A lot of advice needed please...

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paradicio

New Member
So my tank is through it's cycle, diatom bloom, diatom bloom cleaned up by clean up crew, and now has it's first fish, (Perc Clown - tank raised) which I got this weekend.

Everything seems to be going well so far, water parameters are:

PH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
Phosphate .1
SG 1.026

Phosphate has been 0, but has just climbed to .1.

My plan thus far has been this...

Last week added 1 fish. Wait until next week to add next fish (probably a firefish) and add the final fish the week after (either a blenny or goby, if anyone knows a good site for researching these fish please let me know). After that I was planning to start on the corals (probably mushrooms or some softies, I've got the stock lighting on my AquaPod 24 and can't keep anything with higher lighting requirements), and - if possible- an anenome (again could use some guidance, I've seen some anenomes growing in AP's with stock lighting, but not sure what they were called...). All week by week over the next few months.

I've got lots of green and purple coralline algae starting to grow on my rock (at least I hope that green stuff is coralline!).

I'm wondering if I should try adding coral now? I know it will make use of some of the phospate that is worrying me....

Also, my Astraea snails keep climbing over the top and into the back of my AP (into the compartments where the filtration is). I'm paranoid that one is going to get stuck back there, die, and then wipe out my tank (ammonia spike!?)... How likely is that??

I'm also paranoid that (since the diatom bloom is over) my clean up crew is starving. Especially the hermit crabs. I even saw my nassarius snails the other day when I tossed in some food for my Clown. I've tried throwing in algae wafers for them and the crabs love it, but the snails shun it (literrally moved over to a wafer, took a look at it, and moved away). But then I get paranoid about the algae wafers decaying in the tank and making nitrates spike, so I fish them out soon after throwing them in.

My clown has been in the tank since Saturday and he just kind of hangs out in one corner. He's eaten a little, but not much. So I worry about him too...

So I tried to tempt the clown fish into eating some more by feeding him some frozen brine shrimp for dinner tonight. No luck, he wouldn't touch it. I managed to fish a lot of it out, but some got away... Hidden on rocks...in the filter. Did I just make a big mistake? Should I have stuck with the flake food?

I know a well established reef tank is a working eco system, I'm just afraid that before I get a chance to establish the eco system things are going to starve or die (without me seeing them in time to get them out and prevent ammonia spikes)...

Sorry for the novel, but I'm really looking for some guidance. Where to go next? What do to? Am I moving to slow? To fast?

Thanks for the help...
 
rescuediver19

rescuediver19

New Member
First off, your cleanup crew will not starve. So dont worry about that. They'll eat the coralline algae and be happy as a clam. How many do you have? Many people here are against anenomes in nano's because they move around and can sting your corals, however if you find a small bubble anenome it should stay under control and will probably host your clownfish. How did you acclimate your clownfish? Are there any white spots on him? You didnt make a mistake by putting shrimp in, infact that was a good idea. You might try to buy some live brine shrimp and see if he eats that. As for corals... you might want to start with an inexpensive one such as xenia. It is quite hardy, aesthetically pleasing, and best of all fairly cheap. Its cool because it has polyps that pulse in the current. Let this hang out for about a week or two before buying any other more expensive corals. Once you put corals in you want to suppliment Calcium and Alkaline. I use Oceans Blent Part 1 and Part 2, your local aquarium store should have something similar to that that you can buy. Also you want to suppliment a little bit of Iodine (Not sure quite how much but I'm sure someone will chime in) I put about 3-5 ml 4-6 times a week in my 12G AP. Also with coral lighting schedule is very important. If your AP is like mine it has 3 switches... keep the LEDs on 24/7 I have my blue and white light switches on timers. My White goes on at 7am and off at 7pm, my blue light goes on at 8am and off at 7pm. Again if anyone thinks this is wrong let me know, I am learning too. Anywho just take a deep breath and dont worry. stressing does not... seriously DOES NOT help stop ammonia spikes :mrgreen: Good luck and keep asking questions :partyt
 
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Anonymous

Guest
1) your cleanup crew should be fine they are mostly herb/detritous eaters and will find food you don't see - and as long as you don't have too many they will be fine and if (when? - you always lose a few) they die, if your rock is stable it will handle it
2) don't get an anemone - need a very stable system and better lighting
3) rescue diver - careful with the additives first off most nanos do fine without any additives just water changes and second dosing iodine is a risky buissness (easily overdone) unless your testing for it. 2 part additives are for established tanks with thriving population of Ca demanding corals that need more Ca then normal water changes can supply - very easy to get your params out of wack with that stuff - more harm then good in most cases
paradicio - don't dose your tank - just change water biweekly
4) i find corals to be hardier then most fish - and i would definitly add your first coral if your system is cycled. however i recommend a shroom or zoanthid over zenia. they are more colorful and generally very adaptable to any system. easily the most popular corals for nanos.

fish are actually more problematic early on in the establishing of a reef. i've told many other this as well - your tank would be better off doing corals first - fish later!!! IMO

5) your clown is still adjusting to its new environment. feed it VERY light (whatever you choose - flake/frozen mysis is fine for clowns) its apatite should pick up as it adjusts. seems with the wafers and your attempts to get the clown to eating you are putting a ton of food in there to me.
6) lighting - i run my actinics 2 hours before and after the white lights - many do just an hour but either way actinics on first and off last - classic dawn/dusk effect

good luck and don't worry sounds like you have the most importent aspect to reefing under control - patience! - now go buy a shroom or zoa and watch your tank come alive
 
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paradicio

New Member
Sorry I didn't post what my clean up crew actually consists of...

6 astraes
2 nassarius
2 margaritas
2 turbos
1 electric blue hermit
1 red hermit
 
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paradicio

New Member
So, I'm a bit less worried about the Clown now. He's come out of his corner of the tank and is swimming around a bit, so maybe he is just getting used to the tank. Also, he poops a lot, so he must be eating something (not sure how long their digestive track is). Is it possible he's eating pods? Do Clowns eat pods? Every once in a while he makes like he's eating something, but I don't see anything that he could be chomping at...
 
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paradicio

New Member
Sure, here is a picture of it when I first set it up. I will have to take a more recent one so you can see what it looks like now...

 
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paradicio

New Member
So in addition to everything else I tried live brine shrimp and even Cyclop-eeze with no luck... Unfortunately my little clown is dying... He has lost his color and is drifting around on the bottom of the tank. sad.gif

Thanks to everyone who tried to help, I really appreciate it. Unfortunayely this time there was nothing we could do. It just refused to eat.
 
TimSchmidt

TimSchmidt

New Member
Don't give up yet. Try using some of that garlic extract on some food (I hear it helps build an appetite in fish). Good luck.
 
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paradicio

New Member
Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately it's too late. Last night he died. :(

I will try again this weekend, will try from a different store.

Thanks everyone for trying to help.
 
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