New girl on the block....

ladybug

ladybug

New Member
Hi everyone.
I am new to saltwater and have a couple of basic questions if anyone has advice.
I have a 55 gal tank up and running for about 6 weeks, protein skimmer, charcoal filter, etc.
Is live sand a must? ( I have gravel at present time)
Are air stones bad or ok?
Do I need a powerhead?
Is a cleanup crew a must? (only have fish so far)
Thanks in advance for any input!
 
teresaq1

teresaq1

Member
What kind of gravel, you should not use fresh water gravel. live sand is best.
air stones bad. they put too many little bubbles into the water which can hurt the fish.
yes, for a 55 gal, you should have at least 2 powerheads for circulaton. maxi jet 1200 would be good. you need lots of flow .
you should have sometype of cleanup crew, to take care of your tank. snails, and hermits.
do you have live rock, you should have at least 50 lbs. for filteration.
I am by far no expert, but do know some of the basics. some one else help me out here.
Also, WELCOME
 
bigarn

bigarn

Active Member
TeresaQ1 gave you good advice .... I agree.
Airstones also contribute to saltcreep which is a hassle.
 
ladybug

ladybug

New Member
Digital cam out of commision. sorry..... Friend gave me the tank so I don't really know what kind of gravel it is. I will definately add the powerheads. I was afraid to get a cleanup crew at the start.
I have a tomato clown, a yellow tang, and 2 blue damsels. Don't laugh.....I have some fake rocks and 3 fake anemones. How would I need to get the gravel out and live sand in without killing my fish? My nitrogen cycle has been established and all me levels are good. What would be the best way to go from here?
 
teresaq1

teresaq1

Member
ok, first off, your yellow tang, is going to prob out grow your tank. they need a 6 ft tank for swimming.
as far a switching out your gravel, we may need more expert advise, but if it were me, i would start taking it out a little at a time. make sure you keep the bottom vacumed of extra food and detritus.
once all gravel out, start adding live sand a little at a time. using a cup. so it dosent cloud your tank too much.
once you have your sand changed out, i would start adding a little cured live rock for filterization.
 
ladybug

ladybug

New Member
We already know we want to get a bigger tank once we get the hang of all this. I just got a few inexpensive fish to keep from throwing my $$$ away. The tomato clown was given to me with the tank. He had lived for 2 months with no electricity and little food other than what was in the tank when my friend had to move. He thought he was dead until the day they moved the tank to bring to me. What a tough little guy.....

How big do Tangs get in captivity usually?
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
Originally Posted by ladybug
How big do Tangs get in captivity usually?
Depends on what type tang...A yellow Tang will reach about 8 inches. Can only SURVIVE in a 55 for a brief period...Usually one-two years if he is very small at purchase. You need to feed him plenty greens . Also, if you have been advised to feed the animals brine shrimp please know they have about zero nutritional value for marine animals. Only the freshly hatched brine contain the desired nutrition.
 
ladybug

ladybug

New Member
Thanks Scubadoo, he is pretty small. I have an clip and some greens but don't know where the best place is to put it so they will feed. I put it on once and they ignored it. Any ideas?
 
teresaq1

teresaq1

Member
i dont have an anemone yet, just soft corals. they are pretty easy. kinda take care of them selves as long as my water conditions are good. just have to have the right lights for the right coral
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
Originally Posted by ladybug
Thanks Scubadoo, he is pretty small. I have an clip and some greens but don't know where the best place is to put it so they will feed. I put it on once and they ignored it. Any ideas?
You can take out a small piece of live roch or a fake coral and attach it with a rubber band. Do not leave it in if they do not eat it as it will foul the water. After a couple hours I would remove.
I have also had success with breaking it in very samll pieces (like flake food) ..as it floats down it grabs their attention....curious as they are they usually will take a little bite...then devour the rest. be careful not to overfeed and to remove the uneaten if it does not work .
 
dapak83

dapak83

Member
my tang didnt lok at it the firt couple days.. one day i just left it in there for like the whole day.. next morning it was gone... after that.....every time i put something in with in 5-6 hrs its gone!
and i usly put big chnks of greens too!
 
ladybug

ladybug

New Member
It is green marine algae. I put some in about 2 hours ago and saw him nibble at it for the first time....go figure :happyfish
 
scubadoo

scubadoo

Active Member
Originally Posted by ladybug
If the gravel in my tank is ok would it be possible to cover it in live sand?
If you have crushed coral you really should remove it. It traps uneaten food, etc and becomes a nitrate factory. It requires contsant vacuuming.
SOme folks advocate a mixture of CC and sand.
 
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