If you had........
- Thread starter goalie66
- Start date
nucknfutts
New Member
What kind of tank is it going to be? You want to get your matinence end taken care of. I would get 10 snails, 50-100 hermits, 10 emerald crabs, and some hardy fish like blue cromis. cause thats what I did 3 months ago to reestablish my 110. Its a good way to spend 80$. By the way get more lr you should have 100-125 lbs in your 125.
goalie66
Member
I'm going no particilur direction in this tank as far as inhabititantes,
jeeze my spelling sucks! LOL!,
I was hoping that the 50Lbs nonlive rock would eventualy become
live and am in no hurry to add alot to the tank. I was thinking
maintenance crew as well, I would like to eventuly have some
clown fish and a tang but other than that I am pretty open.
I have another 50Lbs of HI rock I got off ---- & might also add that.
jeeze my spelling sucks! LOL!,
I was hoping that the 50Lbs nonlive rock would eventualy become
live and am in no hurry to add alot to the tank. I was thinking
maintenance crew as well, I would like to eventuly have some
clown fish and a tang but other than that I am pretty open.
I have another 50Lbs of HI rock I got off ---- & might also add that.
nucknfutts
New Member
The snails and so on are going to keep your tank clean and algee under control if you have a cycled tank then there is plenty of food for all, and as you add fish your clean up crew will be buisy. Your nonlr will turn into lr so no wories. But you don't want to have a tank that one day you notice an algee problem then start to get a clean up crew get them first. They will help with get your bioload going.
goalie66
Member
There is plenty for a small crew to feast on, the tank still has
the diatom bloom going & now has alot of green hair algae
so I'm thinking it should be ready for some life soon.
This might seem like a dumb question but should I get some
empty shells for the hermits? They are only like $5.oo for 50
of them.
the diatom bloom going & now has alot of green hair algae
so I'm thinking it should be ready for some life soon.
This might seem like a dumb question but should I get some
empty shells for the hermits? They are only like $5.oo for 50
of them.
shadow678
Member
I agree with Rye, a newly established tank is nearly sterile, the diatom bloom will be eaten almost immediately, as well as the algae, and then you will end up with lots of dead cleanup crew if you do not feed them. I would get one or two small fish you will want to keep permanently, such as a clownfish or a clown goby, and let them run for a while. You are correct that your base rock will eventually become live, but it will take many months before you can consider it completely live. As far as the shells for the hermits, you will need some replacement shells for the hermits when you get them, so it is best to go ahead and order some when you order your hermits, so you won't have to place another order strictly for the shells. My suggestion would be 5 blueleg hermits, 5 scarlet hermits, 10 snails, and one small fish. This will give you enough of a cleanup crew to take care of what's there now, but not so much that you will have a hard time keeping them fed once they have cleaned your tank. The single fish will also give them a little waste to feed on as well. HTH
broomer5
Active Member
I may catch some grief for what I'm about to say - but I stand behind it - and I'll say it anyway because it makes sense to me.
Buy a handful of snails and hermit crabs locally.
They're cheap - and will be the first inverts in a newly set up tank.
Accimate them to your new tank.
When they seem to be doing okay after a couple weeks, then buy your $80.00 clean-up crew here at SWF.com.
Very good prices, both in the ala carte, and the U-Build It.
This is what I do each time I set up a tank.
I want to insure the "bulk" janitor packages lives - and I use the local source of janitors as my test batch.
Spend $10.00 local as a test.
Spend $80.00 online when you know it's ready.
Peppermint Shrimp are okay - but I rarely see mine - so I'm more partial to emerald crabs and cleaner shrimp.
Buy a handful of snails and hermit crabs locally.
They're cheap - and will be the first inverts in a newly set up tank.
Accimate them to your new tank.
When they seem to be doing okay after a couple weeks, then buy your $80.00 clean-up crew here at SWF.com.
Very good prices, both in the ala carte, and the U-Build It.
This is what I do each time I set up a tank.
