Looking for thoughts, comments and suggestions!

spammie5

Member
SB33: I still might...I'm just considering my options. It's in my ultimate best interest to buy locally for more than several reasons, but I still want the best quality I can get for my money.
Meowzer: Got the email...thank you. Will def check it out...
 

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
http:///forum/post/2889056
You shouldn't really add any more then 50% base rock to a tank. Any more and your going to have hair algae and cyanobacteria problems.
I have 175lbs of LR and 20lb base...in all reality I probably should have more in my 225g tank....but I like it just the way it is.
 

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by Spammie5
http:///forum/post/2889060
SB33: I still might...I'm just considering my options. It's in my ultimate best interest to buy locally for more than several reasons, but I still want the best quality I can get for my money.
Meowzer: Got the email...thank you. Will def check it out...
No problem...good luck...Like I said, I have no LFS, so I have NO choice.
I tend to buy things locally for our towns well being, BUT living in a small town, I have no choice to go elsewhere most of the time....especially for swf and supplies for such.
 

ilovemytank

Member
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
http:///forum/post/2889056
You shouldn't really add any more then 50% base rock to a tank. Any more and your going to have hair algae and cyanobacteria problems.
I'm not disputing this at all. I just never heard of this. All my rock is FIJI premium and I don't have any problems ( I know this isn't base rock but I'm just giving you some history ) I'm just curious because I don't know or understand this ? Please teach me.
 

spammie5

Member
I'm in a small town too, but we do have the one store...
I will get live rock hopefully tomorrow if I have to start with going to the LFS and adding more from online...our LFS doesn't have all that much.
Any thoughts on this BIO-Spira stuff??
 

meowzer

Moderator
I used it, and I guess it worked...I never had any water problems...just had a hard time getting nitrates to zero, they weren't that high though (maybe 5), but a decent water change took care of that..I put my fish in a little too soon, (I did not know about this site yet, wish I had)..BUT .Luckily, and I do not know if bio-spira helpd or not...I never lost a fish.
 

ilovemytank

Member
Make sure that if you buy more live rock online after your tank is going to cure it before adding it to your tank. I would cure it even if it says its fully curred rock. I used to get all of my stuff from LFS when I lived in Florida. I live in Charlotte now and the LFS situation stinks totally. Good Luck.
 

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by Ilovemytank
http:///forum/post/2889129
Make sure that if you buy more live rock online after your tank is going to cure it before adding it to your tank. I would cure it even if it says its fully curred rock. I used to get all of my stuff from LFS when I lived in Florida. I live in Charlotte now and the LFS situation stinks totally. Good Luck.
+1...Even tho the stuff I got said cured, I still put it in tubs with air stones for a week....Never can be too careful.
 

spammie5

Member
Well my LFS guy told me that if I wanted to order a box that he would give me a break on the price...he discounted my canister filter today - I had the smaller size - just large enough for a 55 gal and it had a broken part so since he had no replacement and I'm impatient, he offered to sell the upgraded filter at a fraction of the cost. So, I did...
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
ILMT, I have had tanks with more then 50% base rock and have had severe hair algae problems and cyanobacteria problems. In tanks that I have about equil or more live rock I have barely had any problems. I was warned by someone with 30 years experience - I tested his hypothesis because I didn't believe it and he was correct. So, in my experience and opinion, never ever set a tank up with more base then live.
 
C

cmaxwell39

Guest
On the Bio-Spira--IMO you do not need this or any similiar product if you are going to be adding live rock to the tank. The live rock will contain the bacteria that these products claim to have. Most of the time these products are mostly hype anyway.
 

spammie5

Member
I just added 30lbs of Fiji LR today to my tank from near-LFS...$4.99/lb seemed like a great deal to me...big rocks, little rocks - all looked good. Now I wait......
 

ca161406

Member
Originally Posted by Spammie5
http:///forum/post/2889029
Thanks Chasar - I will get LR as soon as possible. My main thoughts on fish were these:Here is a list I'm compiling of things I like and I think will be compatible...I certainly want advice here: flame hawk, Royal Gramma, Yellow Watchman Goby, Fire Fish, Purple Fire Fish Psychedelic Fish/Spotted Goby...and some kind of anemone/clown combo: maybe these?: Carnation Anemone, White Sebae Anemone, Clown Fish Occellaris.
Anyway, that's just where I've started as collecting options....not a want-all list for sure...
Thanks!
watch the hawk because he'll eat anything he can fit in his mouth
everything looks good except the mandarin goby, they need pods to live and should only be added to established tanks.
and the anemone wont survive with your lighting system, and someone correct me if i'm wrong but i think most clowns wont hoast a sebea nem. . . maybe it was a condi but im not sure
 

spammie5

Member
Clowns won't host a Condi for sure - but I think they will with the 2 I listed...At the least that's what the research I read said. But if someone knows better or has other suggestions, I certainly want to know...
Thanks!
 

keebler

Member
I always like to feed my tank as if I have fish in it and a week after the ammonia and trites stay 0, I'll add a cuc. That way, there is algae and ditritus for them to eat before I add my fish.
 

spammie5

Member
Keebler: I have read that also...Does it matter what I'm "feeding" with? I have some freeze dried bloodworms already - would that work?
 

keebler

Member
Originally Posted by Spammie5
http:///forum/post/2891533
Keebler: I have read that also...Does it matter what I'm "feeding" with? I have some freeze dried bloodworms already - would that work?
Yes, it would work, but personally I would spend the extra money and get something that you would feed to sw fish. Just imo.
 

spammie5

Member
After playing the waiting game - and with all water parameters right and where they should be - I added a little life to my tank this past Monday. I added:
1 camelback shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp
1 cowrie
1 scooter blenny (dragonet)
2 small Ocellaris clowns
All are doing well - not showing any signs of stress or sickness and water tests are still good.
Am starting to get some cyanobacteria. After much research on here, I went and purchased a more powerful powerhead to increase water flow...
I have also noticed some more creatures on my live rock including a few bristleworms and some worm-something? I'm about to do more research on what it is but if someone might know - I'll best describe it. There are a few white 'tubes' attached to the LR and I have not seen any sort of life from them...but the first time I fed my fish - I noticed a clear long tentacle-like thing coming out of 2 of these tubes. These tubes look like they're almost rocky...if that makes sense. I haven't seen anything since from these 2 tubes since but that was still exciting.
What's the time line for adding more creatures? I was thinking about getting more CUC but I don't know.
I would also like to get more water tests...what's the recommended brand/kit for a general test of most common elements? I have an ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/ph tests now.
Thanks for all the help!
 
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