So lost....

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sweetpea1286

Guest
I have recently been lucky enough to "inherit" a saltwater tank from an uncle of mine... It is a 60 gallon column tank. It has about 100lbs+of live rock and 2-3 inches of live sand on the bottom. This WAS an established tank (months ago) it became gross and overgrown with algea. It has about 10 hermit crabs (have no idea other than they look like hermit crabs) A giant snail "thing" (4inches or so) and several baby snail "things." It has (what I was told is) a piece of bubble coral and an overgrowth of some reddish colored "bad anemonie" (have no idea about spelling or even what it is!) It also has two fish that I am trying to identify. One is big (6in or so) and black with a white patch around his top fin. The other is 2-3 inches and is black and white (vertically) striped. (It is adorable!) It also has a spiky ball looking thing that moves. (I think it is a urchin of sorts) It has sharp looking spikes and is reddish in color.
As you can tell by my lack of termonology, I have no idea what I'm talking about much less doing

They brought the tank to my home today and "set it up." They managed to break the pump thing (says Submersible utility pump and has a 1/2 inch opening for water to go in and 1/2 inch opening to go out) It sounds like a rock is in it or something? I was told it is fried to get a new one. I don't know what it is or does, much less what to ask for!
It goes in the filter system in the tank below.
Everything was transported in water and the fish seem fine for now. I am loss as to where to even begin to get this tank clean and running. I'd upload pics, but the tank is still settling and is VERY cloudy. (They said it would clear after tonight) If anyone has any advice or ideas on where to start or what to do
 
robdog696

robdog696

Member
Congrats! Welcome to the addiction and the boards! LOL! You came to the right place! It's late, but if you check back mid day tomorrow you will get TONS of help! Where are the fish now? Are they in the main tank? Who moved the tank and set it up for you? Have you contacted a local fish store (lfs) about the pump yet? Did they give you a water test kit or hydrometer/refractometer with the tank? I may be overwhelming you with questions. Sorry! The best thing you can do right now is read these posts. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/264597/a-list-of-extremely-helpful-threads-for-all-hobbyists
Oh, and I can't help with IDs based on the descriptions, sorry. :(
 
meleerock

meleerock

Member
Sounds like the fish with the square might be a domino damsel and the one with the stripes might be a 3 or 4 stripe damsel. The spikey ball thing sounds like an urchin. If you check on this site on the fish or inverts they have for sale you might be able to tell by the picture they give. Good luck with the tank. That link is great and provides a ton of information
Bryan
 
S

sweetpea1286

Guest
I think I may have ID'd one of the fish, but I have a REALLY STUPID questioin... Can a 3 stripe damsel have 4 stripes? I swear it looks just like this but has an "extra stripe!"
The fish are actually in the tank already. They (the person who moved the tank~ I think it was the attorney who read the will's sons? Not sure what he knows about fish to be honest....) said it would be fine since it didn't need to cycle. I haven't contacted anyone yet as they just finished putting it together about 9:30ish. I plan on going to the store tomorrow to firgure out what I'll need. I don't know anything about test kits or anything like that at this point, so I guess I'll be buying LOTS tomorrow. They did give me LOTS of frozen fish food and Prime water conditioner/nitrate/nitrite/slime coat stuff. That's about it. They said b/c it was set up and running with the same water it now has in it, it would be fine...
Hopefully tomorrow I'll find someone knowledgable about saltwater tanks, but not wanting me to buy the whole store (it you know what I'm saying)
I'll be uploading pics in just a minute :)
 
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sweetpea1286

Guest
Here is a pic of some of the Live Rock in the tank :)
Here is my tank!
What is this? He is black and has a white "spot" around his top fin.


Here is a pic of the bubble coral starting to come out again. It is right in the middle and kind of purple
 
S

sweetpea1286

Guest
This is the fish I thought might be a 3 stripe damsel??? Any ideas?
These things are also in the tank....
Sorry about the clarity, but they are tiny things and I can barely see them myself until the tank clears :)
 
rbaldino

rbaldino

Active Member
The first fish looks like some sort of damsel, though I don't think it's a domino. The second one is a four stripe damsel (very closely related to the three stripe, but not as aggressive). Damsels aren't know for being nice to lots of other kinds of fish, but they are quite hardy (as I'm sure you've figured out).
The tank looks over-stuffed with rock, so I'd probably get rid of some of it to create more swimming room and more room for water. It also looks very cloudy. Are you running any kind of mechanical filtration (something to trap debris)?
Good luck. I hope you can get the tank back to where it deserves be.
 
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sweetpea1286

Guest
Originally Posted by rbaldino
The first fish looks like some sort of damsel, though I don't think it's a domino. The second one is a four stripe damsel (very closely related to the three stripe, but not as aggressive). Damsels aren't know for being nice to lots of other kinds of fish, but they are quite hardy (as I'm sure you've figured out).
The tank looks over-stuffed with rock, so I'd probably get rid of some of it to create more swimming room and more room for water. It also looks very cloudy. Are you running any kind of mechanical filtration (something to trap debris)?
Good luck. I hope you can get the tank back to where it deserves be.

Thanks :) I have about 100lbs of LR in the tank now, but it is all in the back and is VERY open in the front. I don't want to take anything out until I can be sure there is anything alive, stuck to, or in them)The tank has been up and running for about 5-6 hours now and already I can tell a huge difference. The tank was very cloudy, but is settling now. I'm sure by morning it will be clear. I don't have a clue as to any type of filtration system as I stated above. I do know I have to get some kind of pump that they broke while trying to install it. (2 hoses hook to it, goes in the tank below it) Have no idea what it is or what it does. I guess I'll just take it with me and ask them if they have "one of these."

I don't think the black fish is a damsel. They say they are smaller fish. He is almost 6 inches... I checked all the pics, but don't see him anywhere. I guess I can ask tomorrow at the store :)
 
fishn808

fishn808

Member
Originally Posted by sweetpea1286
Thanks :) I have about 100lbs of LR in the tank now, but it is all in the back and is VERY open in the front. I don't want to take anything out until I can be sure there is anything alive, stuck to, or in them)The tank has been up and running for about 5-6 hours now and already I can tell a huge difference. The tank was very cloudy, but is settling now. I'm sure by morning it will be clear. I don't have a clue as to any type of filtration system as I stated above. I do know I have to get some kind of pump that they broke while trying to install it. (2 hoses hook to it, goes in the tank below it) Have no idea what it is or what it does. I guess I'll just take it with me and ask them if they have "one of these."

I don't think the black fish is a damsel. They say they are smaller fish. He is almost 6 inches... I checked all the pics, but don't see him anywhere. I guess I can ask tomorrow at the store :)
could be a grey poma angel https://www.saltwaterfish.com/
 
rbaldino

rbaldino

Active Member
Originally Posted by sweetpea1286
I don't think the black fish is a damsel. They say they are smaller fish. He is almost 6 inches... I checked all the pics, but don't see him anywhere. I guess I can ask tomorrow at the store :)
Some damsels can get quite large, so you never know.
 
bbailey231

bbailey231

Member
Originally Posted by sweetpea1286
Thanks :) I have about 100lbs of LR in the tank now, but it is all in the back and is VERY open in the front. I don't want to take anything out until I can be sure there is anything alive, stuck to, or in them)The tank has been up and running for about 5-6 hours now and already I can tell a huge difference. The tank was very cloudy, but is settling now. I'm sure by morning it will be clear. I don't have a clue as to any type of filtration system as I stated above. I do know I have to get some kind of pump that they broke while trying to install it. (2 hoses hook to it, goes in the tank below it) Have no idea what it is or what it does. I guess I'll just take it with me and ask them if they have "one of these."

I don't think the black fish is a damsel. They say they are smaller fish. He is almost 6 inches... I checked all the pics, but don't see him anywhere. I guess I can ask tomorrow at the store :)
Your live rock shouldn't be too much. I'd move it so it isn't all laying in the bank...open it up some so there is water flow all around it, you don't want any dead spots. The black fish with white spot, could it possibly be a keyhole angel? I've never saw one 6 inches so i'm not sure what it would look like, but it does look like some type of angel. By your description of the pump they broke I believe it is your main pump for filteration. I would think you definitely need that one asap.
Good luck and welcome to the boards!
 
oceansidefish

oceansidefish

Active Member
First of all for the love of fishies DON'T go to one of the big chain pet stores. If you need help let us know where you live and someone in your area can help you find a good place to go for info and help on what to do. But here is what you will need for now....
Master Test Kit to check the water.
Second, you will need R/O water for top off's and water changes (From the inclusion of Prime in what you got I would guess that your uncle was just using tap water) That's not entirely recommended.
Thrid if you don't have salt you have two options: one buy salt, two your local lfs may sell a pre-mix which is often easier until you get the hang of things and is generally not too expensive.
Four, several hours reading through every single thing on this board you can stand....
 
ric maniac

ric maniac

Active Member
Originally Posted by sweetpea1286
I don't think the black fish is a damsel. They say they are smaller fish. He is almost 6 inches... I checked all the pics, but don't see him anywhere. I guess I can ask tomorrow at the store :)
could be a grouper.
 
ric maniac

ric maniac

Active Member
Oceansidefish said:
First of all for the love of fishies DON'T go to one of the big chain pet stores.
i actually find my ***** awsome.... its better than any lfs here. it depends on the store. not all are bad, especially for supplies or equipment....
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
S

sweetpea1286

Guest
I went to 2 different stores today. One was just a petshop and the other was a Saltwater specialty store (Savannah, GA) The first didn't know you couldn't use reegular salt in a saltwater tank! Then they tell me a bilge (sp?) pump is what I needed. I didn't need a pump like the broken one! I left and went to the other store. They seemed more money hungry insisting I needed to buy things (whole new filter system $700, More live sand and live rock, and all kinds of things I know I don't need) I got my test kit and Instant Ocean Salt. (that's what was used before) I asked if they could replace "this" and handed them the pump. They said no (they didn't carry it) what did I need it for. That's when they tried to sell me a whole new filtration system! All I need is a submersible pump with a 1/2inch input (so I can hook up the hose) and 1/2 in output. (for a hose!) Anyone got any ideas on where to go from here? Is there another place I can ask? (maybe a marine shop that sells boat parts?) It would be a little easier, but I have no idea what I'm even asking for!
I'm already pregnant and hormonal. I don't know what to do

The only thing I did find out today is that they bigger fish is a damsel. (Or so I am told) He supposedly had a bright blue pinstripe down his side and was jet black when he was smaller. I checked everyones suggestions, but didn't find a match. Any more guesses?
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
There are hundreds of species in the Damselidae family (including Clownfish). We may never know specifically which it is. A good pic will come a long way in helping us ID it.
Don't panic!
We're here to help ya. You found a great resource.
First off it looks like you have a powerhead moving water in the tank. That's all you need for the moment until we can get more info from ya.
Do you this to be a reef tank or fish only?
 
oceansidefish

oceansidefish

Active Member
ric maniac said:
Oceansidefish said:
First of all for the love of fishies DON'T go to one of the big chain pet stores.
i actually find my ***** awsome.... its better than any lfs here. it depends on the store. not all are bad, especially for supplies or equipment....

Well you may have a decent one but EVERY single one I have been to in southern california is worthless for fish. Been very good with my dog but worthless for my fish. I have also found MANY dead or near dead fish there with less than good advise... But I am happy there is at least one out there with a fish brained employee
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
oceansidefish

oceansidefish

Active Member
Here is my suggestion....First fish guys can often think girls are unassuming and stupid, I have had it happen to me. Put your foot down and don't let them talk you into something you don't need. Second, post as many pictures as you can on this site. We are a very friendly community and will give you helpfull advise so you can go in and ask for only what you need. Sometimes you need to go back to the fish store and get someone else. I know that there are only a couple guys at my LFS we trust. They are always helpfull and BS with us, give us good deals on stuff and tell us when we don't need something or are looking at a fish not suited for us.
Also please don't give up...I would DIE to inherit a tank like that.
 
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