I want to insure the "bulk" janitor packages lives - and I use the local source of janitors as my test batch.
Spend $10.00 local as a test.
Spend $80.00 online when you know it's ready.
Peppermint Shrimp are okay - but I rarely see mine - so I'm more partial to emerald crabs and cleaner shrimp.
dburr
Active Member
I gotta disagree w/ the hermits.
I bought a whole bunch, blue, scarlet, ect..., they all killed each other. I got 1 left, the winner
, and thats all i'm gunna have.
Hermits are found on sand beds anyway. You only need 1 or 2 in your tank.
I would load up on snails. Nassuris (my spelling sucks too), astrea, and I just bought some for hair algea called tiger...something. (I forgot the name, sorry)
Buy some now for the diatoms, and more later as needed.
I would also get your sand bed to at least 3"-4". 100 lbs. can't be that deep.
Remember, wait between additions for your tank to catch up.
HTH
I bought a whole bunch, blue, scarlet, ect..., they all killed each other. I got 1 left, the winner
, and thats all i'm gunna have.Hermits are found on sand beds anyway. You only need 1 or 2 in your tank.
I would load up on snails. Nassuris (my spelling sucks too), astrea, and I just bought some for hair algea called tiger...something. (I forgot the name, sorry)
Buy some now for the diatoms, and more later as needed.
I would also get your sand bed to at least 3"-4". 100 lbs. can't be that deep.
Remember, wait between additions for your tank to catch up.
HTH
j21kickster
Active Member
the first thing i would do is devlop a pod population and start phytoplankton feeding- then after that, establish a sand bed- then fish and cleanup crew
dburr
Active Member
I wouldn't add it all at once.
Maybe 1/3 at a time every couple weeks. One side, the middle, then the other.
Your sand bed will spread out and start the new sand before the next layer goes in. I've never done it but it should work out.
Put the wet sand in a bag and put the bag in the water on top of the other sand before you dump it.
Also i've heard of people using big pvc pipe. Put it right down in the sand with the other end out of the tank and duump it. Prolly need 2 people, and it sounds like a sand storm. Either way their will be alot of stuff blowing around.
Good luck.
Maybe 1/3 at a time every couple weeks. One side, the middle, then the other.
Your sand bed will spread out and start the new sand before the next layer goes in. I've never done it but it should work out.
Put the wet sand in a bag and put the bag in the water on top of the other sand before you dump it.
Also i've heard of people using big pvc pipe. Put it right down in the sand with the other end out of the tank and duump it. Prolly need 2 people, and it sounds like a sand storm. Either way their will be alot of stuff blowing around.
Good luck.
fshhub
Active Member
I would add a clean up crew too, but not a full crew, if you have lr, there will be food, plust the diatom bloom, which without any other algae eaters will be followed by other algaes. I prefer to keep up on or ahead of the algae problems, b/c it is harder, IMO to catch up(unless you over stock your crew, which will eventually lead to starvation)
but, IMO, I would get some more lr(not jsut more rock, but LIVE ROCK), then after I were sure it was clear and fully cured. I would then get some snails and go from there.
but, IMO, I would get some more lr(not jsut more rock, but LIVE ROCK), then after I were sure it was clear and fully cured. I would then get some snails and go from there.
goalie66
Member
I'd love to get some more LR but don't have the money right now,
I can get small blue legs for $1.00 at the LFS and some Narsius
snails cheap. Also they have some plant (Caulerpa prolifera)
Would it be bad to add this to the tank? I thought that maybe
getting another food source in their growing would be nice.
I was wanting to add a P. Clown in about a week as my first
fish. good/bad?
Thanks for all the input!!!!!
I can get small blue legs for $1.00 at the LFS and some Narsius
snails cheap. Also they have some plant (Caulerpa prolifera)
Would it be bad to add this to the tank? I thought that maybe
getting another food source in their growing would be nice.
I was wanting to add a P. Clown in about a week as my first
fish. good/bad?
Thanks for all the input!!!!!