Help with free tank, new to saltwater.

[Sartor]

Hey! So, I’ve done freshwater tanks for several years, and read about salt a bit. Today, someone who is moving out of state had this tank for free with fish live rock etc.

He hadn’t been home to take care of the tank in a few weeks, but everyone seemed generally okay!
It’s a 60 gallon with lights, Fluval canister filter and tons of supplies.
I ended up immediately rehoming the stressed fish, since I couldn’t set up tank immediately. I have since found a few things going through the live rock! Crabs, a sea cucumber and a snail, 200 bristle worms…

All this to say- what is the stuff growing in the live rock? How do you get rid of bristle worms? Whats the best way to quickly set up the tank, or make a temporary home for the new found things till I can get pre mixed saltwater and possibly new substrate. Thanks!!! Attached pics!

 

[Reefing102]

Welcome to RC!

So the purple bumps looks like they should be Green Star Polyps. Generally a very hardy coral.

Other than that, I’m seeing coral skeletons in addition to the crab and sea cucumber.

As for bristle worms, they’re generally considered good clean up crew by many, and considered a pest by others. If you decide you want to try to remove some, you could likely do a bottle trap (cut the top off a bottle, put some food and a piece of rock to weigh it down, put the lid back on upside down, and then put it so the entrance is close to the sand bed) or The Printed Reef makes 3D printed bristleworm traps.

I would also be sure to rinse the sand very well as if it’s been undisturbed for a while (read a year or more) it may cause issues.

Many LFS sell premixed saltwater (usually need your own buckets) and Petco around here sells boxes of saltwater just like that “Nutri Seawater” in the ad picture.

For a temp tank, premixed water, adding the live rock (as long as it hasn’t dried out yet) and a bottled bacteria (Fritz Turbo Start, MicroBactr, etc.) should help get a good jump start so things can survive.

 

[griss]

Welcome to RC!

So the purple bumps looks like they should be Green Star Polyps. Generally a very hardy coral.

Other than that, I’m seeing coral skeletons in addition to the crab and sea cucumber.

As for bristle worms, they’re generally considered good clean up crew by many, and considered a pest by others. If you decide you want to try to remove some, you could likely do a bottle trap (cut the top off a bottle, put some food and a piece of rock to weigh it down, put the lid back on upside down, and then put it so the entrance is close to the sand bed) or The Printed Reef makes 3D printed bristleworm traps.

I would also be sure to rinse the sand very well as if it’s been undisturbed for a while (read a year or more) it may cause issues.

Many LFS sell premixed saltwater (usually need your own buckets) and Petco around here sells boxes of saltwater just like that “Nutri Seawater” in the ad picture.

For a temp tank, premixed water, adding the live rock (as long as it hasn’t dried out yet) and a bottled bacteria (Fritz Turbo Start, MicroBactr, etc.) should help get a good jump start so things can survive.

This

 

[SantaMonica]

Try to keep everything underwater, and not exposed to air.