A few questions about my new tank

Hi guys,

I've been lurking for a while, and have decided to make my first post ;D

I set up my first SW tank about 2 weeks ago:
75 gal, remora pro, 2 bio wheel filters, about 3-4" crushed coral substrate.
I added a fish about 1 every 3 or 4 days. I have:
1 panther grouper (6&quot
1 spotted grouper (3&quot
1 wrasse (4&quot
1 snowflake eel (8&quot
about 30 hermit crabs/snails

Things seem to be going well, all fish are active and eating. I feed
them about every other day.

Ok, questions are:

1) I recently added about 35 pounds of LR to the tank (I know,
should have done it first). I added about 5 pounds, waited a week,
then added the rest. After adding the larger amount, after 1 day
in the lights (135 wats of compact flourescent, my tank is only 12" deep), I end up with a whole mess of algae. Most of the bottom of my
tank went from white to a kind of rusty color in 1 day.
Could this be because of the LR? That's all that changed.

Is this the "good" or "bad" algae?

My wrasse continually harasses the snails (margarita) and crabs,
consequently they aren't doing a very good job of cleaning it up.
Are there any larger snails I can get that he won't tip over
constantly?

I got a lawnmower blenny, is there anything else I can do? I'm
worried the algae will take over.

thanks guys!

 

WHOA NELLY! A two week old tank is completely incapable of handling a bioload that large and you'll be lucky if any of the fish live through the cycle. Most tanks take about 2-3 months to fully cycle and you've only just begun. What I would do is return all of the fish and ignore your tank for a few weeks. What you're seeing now is a normal algae bloom but if you don't fix things soon, you'll have some really serious problems.

Also, you're cramming some very large fish into a space that's far too small for them. Rethink your fish choices once the tank is ready to accept fish.

Crushed coral is not a good substrate especially if you want to keep fish that produce as much waste as the ones that are in your tank now. I would replace it with a 1" bed of fine sand.

Slow down, research everything and good luck.

 

Welcome tstone.

We don't want to blow you out of the water here, pun intended, but amcaring is right on the money.  We have all made similar mistakes so no need to panick.

The Panther Grouper for instance will achieve an adult size of up to 30" which is WAY to big for a 75 gallon as you can well imagine.  I would seriously consider returning the groupers to the LFS in exchange for fish who's adult size is more suitable for your tank.  I would wait a good month before adding the fish and then only one fish every three to four weeks

Using the guideline of 1" of adult fish for evey 5 gallons, you have a total fish capacity of about 15".  Your Spotted Grouper will be all of that alone.  Groupers need 250 - 300 gallons tanks.

Let us know what kind of tank you want - fish only, reef, etc. and we'll do our best to provide suggestions.

The mantra here is "Go Slow and Let it Grow!

 

Gee,

I don't recall asking if my tank was too small or if I should return my fish, wether you like my substrate, or for any other opinions about
my set up.

I do recall asking several specific questions, one of which was barely answered, the others not answered at all.

I guess I'll just keep searching for answers to my questions with google. I was hoping I could get them here.

thanks for nothing guys.

[smiley=disappointed.gif]

 

"thanks for nothing guys"

Relax.  If all you want is answers to your questions here you go.

" Is this the "good" or "bad" algae? "

Diatom algae.  Normal part of the cycling process.  Let your tank finish cycling then worry about it.

"My wrasse continually harasses the snails (margarita) and crabs,  
 consequently they aren't doing a very good job of cleaning it up.  
 Are there any larger snails I can get that he won't tip over  
 constantly? "

Don't know what kind of wrasse it is but I suspect that if it harasses your snails and crabs, it will harass any snail or crab regardless of its size.  Other snails in the hobby are astreas and turbos, turbos being the largest.

"I got a lawnmower blenny, is there anything else I can do?  I'm    
 worried the algae will take over. "

Lawnmower blennies don't eat diatoms. Let the tank finish cycling then worry about it.

 

tstone,
I'm sorry you feel like you are being attack and my first instinct was to also attack, But I don;t think that Amcarrig or Craig are out of line. As you can see Matt (the owner of 3Reef) trys to get us all involved in contributing to as many Reef saving causes as possible. So it kind of rubs us the wrong way when someone, such as yourself, post and there are obvious oversights in judgement, do to lack of knowledge, in the setup or stocking of their new Reef tank (or Fish only). Craig and Amcarrig were merely pointing out your oversights and offering suggestions to correct them.

