New to the game

[crazyracer80]

Hello to all,
I just signed up on this site so i can get some helpful information about how i can start my tank out in the right direction, i have a 20 high with lighting that will be able to support a reef tank (the guy told me it is a very good lighting system). I went to the fish store the other day and got sum sort of purple slimey coral that flowers (i dont know the name of it sorry) after two days it doesnt open up as much as it did when i first got it. I dont know if it died or what happened. I layed it on some live rock that i have i dont know if that was the right way to go about doing it. If anyone has any suggestions on what to do to get a good stable reef tank started please let me know. I know that the tank is small but i didnt have much money or space at the time and just want something to look at to relieve my stress from this **** economy .

[crazyracer80]

ahah! i found the name of them they are call star polyps!

[jenglish]

star polyps are very hardy. You kind of hjave to watch them as sometimes they do a little too well and get to be almost a weed. They are a very good coral to cut your teeth on though. Tell us a bit more about your system. What kind of sand or rock is in the bottom? how is it filtered? what is the light you have? do you test your water?

Welcome to TRT!!!

[crazyracer80]

i have just regular white sand with argonite in it the lighting fixture that i have is a solar? im not sure of the wattage but it is a dual bulb and i have a few punds of live rock. I dont have a lot because i dont really know what im doing i have maybe about 5 -10 pounds of live rock. As for fish i have one yellow tail damsel and a four striped damsel and one coral shrimp. I encountered my first melt down about two months ago and recovered well from that (i had too many fish and did not keep up on my water changes) lesson learned i am scared to go by these expensive fish and coral and see it all crash again. Thanks

[jenglish]

many people will put all their tanks specs in a post in the forum of the same name. Then you can just copy and paste a link in any post or jsut put it in your signature. Saves you from listing the info over and over again

The best advice I can give you is read a lot, add things slowly after you have researched them and ask any questions you are unsure about. There is no such thing as a dumb question. Even the most experienced people on the site will still ask questions to get everyone's opinions.

Does your lights connect on both sides or is it bent or connected so that it only has contacts at one end?

[crazyracer80]

it has a connection only one one side, it is an orbit light fixture.the filter system i have came with the stock tank just a whisper filter i dont have any protein skimmers or anything but i do consistent water cahngers and have a test kit and frequently test for nitrate nitrite pnemonia and ph. i try to but distilled water to use wehn i do water changes i herd that tap water is very harsh and contains nitrate in it.