suggestions or advice on my 55 gal setup

[reeffreak9]

Hi, I am relitively new to the hobby,(about two months in) and I did do some research. But, I made the mistake of taking advice from my lfs. I learned from reding here that alot of what they told me was crap. And I realized I don't know as much as I should. I am looking for suggestions and advice on feeding and general care of my tank.
Here is what your looking at:
55 gallon tank
Emporer 400 filter
Berlin airlift 60 protein skimmer
60lbs. Natures ocean substrates
10lbs.Bio-active live aragonite
20lbs. live rock
Eclipse natural daylight 120vac 60hz 40w
Now it has been set up for about two months, cycled in about 1 month. there have been fish and corals in there for about 1 month.
My stock:
2 Damsels
3 Hermit crabs
1 Turbo snail
1 Coral banded shrimp
2 Condy anemone
1 Green mandarin
1 Percula clown
1 Dwarf lion
1 Long spine sea urchin
1 Brittle starfish
1 Haitian anemone
I have lost 2 damsels(in the beginning) I also lost a zebra mat anemone, and a beautiful princess parrotfish.

I don't want to lose anyone else so I am looking for advice to make shure I provide the best home possible for my new babies. :happyfish Thanks to all in advance!

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by reeffreak9

Hi, I am relitively new to the hobby,(about two months in) and I did do some research. But, I made the mistake of taking advice from my lfs. I learned from reding here that alot of what they told me was crap. And I realized I don't know as much as I should. I am looking for suggestions and advice on feeding and general care of my tank.
Here is what your looking at:
55 gallon tank
Emporer 400 filter
Berlin airlift 60 protein skimmer
60lbs. Natures ocean substrates
10lbs.Bio-active live aragonite
20lbs. live rock
Eclipse natural daylight 120vac 60hz 40w
Now it has been set up for about two months, cycled in about 1 month. there have been fish and corals in there for about 1 month.
My stock:
2 Damsels
3 Hermit crabs
1 Turbo snail
1 Coral banded shrimp
2 Condy anemone
1 Green mandarin
1 Percula clown
1 Dwarf lion
1 Long spine sea urchin
1 Brittle starfish
1 Haitian anemone
I have lost 2 damsels(in the beginning) I also lost a zebra mat anemone, and a beautiful princess parrotfish.

I don't want to lose anyone else so I am looking for advice to make shure I provide the best home possible for my new babies. :happyfish Thanks to all in advance!
Oh my.....Yours is a tough one....Where do I begin...First take back ALL your anemone and Mandarin. You need to sit down and decide what you really want to keep and do some major research. Dwarf Lion will try to eat anything that he can fit in his mouth, that goes with your small fish and shrimp as well. Your tank is too young to handle anemone and mandarin, you don't have enough LR nor do you have anything that will help with pods popuation like a sump/fuge system. They both require well established tanks to survive as a mandarin needs 100+ lbs of live rock for producing pod's population and with the help of a fuge system. It is also too young to handle sooo many inhabitants at such a short period of time. I hope your feeding that brittle star and the urchin. And the rest of your inverts, I don't feel there's enough food to go around. Major research is required!!!

 

[reeffreak9]

That is what makes me so mad about my lfs! They sold me these as I was asking if everyone was compatable. I have also been told NO RETURS ON SW FISHES. Now the lfs told me that everyone in my tank would eat brine shrimp and since I find out there is practically no nutritional value, I started processing my own fishy food (using the recipe in one of the threads posted by beth) My lionfish is rather small though and I don't beleive anyone else is small enough for him to eat, and he has'nt tried thus far. I know I've made some mistakes (thank you lfs ) But I am stuck with what I have, so I want to do my best to try to keep them healthy.
Now mikeyjer, you say you hope I am feeding my urchin and starfish. Is there something else I need to feed them? I have seen the urchin eat some of the brine as well as my homemade frozen stuff.
The anemones eat everyday, they eat like little piggies. Sometimes I am afraid they don't save any for the fishes! Lion, Damsels and nemo eat well too. I have noticed the mandarin does'nt seem to be eating, is there some type of supplement I could give him? My shrimp is big, and eats all the time.
So basicly, what should I do for my Star, Urchin, and Mandarin. I do know I need more LR, and plan to get more this week. I was thinking another 30lbs? Iam not going to add anymore fishes, but maybe a couple more snails?

