Newbie Corner Feedback-Reefkeeping 101

[njw26]

thanks for straitening me out i'm new at this and stuff sometimes doesn't' stick in

 

[King Ron]

hey guys i just got at the LFS a pound of LR but its the shell of corals with a lil green algee on it . it looks kool . but is it safe for my tank ???

 

[King Ron]

Whats POP EYE ???

 

[Aldridge Corals]

Hello, and thank you for this thread. Food is my second hobby so I love that you are talking reef and food. Could you provide me with information about the so called limitations of licenses which causes some corals to only be available at certain times of the year? The teenager working at my LFS was telling me about this and parts of what he said did not make a complete picture for me.

 

[boogerCo]

Whats POP EYE ???

that is where the eye will pop out of the socket from infection. Not a good thing to have.


Or it is a old cartoon.

 

[Myst666]

This is a great thread, so much information..

 

[Aquarist007]

Whats POP EYE ???

Popeye, also known as exophthalmos or exophthalmia, is more a condition than it is a disease. In saltwater fish it may affect one or both eyes, appearing as if the eye has air or fluid trapped inside, around or behind it, causing the eye to enlarge and bulge out of its socket, as if under pressure. Duration of this condition can be anywhere from several days to several weeks.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/compldiagnodisease/a/aa053001.htm

 

[Aquarist007]

hey guys i just got at the LFS a pound of LR but its the shell of corals with a lil green algee on it . it looks kool . but is it safe for my tank ???

most live rock is made from the skeltons of dead corals. If not supported by phoshates and nitrates the algae on it will die off in your tank so you do not need to worry.

 

[jtuco]

cal mag test

cal mag test

I read thread reefkeep 101 add science to tank part 1 . Think it says you can test calcium and mag. with 1 test for total hardness. Did i get this correct and does anyone use this method ? Says you subtract calcium and are left with mag. Or is there a formula ? Thank You

 

[mmcooley]

I put in a new/bigger filter in my nano tank today and added one snail, and my fish seems to be A LOT more active. Is this a good sign? or is it something i need to worry about.

 

[dgags]

New and need Help

New and need Help

I really jumped into this hobby and I love it....I had fresh water tanks before but this reef tank gets better and better every day....I am looking for a new return pump to put into my sump. The one I have is very loud. I have been told a number of dif things and I am so confused..... I want to know if someone could give me an idea on which one to buy....I have a 55gal cube and from what I hear I should be pushing somewhere around 700 gph....but the flexpipe is prob about 4-5 feet in which I heard takes away about 400-500 gph....dont know if that is true??????? so i would like to know what is the most efficient and quietest pump I should look for....Any one who could help????????????

 

[Lynnmw1208]

Just be careful that you DO get a Lysmata wurdemanni Pep....

http://www.aquahobby.com/marine/e_wurdemanni.php

why is that? I have the other kind and they eat my aiptasia really well Mine has more parallel lines on the side of the face. That's how you can tell them apart

 

[allaboutreefs]

The reason your fish is probably more active is due to the increase in water flow but this is a good thing more water flow equals cleaner more aerated water

 

[Brooklyn11220]

Need help

Need help

My tank is about 2 months old and my local pet shop is a bunch of money hungry a holes. I'm going on my honeymoon by the end of this month for a week. Can someone please tell me what I need to get to keep my fish, coral, and anemone alive? I've seen enough fish die because of the advice given to me by the pet store. Please feel free to Im or email me. Thank you, you will be a life saver.

 

[pjcforpres2020]

Figure this is the best place to start, and if need be move it to a thread of its own.

I am currently in the research and planning stage of my first salt water tank. I have plenty of experience with fresh water, although it has been about 10 years since I had one due to life. I am finally in a stable position with disposable income and would like to get a tank up and running again, and this time around I want to do what I have always dreamed of, salt water!

I have been doing tons of research, reading every article I can find, looking to get a couple books in the next day or two (as time permits), and am starting to develop a pretty good idea of what I want when all is said and done; its the journey that I need to figure out and plan for.

Where I am running into some questions that I have found tons of information on, but its specific application to my plans that I am trying to sort out and hope you guys might be able to help out a bit.

I am planning on a smaller tank, 50-70 gallons... although I am eyeing a 42 gallon with bow front on it for better viewing angles, but will likely go ahead and get the 70 gallon bow front. My intentions are to make this a reef tank with some more exotic clowns as the primary fish (others as well that are compatible), and thus all my planning is based around this simple goal.

What I am wondering is what sort of filtration and lighting system would you guys do for a setup like this? I have a general idea of what I would like to start with (ie, more economical but capable). I am looking at doing a canister filter, no sump system just yet. For lighting just doing high output until I get comfortable enough to try my hand at hard coral (from what I have found many soft corals do well without MH and live rock does too, of course). I will have the usual add ons, multi-heater based system for redundancy and more even heating, power head, and possibly a skimmer.

