NanoFreak's Fluval Edge 6g

Well, it's been a while.
My clown seems to have made it through my cycle. Over the past few days, I have noticed algae building up where my light shines the brightest. First of all, is this a problem, and second, does this confirm that my cycle is complete? I'm thinking its time to get some shrimp, snails, etc to clean the tank. Any thoughts?

 

One other note:
My fish is eating now. Right now I am feeding him once a day, and he stops after about 5 small flakes. Is that all he needs?

 

Flakes are good for a breakfast snack, but I'd think about giving your fish some real food. mysis, brine, etc. I read a thread about black worms, fish love em, and they're good for your fish.

But I'd say you're about ready for a cleanup crew, astraea snails and hermits are my suggestion for a tank that size. Avoid Turbo Snails, they eat too much and then just die.

 

All these suggestions for an MP10 are driving me crazy. I know its funny when your checkbook is not the one involved, but buying an MP10 would be overkill for a 6g tank, even on the lowest setting. And at the lowest setting you will not be able to actually utilize the software that makes Vortechs amazing. I would suggest either a stronger return pump or adding a small return pump inside the tank. They make super tiny water pumps for small fountains, Lucky Bamboo baskets, ect. They put out about 50gph and imo that would be an ideal powerhead for you to stir up the excess detritus and eliminate deadzones. No need to spend hundreds of dollars until you're ready for a bigger tank, then getting the Vortech MP10 would make more sense.

 

Diversity to your livestock's diet will play a significant role in their overall health as well as their coloration! I always buy the smallest flake batch possible because anything over 6oz, I find takes to long to use, and goes bad towards the end of the barrel.

I feed a pinch of fresh flakes and a pinch of bloodworms everyday for both my reef-tank and my freshwater tank. Once or twice I week I will add a meaty wetfood, either brine or mysid to my reef-tank.

 

The only way to confirm the cycle is complete is by consistently testing until you notice your nitrites 0 and nitrates around 1ppm. This could take up to 8 weeks depending on how much your feeding and how much your bioload is. Just be patient, you're almost, if not already there!

Do some reading about diatom blooms. Within the first 6months of your new saltwater tank, you'll experience several algae blooms of different varierty. You'll also notice your water levels go from safe to unsafe, then back to safe again. Just gotta keep an eye on your big 3, ammonia nitrite nitrate.

The thing you really need to do is just: once every two weeks, do a 10-25% water change, check your salinity and other parameters, then you'll be fine!

And when the algae on the glass builds up, wipe it off. The diatoms on the sandbed, rocks, ect... will eventually disappear and never return.

 

Thanks for the replys! I added 4 small Astraea snails, which has solved my algae problem. I think I am going to pick up some brine shrimp or worms to supplement my clowns diet.
I plan on my next step being corals, so if anyone has advice for a complete beginner on corals please share! How much can my stock edge LEDs support?

 

in terms of beginners - mushrooms and leather corals, green star polyps

 

Will those do fine under the stock Edge LEDs?

 

What can i support polyp wise?