Just a few questions

[TX Twin Mommy]

Hey. I just have a couple questions for you all. Maybe you could give me some insight as to the issues I'm having. I've had my tank for about 3 months now...I know, I'm still a newbie at this, but, I'm having a ball trying! I have T5 lighting, 60 gallon tank, a filter good for 120 gallon tank, 2 power heads on either end of the tank (one blowing up the other blowing down) and an in-tank refugium that I just started about 2 weeks ago. My tests all come back normal and everything is looking great. I do a 20% water change once a week and I'm using the salt with a higher calcium content when I do the water changes. Okay...there are the stats...I have the following issues...

1. I can't seem to get rid of the slime algae from my tank. It actually stopped growing on the live rock, now it seems to be focused on the sand.

It seems like it's worse in the high circulation areas?! I would think it would be opposite. I've tried reducing the amount of food, leaving the light off more than on, and sucking it out with the change of water. What am I doing wrong? Is it because the tank is still "NEW"?

2. How do I get more coralline algae to grow in my tank? The guy at the LPS said I should use the salt with the higher calcium content and I had someone else tell me that if it's not in the tank it won't grow by itself...which is it? I was told I need to purchase another piece of LR with the coralline on it then put it in my tank for about a week or two. After that I need to turn off all filters and just leave the power heads running. Scrape off the algae with a razor blade so the power heads can "distribute" the coralline into the tank then after an hour turn the filters back on. Does anyone have any ideas on this? Is there an easier way? I bought a turbo snail that has some growing on his shell will that help?

3. I'm attaching a picture of a coral I bought from someone and I'm not sure what it is.

It's about 2" around and on the edges it looks like it has bristles sticking out. It moves with the water currents so I'm thinking it's some kind of soft coral? On the bottom it has white "roots" coming out where it's attaching itself to the LR. *Pay no attention to the date on the bottom-it was taken yesterday. I haven't set the date on my camera yet.* Have any ideas? Does it need anything special? I already feed some of the other coral I have (pulsing xenia, colt coral and green Starburst Polyps) the micro-plankton in the bottle. I use an eye-dropper to spot feed. Will this benefit from this type of food? I can't seem to find any pictures of it online.

Thanks to all who take the time to read this and give suggestions! I appreciate it a great deal!

 

[DerekFF]

Very vague on your specifics despite your story about the tank lol. What brand and how many bulbs on your T5? What kind of bulbs? High output I'm going to assume. How many hours so you leave the lights on for?

Coralline does need to be seeded from somewhere but filters don't need to be turned off. It will grow if there's any in there. It will grow faster if you add a rock with coralline or chunk off some fine crushed flakes of it in there.

As for your algae it's weird looking. And from the pic doesn't look like a high flow area. The tank is still new but having some algae eaters like blennys, snails, crabs, urchins, Molly's or tangs will help control algae(maybe not that algae though) my questions about lighting above may shed some light on the algae problem also. How many fish and what kinds are in there now? How often and what do you feed? I see you feed the plankton but anything else?

Your coral is some sort of leather.(softie) and all the corals you listed pretty much never need target feeding. There's a reason they're starter corals......and that's because they require little to no care to thrive lol. Your target feeding is just fueling the algae peoblem


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[Mike J.]

Sounds like you're doing everything right. Continue to syphon out the Red Slime Algae, that the best way. It grows on detritus, so you'll clean that out at the same time. Keep at it, you'll beat it. Careful about over feeding. I could be wrong on this, but, your coral looks like a Discosoma. They are called Umbrella, Bubble, Forked, and Warty Corallimorphs. They are uncommon and prized for their rarity and unique appearance. They do not tolerate bright light, so put towards the bottom or in the shade.

 

[TX Twin Mommy]

OK, sorry. Here are the specifics of the stats...(along with some-hopefully better-pictures)
Lighting is Aquatic Life Dual Lamp T5 HO with one white 10,000K lamp and one hybrid actinic/ blue lamp. I'm a night owl so I usually turn them on about 9pm and turn them off about 5:30-6am. I've thought about replacing the white with another blue. Would that help? Where the tank is sitting it gets NO sunlight what-so-ever.
Coralline-

I'm thinking that this is coralline on this shell?! This particular shell is empty, can I flake some of this off and onto the LR to help it get started in other areas of the tank?

Fish-In the tank I have 2 Ocellaris Clownfish (tank bred), 1 Sailfin/Algae Blenny, a Green Mandarin Goby (also tank bred-eats brine shrimp), 2 Firefish (mated pair), 5 Green Chromis, an Orange Butterflyfish, 1 Royal Gramma, 2 Four Stripe Damsels, 2 Kaudern's Cardinal, 1 Spotted/Pajama Cardinal, 3 Hermit Crabs, 1 Emerald Crab, 1 Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, 1 Banded Coral Shrimp, 1 Sand Sifting Sea Star, 1 Large Hard Tube Coco Worm and 1 Red Fancy Brittle Sea Star.

