New to tanks, have questions!!!

[zero1870]

I got a new 75 gallon tank and it is completly cycled. I have live sand and - 75# of live rock. I have a damsel who has been in the tank for about a month. I have a small amount of brown algea growing on the back and one side of the tank. I just recently had the levels tested and they are all good (as of 4/11/2006 per LFS). I have all kinds of life growing in the tank that came along with my live rock. They include: small white starfish, a couple of throny type of worm, purple and pink in colour, feather duster. I just recently (4/11/2006) got: 2 clown fish, 1 hippo tang, 1 cleaner shrimp, and 1 blue linkia starfish. My question is, have i got the starfish too soon? Will he die? and is there anything i can do to prevent his death? Also, what is the best way to get rid of that aweful brown algea? it's so ugly. Also have a good amount of a greenish type algea(?) growing on one of the live rocks. Lots of purple algea on some starting to sprout on others. What other tips do you recommend to help me keep my tank healthy. Thanks for everything in advance.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by zero1870
I got a new 75 gallon tank and it is completly cycled. I have live sand and - 75# of live rock. I have a damsel who has been in the tank for about a month. I have a small amount of brown algea growing on the back and one side of the tank. I just recently had the levels tested and they are all good (as of 4/11/2006 per LFS). I have all kinds of life growing in the tank that came along with my live rock. They include: small white starfish, a couple of throny type of worm, purple and pink in colour, feather duster. I just recently (4/11/2006) got: 2 clown fish, 1 hippo tang, 1 cleaner shrimp, and 1 blue linkia starfish. My question is, have i got the starfish too soon? Will he die? and is there anything i can do to prevent his death? Also, what is the best way to get rid of that aweful brown algea? it's so ugly. Also have a good amount of a greenish type algea(?) growing on one of the live rocks. Lots of purple algea on some starting to sprout on others. What other tips do you recommend to help me keep my tank healthy. Thanks for everything in advance.
I forgot the exact name for those star fish, Astrea or something like that....Maybe someone knows the name of it. They can be bad! But most of the time they're harmless, I have read on some sites that they will feed on zoanthids which I caught one feeding on it the other day. You added too many fish at once! That hippo tang is a ich magnet! You need well established tank before adding in any tang, you need to upgrade later when that tang grows bigger. That worm sounds like a bristle worm to me. And yes you added that starfish too soon, it's better to take it back for a credit. You can however add some cleanup crews like small hermits and snails to clean up a bit. You can add those cleanup crews in all at once without affecting your parameter. Just keep up your water parameter and you should be fine. Have you gotten a protein skimmer yet? If not, you should....Good Luck! :happyfish

 

[zero1870]

Thanks for all your advice. Unfortunitely the LFS that i bought the starfish at has a no returns policy; I wish i had come across these boards sooner. I realize now that i also need to build a clean up crew. I am planning on getting 3 scarlet hermit crabs, 3 emerald crabs, and 10 blueleg hermits, 10 cerith snails and 10 turbo snails. Also i found thread here on the boards that helps identify some of the hitchikers that I've found on my LR. I found the starfish and the bristle worms on there.
Do you think what i listed is an adequate clean-up crew, are there any other clean-up critters you might suggest??
Thanks!

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by zero1870
Thanks for all your advice. Unfortunitely the LFS that i bought the starfish at has a no returns policy; I wish i had come across these boards sooner. I realize now that i also need to build a clean up crew. I am planning on getting 3 scarlet hermit crabs, 3 emerald crabs, and 10 blueleg hermits, 10 cerith snails and 10 turbo snails. Also i found thread here on the boards that helps identify some of the hitchikers that I've found on my LR. I found the starfish and the bristle worms on there.
Do you think what i listed is an adequate clean-up crew, are there any other clean-up critters you might suggest??
Thanks!
That sounds just fine to me. Once your tank actually starts to mature (6-8 months), you can adjust your cleanup crew to your specific needs. Your snails may also reproduce. Some Nassarius Snails added would be nice! Just be patient and keep up with your tank. You'll be just fine!!! :happyfish

 

[zero1870]

I've been reading through my books and have a few questions.
First off I have 2 percula clownfish, i've done some reading and I'm just curious about whether or not to get an anemone for them. After some reading I feel like it might not be such a great idea because anemones eat other fish and sometimes even the clownfish. Any suggestions/advice??
Also, I've come to understand that the Hippo Tang is an ich magnet, but I have a cleaner shrimp, will he help keep the Tang clean??
And lastly I have a damsel fish that has been in the tank by himself for about a month. He seems to be very territorial, about half the time he will go after the largest clown fish and sometimes the hippo. I'm starting to think that i'll have to remove the damsel, suggestions??
I don't plan on adding any more fish anytime soon, but I'm doing research for when the time comes to add one MAYBE two more fish. Any suggestions. Right now there are 2 percula clownfish, one hippo tang, a blue lankia starfish, the damsel, a cleaner shrimp, plus cleanup crew. I think i'm headed for a reef tank.
Thanks in advance!!

