Hello, name is lagalaxy8. I got into the saltwater hobby last October. I've had freshwater tanks for years. Never tried a saltwater because, of the "hassle" of them. Anyways we are in the process of remodeling out house so I was looking to put two built in tanks in our living room. After much thought I figured I needed to get a smaller tank and try it out to make sure this was what I wanted to do. I came across a local ad that a guy had a 75 gallon tank he needed to get rid of. He just didn't have time for it anymore. It was 6 years old but had fish rock and was up and running. Figured this would be good way to go, everything was already up and running worst part moving all of it. So we made a deal and he helped me get it set back up. At the time he had a green algae problem but we didn't want to zap it 100% when we set it up at my house so we wouldn't end up zapping everything it there too. Everything went great no loss of fish. I'm not too sure of the stuff I have & the maintenance I should be doing. So this is where you guys/gals will be coming in!
The fish I have so far are Yellow Tang, Rock Wrasse, 2 Orange & White Clowns, One Black Goby, Royal Gamma, A coral Beauty, & Orange Spotted Goby.
I have added some more live rock. There are some coral Starfish. I've added a bunch small snails & blue crabs. The snails buried themselves & the ones the crabs catch become new crab shells. So not sure how many of them are left. I think I have maybe about 10 red legged crabs. I added alittle more sand because it was in the in between weird stage of not enough and too little. Not sure if I’m still really there yet or not.
I have a mushroom looking plant, that I would like to get more of or anything like that so I can get my tank from looking so plain.
I have an Amiracle Filter. I was running bioballs with a pad filter when I got it. I was having a really bad brown algae problem. My Nitrates were sky high too. I have since gone with the setup you see in the pic. I had it running okay with just live rock in the bottom (Bioballs removed) and the pad filter. I had someone tell me to ditch the pad and put a bucket in there to cut down on the overflow sound. My tank has started to get “dirty†again.
I'm Running 2 Corallife Compact Fluorescent lights with 2 50/50 bulbs & 2 regular bulbs.
I have 2 power heads running. These have been in there for maybe two months. The previous owner wasn’t using them.
I'm going to need help all around. I would like to add a few low Maintenance "plants" and a few fish to add alittle more color. And any cleaners that I can with the fish I have. So bear with me I'm going to be picking your brains for awhile. But I want to get this tank running right first.
I've so far found out I need a protein skimmer (Need help on picking on out).
Nitrates are the only thing I seem to be having problems with. Ammonia & Nitrites are both 0. My Nitrates as of today are 40ppm, which is about 10000 x’s better then before. My KH/Alkalinity & Calcium I’m not sure on. I don’t think I’m doing the tests right. My Specific Gravity is 29 ppi 1.021. Temp is 74. Lights are on for about 6 hours. I have been getting my R/O water from Jacks. Also my premade Saltwater. I have done a few water changes but don't do it everyweek. I probably should do it alittle more then I have. I've been adding Superbuffer twice a week & Turbo Calicum Once a week.
I do feed them with a frozen brine shrimp, but I don't over feed. I pour them in only enough at a time for them to eat within 5 seconds. I maybe feed about a ½ a cube a day.
Here are a few pics to give you an idea what is going on. I’M OPEN FOR ANY HELP!!! If anyone lives near Bellefontaine and wants to give me a hand some day let me know. I’m really looking forward to enjoying this hobby but just don’t know what direction to go. Any help with be great!!!!
A problem I did have
Thank god hasn't happened again)