My Marine Adventure Begins

[MissG55]

Diatoms are part of the normal cycle, As long as you are running a phosphate remover and have enough circulation they will clear in a few days
I am not running a phosphate remover yet.. my LFS said didn't need one until i started getting corals and fish
Can you recommend what i should be using.

I have plenty of circulation at the moment but am going on the advice of my LFS. I am planning to add an additional powerhead soon - got my eye on the vortech MP10.
Before adding the shells make sure to boil for a good 10 minutes
I will do thank you.

 

[Morri]

Most of the phosphate removers are good I use Rowaphos only as its what I have always used and it works

Circulation wise I am a big fan of the vortech pumps I have the MP40 in my 100 gallon at the moment and I am looking at adding a MP10 to increase the circulation behind my rock

Depenendant on what you wish to keep 20 x 30 times tank volume an hour is recomended

 

[MissG55]

My tank is looking lovely now. Diatoms seem to be burning themselves out and lots of green algae growing in its place. Took this as my time to invest in peppermint shrimp. I have added a photo and an up to date photo of my tank.
Not planning to put anything else in for another 3 weeks.
The first fish i have my eye on are 2 percula clowns. I have read these are a hardy fish to start with and less aggressive than damsels.
What do people think?

 

[Morri]

Definatletly the clowns will be less aggressive, Make sure to pick up a good healthy pair make sure they eat in the shop maybe even reserve them in the shop for a week check they feed then take them.

 

[simonas]

I'd agree with Morri

I've struggled with clowns in a big way, my first three wouldn;t eat and faded yet my other three fish have been great

 

[MissG55]

Thanks everyone. Will keep you posted. Not planning on adding them for another 3 weeks now. planning on taking things slowly.

My most recent addition will be my Vortech mp10 to add a little more flow, which arrived today . Now have to decide on where to put it to get the best out of it!

 

[Morri]

Thanks everyone. Will keep you posted. Not planning on adding them for another 3 weeks now. planning on taking things slowly.

My most recent addition will be my Vortech mp10 to add a little more flow, which arrived today . Now have to decide on where to put it to get the best out of it!

Great investment very good pumps when selecting a mode I find Orange the best reef crest I think

 

[MissG55]

Had a little panic today when i found a 'ghost shrimp' in my tank!

I have never seen anything quite so perfect before. I can not find him in the tank but i presume he is hidden away so his new shell can harden.
Is this a good sign that they are shedding already? . I only bought the shrimp last sunday.
Donna

 

[sorgan]

Yep they shed to grow so in my eyes if it growing it's not dying!

 

[MissG55]

I am soooo excited .
While installing my MP10 i saw something sneak out to have a peak at what i was doing!
Unfortunately by the time i had got my camera (now stored in cupboard under tank)it had started to retreat back into its hidey hole!
From what i could see it was a crab about 1cm across with large front claws. It was orangey brown but as i say it hid before i got a really good look.

Should i be adding anthing to the tank to feed him I don't want him eating my shrimp
And am i right to be excited? I know there are some nasty coral eating crabs out there .
These are the best pics i could get, any ideas on what type it could be?

 

[sorgan]

Right now the fun begins, there seems a few schools of thought on hitchiker crabs.

School 1 - all crabs are a menace and should be removed

school 2 - the crab should be ID'd (very hard as thousands of species look like one another) to determine if it will be a menace

school 3 - leave the crab as it is for better or worse, it Is a reef tank after all.

Now I'm a member of school 3, I have at least 3 crabs of questionable parentage in my tank and all they seem to do is pick algae of hermit and snail shells and dig holes in my sand bed. They may, one day, become a pest but truth betold my cleaner shrimp have killed more livestock then my 'red eyed devil' crabs have.

 

[MissG55]

At the moment i think i will fit into number 3 too as am so very excited that there are signs of life popping up in my tank.

The lights have now gone off for the night and after waiting patiently camera in hand out he came so i managed to get a couple of snaps before he ran away. The good news is that he was picking at the rocks and muncihing away on green algae, so i presume my shrimp will be safe

Here he is...

 

[sorgan]

He looks much like my ones (that's not saying alot as so many look the same)
you will find he is picking through the algae to eat tiny bits of yummy crab food that's got stuck in it.

As he is small he's no real danger to anything but problems could start when he is bigger this said my LR came from a reefer who had it for 3 years, I've had it for 5 months and my crabs are still very small so you have some time

 

[MissG55]

He looks much like my ones (that's not saying alot as so many look the same)
you will find he is picking through the algae to eat tiny bits of yummy crab food that's got stuck in it.

As he is small he's no real danger to anything but problems could start when he is bigger this said my LR came from a reefer who had it for 3 years, I've had it for 5 months and my crabs are still very small so you have some time

Thank you for putting my mind at rest - he is very interesting to watch but will keep an eye on him.
I am planning to add my first fish in a couple of weeks so would really like an ID for him by then.
Thank you again
Donna

 

[Morri]

Has he got Red eyes best to sump him if he has