QT Tanks

Ok.... I wanted to add more sand since I was never sure how much sand exactly I got from the man who sold me the tank. He brought some of his sand, swirled it around, and later claimed it was 10 lb but I doubt it. Sand seemed insufficient, so I added 10 more lbs, and I am thinking of adding 10 more. The main reason is, I want to get a seastar, and I've read they prefer 3-5 inch of sand bed.
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Do you think that the fact I don't have reef automatically disqualifies me from having a coral beauty?
 
It depends on what sea star you are interested in, if you will need more sand.

You can have a fish only with liverock (the so-called FOWLR) display and house an angelfish.
 
In Drs Foster magazine it shows the Coral Beauty needs only 30 gal.
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What starfish are easier to take care for? I know very little about them - I want one orange or red, but am afraid I will pick the wrong one. Please advise.
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So, how is best to add the sand?
 
The good Doctors are in the business of selling. I am not, at least not to you. I would not put a dwarf angelfish in a tank under 55 gallons.

The eastiest sea stars are the serpent and brittle ones, except stay away from the green brittle stars. They are predatory. And, you don't need a deep sand bed for a serpent or brittle star. The Caribbean red serpent star would be a good choice.
 
Thank you for your advice for the coral beauty. I'll try to pick smth. else.
Now that I see, they've put all dwarf angels in the 30 gal. category. Besides, in some places I read that the coral beauty is "peaceful", Drs. Foster describes it as semi-aggressive, and I've heard from people that in tank set-ups it should go last bcs is the most aggressive. Which is true?.....

For some reason, I don't like brittle stars. I fell in love with an orange sea star at the LFS, I think it was Fromia elegans.
What do I need to know in terms of care (besides the long acclimation time) if I venture to get a star like that?
 
I would say a Coral Beauty is semi-aggressive. Not at belligerent or territorial as tangs or damsels, but not as peaceful as gobies or dragonettes either. But remember, there is a lot of individuality in fishes. I have seen some Maroon clownfish that are absolute terrors while others that are shy and the low man on the totem pole.

Fromia and Linckia stars while beautiful are not the hardiest of choice. Both also seem to do best in larger (90 gallons plus) and older (setup for several years) aquaria where there is plenty of live food for them to graze upon and conditions are stable.
 
I'd love to get a shy maroon clown ;-)

Is there an attractive (preferably brightly colored) star I could have - or I should give up on this altogether for now?
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I remember , when my tank was cycling, my ammonia spike was unbelievably high. Once I did 50% water change, and the ammo test still showed the darkest green....
I don't know if this is normal. But I think it might have been due to the fact that I had just added new sand....

If I put the new sand in a bucket with water for the first few days, in order to have the initial die-off outside the tank, is this a good idea?

BTW, I'm thinking of buying Petco "live sand" - it is wet, but in a closed plastic bag (no incoming oxygen). Is this really "live sand"?
 
Just the way I thought.... (about the sand)...

I actually have some non-live sand (Meridian Oolitic Aragonite) that I bought by mistake from Drs. Foster (I thought it was LS).
I am wondering if I shall seed that and use it, or venture and buy the "live" Aragonite inm a bag (from the point of view that at least it will be the same sand I already have).
Will the "live" Aragonite cycle? I have some inverts in the tank and am trying to figure out a way to diminish the cycling effects on them. Any ideas?
 
I would add the dry sand you have in thin layers, no more than 1/2" at a time. It will become seeded by the sand under it.
 
Yes... And I can also put some Cycle on it... (while dry or wet?)
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On the other side, if I buy the "live" sand in a bag from Petco, may be I'd be lucky to get some "pod" eggs with it. What do you think?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7748007#post7748007 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Depth
Yes... And I can also put some Cycle on it... (while dry or wet?)
Click to expand...
Are you talking about the Hagen product? If so, I don't know much about it. The only product in that category I trust is Marineland's Bio-Spira.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7748007#post7748007 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Depth
On the other side, if I buy the "live" sand in a bag from Petco, may be I'd be lucky to get some "pod" eggs with it. What do you think?
Click to expand...
I think you will be lucky to get some bacteria. :(
 
Bio-Spira must be kept refrigerated, so only buy it at your local fish store and only if they keep it in the fridge.
 
Ok. I'll get it. So you don't believe in CYCLE? It is the only bacteria I've used in my tanks, and so far, I haven't had any problems after cycling.
Here is your portion of (fresh, live and meaty) questions for today:

1. In your article on quarantine, you suggest that everything live be quarantined. How would you quarantine live sand?

2. If I do not have reef, is it important for me to measure/know the Redox potential and the Oxygen content of my water?

3. I am still thinking about the Kati-Ani unit you mentioned. I live in a dorm so can't have RO/Di and resort to BRITA water thaat I then age, and put stress-coat on. They say tap water is good in NYC, one of the best in the US, I hope this is true. But I am thinking about the ionic balance of my water. Do I need to measure that? For now, I just have a basic kit - ammo, nitrate, nitrite, pH. Anything else I really need to test for?
4. BTW, do you know some good aquarists here in Manhattan? I don't have yet any fish "buddy" in my area, besides virtual ones ;-) The pleasure of exchanging "tank- watching" visits must be an unsurpassed one!

constantly renovating from inside and out, Depth
 
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