New 100g tank diary!! Will need help along the way

[otherunderbrink]

Welcome to my world...I have had nothing but grief with MH lighting, at the moment I have one side working on my Coralife Elite unit...I am planning to go T5s by the end of this month. I LOVE the shimmer of MHs on the water, but in the end I like light I can count on. I even considered having one side of the tank with the MHs and leave the other side with actinic only and get non-photosynthetic corals for that side....But like you ...what do I do when that other side decides to act up?
 
I have some 48" 2X175 MH with 2X96w actinic + ballasts.....retrofit, if you are intersted. LOL...one side has a short and needs to be rewired. It's the unit I used before the Coralife Elite...It's always one side.
 
 
PM me Flower. Interested in that light.

 

[mus1cizmythang]

Ugh yeah, I think I might have interest in those if this next light I get doesn't work.
UPDATE:
Have one metal halide bulb still working
Got 70-80 lbs of live rock from an already established tank of 2 years!
cool thing is.. when I first got the rock, I looked for anything growing anyhwere on it.. Nothing. Now about two-three days later, I'm looking and I see about 5 feather dusters out, these little tiny creatures crawling all over them, these white little specs and look like fluff, and lots of other stuff.
MY CONCERN:
isn't aiptasia really bad for your aquarium? those little white fuzzy specs aren't aiptasia, are they? i tried to do some research or at least find out what they look like, but had no luck.
Other question: The people at the lfs said since i got already established tank live rock that I probably wouldnt have to do a cycle since it has the beneficial bacteria already on it that I needed. Just checked my perameters and everything was fine. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[travelerjp98]

 

[travelerjp98]

those are aiptasia

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mus1cizmythang http:///forum/thread/386986/new-100g-tank-diary-will-need-help-along-the-way/40#post_3404005
Ugh yeah, I think I might have interest in those if this next light I get doesn't work.
UPDATE:
Have one metal halide bulb still working
Got 70-80 lbs of live rock from an already established tank of 2 years!
cool thing is.. when I first got the rock, I looked for anything growing anyhwere on it.. Nothing. Now about two-three days later, I'm looking and I see about 5 feather dusters out, these little tiny creatures crawling all over them, these white little specs and look like fluff, and lots of other stuff.
MY CONCERN:
isn't aiptasia really bad for your aquarium? those little white fuzzy specs aren't aiptasia, are they? i tried to do some research or at least find out what they look like, but had no luck.
Other question: The people at the lfs said since i got already established tank live rock that I probably wouldnt have to do a cycle since it has the beneficial bacteria already on it that I needed. Just checked my perameters and everything was fine. What are your thoughts on this?
How long was the rock out of water during the move?

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mus1cizmythang http:///forum/thread/386986/new-100g-tank-diary-will-need-help-along-the-way/40#post_3404005
Other question: The people at the lfs said since i got already established tank live rock that I probably wouldnt have to do a cycle since it has the beneficial bacteria already on it that I needed. Just checked my perameters and everything was fine. What are your thoughts on this?
NO NO NO!!!!!
please go through a cycle no matter what!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by travelerjp98 http:///forum/thread/386986/new-100g-tank-diary-will-need-help-along-the-way/40#post_3404013
NO NO NO!!!!!
please go through a cycle no matter what!

An established tank is already cycled. If the rocks were out of water more than an hour you MIGHT have a tiny ammonia spike. Most of the good bacteria is on the rocks and sand. If you kept that from the original owner you should be fine depending on how long the rocks and sand were exposed to the air when you moved the tank.

 

[travelerjp98]

I know that.. but it's better to be safe than sorry.
and his tank isn't cycled... so that's why he still has to cycle his tank.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by travelerjp98 http:///forum/thread/386986/new-100g-tank-diary-will-need-help-along-the-way/40#post_3404021
I know that.. but it's better to be safe than sorry.
and his tank isn't cycled... so that's why he still has to cycle his tank.
Ah...I thought he said he got an already established tank....I reread his post...he got live rock from an established tank....big difference...good catch on my mistake traveler

Yes you do need to cycle the tank. A chunk of raw shrimp will get things kick started. The sand needs to get seeded, and the water all ready for when you start with that first fish. The live rock will help.

