how is this all sounding... Im new to this

[busymom]

Wow first post for me here, but I have been reading here for months so I'll try to get all my details correct.
I set up my 29 gal on Jan 10th with RO water & half live sand and half dry sand, 3 days later I added 10 lbs of live rock as well as 2 smallish not live but aquarium safe rocks. I then added 3 blue leg hermit crabs and one small tiger stripped serpent star. I test every evening, at the same time, and keep a journal of the results. I followed my cycle watching each indicator rise and fall.
I was surprized, but it appeared that I had completed the cycle and so six days ago (after I did a 3 gal water change) I took water with me to my nearest LFS (40 min drive each way). He said I looked ok and would sell me my first fish. I bought a lyre tailed chromis (black with yellow on tail). He is very shy. I also added another 6lb of live rock that day. ( I have been looking for nice/interesting pieces rather than just buying whatever)
my parameters are:
Nitrate - 20
Nitrite - 0
Alk. 300
PH 8.4
SG 1.022
temp 76
I have been having some (what I would call) serious algae growth since I added him. I would swear that I can see it progress from when I go to bed to when I wake up. I read here that that was due to my higher nitrate. So I guess my question is where do I go from here. I know that I need to slow down and be patient. I never expected to have a fish in there so soon. My live rock seems to have either the browny algae starting to take it over or an ashy like powdered dusting. I do have brown algae forming paths in my sand.
I did another 3 gal water change this morning and drove to another LFS (this one over an hour away) just to find it closed. I am feeding 2 flakes of food every night at around 9 pm. and everyone comes running to get it! - on a side note you should have seen the look on my 5 year olds face when the serpent star started dragging 'her crab' into its cave cause it wanted the food the crab was holding... now she calls it the 'evil sea serpent'
Wow sorry this has been so long a post just wanted to make sure I didnt miss any details...
So my current theory is that I should do a few 10-15% water changes this week to lower my nitrates and then get some more/better clean up critters to keep everything tidy???
Is that my best plan of attack? What critters would everyone recomend? Some day I want to add corals, and my fish wish list - for the moment is a goby and pistol shrimp pair, and a clown and anem. pair. then not sure if I would even have the space for a 4th fish??
SOME MISC QUESTIONS...
** Do they sell clowns already paired up with its host anemone?
** How do people manage to feed a fish 3 - 4 times a day? are there automatic feeders?
** Is it a huge terrible no-no to get a fish very small, who you know in a years time might be to big for your tank, if you plan on having a larger tank by that time. ( I am already planning my big-built-into-the-wall-my-husband-will-want-to-kill-me-but-he-has-his-own-bad-habits-tank. *cough-cough r/c airplanes*
Thanks so much for everyones advice and information from all of those threads I read until the wee hours of the night!!
--Haley

 

[jerthunter]

I know some sights recommend feeding fish 2-3 times a day but from everything I have read this is not a good idea. Most people I know feed either once a day or once every other day. As far as your cycle going so fast it is possible. Bacteria reproduce very fast, however be careful about adding fish, each fish increases your bioload and the bacteria need to adjust. I wouldn't worry about your algea to much, it is a natural part of starting a new tank, the brown dusting of algea is diatoms. They should go away after a week or so. Doing regular water changes is good, if you change your water enough and keep your equipment clean and don't over feed your nitrate levels will get lower... As far as cleanup I live scarlet hermit crabs but blue leg hermits are good too. Snails are important, Astrea are cheap and do an ok job. Nassarius snails are my personal favorate, they are tiny and like to live in the sand, not just on rocks and glass.

 

[corally]

Welcome to the boards! I also do not reccomend feeding everyday, it can foul up your water. Also, some people (including myself) think that you have to be careful mixing snails and hermits-especially blue leg hermits- the hermits will kill the snails for their shells, so be sure you have extra shells.
It really isn't a good idea to buy a fish that you know will outgrow your tank, plans change and what if you can't do the upgrade?
The lfs in my area don't sell a mated clown/anemone but I think that sound like a cool idea.
Cerith snails will keep your sand be sifted (which is a good thing)

 

[busymom]

I failed to add that my amm. is at 0. But I have not tested for any other things like calc. or phos. Do I need to do that at this early a stage?

 

[uberlink]

Wait a long time before adding any anemone. Like 6 months minimum. You can add the clowns long before that, though. I'd say get a pair of smaller clowns (like false percs), and see how they do. I would not go beyond about three or four small fish in that tank (I have one of similar size), not including your invertebrates.
Sounds like things are going pretty well so far. Oh, keep a close eye on your star. I've been told they don't do so well in newer tanks, though I have a brittle in a several month old tank who is doing well (ordered him before I read that I should wait).
Good luck!

 

[busymom]

Yes, I wasn't going to add an anemone until I could upgrade my lighting. Just wondered if they sold bonded clown/anem pairs. If that was the case then I wouldn't get my clown til I was ready for his/her anemone.
Would some kind of cleaner or coral banded shrimp help with my clean up or are snails and crabs the way to go? Knowing that I want a pistol shrimp in there at a later date, should I stay away from other shrimps now? and what about these clams everyone seems to be talking about, one or two of those ok?

 

[johnzo]

First Welcome! Second your better half might get interested in this also.... I know I do both Giant scale -- planes and SWF... wife wife flips ... I am either at the LFS or the LHS (local hobby shop) lol.
The mulitple feeding of flake is probally sending the phosphates and nitrates up causing the algea bloom ... so I would say ease off the feedings, water changes and a little more clean up crew and you will be fine.

 

[92protruck]

1. slow down
2. add a turbo snail, some astrea snails and some nassarius snails
3. slow down (stop thinking about more fish)
4. list what you have for filtration and water movement. do you have a skimmer? a few power heads?
5. get a phosphate test kit (you should have your own test kits Salifert are good)
6. slow down
7. change 10-15% per week of water
8. work on getting the tank stable (nitrates, phosphates, temp, weekly water changes, etc.)
9. hold off on buying anymore fish, corals, etc let things settle in and lets see what kind of equipment you have