Coral- Button Polyps, Green Starburst Polyps, Nano Polyps (red and green), Pulsing Xenia, Colt Coral, Trumpet, Candy Cane and Thick Branched Frogspawn Coral.

Do they have SW Mollies?? I thought Mollies were FW fish?! OK, I'm confused now. LOL.

My "clean-up crew" won't touch it!!

Feeding- I feed twice a day, I usually feed 1 block out of the SW variety pack (frozen from the LPS) with a small chunk of brine which I spot feed to the Mandarin. I let these thaw in SW from the DT mixed with 1 capful of the Garlic Guard. As for the plankton, how should I feed that? Should I just dump it into the tank instead of spot feeding? Oh, and I recently bought a bottle of the Amphipods and Copepods for the refugium. I keep swapping out the LR pieces I have in it, currently 5 small pieces about 2"-3".

Also, here's a picture of something attached to the side of my Candy Cane Coral. Have any insight as to what this is?

It's on the right of the small featherduster (I think that's what it is) It almost reminds me of a clam or oyster of some sort, the "shell" on the outside is clear.

Anyway, thanks for the reply! Hope this new information helps.

 

[glb]

The coralline will grow by itself as long as your calcium levels are good. It takes a while but you don't need to do anything. Good luck!


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[glb]

The coralline will grow by itself as long as your calcium levels are good. It takes a while but you don't need to do anything. Good luck!


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

I just reread the thread and need to qualify what I said. How much live rock do you have in the tank? And yes that is coralline on the crab shell. Also, IMO that is a lot of fish for the size tank you have. I'm no expert but I'd be interested in what more experienced aquarists have to say.


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[Mike J.]

You definitely have A LOT of fish for a 60 gallon, 18 fish? I'm feeling sorry for your Butterflyfish. A Butterflyfish in a new, unstable aquarium is a no-no. The Banded Coral Shrimp will most likely kill the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp. I'd bet 10:1 the Sand Sifting Sea Star will be dead in no time. Better hope those Firefish really are a mated pair because one will most likely kill the other. Royal Gramma are known to chase Chromis and Gobies and in a crowded aquarium that could be a problem. I'm just going to stop now. It just seems to me that the LFS you're using saw you coming. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[TX Twin Mommy]

I tried to get some better pictures of the unknown coral, they're still a little blurry but I think it shows the basic structure. Thanks again.

1. Underside showing "roots" and I think that's a Q-Tip sponge attached to it.
2. Opposite underside already attached to LR.
3. Top section.
4. Underside with a different view of "roots" and sponge.
5. Top section.

Hope this helps. I moved it to a lower position in the tank.

 

[oceangirl2009]

Agreed, you have A LOT going on in a brand new tank. I know it's difficult (we all get the bug) but patience really is key in this hobby. I would stop adding fish/coral for a few months and let things stabalize. Just because your tests are reading zero there has to be nitrates and phosphates for that algae to grow and it's reading zero because the algae is using it. The only think I would add to try to help is to add a lot more clean up crew (snails/hermits) and just let them do their thing, continue to syphon it out when you can.

 

[Mike J.]

By Orange Butterflyfish I'm assuming you mean Klein's Butterflyfish, (Chaetondon kleinli). They are a very timid fish and demand pristine water conditions. Instead of my own words, I will type what's in the book. "Habitat: Reef or reef-sand interface. Provide plenty of swimming room for this fish. Feeding: Omnivore. Feed a varied diet of meaty and algae-based foods at least three times a day. All butterflyfishes benefit from regular feedings of color-enhancing enriched foods. Compatibility: It is possible to keep a pair of these fish in a larger aquarium. Males will fight-unfortunately, telling the differences between the sexes is difficult. Be prepared to separate individuals if they start quarreling frequently. It rarely bothers unrelated fishes, although it may fight with more aggressive butterflyfishes. Known bullies (large damselfishes, some angelfishes, surgeonfishes, triggerfishes) may pick on this fish. This species is not suitable for the reef aquarium, as it feeds heavily on soft corals in the wild and will happily eat a wide variety of ornamental invertebrates in the aquarium." IMO an LFS that sells a butterflyfish to a new tank owner is unscrupulous! And they really do need to be fed 2 -3 times a day.

 

[Mike J.]

Did you look up Discosoma?

