Hi I Am A New Reeftank Person Ans I Need Your Help

dermp · 05-23-2003, 06:14 PM

Hi guys I just signed up and have to say this is one of the best reef sites on the net. I have just started a reef and fish tank last Saturday!!! Please read all this thread before posting!!! Before I tell you what I have here is my problem my nitrates are a little high about 30ppm and my ammonia is a little high 0.30 and my gravity or water salinity is a little high 1.024 are these safe or do I need to lower them before something bad happens. My fish seem happy swimming and eating and my anemones look fine. Now most of you might say you just started up a tank, well yes here is what I have:

25 Gallon Bow front tank
300 Aqua clear filter
Lees protein skimmer with air pump for up to 30 gallons
100 watt heater

10 lbs of Live Rock (NEW)
20 lbs of Live Rock (establisted) was in another tank for 8 months
10 lbs of Crushed Coral
11 different anemones(feather duster, Polyps,mushrooms and others that I am not sure of)
1 Flame Hawk
1 BiColoured Angle fish
1 Clown Fish
2 Blue damsels
1 Seperant star fish
3 emerald crabs
2 Hermit crabs
3-4 snails

Now I know your going to say how in the name of god are they still alive, I started the tank up with the 25 gallon saltwater kit with the new 10 lbs of live rock by itself then a friend told me he could give me 2 damsels to help speed things up so I said ok!! Then I heard from another person that a guy he new was getting out of saltwater and selling his stuff so I bought it. Took half of his water and took out half my water and put his in and put all the fish and anemones in. They are all doing well seem happy and not under any stress. Should my tank be just about established? Or am I in for trouble!! And are those numbers I gave safe!!

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY HELP
DERM

ylmaya · 05-23-2003, 06:20 PM

What lighting are you using? One of the many "single most important things" in reefkeeping is the lights since they provide a lot of what reef animals need to keep alive.

Also - 1.024 is not low for salinity. You can go as high as 1.026 for corals....fish prefer it where you have it I think.

Sounds like you have a nice system...take a picture and post it so we can all see!

dermp · 05-23-2003, 06:27 PM

Oh forgot to put that in there, maybe I forgot because it's not the best.

2 flourescent lights

Zoo Med Ocean Sun High intensity light 15 watts
Zoo Med Coral Sun high intensity light 15 watts Actinic 420

Also where its a bow front it is not as long more deep!!

The tank is extremely bright though and the anemones have grown!!

JPfish · 05-23-2003, 06:33 PM

I agree that 1.024 is not too high, I keep mine at 1.025, You might want to upgrade your lighting BIG TIME especially with all the anemones you have.

Mrs Smith · 05-23-2003, 07:06 PM

Just a quick question -

Are these anemones or are these corals? When you say "feather duster, Polyps, mushrooms and others that I am not sure of", it sounds like normal hitchikers and beginner corals. Anemones are different creatures and you should look up what you have to find out what is what.

Anemones have much different requirements that feather dusters and polyps. Your current setup sounds like it will be ok for what you have coral-wise at the moment. (Although stronger lighting will need to be something to look into.)

Your ammonia and nitrates are quite high for a reef... did you let the tank fully cycle before adding things? It doesn't sound like it. These levels are enough that they will stress your inhabitants (even though they may look ok.) Your ammonia needs to be zero, and it will take a couple of weeks for the tank to cycle. Normally, you shouldn't put anything in at all until your levels are zero.

While your established rock is probably doing all it can, you've put together a pretty high bioload pretty quickly. You might think about taking out a couple of the fish (or all of them, if you can find them a foster home) until the tank is more established. That, and do some water changes to get your ammonia and nitrates under control.

That said, it takes a long time for a reef to become established. (And I'm talking 6 months to a year or more.) Yours is still cycling. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I do fear that your luck won't hold. Please slow down, do some research, and learn a bit more about the chemistry involved in reef ecosystems.

Keep testing your water, and start reading. There are some great threads in the archives of this forum, and a wealth of knowledge. Feel free to ask questions, as it is a lot to grasp in a short amount of time (as you've already started your tank.)

