125g progress

[milpitian]

hello, i have a 125g tank with 60 pounds of live rock, 120p of live sand, a 50g sump, skimmer, 3 star fis, 12turbo snails, a chitton, couple hermits, two emerald crabs, and some really little crabs, also 3x 250 watt lights, and 2 power heads. i have two fish but they are in a hospital tank now. i just wanted to get some info about where i stand and where should i go from here. i know i need more rock. any feed back will help thanks alot

 

[Avi]

Well, the one thing that jumps out that you could have done differently, is wait on getting the starfish. I assume that the starfish you got are in the "reef safe" catagory...Fromias and or Linckias. There's a lot of question regarding keeping these kinds of starfish alive in a reef at all since there's very little known about the specific foods that they need to survive. So, some will say that you shouldn't even attempt to keep them in a reef. I have had some experience with them and I believe that they can be kept alive. But, ONLY in a well-aged reef with a substantial amount of live rock...and only in such surroundings will whatever it is that they do need for sustenance be available to them. You have a new reef and only 60-pounds of live rock, so the prognosis for them to make it...no offense meant...isn't good. You might be able to return them to the fish store but if you can't then getting that additional CURED rock in your reef becomes a bit more urgent when it comes to the survival of those starfish. Please post here as to the survival of your starfish whatever their future holds since any information on them in a reef as can be made available is useful.

If, on the other hand, the starfish that you put in your reef are not of the "reef safe" kind...it's obviously important to your reef's success that you get them out of there before you acquire any coral.

 

[milpitian]

thanks for the info. i have two brittle stars that came with minny cleaning crew, and a sand sifting star. i bought on line. the two brittle go under rocks and my sand one moves all over. i will try to get rock asap thank you

 

[Avi]

Those starfish are all right.

 

[blcard]

Don't know if you have it or not but a refugium would be a good addition.

Pics would be nice too.

 

[milpitian]

im really new to this whats a refugium? thanks

 

[blcard]

Basically a tank design to have macro algea.

If your sump has a small area sectioned off you could use it, if not you can add another tank or something similiar. Put a small pump in your sump and add a bulkhead and pipe at the top of the container with pipe back to the sump.

After that you put some sand live rock and a light on or in it.

I would do some more searching beforing starting it though. Can really make the tank a lot healthier

 

[milpitian]

i think i have one. my sump is divided into 3 parts. in half then one side divided in half. and in one of the smaller halfs i have alge and a light is over it.