aquariust by robert fenner research these forums and let your tank cycle properly w/o fish in it they might live but there gills will be burned they will be stressed that could cause ich and being new to this that would probably finish everything off what is your sg level your inverts need 1.025 - 1.026 get a good test kit and test your own water and invest in a refractometer about 50.00 on this site good luck you will need it this is an expensive hobby you could sink a couple of grand into your tank easily especially being uninformed not trying to be hard on you but you need to know what to expect
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
I agree. Don't listen to your lfs. There is a good chance those fish will not survive that cycle. I would take them out ASAP and take them back to the lfs.
The book mentioned above by Fenner is excellent.
 
seasalt101

seasalt101

Active Member
you also need about 30-45 lbs. of live rock known here as lr if you need to know what the acronyms are just ask it took me a bit to figure them out and what i did not know the people here helped me quite a bit we are not here to be hard on you we just don't want innocent fish deaths we are here to help and you might want to read the first thread at the top of the page "what's the first thing i wish i had known" very informative especially for beginners good luck again
 
puffer32

puffer32

Active Member
I would take those fish out! Ammonia rising and peaking is not a good thing for fish, good for your cycle but not fish!
 
harrinsa1

harrinsa1

New Member
Thanks a lot guys I will look in to the lr and ls--- This lfs though doesn't seem to be out for the money they immediatly said to do damsels because they were a hard fish and they could take the cycle. The clown fish I have were born and raised locally so they said that they could take the cycle too. (I really insisted on the clown fish). They said something about getting lr too. Does lr need to have a power head to move water for them like coral does? How much are they usually? I do have the Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies book that help in my choices so far too.
I appreciate the help you guys have given me and hope to be as much help as your are in the future.
 
ravenno92

ravenno92

New Member
lr dosent need a powerhead.And the price of the live rock depends on your lfs my lfs prices the lr on how long it has been cured(has coralline algae on it and more beneficial things have been aloud to grow) and also how much each piece weighs
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
Fully cured LR at my lfs is 6.99/lb
Also, those damsels will most likely get VERY mean. It will be hard to get them out if you keep them.
 
harrinsa1

harrinsa1

New Member
Yes I have noticed the damsels chasing each other around the tank but have not at all seen either of them go after the clownfish. I have actually seen a clownfish chase one of the dansels around that had separated itself from the other and clownfish - it did not last long and the damsel did not do anything to the clown.
Will changing the cc to ls make me start a cycle over again?? What about lr? Whatt is the benefit of having these apposed to cc and just colorful ornaments?? :notsure:
Thanks for all your help
 
harrinsa1

harrinsa1

New Member
My LFS that I go to is a self employed business that is owned and operated by enthusiests (? if its spelled right.) like you guys and they have told me almost exactly what you guys have said. Do you think that they are still bad and not to listen to them?
My tank is filling up with brown algea it has carpeted the bottom of the tank and is all over the back of the tank. I am in the process of taking out the crushed aragonite and replacing it with ls which was chosen by the lfs (above) as being one of the best out there. It says Natures Ocean on the front, im guessing that this is the brand, it this a good and reliable brand? I have twenty pounds for my tank and am thinking about getting another twenty for a 29 gallon. Should I get another 20 pounds? Next week I will buy a protein skimmer and the following week get the ornamants out and start getting lr in their.
 
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