 

[promisetbg]

The parrotfish did'nt make it..sorry to hear that. Good advice from Mikeyjer. Don't blame the LFS...they are a business and unfortunately most LFS won't give you the right story..or you may walk out and not buy from them. At my shop we try to educate people and won't sell you animals unless your tank is ready or the proper size. But guess what...some people never come back because they want what they want, and they don't want to wait. Some employess at LFS' really don't know any better..at least you are here and have the opportunity to research...it's up to you. Good luck and slow down.

 

[reeffreak9]

Promisetbg, Ty for trying to help with my parrotfish. She unfortunately did'nt make it to the formulin bath

. What makes me mad about my lfs is that he knows me. I've been going to him for years for everything for my ferrets, dog, and fw setup( 1 cichlid and 3 fw parrotfish). I don't know if he intentionally told me bad advice to make sale, or if he really does'nt know better. My fw tank has been up for about 5 years and is problem free. Sw is so much more complex than I thought it to be. Unfortunately I did'nt find this site til I was in over my head.

But, I am learning more everyday, this site is a great source of information, keep up the good work everyone!

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by reeffreak9
That is what makes me so mad about my lfs! They sold me these as I was asking if everyone was compatable. I have also been told NO RETURS ON SW FISHES. Now the lfs told me that everyone in my tank would eat brine shrimp and since I find out there is practically no nutritional value, I started processing my own fishy food (using the recipe in one of the threads posted by beth) My lionfish is rather small though and I don't beleive anyone else is small enough for him to eat, and he has'nt tried thus far. I know I've made some mistakes (thank you lfs ) But I am stuck with what I have, so I want to do my best to try to keep them healthy.
Now mikeyjer, you say you hope I am feeding my urchin and starfish. Is there something else I need to feed them? I have seen the urchin eat some of the brine as well as my homemade frozen stuff.
The anemones eat everyday, they eat like little piggies. Sometimes I am afraid they don't save any for the fishes! Lion, Damsels and nemo eat well too. I have noticed the mandarin does'nt seem to be eating, is there some type of supplement I could give him? My shrimp is big, and eats all the time.
So basicly, what should I do for my Star, Urchin, and Mandarin. I do know I need more LR, and plan to get more this week. I was thinking another 30lbs? Iam not going to add anymore fishes, but maybe a couple more snails?

Let your LFS know what is being said about your tank. Ask him if he would trade your fish in for something else. You need to spot feed your star with meaty foods like mysis shrimp, krill, squid, etc. You can feed algae sheets for those inverts, they'll pick off whatever the fish don't eat. Try feeding frozen foods like formula 2, marine cuisine, etc. I would try to feed the mandarin to see if he would eat frozen food, a local reefer feeds his frozen food and it does just fine, a very fat mandarin!!! If he doesn't accept it, you really need to try to find someone to take it. If he dies, he can pollute your whole tank and end up killing everyone cause once he stresses out or dies, he'll release toxins within your tank. If your going to add more rock, add them slowly, try to get well cured live rock to add to your tank. For me, I really would take all those stuffs back that I mentioned before or find someone to give'em to. Good Luck! :happyfish

 

[reeffreak9]

Ty mikeyjer, I want to make shure my star is eating. I used a turkey baster to squirt mysis to him and he freaked out and moved to the other side of the tank. Is there any other way that I can spot feed him? I heard of using a clip? I'm not shure what to do.

 

[reeffreak9]

I also wathched my coral banded shrimp pull a red fuzzy looking worm out of the lr and he is eating it. I'm not shure what it is....