I don't plan on having lots of fish (want a lovely pair of clowns, and probably 5-10 more smimilar sized or smaller fish, only other fish I am sort of set on is a lionfish). With that in mind, does this initial setup sound like it will be able to support those fish, enough live rock to have 1/2 the floor covered, some coral and enomones?

I am going to avoid tricky and difficult corals, fish, and enomones with this tank, just trying to get my feet wet.

Any suggestions for some good starter coral that have good coloration?

I should probably stop now since I keep getting distracted while writing this and am sure it is rambling a bit at this point. Thank you guys in advance! And hopeully when all is said and done I can compile my experience in to a bit of a guide for those similar to me to give back a bit.

 

[Seaorts]

Could Experienced SW Aquarists Please Review?

Could Experienced SW Aquarists Please Review?

Thank you for your expertise and assistance! (3 months now set-up):

This is my basic set-up:
90 gallon SW Tank w/crushed coral base.
FX5 Filter.
T5 lights w/atinecs.
No protein skimmer yet - type?
Aprox. 80 lbs. of Rock/Live Rock
Live Plants
Fish Stock:
1 Yellowfin Damel
1 6 line Wrasse
1 Male Athia (Pink Spot)
1 Lemonpeel Angelfish
2 False Percula Clowns
1 Copperband Butterfly
1 Mandarian Dragonette
All of the above seem OK and getting along for 3 weeks to 3 months.
Did get an attack of Cyno - cleared up.
Lost 2 Blennies (eyelash, lawnmower, however in the last month - 1st probably to Cyno, 2nd - ?)
Suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Seaorts]

So Why Can't We Just Add Fish Oil Supplements?

So Why Can't We Just Add Fish Oil Supplements?

Like what you get at a nutrition center, in appropriated amounts? I apologize, I'm 3 months in to SW Tanking. And what about the banannas? Couldn't get on the link. Thank you.

 

[Aquarist007]

I put in a new/bigger filter in my nano tank today and added one snail, and my fish seems to be A LOT more active. Is this a good sign? or is it something i need to worry about.

no relation to putting a bigger filter in your nano tank.
what fish to you have in your nano.

 

[Aquarist007]

My tank is about 2 months old and my local pet shop is a bunch of money hungry a holes. I'm going on my honeymoon by the end of this month for a week. Can someone please tell me what I need to get to keep my fish, coral, and anemone alive? I've seen enough fish die because of the advice given to me by the pet store. Please feel free to Im or email me. Thank you, you will be a life saver.

what size of tanking are we talking about?
The best thing for feeding is to purchase an automatic feeder.

 

[Aquarist007]

Figure this is the best place to start, and if need be move it to a thread of its own.

I am currently in the research and planning stage of my first salt water tank. I have plenty of experience with fresh water, although it has been about 10 years since I had one due to life. I am finally in a stable position with disposable income and would like to get a tank up and running again, and this time around I want to do what I have always dreamed of, salt water!

I have been doing tons of research, reading every article I can find, looking to get a couple books in the next day or two (as time permits), and am starting to develop a pretty good idea of what I want when all is said and done; its the journey that I need to figure out and plan for.

Where I am running into some questions that I have found tons of information on, but its specific application to my plans that I am trying to sort out and hope you guys might be able to help out a bit.

I am planning on a smaller tank, 50-70 gallons... although I am eyeing a 42 gallon with bow front on it for better viewing angles, but will likely go ahead and get the 70 gallon bow front. My intentions are to make this a reef tank with some more exotic clowns as the primary fish (others as well that are compatible), and thus all my planning is based around this simple goal.

What I am wondering is what sort of filtration and lighting system would you guys do for a setup like this? I have a general idea of what I would like to start with (ie, more economical but capable). I am looking at doing a canister filter, no sump system just yet. For lighting just doing high output until I get comfortable enough to try my hand at hard coral (from what I have found many soft corals do well without MH and live rock does too, of course). I will have the usual add ons, multi-heater based system for redundancy and more even heating, power head, and possibly a skimmer.

I don't plan on having lots of fish (want a lovely pair of clowns, and probably 5-10 more smimilar sized or smaller fish, only other fish I am sort of set on is a lionfish). With that in mind, does this initial setup sound like it will be able to support those fish, enough live rock to have 1/2 the floor covered, some coral and enomones?

I am going to avoid tricky and difficult corals, fish, and enomones with this tank, just trying to get my feet wet.

Any suggestions for some good starter coral that have good coloration?

I should probably stop now since I keep getting distracted while writing this and am sure it is rambling a bit at this point. Thank you guys in advance! And hopeully when all is said and done I can compile my experience in to a bit of a guide for those similar to me to give back a bit.

70 to 90 lbs live rock
a good hob protein skimmer
internal tank flow of 1400 gph