Please help your fish and your frustration level with your new Tank and do not get defensives but heed there advise and act on it. You will have many wonderful years in this hobby if your take there advise. If you don't I'm sure within a couple of months you will have a tank of scummy water with nothing in it.

Jason

 

1) I didn't attack anyone. I merely pointed out that I had asked
questions, and instead of answers I received totally unrelated
unsolicited opinions, and in addition did not receive answers.
the least one can do if they're going to engage in offering a whole
bunch of unsolicited opinions is to answer the questions that were
posed.

2) I've kept (admittedly, freshwater) fish very successfully for 20
years. We're talking maybe 1 dead fish a year here, if that.
I've heard "your tank is too small" many times, and almost
always my own experience proves it to be BS. In
any case, they're my mistakes to make, and I don't think it's too
much to ask for people to let me make them.

3) I appreciated amcarrig's second response. I wish it would have
been his first one. Maybe I'm different than everyone else around
here, but when I ask questions, I'd like answers. Not attacks.
After all, I can get attacked anywhere.

4) You want to point something out? No problem. You want to be
listened to? You need a much different approach. Here's a much
better way to do it, and much more likely to be listened to:

Oh, hi there. Here are the answers to your questions.
And oh, by the way, are you aware that that panther could
potentially get too big for that tank?

or even

You know, most folks around here would say that tank is
overstocked! But, it's your tank and your business. Here
are some symptoms you might want to watch out for.

Starting straight off with "WHOA NELLY":
1) unnecessary
2) inappropriate
3) certainly doesnt make me want to listen to you

 

Ok Tstone,
How about I just help instead of preach


I'm not sure of your knowledge in saltwater so I' sorry if I'm writing beneath it.
Currently you LR is in a curing stage. The things that died during transport are decomposing and new life is at the same time populating the rock. At this time ammonia and nitrite levels can be very high. The function of LR is to act as a ammonia and nitrite filter by using bacteria that eat these chemicals and convert them to Nitrate. The byproduct of Nitrate is Algae.
So Most new systems are set up with no live stock for the first month or so until the ammonia and Nitrite levels have reached zero (because these chemicals are deadly to marine life)
From what I gathered your LR went in after your fish (correct me if I'm wrong) and there fore introduced more decaying matter for your LR to filter. At this time in the LR cycle it doesn't have the ability to remove the levels of Ammonia that your fish are producing. This could increase the levels of deadly Ammonia and Nitrite in your system to kill fish. As for the Cyano Bacteria it also is a direct result of poor water quality and is a natural part of the evolution of your tank. But without correcting the cause it is unlikely to go away.

Jason

 

Tstone...

1)  No one accused you of attacking anyone..

2)  Freshwater and Saltwater don't have a whole lot to do with each other ....things that are safe in a freshwater tank are more deadly because of 1) pH levels makes ammonia much more fatal, and 2) Inverts are much more sensetive that fish to toxins

3)  Amcarrig is not a 'he'

4)  As for pointing things out, you asked " I got a lawnmower blenny, is there anything else I can do?  I'm worried the algae will take over. "   This question was answered by giving you the sources that are fueling the algae outbreak.  There is NO animal, vegetable, or mineral solution to excess nutrients in a closed system.  You must eliminate the sources of nutrient and die offs.  eg.. your freshly added LR, and the many fish.

Yes, they are your mistakes to make....have at it.   If you have been lurking here, you would see that no one here is into flaming or arguing.  Just the best interest of the animals and the reefs at large.  Please don't feel attacked.  A simple response for you (suggestion) could have been,,,

OK, I understand I have too much stuff, but is there any way around that without returning my fish?

If you don't want real answers, don't ask questions.  And in 3 months, don't post asking us why all your stuff is brown, gunky and dieing.

That being said, I hope you stick with this board, and ask your questions....we will all try to help.  Understand everyone here VOLUNTEERS their time and talent.  We discuss, debate and pull apart current accepted methods.  We build DIY's together and are sad when other's pets pass on for whatever reasons.  We are all part of the same happy hobby, and lets keep it that way!

 

tstone,

What an extraordinarily arrogant person you are. You post a question and then expect the very next person to simply answer it at your convenience?

I always thought that this was a discussion board, full of people who share their personal experiences and opinions, not as you seem to think, a place where we all get to wait around until you post some vague questions and " lucky us" get to answer them without comment.

Maybe you could keep that in mind in the future, and if YOU don't like something that someone else posts than YOU can just ignore it and have some patince and wait for the answers to come.

As far as your questions are concerned, I for one can help, but am not going to waste my time.

John