Needing advice regarding a hang on skimmer

[Rover88]

Oki thanks maybe i will do it every other day.Hopefully my skimmer will help keep better water I also bought a digital salinity tester what i'm really impressed with it makes measuring salinity so much easier.

My soft coral frags arrive tomorrow it was heaps of fun picking them i do have a few questions about how you know where to place them in a tank.

Thanks to all for your time answering my questions it is appreciated.

It might be excessive, but I don't think it'll hurt anything. Its just costing you money for salt.

The rock looks like coralline to me, but the picture makes it hard to tell. If its coralline from an established tank its peachy fine.

Just keep an eye on your skimmer... The only reason I'm cautioning so much is that my skimmer, in my sump, would have tendency to overflow. Fortunately for me it just overflowed into my sump, but it was still a messy prospect.

I don't know if your skimmer has an auto-shutoff feature if water goes too high in the cup or anything of that sort.

 

[abbyoneshoe]

My skimmer is a bit erratic at the minute sometimes it fills fast other times it takes a while.I turned it off when i went to bed just incase it over flowed because it does not have a drain that you can run a airline into a over flow bucket and another member said it will need ajustting until it gets it's "coat".

I would like a better quality skimmer later but to be honest i have spent a small fortune and that will be for a later date.I have no plans for going crazy with fish
four or five will do and my favorites are small blennies and gobies maybe a dwarf angel fish but i will pick a one that is most hardy

In my tank at the moment i have a baby tomato clown fish a six line wrasse and a blue cheek gobie.So there should be room for one or two more at a later date.

Happy reefing

 

[Uncle99]

Just a note that the tomato is a very territorial fish and may react badly to new comers.
Same for the 6 line however some swear they are model citizens....
Exercise caution, research before you by...you may have to change the aquascape, then reintroduce with the most aggressive fish last to go in....(just watch carefully when you add the first new addition.

While there are exceptions, only the ocellaris and Perculas are generally OK with tank mates, others can be a challenge, not impossible, just a challenge...

 

[abbyoneshoe]

Yeah i've noticed my tomato hangs out in certain spots in the tank and i would rather add no more fish than upset him because it's my favorite.The guy in the store did warn me that
if i wanted two i was best off buying his tank mate who he was in the store with.

But i was excited about having a tank and did not consider fish fighting with each other
luckily everything seems fine but it's a lesson learned.I was very close to purchasing a purple dottyback luckily i went on you-tube first and learned that it could possibly be a problem with my gobie who since i've placed in my bigger tank i've only seen out and about once .Not sure where he has vanished too.

My Fluval sea 13 gallon is empty apart from live rock and after some thought i think that's the best place to put a dottyback but that's going to be my hospital tank if things go nasty or for growing frags before i put things in my bigger tank.

*Bursts into lil mermaid song*
Down here all the fish is happy
And soft through the waves they roll
The fish on the land ain't happy
They sad 'cause they in the bowl!

 

[Uncle99]

Great thinking, there are many things you can add with your favourite fish.

 

[abbyoneshoe]

I like Arrow goby,Catalina goby,Gold streak blenny,Jewel damsel,Clown parrot,Swiss guard,Gramma-black cap,Flame back angel.

I do also like the blue reef chromis but apparently they kill each other off.

I'm also going to get a Emerald crab,My soft corals arrived today yay and there tiny.
I put them all in my frag rack and i'm now looking forward to seeing them grow.

My goby who vanished has turned up i questioned where he had been and he just replied "Chillin".

 

[Uncle99]

Like them all except the crab.
I banned all crabs, as in the end, they were nothing but trouble for me.
Since banning all crabs two years ago now, I no longer Lose fish, snails or corals and my corals rarely retract. Crabs are opportunistic, and will not hesitate to eat slow movers.
Emerald crab I understand is ok, just don't trust any of them...

 

[stingythingy45]

Just curious, do you have an ammonia test kit?
Did you cycle this tank or get well established live rock?
Or are you cycling now?

Makes no difference what is on the rocks.
You will be going through many different nuisance algae.
Most likely cyano bacteria first, then possibly hair algae.
Quit normal till the tank ages till about a year.

My advice, take your time with everything.
Slowly stock the tank. Ideally a QT tank is required.
It's sad to say but having two takes set up in the beginning is a great idea.
Nothing worse than introducing a pest like Ich and watching the fish suffer.
It's hard, real hard to get up and started. A lot of newbies drop out after dealing with new tank syndrome.
I think you will do good. You really seem to be into this hook line and sinker.
Good luck and happy reefing.

 

[abbyoneshoe]

Hi i started a nano tank 13 gallon 3 month ago i filled it to the brim with live rock and put one fish in.I understood that having a nano for my first tank would be difficult to keep everything in check.

When i started the nano i knew i would be shifting everything to my 145 litre once the live rock had a chance to get good bacteria on it along with my tomato clown fish
My thinking was my nano would become my hospital tank and qt.
So i am cycle it again in case of emergancy

I have no tester kits of as yet just a digital salinity tester and thermometer.

