Starting My 42g Saltwater Cube...

[cuticom]

Ugh, the skimmers been on for a while now and is pulling the grossest stuff out the water, actually it smells worse then the emu diarrhea I used to have to clean up (I used to work at a zoo), hmm wonder if I could convince my brother it's a new health drink? LOL

Will the tank be fine as is without the shrimp? as I'm still not planning on adding the CUC for a couple more weeks lOL. I don't want to kill off the bacteria now I've cycled the tank LOL

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, then perhaps just a small chunk of shrimp . Don't need to be decomposing that whole biomass without critters to eat it.

 

[cuticom]

Results for today

s.g. 1.024 (yay LOL)
Temperature 26 degrees
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0
nitrate 20

 

[SkiFletch]

Remember, at this rate, you're going to have very high nitrates from the decomposition of the shrimp. Eventually you'll need to do a 100% waterchange to get it back down to zero before adding livestock

 

[cuticom]

Definitely planning on a large water change before adding livestock, also getting some macro algae to stick in the sump to help with the nitrates as well. I spoke to Mum and as long as the new bag of salt arrives on time, should be able to start stocking the tank next week.

Oh and the first fish to go in will be two pajama cardinals, can I keep adding inverts after they've gone in (snails etc), or will they not be happy over that

 

[SkiFletch]

Sure, inverts rarely bother fish . In fact usually the opposite is true, some fish bother inverts

 

[cuticom]

Just an update, I've stopped testing daily, as everything seems to be going smoothly, and will just wait till I can do a big water change.

New things are now appearing, the strange tubes everywhere, that have been nicknamed trumpets are still growing, but are now adorned with red algae, which is also taking over the rest of the tank, one thing though, the alge has bubble on it, not within the algae just bubbles of air, it looks the same as pearling in freshwater plants (when they release pure oxygen after absorbing CO2), and I'd assume the algae's doing the same thing, but just wanted to check. Theirs also quite a few normal hydroids with the little crowned heads everywhere, and yes i have double checked to make sure they aren't aiptasia. Theres also a few macro algae plants that are just starting and look totally awesome since their maybe 4 mm high and have split numerous times to make a little bush.

haven't been able to do much with the tank today, as I'm doing a major rearrange of the freshwater tanks tomorrow, and have been emptying tanks, and removing gravel etc all day.

Forgot to ask, I told Mum the tank had cycled, and she's really eager to get her Pajama Cardinals as they'll be the first fish in the tank, they'll be given 4-6 weeks quarantine first, but is that long enough for the tank to settle and be ready for fish?

 

[SkiFletch]

Yes it's just fine

 

[cuticom]

Well the quarantines set up and running, ahve to say it's great fun mixing salt LOL.

I may pick up a pair of cardinals tomorrow, not sure theres been a school of them at the LFS for over a month, so if their still their I'll get two, but if it's a new shipment will wait a bit first.

Also wanted to ask, will snails eat the algae wafers made for freshwater fish? as if I get some tomoz, they'll have to go in the quarantine tank till I get the new bag of salt to change the water in the big tank (I only have enough for 30 % change at most), so they'll need something to eat and I figured algae wafers would be good...

 

[SkiFletch]

Dunno, but they will eat algae you can get from asian markets for sushi (aka Nori)

 

[cuticom]

Back from the store, I didn't end up coming home with anything, but have a question. Theres this gorgeous valentini puffer at the store, he's been there for at least two months, maybe more, he's full grown and sooo sweet. If I got him, he'd have to go in the tank first, so would he still be okay with a pair of pajama cardinals and a pair of clowns? or would he get territorial? could my tank support a valentini puffer, 2 cardinals and 2 clowns?

 

[cuticom]

Sigh, darn it just read that their not compatible with cardinals and will nip the clowns fins, ah well, I want the clowns and cardinals more then I want the puffer, no matter how cute he was.

Edit- I'm still not sure what I'd like my fifth fish to be, was wondering of anyone had suggestions? I liked the look of the royal dottyback, but after seeing it in the store, it's way to shy for what I want, and although I like the yellow tailed blue damsel, it sounds like their too aggressive for what I'm after. I want a bottom dwelling fish, as the other fish are more top/mid dwellers. I really liked the look of the scooter dragonet, but have been told that they live solely on pods, but then other people have said they can easily be trained onto frozen food? am a tad confused... Any other suggestions are also welcome.

 

[cuticom]

Just an update, nothing much has happened in the tank apart from the algae bloom really taking a hold and turning the whole tank a pretty maroon colour, but I have found a guy who's breaking down his marine tank and selling 3 pajama cardinals and a sun coral, I definitely want the pajama cardinals, which I should hopefully get, and I'm interested in the coral, so I'm just off to research it now.

Emma

 

[cuticom]

Just done a LOT of reading on the sun coral, and I think if it's a good price I'll get it, unless theres something I missed which would make it unsuitable for my tank?

The feeding I can do, and was prepared to do anyway for whatever coral I started with, and the fact it's not photosynthetic will be helpful as I still haven't got my light cycle perfect yet. I do have one question though theres two sets of opinions on a sun corals light tolerance-

Some people say that they absolutely hate light and need to be kept in shade in a cave or under an overhang, or they'll die

While others say their completely unaffected by light and can be placed anywhere in the aquarium, and can be trained to come out when the lights are on.

Feeding seems simple enough, since if I get it, it will be coming from a reef tank, it's obviously eating something and probably been trained to a certain time already which should be helpful, then I just feed it every day for a couple of weeks to get it over the shock of the transfer and then feed it 2-5 days of every week. They'll eat mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, cyclop eaze and other meaty foods and must be target fed.

The target feeding I know I can do, because I used to own peacock eels, and they had to be specifically fed bloodworms with pipettes etc, so I can't see feeding individual polyps being much harder then a spiny eel, they at least don't run away LOL.

You also need to be very careful about hair algae, and make sure none gets them.

So is that all? or have I missed something?

Thanks
Emma

 

[cuticom]

Blah forgot to add, was looking at the MH lights today, and it;s actually a 100w ficture, not a 150w fixture, will that affect the corals I'm after much?

Emma