Need some advise on my Nano

[rbek75]

Hi All,

First post here and hoping I can get some info on my nano-aquarium. I bought the Marineland 12G Eclipse marine system, got it setup and such. So far all is well I have two small red leg hermit crabs (I think that is their name) for a starting cleanup crew, a yellow tail damsel, and a pseudochromis. It has been a week going in and everything is going well but I have some questions that I hope can be answered here.

1. Fission Nano Protein Skimmer. Is it worth the $30 to buy?
2a. How many friendly fish can I fit in this aquarium? I heard initially 1 inch of fish for every four gallons and then gradually you can bring it down to 1 inch for every two gallons. Thoughts?
2b. How do invertebrates like my crabs go into this equation? What if I want to add snails, etc?
2c. How do other invertebrates like coral work in this equation?
3. Obviously I am not going to mess with coral until I have a grasp as to handle fish but are some coral/invertebrates better than others to start out with. I am talking more or less like Coral and Anemones. Not cleanup crew.
4. What about test kits? I have been reading about PH, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia, Hardness, and Alkalinity but it seems as thought I can't get an exact number as to what is a good range? Until I get this nailed down I have not done anything with the kit I bought and have opted to just visit my local pet store to let them test it.
5. Live plants… I hate using the fake ones that came with the kit. Any suggestions as to what to put in that would work out well?

I am adding a pic of my aquarium… not as pretty as some of the reef ones on this site but hey… starting slow is the way to go I hear. Anyway thanks for taking the time to read this.

RBEK

 

[skipm]

First of all :welcome to nanotank!

1. You don't need this, you can keep all of your water parameters good by doing weekly partial water changes of about 10-25%.
2. I would say 2 small fish for this tank period 3 would be pusing things unless you have the tiniest fish. Inverts don't really add to the bioload much so you can add as many hermits and snails as needed to clean your tank. Corals will mostly be limited by space, remember that some corals need lots od space due to sweeper tentacles where others seem fine almost on top of one another.
3. I for one recommend getting a set of your own test kits, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, calcium, and alkalinity at least. For values you want ammonia and nitrites to read 0, nitrates as low as possible but definitely <20, pH 8.0-8.3, and calcium 350-400.
4. You can use live plants, mermaids hair, shaving brush, mermaids fan, etc. are good plants that add some green w/o trying to take over. Plants like caulerpas are also nice additions but tend to try and over run the tank.

Keep the questions coming, we'll be glad to help out with all of your questions.

 

[Jordan8008]

Did you cycle that tank?

and :mrgreen: Welcome to Nano Tank, this site has all the info your going to need :mrgreen:

 

[rbek75]

I let my tank cycle for almost three weeks before adding fish and then had the store test the water out before I bought any fish. I hope this wasn't too early? Then again my fish seem okay right now?

So I should be doing weekly water changes rather than monthly? I suppose that makes sense. Also I have a biowheel wish a cartridge running my filter. How often should I change it? The instructions say weekly but someone I spoke to at Petsmart said that she just rinses hers out and doesn't change the cartridge but once every OTHER month. Thoughts?

Also I forgot to ask yesterday... I am thinking about premixing salt water so that I can save time on the water changes. Is this a good idea? Also I have city water and don't want to have to buy distilled water. Outside of boiling a few gallons here and there is there something I can add to the water that will take the chemicals out? Going back to the premade water should I put some live sand in there (just a little) so that it can cycle somewhat and be ready to go?

Thanks for the info!!!

RBEK

 

[skipm]

Weekly water changes are the best way to keep nitrates from building up in your system and you are also replaceing trace element with each water change so weekly is highly recommended.
You also want to take the biowheel out, there is more surface area on your liverock (how much do you have by the way?) than on the biowheel and the way it processes waste it produces too many nitrates. When you do a water change take the filter pad out and shake it around in the old water to thoroughly rinse it out and put it back on the tank. Replacing it every couple of months is fine too but if you notice the clarity of your water getting less youmay need to either change it more often or find a place to add an extra bag of carbon.
Pre-mixing saltwater is okay, store it in a dark place and aerate it with either a pump or airstone for at least 12 hours before using it in a water change. Remember to top-off with freshwater prior to performing a water change so your salinity level doesn't rise with each change. You really want to use RO water, preferably RO/DI water, for both mixing new water and for top-off water to replace water that has evaporated. There are chemicals that neutralize chlorine and the other bad stuff in city water but they do not remove the stuff that causes algae outbreaks. You either need the RO/DI water (the best), RO, or distilled water for your tank. You don't need to add any livesand to the water, all of the necessary bacterias live on the liverock so you just need to make sure the new water is the same salinity, temperature, and pH as the tanks water.

 

[sadielynn]

The rock you have (I forget the name of it ) is not sutiable for a salt tank it can leach in to your system over time I would change it out with cured live rock..... the rock you are useing is for a fresh water application .Other wise looking good keep the pics comming And :welcome nanotank

 

[Jordan8008]

I highly recommend using RO/DI water I have been down the road of usinf tap water, and payed dearly for it, my nitrates were through the roof and my coral's wilted away, you can combat this by using the proper water, regulated testing and doing weekly water chanes. I agree with Sadie you need to get some cured live rock in their, it helps keep your water clean and paramiters in check, you asked about live plants, id use some cheato, it helps big time with the nitrogen cycle, and if you like the planted look, it will do the trick.

