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[Timothy young]

Hi my name is Timothy my wife and I also my daughter have just got into the saltwater hobby I started a 40 gallon glass tank with back filter for her birthday I know move get from that tank to a 55 gallon four foot long two foot high tank with two backs filters and about 80 pounds of live rock and 6 fish it has only been maybe two months since we upgraded also I have started with a pea puffer and now have two skunks fish two black and white damsels and two clown fish 1 male 1 female also a few blue legged crabs and starfish that are going in and out of the live rock but since we have this running I have the small clear and some reddish looking and enemies rolling on the rock I don't know if that's good or bad they look cool let me know what you think I have a new light also on order that is costing me almost $300 its remote it has dawn to dusk settings t5 lighting with LEDs about four foot long foot hood

 

[Tahoe61]

Welcome Timothy,

I think the scape is awesome, and hope you have secured the upper arches in some way.

The live rock came with a pest anemone called an Aiptasia, and large ones at that. They will probably eventually need to be dealt with as they can spread and take over a tank.

As most newer hobbyist you will probably evolve to a more natural reef look and remove any plastic plants or artificial corals and invert. The important thing is how you feel about your tank, what appeals to you.

The scape has a ton of potential for coral placement.

 

[Timothy young]

Welcome Timothy,

I think the scape is awesome, and hope you have secured the upper arches in some way.

The live rock came with a pest anemone called an Aiptasia, and large ones at that. They will probably eventually need to be dealt with as they can spread and take over a tank.

As most newer hobbyist you will probably evolve to a more natural reef look and remove any plastic plants or artificial corals and invert. The important thing is how you feel about your tank, what appeals to you.

The scape has a ton of potential for coral placement.

I did the tap test also pushed on them I have the rocks secured against each other they will not fall although if I had some clear shelving or knew where to get it that made me better but for right now I think it's set up pretty secureI definitely think it looks good the plastic plants are to give it some kind of look for the time being until I get some color in this tank they will eventually go how do I get rid of those tests and enemies that I have on there right now also I noticed that on one of the rocks I have a white fuzzy ball I'm not sure what it is but I don't think it's good what can I put in there to make sure it clears and kills all the stuff that shouldn't be there my levels are good I'm having my water tested again today

 

[Timothy young]

Also I think I failed to mention I ended up getting a hundred pounds of live rock free I found somebody that was tearing down there saltwater tank and selling the tank but giving away everything inside since I had a tank already established with no live rock I took the live rock and the fish we drove clear out to Battle Creek two and a half hours to pick this rock up because by me is between 7 and $10 a pound and I've got 100 pounds free I just don't know how to get rid of the pets that are on the rock

 

[Tahoe61]

White fuzzy ball sounds like a harmless sponge but without image that is just a guess. The Aiptasia are large so I am not sure Peppermint Shrimp would eat them. You can try mixing kalkwasser which is pickling lime into a paste and administering that paste via a syringe into the anemones oral opening or even cover them with the paste, turn pumps off for 10 minutes and let the paste sit on top of the anemone. Some use a syringe and boiling water, I personally have not found that method to be effective long term. Some use a Laser Wand, you need to figure out if that would be cost effective for you. Some use a file fish, but that comes with it's own issues.

 

[Timothy young]

White fuzzy ball sounds like a harmless sponge but without image that is just a guess. The Aiptasia are large so I am not sure Peppermint Shrimp would eat them. You can try mixing kalkwasser which is pickling lime into a paste and administering that paste via a syringe into the anemones oral opening or even cover them with the paste, turn pumps off for 10 minutes and let the paste sit on top of the anemone. Some use a syringe and boiling water, I personally have not found that method to be effective long term. Some use a Laser Wand, you need to figure out if that would be cost effective for you. Some use a file fish, but that comes with it's own issues.

Okay I'm going to enclose a picture of that sponge thing that you were talking about also you really think the shrimp would be effective how many should I get in would they eat it entirely without me having to put chemicals in the water and keep it away as it comes up if that is a problem

View attachment 20160126_125609.jpg

 

[Tahoe61]

Yes a simple benign sponge, sometimes called a ball sponge (catch all name). I keep 4 Peppermint Shrimp and they do keep my tank Aiptasia free, but they have to be Peppermint Shrimp and not the look a like Camel Backed Shrimp.