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by zero1870
I've been reading through my books and have a few questions.
First off I have 2 percula clownfish, i've done some reading and I'm just curious about whether or not to get an anemone for them. After some reading I feel like it might not be such a great idea because anemones eat other fish and sometimes even the clownfish. Any suggestions/advice??
Also, I've come to understand that the Hippo Tang is an ich magnet, but I have a cleaner shrimp, will he help keep the Tang clean??
And lastly I have a damsel fish that has been in the tank by himself for about a month. He seems to be very territorial, about half the time he will go after the largest clown fish and sometimes the hippo. I'm starting to think that i'll have to remove the damsel, suggestions??
I don't plan on adding any more fish anytime soon, but I'm doing research for when the time comes to add one MAYBE two more fish. Any suggestions. Right now there are 2 percula clownfish, one hippo tang, a blue lankia starfish, the damsel, a cleaner shrimp, plus cleanup crew. I think i'm headed for a reef tank.
Thanks in advance!!
Anemones aren't really needed if you want your clowns to host something. Let them choose what they want to host. My larger one(which it will end up being a female) hosts in the large zoanthid colony and the smaller one(which it will end up being a male) hosts the Candy Cane Coral. But they do play in the Zoanthid colony together off and on. They may host other stuffs as well.
With Cleaner shrimp, some have success with'em, but IMO they will not prevent ich! By keeping up your water parameter and feeding nutricious food will help'em to prevent ich.
Damsels I would suggest to remove! Try to capture it and give it to someone who wants it.
If your heading towards reef, I would suggest a better lighting, what kind do you have right now? I love my MH's!!! Do you have a protein skimmer running??? IF not, you should look into that as well. Another thing you may want to look into is how to run a sump/fuge system underneath your tank within the cabinets, or sitting beside/or behind the tank. If the tank isn't drilled, then your option would be a overflow box. With a sump/fuge system running, it will save you headaches down the road.... :happyfish

 

[zero1870]

i have a protein skimmer running, i just hope i got it setup correctly. i have a we/dry system installed on my tank, and yes, it is predrilled. i've read that clowns will typically only host anemones. also, how long should i wait until i start getting coral?

 

[fishisfun7]

Do yourself a BIG favor and get 2-4 neon cleaner gobies. They are very small and don't get very big. They eat ich off of fish if they happen to get it as well as east other parasites off your fish. Your tangs will thank you. Plus, it is way cool to see the symbiotic (sp?) relationship that they have with your other fish! Good luck!

 

[happyvac]

It depends on what coral you'd like to get.
SPS (the most delicate of all coral) is around Cycle and 6 months+.
LPS and Softies I would say Cycle + a couple of months.
Of course, people have broken these rules before. These are just prudent guidelines.
Can you give us some info about your Wet/Dry and Skimmer?

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by zero1870
i have a protein skimmer running, i just hope i got it setup correctly. i have a we/dry system installed on my tank, and yes, it is predrilled. i've read that clowns will typically only host anemones. also, how long should i wait until i start getting coral?
I would really suggest 6+ months before adding in any corals, but like it was mentioned above, those rules have been broken before with success, but I wouldn't recommand it. Clowns WILL host other stuffs, not just anemone! If you talk to people on this forum, they will tell you the same. Like I've mentioned earlier, mine hosts Candy Cane Coral and Zoanthids. What type of wet/dry system do you have? What kind of Protein Skimmer do you have running? Running down in the wet/dry? :happyfish

 

[zero1870]

Originally Posted by HappyVac
Can you give us some info about your Wet/Dry and Skimmer?

I have a ProClear aquatic systems motorized protein skimmer, in the wet/dry. I'm not exactly sure about my wet/dry, I bought my tank from a friend brand new, including the stand, wet/dry, and lighting. I hadn't done very much research so I didn't think to ask him the exact components of it all. But i think that the wet/dry is also proclear aquatic systems.
I know i need much better lighting for corals, I'm interested in some zoo's, any advice??
Originally Posted by fishisfun7
Do yourself a BIG favor and get 2-4 neon cleaner gobies. They are very small and don't get very big. They eat ich off of fish if they happen to get it as well as east other parasites off your fish.
About a week ago I added 3 fish to my tank (i know WAY too many at once

) a hippo tang, and 2 perc clowns. I should wait at least 3 weeks before adding anymore right??

 

[happyvac]

If you're upgrading lighting, I'd highly suggest going all out and ponying up for MHs. It would run you about $400-$500 for a couple of new pendants.
If you're dead set on softies and zoas, I'd recommend some variation of PC lighting. I think a 4x65w Coralife Unit would be pretty nice on a tank like that. Would run you about $200.

 

[zero1870]

thanks happyvac.
two more questions if anyone is up for the challange. one, what is the best way to feed blue hippo tangs, and two, are denitrifiers worth it? if so, where is the best place to get one... reason i ask, i'm having a hard time keeping the nitrate level at zero it's somewhere around 5 and 10. i do 25% water changes every other week. any suggestions?

 

[zero1870]

bump

 

[majakarot]

I'm no expert, but here is my experience...
I also have a 75g tank and i use 4 48" VHO bulbs which gives me 440watts, not as good as MH, but about half the money... of course you can't keep stony corals with it.
My hippo tang eats flake like mad, but he will only eat Formula One, the rest he just spits out.
I also have a pair of clowns that host in a Long tentacle anemone, I've never had one eat a fish or anything like that, my clowns just refuse to host corals.
Finally, you want to keep your trates as low as possible, but 5-10 really isn't that bad.