PS dont think your doing everything wrong, we all kinda started out the same way

thanks

Jordan

 

[Anonymous]

1) no
2) 2 small fish IMO a pair of ocellaris or a goby and a royal gramma
b) inverts - some snails and some hermits and maybe a cleaner shrimp like a blood shrimp or scarlet - not peppis
c) corals depend on your lighting - standard lighting = no go, need much more
3) clean up crew = easy, corals with right light = medium difficulty, fish with good research = med difficulty, anemones = extreme difficulty
4) test kits fish tank - NO2, AMM, NO3...........coral tank add Ca and ALK with pH an option
5) plants: halmida = cool, calerpa = cool for a little while then oh sh.t, algae in
general unless you are going for a specific theme like a lagoon tank = not neccessary, nor desirable.

sadie is right - wrong rock store you bought this set up from is either incompetant or uncaring........need Ca based rock to help maintain pH and other salt water parameters, not meaning to sound rude or anything just trying to get you started down the right path for success but you need to search the archives of this sight for ideas, your current set-up needs mods before you add anything else OK?????

 

[rbek75]

The rock I am using is called pagoda rock but I also have sandstone in there. I wish I had checked with you guys first as I was told that I didn't need live rock unless I wanted to start getting into corals, etc. Is is okay to leave it in there for now? I do have live sand in there is that helps at all along with substrate???

What is RO/DI water? Is it the "live" salt water they sell at the store?

Thanks for the tips!!!

RBEK

 

[sadielynn]

No remove it get some CURED live rock ...I would start over so to speak
get your live rock and add it now it is a risk so to speak but it is for the benifit for the tank ...Keep the sand you have . RO/DI is reverse osmosis deionized water if you cant find it distilled from wal mart will work that is what we use purple cap purple label as I am not paying an arm and a leg for it from the lps ...and one has a poor track record so I am not trusting them I also live in an apartment where I can not add the RO/DI unit here the "live" salt water around here is 11bucks a gallon so we dont use it both the nutri seawater and catalina are pretty good if you dont want to mix your own some folks here get it dirt cheap so it is better for them to by the premade the stinkers and they know who they are :mrgreen:

 

[rbek75]

I noticed something new today with my fish and wanted to know if this is normal. Both my Pseudochromis and Damsel have seemingly discovered that they can dig into the substrate in my tank. The Pseudochromis likes to take mouthfuls out of one location and spit them out in another and the damsel goes to the other side of the tank under the rock and stirs up the substrate with his fins. At first I was worried that they might be rubbing up against it for fear they might have some disease or somethign but they seem okay. I have only had them for a week now so perhaps this is okay behavior as they are getting used the environment. Anyway let me know.

Oh also my wife and I were wondering how to tell if they are male or female? Are the Males more colorful than females usually??? Like with Betta?

Thanks!!!

 

[sadielynn]

They are not diamorphicly sexable (either fish) and yes it is normal for them to "play" in the sand :mrgreen:

 

[Jordan8008]

LOL my damsel Renovated he tank the day I put it in their, lol anything thats not tied down will be moved,,,,,and if its not to heavy LOL....compleatly normal with alot of fish, Marine and Fresh :mrgreen:

 

[rbek75]

Hi all,

I just wanted to thank you for the tips. I went to Jack's Aquarium today and the guy agreed with you that they should not have sold me the pagoda rock, etc., and told me to call the manager tomorrow to see if I can exchange it for live rock. Also I did my first waterchange yesterday because my nitrate spiked at 40 and my nitrite spiked at 3 (if I am reading the test strips correctly.) It went pretty easy and I tried to sift through some of the substrate just in case.

I spoke to the guys at Jack's and they told me that with a good cleanup crew I shouldn't need to do that. Question... outside of the two hermits what would you recommend? Some suggestions he gave me were a turbo snail, a sifter star, and a conch. Now I thought I heard something about conchs that would make this a bad idea... other thoughts?

Also my wife really wants a "nemo" clown... do you think that I could handle this with my bioload?

 

[skipm]

Thats a definite no on the conch, they need a large sandbed to forage or they will starve. I would avoid sand sifting stars for the same reason. I would also avoid the turbo snails in a nano because they tend to knock things over. Go with smaller snails like trochus, margarita, astrea, or ceriths for the glass and rock and get some nassarious snails for the sandbed. You can alsoore than 2 hermits, I would go with a dwarf hermit like the zebras or blue leg hermits.
I wouldn't add another fish unless you trade one you have in. The yellow tailed damsel would be a good one to trade because as it matures it will get very territorial and mean. I don't have any experience with the pseudochromis so I can't comment on their behaviours.
If you get a clown and your wife is set on a Nemo get a false percula (occelarous) clown, the true perculas tend to darken as they mature.

 

[Anonymous]

i agree with skipm
1)both the damsel and the psuedos can be very teritorial and a clown like a ocellaris wouldn't stand a chance in a small tank with them.
2) with your rock isues and tank parameters your going to have to wait a while again before you add anything any detectable NO2 means your tank is not fully cycled yet and your headed for troubles - ich or something else may get your critters if they get stressed because of poor water quality
3) no conch, sand sifting star, or turbos. turbos are by far the best grazers but they can be real buldozers and untill your tank is more established and things attached smaller snails are your best option. you can add as many of them and hermits that you want

 

[rbek75]

OK I am puzzled. I just tested my water and my Nitrate is at 40 and Nitrite at 3. Back on 3/18 I tested the water and this levels were the same which prompted me to change about 20% of the water. Is it normal for a new aquarium to have high levels like this? It just shocks me that the levels tested so high. Anyway I haven't added any additional invertebrates or anything due to lack of time to get to the store... would getting additional crabs, snails (cleanup crew) help this out?