 

[TX Twin Mommy]

Ok. How many fish should I have for a 60 gallon? The guy at the LPS said that the Butterfly would be ok until he got bigger, he's only about an inch and a half long. I'm new to this and I put my trust in the LPS to steer me in the right direction. I use the same one and I bought everything from them, tank, supplies, food, etc. Are you telling me they've been telling me this stuff just to get me to buy from them? It sincerely upsets me to think they would do that. What do I need to do? None of the fish seem to be unhappy or show any signs of disease. They all seem to get along well. What size tank should I have for them? Should I start selling them off or what? When it comes to this comment, "I'm just going to stop now", was there more you wanted to say? What you've said so far was a little harsh; but, I guess I should have less trust in the LPS.
The shrimp have been housed together for over a month and they each have their sections of the tank. They don't seem to bother each other at all. The star has been in there about the same amount of time.
The firefish have made a "nest" underneath one of the sections of LR and spend most of their time either in the nest or dancing with each other. The royal gramma, the only thing I've seen him chase was one of the firefish and the firefish put him in his place because he got too close to the nest and I haven't seen him bother anything else.
I have about 65-70lbs. of LR in there give or take a pound.

 

[glb]

I think everyone's trying to help. We've all been beginners at some point. I think your LFS had you overstock your tank. I can't speak to motive but sometimes employees just don't have the depth of knowledge you need. Some stores are deceitful, others more uninformed. In any case, the people on this forum have helped me immensely since I joined. They don't have any financial incentive in offering advice, so I'd read everything you can get your hands on. It's not your fault if you got bad advice. IMO, I'd take some of the fish out of the tank if you want to keep corals. I think you won't be able to maintain good water quality with that many fish. As far as which ones, I'm not an expert. I'd keep the hardier fish and trade/return the others. I'm sure others with more experience can tell you which is which. Good luck and remember, the forum is to help you!!


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[Mike J.]

I'm so sorry that you perceive my comments as being harsh. Truly, I do want to help you. Read articles here on R2R about Sand Sifting Starfish, they are considered a creature that should be left in the ocean. Also, they will quickly decimate everything in your sandbed, which you really want right now, and then they will die of starvation. The butterflyfish, IMO, should go back to the store. It should be in a FOWLR and, as a new person in the hobby, I'd get a couple years under my belt learning about dietary requirements and things before purchasing another one. I'm guessing you have a sump? With all the waste you're going to have with your bio-load I would suggest using a sock filter and skimming to the extreme. Really, if there are any other questions you have feel free to ask. I am here to help you and in no way am I berating you. It's your LFS I have an issue with.

 

[TX Twin Mommy]

Yes, it is the Klein's. I have the Seaweed Salad. I put in a piece about 1" x 3" and rubber band it to one of the chunks of LR for them to munch on during the day. Sorry, I forgot about that. My clowns LOVE IT! The SW multipack I get from the LPS has squid, mysis shrimp, green algae, red algae and brine. That, along with the seaweed, is rotated twice a day.
I did look up Discosoma, and I found one that looks similar to the one I have but mine doesn't have the raised center like most of the ones on the internet do. I think that's what's throwing me off.

 

[oceangirl2009]

The concern with the sand sifting seastar is that it will clean out your sand bed of any beneficial microbes and will eventually eat everything and run out of food and starve. When I first started I almost got per the advice of someone else, but I did a little more research and these things need like 100+ gallons to have enough food to live long term.

As hard as it might be, don't impulse buy, wait, go home and research what you'd like to buy, then go back if you would like to purchase. I wouldn't worry about rushing because it might be gone, if they got it once, they can order it for you again if they sell it.

 

[Budman's Corals]

I think everyone's trying to help. We've all been beginners at some point. I think your LFS had you overstock your tank. I can't speak to motive but sometimes employees just don't have the depth of knowledge you need. Some stores are deceitful, others more uninformed. In any case, the people on this forum have helped me immensely since I joined. They don't have any financial incentive in offering advice, so I'd read everything you can get your hands on. It's not your fault if you got bad advice. IMO, I'd take some of the fish out of the tank if you want to keep corals. I think you won't be able to maintain good water quality with that many fish. As far as which ones, I'm not an expert. I'd keep the hardier fish and trade/return the others. I'm sure others with more experience can tell you which is which. Good luck and remember, the forum is to help you!!


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

+1 on overstocked.
LFS store sell=$ in there pocket..be careful on what they say..

Your early in the tank cycle so patience is the game..

Good luck

 

[TX Twin Mommy]

Sorry, I do know that you're all trying to help, it just really ticks me off that the LPS would do that!:xd: What would you suggest for the fish I have in there now?
I do NOT have a sump. Again, the LPS told me that the filter I bought would be more than sufficient for the size tank I have. I was the one who added the in-tank refugium, although the LPS told me I didn't need one. I have some of my Nano polyps in it right now so they'll attach to one of the LR I have in it. How much do the skimmers usually cost? Is that the same as a sump? If not, how much is something like that going to cost and how do I set it up?

 

[glb]

Do you have a canister filter right now?


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[Budman's Corals]

I learned that way myself and I understand how mad you are..

best advice i could say with out writing a book is to go on you tube watch some videos .
I like Mr Saltwater Tank myself.
http://www.youtube.com/user/mrsaltwatertank

also look for used equipment here on the forum under selling goods.can get some really good deals

others will chime in