Good luck,
Danielle

dermp · 05-23-2003, 07:20 PM

Ok I have a test kit so I will keep testing it every day!! I used a good bit of cycled water which was in the established tank and 20 lbs of the rock has been in cycle for about 8 months, these have the corals on them. I think one or two might be anemones!! How do i post a picture here? I do have stuff to help the cycle period too.. should I use them "cycle" I think its called and aqua clear will these help??

Mrs Smith · 05-23-2003, 07:37 PM

Um...

The cycle is the first 2-4 weeks, where the tank goes through spikes of ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. Once the cycle has finished, the tank is generally considered safe for inhabitants. It has to complete the process. Usually people use a piece of raw shrimp or damsels (which is discouraged now) to give it that first bit of ammonia to kick start the cycle. You have plenty of ammonia to start it. The problem lies in having some things which may be sensitive to the nitrogen products inherent to the cycle.

Water from a cycled tank won't help much, I'm afraid. The rock will, and the rock is key to keeping your livestock afloat, as it were.

I don't know anything about the products you mentioned. Generally, you just let the cycle run its course, and then begin adding things.

Posting pics of your corals will help identify them. Really, none of them should be subjected to the swings of a cycle, but knowing what is what will help you decide what to do about it.

I would be concerned about the hawk and the angel. They might be fine, they might not. Damsels can survive cycles, and clowns are related to damsels. Still, that's a lot of fish for a brand new tank. You might consider taking some of them back for now to ease the strain on your developing system.

You can post pics if you don't use the "quick reply" system. Towards the bottom of the window is a "browse" button, where you can browse your hard drive and attach a picture to your post.

HTH,
Danielle

Mrs Smith · 05-23-2003, 07:38 PM

Oh, and before I forget, welcome to The Reef Tank! Keep asking questions, and again, look through the archives. There's a lot to learn there. You might also consult the recommended book list and pick up a few. Best reef-related purchase you'll ever make, IMHO.

Danielle

dermp · 05-23-2003, 07:50 PM

Ok I will attach this hope it works. I ama little worried now!!! Don't want to lose anything!!

foobuddha · 05-23-2003, 08:13 PM

I see ricordia and discosoma mushrooms, xenia, sarcophyton, feather duster, and is that a finger leather in the back? - I feel like the host of "Romper Room" looking through the 'magic' mirror

Buzz_Hog · 05-23-2003, 08:31 PM

I don;t see any anemone's....

Feather Dusters are worms, the rest are corals...

You will definately need more light for those corals...

dermp · 05-23-2003, 09:02 PM

Here is one pic that I think might be a anemone

dermp · 05-23-2003, 09:05 PM

Here is another one that I think might be a anemone

Mrs Smith · 05-23-2003, 09:42 PM

Is it just me, or does the first anemone look like manjano? Can't tell what the 2nd is (or where it is).

Since you do have corals, you have a couple of options:

1. Massive water changes. This will drag the cycle way out, but will keep the levels low enough that your corals should survive.

2. Find a foster tank for them until the cycle is over.

I don't want you to panic just yet - just realize that over the next few weeks, everything in the tank will be subject to chemical insult. They might ride it out, but speaking from experience, corals don't do very well. See if one of the local fish shops can hold things for you for a couple of weeks. Do you know anyone in your area that could?

Just trying to buy you time here. It's so exciting at the beginning that its very easy to get carried away - you aren't the first to do so, and certainly won't be the last.

For now, I'd do a 5-10gal water change of pre-mixed saltwater (at 1.024 or wherever you are), and sit tight.

Danielle

dermp · 05-23-2003, 10:04 PM

Not sure what it is, however I can tell you that the other day I put shrimp in and it caught a piece and ate it! The day after it split into two anemones or what ever it is, it flatten itself right out and then started twisting and pulling itself apart!! So now I have two of them one went one way and the other took off into a different direction! I haven't been able to find a picture of it yet!