Nano Diary

Hi I just setup a tank a couple months ago. Here are some pics a couple weeks after it has been set up.

Theres one for now I will get some later when I have time. I have FINALS next week its a 20 gallon long later

thats an nice tank. I love the clownfish!

What type of anenome is that itd soo cool!! I want one.

Thats a bubble tip anenome... thats what they sold it to me as. It never really has bubble tips though

When I first started out, I bought a

20gal long
Penguin Filter 280
50 Watt Heater
Pump Which had a rotating head
araganite gravel
Salt
And a Tap water purifier
Regular 16 watt light


I let the water and salt run for a week got 20 lbs of live rock from Drs. Foster and Smith.
Tonz of Dieback
If you want hitchhikers get live rock from your LFS, Most of them die from being shipped damp.

I added Biospira which doubled the cycling time.
After about a month after live rock I added a Yellow Damsel
Then a week later i got a yellowhead jawfish
2 weeks later i added a yellow clown goby
And my Orbit Compact flourescent light arrived 2X65 daylight and actintic
Week later got 2 clarkii clownfish and anemone
FOUGHT A LOT!!
Still do not get along

Then I added a green star polpy
3months after tank MASSIVE ALGAE ATTACK
Got 3 snails
Flame scallop but it died oops! bought marine snow too
Week later, Got coral pack
Mushroom Coral (died on shipment to my house)
Button Polyp (still alive also came with zooanthids)
Sun Polyp (One still alive)
Green star polyp (yes i now have two)
STILL ALGAE
RED SLIME, GREEN, and HAIR
Got 3 turbo snails
week later,3 Astrea Snails
Emerald Crab
4 hermits blue leged
Week later,and 1 large turbo
got 3 turbo snails


Here are some of my pics I took a while ago before algae attack

I got to go I'll check this tomorrow my mom keeps buggin me cya

Nice and clean. SH

I had a horrible red slime problem, but I used Chemi-clean after trying to fight it for a month. I still have some algae in my tanks but my Cleaners and cleaning it up pretty well.
I was wondering if I could put a skunk cleaner and a peppermint in together, Would they get a long?
Here are some pictures after the algae attack...

I had a horrible red slime problem, but I used Chemi-clean after trying to fight it for a month. I still have some algae in my tanks but my Cleaners are cleaning it up pretty well.
I was wondering if I could put a skunk cleaner shrimp and a peppermint shrimp in together, Would they get along?
Here are some pictures after the algae attack...
Whole Tank Shot


Also, I plan to get pulsing xenia color and some other corals. I was thinking about some hard corals, but I do not know a lot about them. Do any of you guys have any advice? I was thinking a Brain Coral or a Candy Cane coral. Those are pretty cool



Opps sorry for that

As nice as they may look, you'll never find a pulsing xenia in my tank. They can grow like weeds and spread quickly if you keep good water condtions and lighting.

Candy cane (caulastrea), and other LPS, if you have good lighting, should do fine. Peps and skunks should do fine together if you don't have any fish that eat inverts. SH

Thanks SH, that helps a lot. I will get more pics when something new happens. So you would not recommend the Pulsing Xenia... what about the antheia or the coral that looks kind of like it?

I was also wondering whether I should get a protein skimmer or not. My powerful light seems to
help the algae grow faster than normal. If I do get a protein skimmer what kind should it be?
The tank is in my room, so I would want it to be as quiet as possible.
Heres a pic of all of my fish

I'm not impressed eith protein skimming on nanos 20 and under. Water changes and careful feeding should do fine. If you like the xenia look, other corals that may look slightly similar are:

1) sinularia flexibis, spaghetti finger leather...but...can grow big but prunes/frags easily

2) tubipora musica, organ pipe, another softie

Anthelia are rated expert in some forums with regards to care. In addition, I believe they are encrusting type.

Some people love GSP, green star polyps, but, they too can grow rapidly and overrun a tank unless placed in an isolated area. SH

I don't have a clue when it comes to SW (all my tanks are FW) but your tank looks great

Good Luck with it!

Looks like you have a jawfish, but not the write substrate for it to live in. They like to burrow into the sand and stick their head out.

I would get a protein skimmer if you can fit it, would possibly save you if the anenome desides to die on you for any reason.

Ben

I think you should get a back pack protein skimmer on the tank could possibly help with a possible nutrient problem you might be having with the tank because of the cyno and algea. and small water changes as of the xenia i like them pretty cool corals as a matter a fact I propogate this coral because it grows so fast and propogates easily but steelhealr is definitly right they do grow very fast. bunjiweb is right about the anemone when anemonies die they die fast and could foul your tank and the protein skimmer could easy the blow to the ammonia spike on the tank if that anmonie for some reason decided to die. but i dont prefer protein skimmers on tanks of a smaller size but your tank is the border line and it sounds with the algea and cyno that you could have a nutrient problem. I would reccomend the bak pak.

Thanks guys, That helps alot. I'll have to think about the protien skimmer. SH, You are a great help, it seems like you know everything about saltwater tanks

bunjiweb Posted Yesterday, 06:06 PM
Looks like you have a jawfish, but not the write substrate for it to live in. They like to burrow into the sand and stick their head out.

I would get a protein skimmer if you can fit it, would possibly save you if the anenome desides to die on you for any reason.

Ben

The jawfish does fine. He can fit about 4 pieces of the aragonite substrate in his mouth. He has a burrow right by the edge of the glass and he is usually out in the morning and in the night. He seems too sleep during most of the day. He is very active and just barely sticks his head out of the burrow. His burrow is right under the purple rock.
This is the Jawfish protecting his territory from the Damsel.

This pic is very clear but he is hovering right over his burrow, which is right behind and under the rock he is above


The damsel is the most curious fish. He is always going by the clownfish and the jawfish, and they both just keep chasing him away.

I am also starting to get hair algae! UHH They just keep comin and comin. Will it ever stop? Sometimes it seems like its not worth it. What should I do? Buy more turbo snails? I bought 3 from one LFS, then I bought some more from another LFS and I dont think some of them are turbo snails because they are very slow and do not eat alot. I'll try to get a pic of them later. Thanks guys!

Hair algae is usually a reflection of water conditions. Do you test for phosphates? Why not give us a list of params and type of water, salt mix, feeding, etc and we'll see if we can figure it out. SH