 

[promisetbg]

Fireworm or bristleworm.

 

[sinner's girl]

I want to make shure my star is eating. I used a turkey baster to squirt mysis to him and he freaked out and moved to the other side of the tank. Is there any other way that I can spot feed him? I heard of using a clip? I'm not shure what to do.
wash your hands and rinse well, get a piece of shrimp...I use 1/3 of a salad shrimp for mine...
hand the star the shrimp, mysis is too small, he need to be able to grab it...other seafood will work as well, make sure it's not frozen when you give it to him. shortly, the star will be 'trained' and will come to you for the food. My climbs out of the rocks and comes to the front glass, stands on two feet and waves his other 'arms' for food, I hand it to him, he takes it and goes back to his rocks....
the new brittle isn't as smart...I have to find him and give it to him, but he'll take it. My old brittle would come out for food.
mine would take bloodworms (I'd squize the packege in his hand). but I only did that if I was out of shrimp.
while you're at it, give a small piece to teh CBS, shrimp love shrimp!

 

[reeffreak9]

Thank you sinners girl. I will do that. Feeding him by hand sounds really cool. I hope he comes out asking for it after a while too! :happyfish

:happyfish

 

[reeffreak9]

Originally Posted by promisetbg
Fireworm or bristleworm.
So, I take it these are another hitchhiker and are not harmful?

 

[promisetbg]

Yep and yep..as long as they don't get out of hand. Sometimes you will get too many bristleworms{it means you are overfeeding,back off and their numbers will drop}. If I see one come waltzing out in the daylight and it has grown to some ridiculous length, I take it out. Otherwise I don't worry about them. Fireworms are more rare, and prettier, and sting harder..hence their name. Bristleworms tend to congregate under corals by day, so be careful when you move things. They can light you up!

 

[reeffreak9]

Hey sinners girl, ty so much for the advice on feeding my star. I gave him a piece of shrimp, and he took it from my hand. SOOOOOOOOO COOOOOOOOOL!

:happyfish

:happyfish

 

[reeffreak9]

Promisetbg, ty for letting me know that they sting....I would'nt have known that.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by reeffreak9
Promisetbg, ty for letting me know that they sting....I would'nt have known that.
It hurts like $#^%#^#$ I can tell you that much...

:happyfish

 

[fanker]

well if i were u i would get a better filter. if u dont want a sump go witha big canister filter, like a rena x3 or fluval 404, or there new ones

 

[reeffreak9]

I hear everyone talking about thier sumps...I don't really know alot about setting one up. I would like to learn more and go with that. I'd like to know if my lighting is adequate for my corals. Anemones. I do want to get some other types later, a brain, toadstool, so I wonder if I will need metal halide lights for them. I won't be adding them for quite some time but, before I make minimal upgrades I'd just as soon go for the best now. I also believe I need a wavemaker. Keep the suggestions and advice coming, please!

:happyfish

:happyfish

 

[matt819]

You need a lot more light for corals, especially anemones, they really require intense light, preferrably metal halides. You need hundreds of watts, not 40. You should think about getting somethin like the 260w PC light fixtures, 200+ watts of t5s just to support basic soft corals like mushrooms, zoos, xenia, colts, frogspawn. Metal halide setup with a couple 150w or 175w bulbs is what you want for anemones and hard coral.

 

[mikeyjer]

For my 55 gallon reef I run 2-175w SE MH 14k and 2-110w VHO super actinics along with moon lights. I keep numerous types of corals. LPS corals I keep Bubble Coral, Frogspawn, Hammer Coral, Long Tentacle Plate Coral, Brown & White Pipe Organ, and some unknown one. SPS I keep Green Cap, Orange Cap, Purple Edge Cap, Pocilliopora, Blue Millipora, and Pink Bird's Nest. For softies I keep Green Star Polyps, Different color of Zoas, Xenia, Anthelia, Colt, and Kenya Tree. Good Luck! :happyfish