Experienced Fw With Questions About Sw

[gregswimm]

So will I lol

 

[gregswimm]

So I may have hit the jackpot.

Went to the LFS right as a guy was finishing collecting money for his tank breakdown LR. I got roughly 13lbs which were brimming with coepods, polyps and a bit of macro. I had just made a temporary tank this morning a few hours before buying this epic LR. SO my lighting has not arrived and I have no filtration lol. My live sand and Reef Crystals arrive tomorrow and my test kits arrive in a week. Luckily I have a hydrometer and a MH lit garden lol. Also, my finger has a cut on it and now hurts like a mother Here are some pics:

 

[gregswimm]

I went and did what I should not have done. Impulse buy, hope I can manage to keep these things alive.

I will also be getting lots of Chaetomorpha tomorrow.

 

[Aquascaper]

Nice purchase

Whilst you were naughty impulse buying you've done your research and know what you're doing so I'm sure you'll be forgiven

 

[gregswimm]

You have so much faith lol. I can only hope this LR will provide enough filtration and my PH stays steady

I hope that big piece is not a acropora, I don't want to kill one of them (not to mention I haven't read a page about them, had no plans to keep them).

Also, found another hitch-hiker(maybe a zoa?):

 

[gregswimm]

YaY, some zoa are opening \o/.

Ill post pics when I return from class.

 

[gregswimm]

Ok, so camera battery is dead. I have also found what at first I thought were algae spots but turned out to be soft and coral-like maybe a leather/mushroom?

On another note, are there any 'must haves' as far as CUC go?

Also found an oyster of sorts that is encrusted with polyps(that refuse to open ) Red arrow points to the clam, blue arrow points to the top opening. I have yet to see it open more than just a tiny silver. There are also several other shellfish I need to photograph.

 

[gregswimm]

As promised:

 

[Aquascaper]

Looking good

The basics of a CUC would be snail's for algae control, hermits for scavenging leftover food and maybe a specialist shrimp/crab for problems such as aptasia and hair algae. Care need stop be taken with regards to compatibility with corals, fish and other inverts but any decent LFS will stock these guys all the time.

 

[gregswimm]

I was thinking some cerith snails and some nerites (i have had good luck with them in FW). I just want to avoid stuff that will eat my macros (i like my macros), such as Chaetomorpha and my favorite, Caulerpa. I plan on getting some sort of true crab eventually once my ampipod/anemone population grows. I don't want to stock to high and have my CUC keep my tank 'too clean', don't want to have to feed them too much

 

[gregswimm]

So I have die off on my LR . Im quite sure those mystery polyps are diying/dead. No nitites but I have .25ppm ammonia and maybe 5ppm nitrates. It's not like a expected most of the corals to live but the zoa is still kicking and opens fully lol. When the light comes on there are still tons of amphipods. I think I need more LR and also need my LEDs to get here. Shipping from china takes sooooo long

Discovered I can use my API FW test kit for SW, I just need an apropiate color card; which i found http/cdn.saltwaterfish.com/3/39/39d25c7e_2.JPG

 

[Aquascaper]

When transferring LR some die off has to be expected so don't worry too much. Just keep a close eye on your parameters and things will be fine.

As always, the more LR the better IMO

 

[gregswimm]

Got more LR and put everything in the display tank with a T8 on top lol. I'm impatient. I also have more hitchhiking coral, looks like a discosoma.

 

[Aquascaper]

I'm currently trying to work out how to talk the other half into letting me have another nano as I'm beginning to miss the smell of salt

 

[gregswimm]

Ill let you know how my LEDs work when/if they come in

I found a bristle worm eating my mystery polyps, so I donned my makeshift fish-bag gloves and dove in. The rock cut open the glove and the polyp was pressed up against my finger. My hand went numb and everything tasted like metal >_<. So, I'm either getting an arrow crab or blue coral banded shrimp to eat these suckers.