would love any helpful info...new at this!

lauriecw

lauriecw

New Member
hi....Brand new to the hobby and these boards. I've done lots of research before jumping in, but have a feeling you'll never stop learning! Here's what I have..any advice is appreciated!
I have a recently cycled Eclipse 29, with live rock/live sand. There's a Berlin air-lift protein skimmer in there that just barely fits due to the hood (awaiting new stones right now, so it's not functioning.) 2 week ago I added some inverts..a coral banded shrimp, few turbo snails, 2 emerald crabs, and unfortunatley a choc chip starfish ( was told it would be ok in a reef tank...I'm thinking maybe not!?)
Testing levels everyday, everything tests out great, but nitrates seem to stay around 10-15. I waited a week after adding inverts, then placed my order for my fish etc. Got 2 perc clowns, green chromis, blue damsel (died that night)blue w/ yellow tail damsel 3 stripe damsel, bi-color blenny, pink -tip anemone,3 scarlet hermits and a cleaner shrimp. Did the drip-acclimation according to the website, which was easier than it seemed. Had 5 g of premixed saltwater from LFS (tested it to be sure..perfect levels) that I added as a water change. Nitrates came down to 5, but next day back up to 10-15 where they've maintained. I have the eclipse carbon catridges, but not sure if they are safe to use? I seem to have some uneaten junk lying on the sand.Maybe once my airstones come for the skimmer that will go away?
The day after everything was added everything seems to be doing great, I came home from work and the cleaner shrimps empty shell was on the anemone. He's still nowhere to be found so I don't think he molted. It is possible that the anemone ate him or maybe the starfish? He was nearby. Then shortly after the anemone shriveled up and I thought he was dead...but it's ok now.The starfish stayed in one spot for a long time too...even though he normally moves around alot. My LFS said I could feed him a clam from the seafood dept, and he would feed off that for days. Do you think he will likely leave the inverts alone if I give him say.. 1 clam a week? Also....will the anemone eat the same clams? My clowns don't seem to like the flake or pellet I'm feeding either...they swim to it, then swim away. What else could I offer them?
Sorry I jammed all of this into 1 post, but wanted to lay it all out there at once! Thanks for any useful info...
Laurie
ps..just scooped a turbo snail corpse off the top of the water..yuck!
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
did you add that all at once? if so you are probably in for a big problem. how long has the tank been up?
 
jimmy 4

jimmy 4

Member
your moving way too fast, and adding stuff in the wrong order. You should have just stated with one fish after the cycle. You should add things one at a time with a new tank. I think that you are headed for disaster after adding 7 fish at once. 7 fish are probably way too much for a 29 gallon especially if you want to keep corals.
Added the anemone way way too soon, they usually need a well established tank (6 months or more). If it is a pink tiped haitian anemone it will probably eat your fish too.
Choc starfish are definatly not reef safe, i had one that ate my anemone a long time ago. Feeding him clams may keep him at bay, but you never know
My clowns like frozen brine shrimp, my anemone also likes the brine shrimp. Krill is good as well. When it comes to food variety is best.
What kind of lighting do you have, how much Live Rock, how much Live sand or crushed coral, and what is your ph. How old is you tank?
I hope everything works out and nothing dies, but you should move more slowly. Don't get discouraged, most people mess up with saltwater tanks in the beginning. Ive been at this for a few years and still make mistakes. This board helps out a lot. The first post in this forum has a lot of helpful info. check it out.
good luck
 
seasalt101

seasalt101

Active Member
don't feed brine on any kind of basis as it has no nutritional value whatsoever, try mysis shrimp, marine cuisine these are frozen foods or you can make your own in a food processor there are recipes here if you search for them and welcome to the boards...tobin
 
seasalt101

seasalt101

Active Member
i've always heard if you do feed brine you feed only as a treat once in a while i never feed brine to my fish, i feed algae strips and pellets, mysis, marine cuisine, flake on occasion, and krill now and then, i want to start making my own soon, but that's just me...tobin
 
puffer32

puffer32

Active Member
I use live brine to get finicky fish to start eating, and its a treat for the others on occasion.
 
lauriecw

lauriecw

New Member
Hi,
Thanks for the info....hope I haven't rushed it..wasn't aware that you should only add one fish at a time. The fish are approx 1" in length, and look tiny in the tank. I don't plan on keeping corals.
The anemone info on this website said it was peaceful and reef safe so I thought the pink tip would be ok....right now it's an orange ball, no tentacles out. What causes them to do that?
Just added a Penguin 550 power head and bought a reef test kit. Been using the saltwater test kit. My levels are: PH 8.2, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 10 ,phosphates 0, calcium 380ppm,alkalinity 214.ppm.
The aquarium has 25 lbs of live rock, about 2" of live sand/argonite, was cycled for about 3 weeks before adding the inverts. Was told to add them first since they are generally hardy. Then it was another week (testing levels daily) before adding fish. So I guess the tank has been up for about 5 weeks.
Oh...also have the frozen brine, which the clowns won't eat. Just got some frozen saltwater food multi-pack which has squid,brine,plankton (can't remember what else) that the clowns seem to like. I've been feeding a pinch of flake crumbled up and a few pellets (small pellets are too big for these little fish) and a cube of frozen brine that the blenny likes every other day.
I've found that lots of people's opinions of what's best vary and I'm doing my best to talk to people with experience and learning as much as I can (reading alot online too.) Some I guess is trial and error..hopefully not at the expense of my fish...
I need to charge my camera, and will try and get a pic on here if I can figure it out.I appreciate your responses!
 