People are often opposed to adding chemicals to their tank, I never got that, because once you start adding corals you're adding chemicals and often one of those is kalkwasser.

Just progress slowly, research as needed.

 

[Diesel]

Timothy,
At the end it doesn't matter what others think about your tank it matters what you think.
Address the Aptasia ASAP as it will give you problems in the long run.
A filefish of some sort can help you with this.

Not the most beautiful fish to keep but interesting and effective against aptasia.

 

[Timothy young]

Yes a simple benign sponge, sometimes called a ball sponge (catch all name). I keep 4 Peppermint Shrimp and they do keep my tank Aiptasia free, but they have to be Peppermint Shrimp and not the look a like Camel Backed Shrimp.

People are often opposed to adding chemicals to their t never got that, because once you start adding corals you're adding chemicals and often one of thosealkwasser.

Just progress slowly, research as needed.

I appreciate your help I did not know that I would be adding chemicals to help the growth I thought they grew naturally but I found something on youtube I use a syringe in a tube which I put together a syringe that I had Mt I used long time ago for medication for the dog with a air hose from one of my freshwater air pump that was extra the syringe was sterile and the tubing with clean I boiled hot water squirted it on each An enemy and then after you squirt it with boiling water you suck it right back up into the syringe and squirt it down the sink it worked out perfect although I did not know I had about 15 of those things in my tank it took me an hour and a half to get rid of them I got rid of them for the most part I am going to get some Of those shrimp that you are referring to how much are they a piece roughly and you're more than welcome to use my idea I happen to find on youtube lol

 

[Tahoe61]

I got my Peppermint Shrimp at Ibluewater.com, and was completely satisfied with the purchase.

You can get true Peppermint shrimp at Liveaquaria, Reefcleaners.org....

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R

 

[KJ]

Timothy,
At the end it doesn't matter what others think about your tank it matters what you think.
Address the Aptasia ASAP as it will give you problems in the long run.
A filefish of some sort can help you with this.

Not the most beautiful fish to keep but interesting and effective against aptasia.

Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus)

 

[Diesel]

Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus)

That works too but what if they won't touch the aptasia?
I have seen it happen and as results it will starve as it's hard to feed it other food.
I also think a CB needs a little bit more attention from a experienced reefer.

 

[melypr1985]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Timothy young]

Welcome to R2R!

Thank you

 

[Timothy young]

That works too but what if they won't touch the aptasia?
I have seen it happen and as results it will starve as it's hard to feed it other food.
I also think a CB needs a little bit more attention from a experienced reefer.

That's what the pet store told me tonight to get with this fish but my question was what if it eats it all and I don't have any more on there what other food do I feed it for what if it doesn't eat it at all

 

[Timothy young]

Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus)

That's the fish I was told that I should pick up after my levels go back to normal from adding the new rock I had the water check today its not bad but its a little elevated from adding new rock

 

[KJ]

LRS Reef Frenzy, Mysis Shrimp!

 

[Timothy young]

Timothy,
At the end it doesn't matter what others think about your tank it matters what you think.
Address the Aptasia ASAP as it will give you problems in the long run.
A filefish of some sort can help you with this.

Not the most beautiful fish to keep but interesting and effective against aptasia.

Thank you I will look into it

 

[KJ]

That works too but what if they won't touch the aptasia?

It is just a risk you have to take , either they will eat or they won`t

I have seen it happen and as results it will starve as it's hard to feed it other food.

Its not really that hard to get them to start to eat if you find a healthy one , I had 3 in the past and they did just fine after 2 or 3 days after they were introduced to my tank and they began to eat frozen food. Just make sure you have peaceful tank mates to not cause them stress, I had the first one for 8 years , I just made a stupid mistake that killed her , the second 2 I lost to a yellow bullying tang.:mad:
This is my personal experience with CBB!