How to add/change water?

[luvsaltlyf]

Francis your tank sounds like mine a couple weeks ago! When the feather duster, star fish and emerald crab all died in the same week I felt so bad. I took your advice Kim and I haven't added anything the last couple weeks. Well, until this weekend :happy: We found a new LFS and bought some pepermint shrimp. No your right We don't have any fish. We just have the snails and the Pencil Urchin and our Deep Sea Yellow Gorgonian that now has polyps all over it. Last night we bought 50 more lbs of Fiji LR online along with Yellow Polyps, Blueleg Hermits, Duster Cluster,Coral Banded Shrimp, and Cleaner Clams. Is this a good start? We just have regular lighting and since we are going to start adding corals, what lighting do we need? Also what is the benefit to having a skimmer? Thanks for the info!!!
:jumping:

 

[kimkissyfish]

HI Francis and Luv,
Francis, Im glad your lobster just molted.. =) BUT, My suggestion to you would be NEVER do another 100% water change. Yousshould be doing a 10% a week if you feel you need a large cahnge or a larger one monthly. I do 7 G a week which is 10%. As far as the anenome, you need to BE STRONG.. LOL when visiting the LFS. I don think you have upgraded your lighting YET so thats whats going on with the anenomes. The anenomes WILL move around the tank to find a good spot for themselves. If they are wondering, they are NOT happy

. THe live rock is a good idea. Did you buy Cured LR? Because you DONT want to add uncured LR to your tank now.. it will send your tank into a tailspin and a cycle again. Not good. So, check on that. The cured LR will help your system though.
Luv,
Greta idea ordering the LR, this will help your tank bunches. and your choice of inverts is great. Hint on the cleaner clams, (i just got 2) is that when you put them on the sand, they will disappear overnight, they tend to bury themselves in the sand.. LOL I cant find mine. I am hoping they dont die and crash my tank. I am watching peram's very closely.
For lighting, depending on what kind of corals you want to keep and your budget, I would say maybe 4 bulbs of PC lighting in addition to your ref florescent hood lights. DO you have a canopy? that would make a difference on what you can get for lighting. ASK questions at your LFS or gather a list of the corals you like and we can go through them and decide what their lighting needs are. VHO lighting comes in a hood form too.. so you could have them and maybe retrofit Pc's. Its not hard to do with a canopy, If I can do it, you can too..
As for the skimmer, it does just that, skims all the crap out of the tank water. a MUST in a tank with corals. Id say buy the best one you can for your budget. I have a backpak 2 with biobale. iTs easy to clean and run. They now come with a maxijet1200 venturi pump for added skimming. so cool. I am upgrading mine to the 1200 with the adapter when the LFS guy gets one in. I think I paid like $150 for it but well worth the $$.
HOept his helps, if I messed anything guys I am sorry, just popped on before work.. will recheck later,
KIm

 

[francis]

Kim,
I didn't change the water in the tank, i was talking about what i did during the LR curing "in the bucket". I've cured the LR's for a month, in a different bucket, not in the tank, and i did it good.Ofcourse, i must not do a 100% water change in the tank:yes: im also doing a 10% water change every two weeks. But the sebae was doing great, with the african, before i've added the carpet & the cured LR's (in a different bucket) u really think it's the light?

 

[kimkissyfish]

Francis,
OOPS, I guess my mind was "wondering" when I read that.. LOL SORRY! haha
Glad to hear everyone is doing well in your tank. :jumping:
Kim

 

[francis]

LOL, but i think i also didn't explained it properly anyhow, my water now is very clear but there's a weird things, swimming, sticking happening in my tank:thinking: ...i guess it's because of the liverock i've added. There are this white hair like, 1 milimeter lenght, but of huge number of them in my tank swimming & sticking their selves on the glass. And my juvi coral beauty died with big tummy. What do u think are those Kim? :help: