started backwards, life and then tank, need advice

seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
Hi! New here, New to everything. Long story short- we went on a cruise and did off shore shelling. We looked over the shells real close and then our captain looked over them too. Still a few days later when we got home and I laid the shells out to dry... one of them walked away...
Sadly we live nowhere near saltwater and I called all the stores that handle saltwater in a driveable range and no one would take him. So I made him a home.
He seems happy, all things considered. I've learned he is a thinstriped hermit who tends to live in brackish waters.
I've set up a tank best I could figure but I definitely need advice.
He is in a 10g tank, the substrate is a mix of peddles, course live sand, and fine Beach sand from the exact place he was taken. I'm using purified seawater. Currently curing some live rock. It has a waterfall filter on it that gives a good current and lots of shells.
I ended up getting a Domino Damsel from the lfs per the owner's recommendation. I don't plan to get any more fish. I also happened upon another thinstriped at ***** and felt like that was a sign. They never carry them, they didn't even have a way to ring him up so they gave him to me.
They've been in with each other 2 weeks now and all is well. Had the wild crab 2 weeks longer. They eat well and are active. So I think I'm doing OK so far.
What I need advice on is general care. What is a cheap hydrometer? What other items do I need?
Eventually I'll get them a larger tank but for the next few months this is it and I need affordable options as I'm tight on money after the trip.
And my only concern right now is it appears brown algae is growing, so I need to deal with that accordingly.
 
cav414

cav414

Member
Hey buddy welcome
If the brown algae is in the substrate its dytoms, this is caused from excess biological waste and you can use a Turkey baster to stir it up so it can get coaght by your filter. If its on your class its no big deal I get it constantly. Get you a magnetic class cleaner to clean it off.
The hermit crabs are CUC (clean up crew) they basically eat the excess biological waste in your tank and help keep it clean.
You may want to look into some small power heads for your damsel it would make it happier. And also be careful with damsels, I don't know much about the domino damsels but my blue damsel was vicious and they get meaner the older they get.
I hope this helps as I am still fairly new to the hobby but there are some people here who are brilliant so you picked a good place to ask questions.
This thread helped and still helps me a lot so check it out.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/388776/guides-for-new-hobbyists/150#post_3542196
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
The diatoms will eventually go away as the tank balances itself out. We all get them in new systems, no big deal. I wouldn't worry much about the damsel becoming aggressive - it will, but since there are no other fish in the tank it can attack the rock all it wants, but be careful putting your hand into the tank, it will attack you, and can draw blood. As your tank goes along water will evaporate. In order to maintain stable salinity you should replace this evaporated water with purified water which, for a small system like yours, you can buy inexpensively at WalMart - according to several people on this site all WMs have a dispenser, just bring your own container.
 
seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
It's on the glass mainly. I've cut down the light hours. I guess I need to get a hydrometer of some sort. Any that are less than $10?
 
seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
OMG this morning one of the crabs was laying dead outside his shell...or so I thought! He apparently molted.
I already removed what I thought was a dead crab, I hope that will be OK. I know usually they eat that stuff.
 
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