My new setup!!! Help me...I'm in too deep!

[dlms1014]

So I have been reading nonstop for the past 6 weeks about how to be successful and I don't think I have breached the surface. (Quick background)
Always wanted a salt setup, kids wanted a fish tank from Santa, I figured if I had to take care of it and teach them, it should be something that I could appreciate. So after reading a book and talking to "Ricks fish and pets" he talked me from a 55 to a 75 gallon, then told me he could do the same setup and price with a 90 gal ($1450). It dawned on me to check craigslist and now I have a 165 bow front tank with Eshopps sump, pump, eshoops 125 skimmer, 4 power heads, 2 heaters, auto top off. All for $900. Thanks Santa. Also found a guy selling his 90 gallon corner tank and 110 lbs of live rock for $800. Kept his test equipment and rock then flipped the tank for $500. So I figure I'm being pretty frugal!

Fast forward to 5 bags of live sand, water and rocks added, we got 4 clowns and an assortment of about 4 each, crabs and snails and 1 sand star, 1 cleaner shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp

. The algae is starting to get bad on the gravel and rocks. I keep up with water changes, 18 gallons every 2 weeks. Testing regularly. But I just ordered a big reef package with:

30 snails
12 hermit crabs
1 emerald crab
1 Tiger sand conch
1 yellow clown goby
2 pajama cardinals
1 lawnmower blenny

I don't have a qt tank!! I read about drip acclimating in a bucket (I did this with our clowns, worked well) but now I'm worried that this is too much to do at once. I was thinking about acclimating then in a few different buckets, then adding the invertebrates to the tank, and doing a 2-4 min freshwater dip for the fish, possibly all 4 at once, or maybe 2 at a time. I need some help. What is your guys input on this?

 

[Litfury]

First off good job procuring equipment at a bargain. I've only had my tank three months but read for quite a while before setting up.
Don't let this hobby overwhelm you, otherwise it's no longer a hobby but a chore. Take things slow.

Few comments. What parameters are you testing?
Algae is a normal part of cycling a new tank. Looks like you have a lot of coralline growing which is considered a good thing.
Make sure you have read all the stickies here. I have read over all of them and some more than once, they are invaluable.
With a 165gallon you may be ok with 4 clowns. Some are getting a way with it. But if the aggression gets crazy have a plan to remove 2. Like I said it may work, just keep an eye on it.

The inverts you have don't look to be too much for your system size.

I always suggest QT, but if you can't or won't at least treat with prazi, for flukes/worms as it won't hurt anything if you do.

 

[Jack Eskay]

Hi everything looks pretty good but like the guy before me said,"take things slow" it's the key to this hobby IMO. And if your talking about the ricks in Fredrick md, I would suggest going to KoC in Frederick or some of the other stores in northern Virginia. They will provide much more info as they specify in just saltwater. Also if you haven't yet join the wamas forums! Their a great help!

 

[tupes]

As others have stated take it slow. Nothing comes out good when rushing.

How long has your tank been setup? What are you using to test your water parameters and what are they out of curiosity?

 

[Bassett22]

Did you try to do that with your reflection intentionally?

 

[ReeferNoob77]

It took my tank almost a year before I was able to keep the algae under control. My parameters specifically nitrates wouldn't come down no matter what I did, but now they are near 0 (which is also bad). The cleanup crew you bought is fine, if you have the money available setup a QT system for them otherwise you are gambling with infesting the tank. Lots of people get away with just acclimating and tossing, but if you search this forum for infestation problem there are plenty to go around. My last batch of fish all died in QT from something no idea what it was either (glad I didn't just toss them in).

 

[dlms1014]

Bahahaha!!! Completely forgot that I did that. That was a pic that I sent to a friend when he didn't believe that I went the salt route! Totally didn't notice that one when I was posting... although apparently my wife said I was a child. Whatever! So as of right now I am testing ph, nitrate, nitrite, alk, and salinity. All are with API and are well within limits. Water is just a little hard, but I'm cutting my tap water with distilled water by about 5%.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Tank looks great. What's the question exactly?

Water is just a little hard, but I'm cutting my tap water with distilled water by about 5%.

This will bite you in the eventually if you want to keep corals. Depending on if you have chloramines it will also hurt you if you just want fish. It kills the bio filter.

A QT is cheap. BTW

 

[Maritimer]

Sounds like you're off to a pretty decent start ... and welcome to Reef2Reef!

You can absolutely acclimate in several drip buckets. I usually acclimate to water parameters (drip) first, then float to acclimate temperature. I figure a critter sitting in an unheated bucket on my floor isn't going to be at the same temp as the tank . . . It's probably a good idea to acclimate the hermits and snails separately especially, as hermits can be rough on snails. ("Hey ... I think I like this shell ... and you're made of delicious seafood, too!")

Keep an eye on the four clownfish as they get older. Harem tanks with multiple clowns can work well, but they could also pair off and get into some pretty heated disputes over choice territories.

Can hardly stress quarantine enough moving forward - one new fish harboring velvet in its gills could wipe out a tank in short order.

