NEWBIE by Brut force from Santa!

The LFS wanted me to purchase a few more, but with all the reading and the information overload in my head. I stood my ground and started out with just small livestock. I can always add more if needed.

Thanks to all for the information to make my first attempt a success

 

don't worrie. when ever I vist lfs I am always picking up snails and crabs. seems you can never have too much.

 

Thats awesome!! Good Luck!!! Im sure your kid loves it.

 

Well you are correct, my son is loving the crabs and snails. Now I wish there were more in there for him.

As far as the algae is going it seems to be going away and the rocks once again is changing color. I guess this is the cycle happening right in front of me. This is extremely cool for a me and my son to watch happen right in my living room.

I do have a question? What do I put in the tank for the crabs and snails to eat. Is the tank really producing enough for the six of them to survive?

:-/

 

never feed your hermit crabs they'll eat algae in the tank

 

crabs are a true clean up creature they will eat algae and any left over food once you get fish.

 

Here is a new question for all, If you look at my aquarium its looks very clear until you get close up to it, then you can see all types of micro bubbles. Is this normal or do I not have something set right?
:-/

 

I too wondered this. There is a lot of small things swimming or floating in my tank. Thought my filtration wasn't working right. Then I seen a movie on reefs and noticed somthing simmuler in their movie and my tank, Same small particles. If you have micro bubbles may want to check skimmer output if not that if might just be algae producing O2.

 

OK we have a couple of crabs and a couple of snails that appear to being just fine in the tank and Vinnie my son tends to count them every day. I am still having problems uploading a full picture of the tank but here is a link to one of the crabs just hanging out.
http://www.3reef.com/forums/members/gtrasper-albums-55-gal-startup-picture1535-100-0051.jpg

Todays reading are
78 F
Ammonia 0
Calcium 400
KH 8
Phosphate .5 this does not seem to be changing at all.
Nitrate 0

That tank is really tanking shape and the LR is no longer brown it now has some color to it.

Next week I will be purchasing the lights that I (Vinnie) will need for the corals. Any suggestion or recommendations would be great.
55 gal.

 

Been following this thread! Congrats! Looks like your cycle is complete, ammonia and nitrates both read 0! My tank did the same when it cycled with the brown algae. Those snails are a godsend, they really to tear thru the algae, and will happily clean most of your glass for you. I also have several of those little white "feather duster" looking things on my liverock, and I also am not entirely sure what they are. But they havent seem to do any harm in either of my tanks, and are cool to watch. They almost completely retract into the rock if a fish swims too close to them.

--EDIT

As far as buying lighting, don't make the mistake I did. Think now about what type of corals you want now, as well as you may want in the future. I spent $$ on power compacts, soon just to realize that I should have bought T5's or MH right from the start. If you're going to want the more expensive/better lights down the line, don't waste your money on buying "in-between" lights.