This is my first marine tank, 60 gal. I had always heard it takes 2-3 mo before you should add any livestock, but...I went to the LFS (actually one hour away) to get set up. I think he just wanted to SELL, SELL, SELL. I had tried to do my homework ahead of time, but felt overwhelmed, that's why I read some online review about the store to make sure I was going to an "expert."
Long story short, he had me buy a Marineland bio-wheel filter, 2 no-name power heads 800gph and 1600gph (which I found on Amazon for 1/10th of the price), glass tube heater, hydrometer, 5gal bucket of salt, and substrate. We went home and set everything up. He said we had to set up the system and come back in a few days and we could fully stock the tank. We were a bit thrown off, but figured he has been in business for 30+ years, so he must be doing something right...wrong.
We went back that next weekend and bought a little bit of live rock (11lbs total, it was all we could afford at his prices) along with a mushroom, montipora, millipora, frog spawn, and others to make up 6 total corals. We also bought 2 small Oc. clowns for the tank. He loaded us up with 2 peppermint shrimp (more on that later), 2 blue legged hermits (looks like turbos), and 4 mini starfish. He had "custom LED lights that were pure blue, but once again no name.
At this point we were on the hook with him for just over $1,000, not including the glass tank and stand. We felt committed to see this through. I got him to replace 5 out of the 6 dead corrals and 4 dead stars. I felt obligated to repurchase the dead clown to reduce his overhead cost impact.
We had a giant algae bloom and he told us to buy more hermits, this time we got ones in a periwinkle style shell. I bought an LTA, sea cucumber, squirt, emerald crab, and a honeycomb cowfish...not knowing their was a problem with the tank. After 1 day with the LTA in the tank, the peppermint shrimp cleaned that to a small disk, no foot or testicles left...just a mouth. I thought it would sting them, but I guess not. Something had killed a few crabs too, must have been them.
I have done some major research and watched 30+ videos from BRS. I have learned the way to go about the next tank, but I am not sure what to do with this one and all the money I have invested. I have adjusted my salinity from 1.020 to 1.026 and bought two new Cobalt thermos. I returned my lights to him and bought Current USA Orbit Marine dim LED 46-60". I have also bought 80lbs of reef-saver rock and have it in the tank (after thoughoghly soaking) to complete the final scape. I cange my filter media twice weekly (wed and sun) and have done a 10% water change after four weeks to reduce the outbreak.
Please help with no implied rudeness or shaming. I followed an expert in the area, and dropped over 1k in his store alone trying to do the right thing.
Long story short, he had me buy a Marineland bio-wheel filter, 2 no-name power heads 800gph and 1600gph (which I found on Amazon for 1/10th of the price), glass tube heater, hydrometer, 5gal bucket of salt, and substrate. We went home and set everything up. He said we had to set up the system and come back in a few days and we could fully stock the tank. We were a bit thrown off, but figured he has been in business for 30+ years, so he must be doing something right...wrong.
We went back that next weekend and bought a little bit of live rock (11lbs total, it was all we could afford at his prices) along with a mushroom, montipora, millipora, frog spawn, and others to make up 6 total corals. We also bought 2 small Oc. clowns for the tank. He loaded us up with 2 peppermint shrimp (more on that later), 2 blue legged hermits (looks like turbos), and 4 mini starfish. He had "custom LED lights that were pure blue, but once again no name.
At this point we were on the hook with him for just over $1,000, not including the glass tank and stand. We felt committed to see this through. I got him to replace 5 out of the 6 dead corrals and 4 dead stars. I felt obligated to repurchase the dead clown to reduce his overhead cost impact.
We had a giant algae bloom and he told us to buy more hermits, this time we got ones in a periwinkle style shell. I bought an LTA, sea cucumber, squirt, emerald crab, and a honeycomb cowfish...not knowing their was a problem with the tank. After 1 day with the LTA in the tank, the peppermint shrimp cleaned that to a small disk, no foot or testicles left...just a mouth. I thought it would sting them, but I guess not. Something had killed a few crabs too, must have been them.
I have done some major research and watched 30+ videos from BRS. I have learned the way to go about the next tank, but I am not sure what to do with this one and all the money I have invested. I have adjusted my salinity from 1.020 to 1.026 and bought two new Cobalt thermos. I returned my lights to him and bought Current USA Orbit Marine dim LED 46-60". I have also bought 80lbs of reef-saver rock and have it in the tank (after thoughoghly soaking) to complete the final scape. I cange my filter media twice weekly (wed and sun) and have done a 10% water change after four weeks to reduce the outbreak.
Please help with no implied rudeness or shaming. I followed an expert in the area, and dropped over 1k in his store alone trying to do the right thing.