newtankman

newtankman

Member
As stated, you need to slow down and do not add anything else. I have a 29gal with an eclipse hood and it has so far been a good set-up. But by adding so much so fast you may cause your tank to become unstable.
The ccs will eat soft coral as well as any thing else it can catch so take caution on what you put in the tank with him.
Again, take your time and good luck.
 
seasalt101

seasalt101

Active Member
and another thing is please check everything out here before you go to the lfs there is alot of knowledge here for free most lfs have bad reputations for selling you fish that will not do well in your system ie: a tang will not go in a 29gal and thrive, a mandarin will not either not enough lr to keep it fed, they eat the pods on the lr an anenome needs an established tank and very strong lights, and there are many many more so just check here 1st then research and no more than 5 small fish in a 29 good luck and have fun and when it all seems to cost so much, it will still cost you more...tobin
 
lauriecw

lauriecw

New Member
Originally Posted by seasalt101
and another thing is please check everything out here before you go to the lfs there is alot of knowledge here for free most lfs have bad reputations for selling you fish that will not do well in your system ie: a tang will not go in a 29gal

Thanks Tobin....I actually wanted a tang but my LFS said no way in a 29g. I mostly am reading online, and have talked with they guy who comes and services the tanks when my LFS get's their new shipments. It's a little family owned place that's been around for years. I won't buy from the big chain that sells saltwater fish.
One thing I don't get is the lighting....I don't have corals and won't as long as I have the CCS. I have the Eclipse 29 Marine...the lights it came with are very bright (to me at least) but all they say is Eclipse Natural Daylight ..couldn't find the wattage....anyone know? I have the anemone placed right under the lights and he seems to be doing ok. The one little clown loves him, the other doesn't come too close. Is it normal for one to "claim" it for itself?
Also...since I rushed it a bit..when could I expect things to go south? So far everyone is good (except for my eaten cleaner shrimp!) I'm still testing everyday. I did a 5g water change a week ago...when should I do the next?
Should I using the carbon at all? Right now I don't have any in....
Thanks again for the info!
Laurie
 
kynekke

kynekke

Member
The wattage for bulbs is usually etched into the metal around where it fits into the socket. I had to go searching for mine once, try there.
 
kanicky

kanicky

Member
Eesh, you did start off a little to fast, but what's done is done, so we'll help you from this starting point :happyfish
It sounds like although you say you did research, you didn't do quite enough before you dived in (pun intended) but that's okay, because we've all been there and done that.
I'd suggest getting rid of the Damsels and keeping just the two clown fish and the bi-color blenny. (IMHO) I wouldn't do more than three fish in the tank. I know it's hard because it seems that there's so much space but remember that each fish will grow and they also need to develop their own territory. I have five fish in my 45 gallon and my MIL always asks why I don't have more. I tell her that the fish are going to get bigger, and then she asks "Well, when?!"

I don't know if you have any books on marine aquaria, but allow me to suggest a really good one:
The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Dr. Robert Fenner
This book has helped me and others tremendously and has a lot of good tips and advice on setting up and maintaining a healthy and successful system.
Of course ask us any questions you may have and we will be glad to help!
 
lauriecw

lauriecw

New Member
Originally Posted by Kanicky
I don't know if you have any books on marine aquaria, but allow me to suggest a really good one:
The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Dr. Robert Fenner
This book has helped me and others tremendously and has a lot of good tips and advice on setting up and maintaining a healthy and successful system.
Of course ask us any questions you may have and we will be glad to help!

Thanks for your input! Just bought the book.
I'm on pins and needles waiting to see if my fish die :( Hopefully my screw up of moving too fast won't kill them... :notsure:
I am concerned/curious as to why my anemone seems to shrivel up and curl into a ball at least once a day?
 
rstiles

rstiles

Member
40 wats is really not much for any inverts or any anemones its around 1.38 watts per gallon way to low, use the carbon pads for the hood, i had the same setup and found pointing the return half way arcoss the front was giving me the best water flow,also small power head helped a lot,the anemone will not eat the fish,the clowns might start hosting it, if thay are small it will take a while for them do it.
 
lauriecw

lauriecw

New Member
here's 2 pics...I moved my anemone closer to the light. He was at the bottom and at times looking terrible. He looks good at the moment!
All fish doing well so far ( a week in.) I'm all flipped out that I've gotten in over my head... :scared:

 
jimmy 4

jimmy 4

Member
how many corals did you buy?
The tank looks great right now, but you've completely filled it in less than a month. You have more stuff in your tank than i do, and ive had mine up for two years lol. If nothing dies you shoud write a book.
 
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