 

[mus1cizmythang]

The rock was exposed to air no longer than 2 hours id say. Does that produce aiptasia? mine look KIND of like that? Isn't that an anemone?

 

[2quills]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mus1cizmythang http:///forum/thread/386986/new-100g-tank-diary-will-need-help-along-the-way/40#post_3404068
The rock was exposed to air no longer than 2 hours id say. Does that produce aiptasia? mine look KIND of like that? Isn't that an anemone?
That does not produce aiptasia. They have to be introduced to the system somehow, usually brought in on a piece of live rock or purchase of a piece of coral attached to live rock that is carrying them. And then they multiply and can get out of control in your tank and sting other corals. Some of them are pretty cool looking but they are not a desirable thing to have in your system.
If the rock was out of water for almost 2 hours then you inevitably had some die off of life forms in/on the rock which will cause ammonia to spike so you should continue to monitor the cycle of the system. You may not see the spike right off the bat. And if there is enough good bacteria intact then it will probably be minimal. But you just have to keep watching to see or you might miss it. Should be testing daily during the initial cycling process.

 

[travelerjp98]

matt- did you get the cycling started? throw in a piece of fish food and it'll get started!
the picture is of aiptasia, because they are actually species of pest anemones.

 

[mus1cizmythang]

I just threw a piece of silverside in there. I honestly dont know if this is aiptaisia or not, but I really hope not. I know there are lots of bugs on the rocks (pretty sure copepods) and multiple small feather dusters. I am going out of town tomorrow until Tuesday, but I will test as soon as I get back.
I got like a bucket of live sand from this guy.. His tank has been established for 2 years. I've left it out since I got it but its still wet and has water in it. I'm trying to debate whether to put it all in? Don't wanna hurt anything or add anything bad to my tank. I've already put about 10 scoops in but should I put the rest?

 

[mus1cizmythang]

Is there an indicator to know if its aiptaisa? I've heard that they sting, and they retract back if you touch them. My sister just touched it and he didnt retract or sting her.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mus1cizmythang http:///forum/thread/386986/new-100g-tank-diary-will-need-help-along-the-way/40#post_3404111
Is there an indicator to know if its aiptaisa? I've heard that they sting, and they retract back if you touch them. My sister just touched it and he didnt retract or sting her.
First, I'm not so sure the picture is aiptasia. Second, aiptasia does not sting people, it stings corals to death. Third, If it did not retract, it is not aiptasia.....LOL....why did you use your sister to find out if it stings?

 

[travelerjp98]

no my pic is of aiptasia... not anything else!
actually I stuck my finger in an aiptasia and it tried to digest it!
matt- send a pic!

 

[prh123]

Yes, your father has a very good point, the tank needs some focus, or in other words a theme it’s not an Ocean with less limits on its resources, and different conditions for each inhabitant. It’s quite the oxymoron, we enjoy the ocean but we create the demand for people to over harvest it for our own hobby. As you learn about it you can find people that breed certain corals and fish in captivity and buy from them. Instant Ocean had newsletter years ago; they were putting two clown fish and anemone in a 50 gallon tank and breeding very successfully.

 

[travelerjp98]

read some articles on saltwaterfish.com, they could help you a lot... I just wrote one especially for beginner hobbyists!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by travelerjp98 http:///forum/thread/386986/new-100g-tank-diary-will-need-help-along-the-way/40#post_3404170
no my pic is of aiptasia... not anything else!
actually I stuck my finger in an aiptasia and it tried to digest it!
matt- send a pic!
traveler, the pictures above look pretty. If they don't retract into the rock, they are some kind of polyp. I know aiptasia looks good sometimes and that's why I said I THINK, because I'm not sure, but if it doesn't retract...not aiptasia. and LOL...they don't sting people or eat them.

 

[travelerjp98]

I know I know...