I basically copied a guy from you-tube and added live sand, my nano rock, and dr timms
bacteria.

Urm i'm not adding any other fish for a good few weeks until i understand more about nitrates phosphates and ammonia,i just was thinking about how i will live stock my tank and if any of my choices were bad ones.

I'm really enjoying keeping a reef tank and it's lovely to sit and watch the fish,I do have a zillion questions but you-tube and this community has helped heaps.

 

[Uncle99]

You appear very grounded and cautious, mature, and seem to clearly possess the skills necessary for this hobby. Good for you! Rare for newcomers.

 

[abbyoneshoe]

Thank you that's kind.

I have kept koi carp in my outdoor pond for years so i do understand a little about fish

They have fry every spring and i try to save a couple before they get chomped on.

I have always wanted a reef tank but was a bit put off by everyone telling my it's difficult and to be fair the small nano tanks salinity was up and down like a yo-yo.

Also the algae that stuck to the glass seemed to multiply over night no matter
how many water changes i did. A mini protein skimmer did help but i think i was over feeding pellets far too much.

Once i switched to frozen foods things became a bit better and my soft corals improved.I bought four fish over a period of three month and there all fine.

My six line wrasse does look a bit on the thin side but he does eat everything i offer. So i can't work out how to fatten him up abit without raising my nitrate levels.

My skimmer is working great now there is not to much algae and i plan on getting a lawnmower blenny and a emerald crab to help as a secondary measure to water changes.

 

[stingythingy45]

Hi i started a nano tank 13 gallon 3 month ago i filled it to the brim with live rock and put one fish in.I understood that having a nano for my first tank would be difficult to keep everything in check.

When i started the nano i knew i would be shifting everything to my 145 litre once the live rock had a chance to get good bacteria on it along with my tomato clown fish
My thinking was my nano would become my hospital tank and qt.
So i am cycle it again in case of emergancy

I have no tester kits of as yet just a digital salinity tester and thermometer.

I basically copied a guy from you-tube and added live sand, my nano rock, and dr timms
bacteria.

Urm i'm not adding any other fish for a good few weeks until i understand more about nitrates phosphates and ammonia,i just was thinking about how i will live stock my tank and if any of my choices were bad ones.

I'm really enjoying keeping a reef tank and it's lovely to sit and watch the fish,I do have a zillion questions but you-tube and this community has helped heaps.

Sounds like a plan.
Just wanted some back ground on your set up.
You will find, as you progress in the hobby, that reading about it will become an addiction.:lmao:
I've been in this for a long time, maybe too long.

 

[abbyoneshoe]

Haha yeah i've been watching reef builders 52 week step by step series on you-tube.
Reading about gobies and blennies.
Learning about soft corals.
My friends think i've gone insane when i said i wanted snails for my birthday.

I watch my tank more than i watch tv!!
And i'm enjoying creating my own piece of paradise .
I can see why this hobby is so addictive and time consuming.

Slightly jealous when i see others reefs and Wrasses.
And my tomato clown fish i talk to constantly.

 

[stingythingy45]

Haha yeah i've been watching reef builders 52 week step by step series on you-tube.
Reading about gobies and blennies.
Learning about soft corals.
My friends think i've gone insane when i said i wanted snails for my birthday.

I watch my tank more than i watch tv!!
And i'm enjoying creating my own piece of paradise .
I can see why this hobby is so addictive and time consuming.

Slightly jealous when i see others reefs and Wrasses.
And my tomato clown fish i talk to constantly.

Mr. saltwater tank has some pretty good videos.
You can also check into local clubs on the web.
I've been a member of a local club for years that has meetings monthly and we trade corals,sell equipment and have guest speakers.

 

[abbyoneshoe]

Great i will have a look at your videos.
The girl in the marine shop invited me to there monthly meeting.
Trading corals would be fun and a lot cheaper than keep purchasing.
I've choose my new fish and cant wait for the delivery.

Since i've moved everything to my bigger tank the salinity and temp is a lot more stable.

I invested in a digital heater and paid the extra for a bigger wattage.
Next i'm going to see how my soft corals do and maybe get better lights.
My skimmer is working really good yiay and pulling a lot of gunk out.

I choose A Algae Blenny, A blue reef chromis, and a Lemon dwarf angel fish.

The dwarf angel fish does require a bigger tank but i'm now saving for a 150 gallon.
My mum says she will pay half and it will go in my bedroom haha.
I'm now totally hooked on gobies and blennies.
My nano has three more weeks to cycle then i can buy a Swiss guard or Catalina blenny.

I did put live sand in,dr timms, and have the mini skimmer running but i'm being cautious before i purchase a fish.

The fish tank Shop had the most stunning Peacock wrasse and i had to use my full restraint not to purchase it worse than shoe shopping hahaha

Have a fun day and happy reefing.

 

[stingythingy45]

Not my videos, but fun and informative.
It's hard not to impulsive buy stuff. Especially when you're not ready or not equipped for it.
Local reefer clubs are great, corals traded and sold for far less than online prices.
Tomorrow I will be attending my local reef clubs frag auction.
Good luck and have fun.