Noob questions on Nano maintenance

[Keith P]

Hi every one!

My tank can be seen here: LINK TO TANK

I only have a few zoo / paly frags, GSP frag, 1 mushroom, true perc, peppermint shrimp, and a few snails and hermits...

My first Q. How often do I have to feed the shrimp and fish? I fear I may be over feeding them. I also think the shrimp is nibbling on my shroom.

2. What should I feed the "tank" (inverts)?

I do weekly water changes, anything else I should be adding?

Here is what I bought (recommended by a LFS, but I have not been using most of it):

Puple up, Kent marine super buffer, Kent marine zoo-plex, Kent marine phyto-plex, Maerine snow, dry green algae, frozen mysis shrimp, assortment of other frozen foods (brine, clam, shrimp, etc.)

I know, I know... The LFS sold me a lot of stuff I probably won't need



3. is it bad if my lights are on from 12:30pm-10:30pm and not from sun up to sundown?

4. Is it bad if I have lights on near he tank after the tank lights go out? My buddy tells me I'm stressing the fish out by not letting him sleep (only 30 min to 1 hour after the tank's lights go out).

5. Where should I put my frags? My buddies (who are not always the best at giving good advice) say I should dedicate each rock to a species. Can I mix GSP and zoa's or so they need their own space? I'm scared to start gluing things down as of now.

 

[Purple Penguins]

1. i feed my fish/inverts once every other day

2. I feed my tank a varied diet of frozen mysid shrimp, freeze dried cyclopeeze and prime reef

3. 10 hrs is pretty average time, my actinics turn on an hour before my day lights and shut off an hour after, so my actinics are on for 10 hrs and my day lights are on for 8, your lights to not have to be running to exactly the same as the outside, most do it to when they are home so they can see the tank

4. the fish will be just fine if the lights are on in the room even if the tank is in night time mode, my lights in my room are on and my fish seem to just ignore it and just pay attention to lights in the tank, as soon as the lights go out they go straight to their sleeping spots for the night and the light is right next to the tank.

5. frags can be placed anywhere so long as enough space is given for that particular coral due to sweeper tenticles or chemical warfare for space, you can mix GSP and zoas but I dont recomend it because GSP grows very very fast and may take over zoa space

hope this helps out and maybe others might put in some input for you as well

Good luck