~Bruce

 

[dlms1014]

I guess I'm scared of a qt... how do I keep such a little amount of water good if I'm still figuring out a lot of water?? Is an Unquarantined amount of invertebrates like I have coming going to be ok, with a couple of freshwater dipped fish? Or am I riding a fine line?? Also what the brown algae type stuff in my sand? Is it ok?

 

[peterthegamer]

Need better pictures of the sand to see the brown stuff.

 

[Maritimer]

The brown algae on sand in a new tank is usually diatoms. They'll feed on silica in the water, bloom ... and fade away. Perfectly normal. If they get stringy and snotty-looking, with bubbles in them, you might be looking at dinoflagellates, AKA dinos - which aren't as much fun.

Invertebrates don't generally trade a lot of diseases among themselves, but the encysted forms of ich and velvet can hitchhike in on their shells, which can cause trouble for fish down the line. The same parasites - along with flukes, and a host of other unpleasantness - can ride into your system hidden in the gills of the new fish. I run a 40-gallon breeder as a quarantine (got it at one of Petco's $1/gallon sales) with an Aqua-Clear 110 HOB filter and a powerhead providing circulation and biological filtration. Pretty bare-bones setup, and not too hard to keep an eye on.

~Bruce

 

[GK3]

How long are you running your lights each day?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I guess I'm scared of a qt...

Dont be. Look into marine pure balls. keep some in a mesh bag in your tank. Buy an ammoina badge and have some fresh saltwater on hand IMO you can start the tank with live rock and take it out later or if the ammonia gets high. Bringing a fish home acclimating in a bucket then a freshwater dip , then into the tank is always a good way to start an observation period. But read up on it.

Also what the brown algae type stuff in my sand? Is it ok?

A little algae diatom cyano junk you get with a transfer or new tank. Normal. In any case the solution is the same IMO. Keep cleaning it bi weekly water changes and make sure you ***** the cuc as it progresses. Snails and pods mostly IMO. Some crabs but more if your feeding meats, but get carnivorous snails too if you are.

Is love to see some more close ups but the tank looks pretty good, and I/we do see a LOT of tanks on R2R.

By the way, A 156 GAL BIG BO FRONT!!!! I LOVE Those! Its just such a great viewing area. Flow can be a trick but just scape wisley. Im jealous.

 

[pdt7361]

With you talking about a tank being from Santa, I assume you just got all of this a month ago? If so, you are honestly moving too fast. Slow down on adding anything else for a while and let the tank mature.
Also, if you are using tap water, that will cause you a LOT of headaches and can be an additional source of algea issues. Invest in a good RODI unit.

 

[dlms1014]

Thanks guys! A lot of good info. I'm out of town right now but can get some more pictures tomorrow. I've been running the cheap fluorescent lights that came with it from about 8am-9pm. I am planning on buying the marine aqua pro lights but I have been second guessing and thinking of 3-4 of the wider box led lights that I always see on all the cool tanks. Idk. I think I will set up my 10 gallon qt tank with some of the pure balls and keep the fish in there for a few weeks. And yea, I feel like I was going a little quick, but I have been talking to two of my local stores (Ricks, and King of Coral) if anyone knows of them, and they have been with me along all of my decisions. They keep telling me that I need a qt tank and the rodi as well.
Right now I'm sitting at
79 degrees
1.025 salinity
7.8 ph
0 nitrates
0 nitrites
0 ammonia
And I just ordered a complete test kit with a wider range of testing equipment.

I set the sand, water, and rocks all up on Christmas, let the water settle for a week and a half, then KOC told me I would be good with the 4 clowns that we got.

 

[cbear44]

QT tank I think is pretty important and really easy - plenty of stories of adding 1 fish with disease kills everyone. You could probably get away with a 20G and a foam filter. Add a piece of rock from your tank as filtration. That's it.

Finding a way to manage the water is pretty essential for long term success. I'd start with RO/DI and think ahead to a water mixing station which is a fun little project. with 2 brutes, some plumbing and a pump you can have 35-70g of salt water on hand with minimal effort.

ATI test kits aren't the best. Is your goal to only have fish or are you going to try to keep alot of coral? This will answer the question on what lighting you want/need.

 

[dlms1014]

Could I use a 10 gallon for a qt? I have one right now that I could set up quickly. I'm looking to have a good mix of fish and coral. So what the brand of testing equipment I should change over to?

 

[cbear44]

for a couple of small fish probably fine in a pinch. 20g isn't that hard to find and cheap. Just need a heater, some filter (HOB is ok) and bio filtration source. Throw in some PVC pipe for them to hide in and you are set. Watch the fish for a month and treat if you see any disease.

Salifert at a minimum I think. Different opinions from there and options. Alk is critical for corals so I'm testing that daily to every other day with a Hannah Checker.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Could I use a 10 gallon for a qt? I have one right now that I could set up quickly. I'm looking to have a good mix of fish and coral. So what the brand of testing equipment I should change over to?

yea its the size of the fish you will want to add. Im still on API for the basics No3 Po4 Ammonia because IMO it fine, and red sea for cal alk and mag.