Originally Posted by
crypt keeper
http:///forum/post/3058937
I hate certain stores. They can be real jerks. I yelled at then smacked a one guy once for being a disrespectful brat to my girlfriend and calling her a B word no woman likes. I was asked to not come back to the store ever.
I would have done more than smacked him.
Originally Posted by amandastp
http:///forum/post/3058989
Should I take the impostor live rocks out and find some real ones?
Is the crushed coral OK for the substrate, or should I get something else?
I thought I did my home work. I researched sea-horses and I thought I could trust the LFS to give me the right info. I am so glad to have found this sight!! I am in no rush to get the sea-horses. I just want to do everything right.
Maybe you should just get a few fish in the beggining, and then when you get the hang of things, then return them for credit and get the horses.
Originally Posted by hlcroghan
http:///forum/post/3059018
Boy oh boy, I could post all day on this case. I feel so bad for you.....what a horrible fish store.
Ok, I commend you for wanting seahorses but they are considered expert animals and difficult to care for for many reasons. You could PM Rykna when you are able to. She is an excellent person for knowledge about them. Or you could go a different route for your first tank if you are not set on seahorses. It might be a little less headache for you.
Get the damsel out now while you can. They are really hard to catch normally, just so you know. Take him back to the store for credit. They are aggressive little buggers and will often kill fish many times their size. For seahorses, it is fine that you have dead rock. A lot of things that come on live rock are harmful to them. Feel free to buy more because it is super cheap compared to live rock.
You should not have any bubbles going into your tank. The water should slide in. Bubbles are a big no no for saltwater animals. You should invest in some powerheads. Maybe a koralia 1 and a koralia nano. That is what I have in my 29. I like it.
You can purchase a timer. Yes, they make life much easier. You only need lights on for about 8 hours a day, not 16. That is way too long. But.....you do not need to run your light right now. That is why you have algae. Once you take the fish back, turn off the lights, throw in a dead salad shrimp in and let it decay a bit. Buy some test kits for nitrite, ammonia, and nitrate. Read about the cycling of a tank. Once all levels are 0, your tank is cycled.
And make sure you read those threads Spanko provided. They are invaluable.....
And welcome to the boards!!!! We are glad to have you here!
Feel free to continue asking questions......
Yea, everything (s)he said.
Make sure you put uncooked shrimp to cycle. I wouldn't buy my equipment from a LFS. They are just so expensive (at least around me). By it all online, and return the damsel, and never go back to the store.
What makes live rock, "live," is the good bacteria growing on it. If it's dry, then there is no good bacteria, so it's not live rock, it IS base rock. Base rock is much cheaper and will turn into live rock, once you add a little bit of live rock to seed it. How much did you pay per pound if you don't mind?
I don't know much about horses, but they are supposed to be on the difficult side. I think you should just get a few fish to start with. Some ppl keep fish with their horses, so maybe you won't even have to return them.
As for filtration, I know for fish, Hang on Back's aren't the best, and according to Teresa, horses have heavy bio load so maybe you should get a different type of filtration, maybe a sump.
Again, IDK about horses, but live sand is always recommened over crushed coral. Food and junk get's stuck in CC and decays and can cause nitrate issues.
IDK how sensitve horses are to salinity changes, but hydrometers are notorious for being innacurate. If you have the money, get a refractometer. I lost a few fish because my water was WAY to salty using a hydrometer until I got refractometer.
leave the lights off and filter on. THe filter will gather the good bacteria, but you have to "ghost feed" the tnak, or throw the shrimp in there instead.
I dont think there is any need to upgrade lights right now. You can change the bulb if you want a different color, but you don't need a new fixture, i dont think. you can get a timer for like 6$ at home depot.
And get those kits that were recommended.
Keep reading. My bro bought me my tank Last last xmas (07), and I didn't buy my equipment until mid FEB. I was doing A LOT of research, all onthis site. Keep reading all the threads on here you can. You will learn so much. I don't have 1 friend w/ a tank, I learned all I know from here. (I'm also new, so my advise may not be 100% correct, I try though)
Just let your tank sit like Spanko said, and do some more research. And post ??'s
