[BenV]

I'm a beginner and I'm just setting up my first 29 gallon reef tank. The tank has been filtering with live sand and live rock for about 2 months. I have the Ecosystem for filtering, powerhead for water motion,compact fluorescent lighting, and about 30-35 lbs. of live cured rock. I also put in calcium and buffer along with Ecosystem's Reef solution. On top of the rocks, it looks like hair algae or plants coming up from the top of most of the rocks. Is this a good or bad sign? If it is a bad sign, what can be done to keep this under control. Also, I was wondering if you had any suggestions, positive or negative, about this set-up. So far I only have a few rock anemonies, a moroon clownfish, and a snail. I would like to hear anything you would like to suggest or comment on.

BenV.

Originally Posted by Reefland

marxsman,

The problem with crushed coral is that the size of it allows too much oxygen to pass through it and therefore does not facilitate an oxygen deprived area for different forms of bacteria to develop. These bacteria populations are critical to processing waste in the form of nitrate into nitrogen gas.

The second problem is again with the size; the crushed coral allows for detritus to fall through where again, there is no appropriate bacteria to process it. This in turns leads to excessive nutrients. This problem can be offset by vacuuming the substrate clean but it's labor intensive and causes a loss of worms, pods, etc. It's simply counter productive.

[marxsman]

The algae is not a problem in a new tank but it could also mean that the tank is high in phosphates if it is "hair algae". Most times it goes away on its own after the tank is well established, However if it does not go away check the phosphates and buy a few more snails.


The tank is basically what I started with. I curious to hear the other opinions.

It really depends on you! What are you planning to keep? Corals? fish? both?
Budget? is the question. It's sounds good for my budget (im a COP)

[orion25]

Originally Posted by BenV

I'm a beginner and I'm just setting up my first 29 gallon reef tank. The tank has been filtering with live sand and live rock for about 2 months. I have the Ecosystem for filtering, powerhead for water motion,compact fluorescent lighting, and about 30-35 lbs. of live cured rock. I also put in calcium and buffer along with Ecosystem's Reef solution. On top of the rocks, it looks like hair algae or plants coming up from the top of most of the rocks. Is this a good or bad sign? If it is a bad sign, what can be done to keep this under control. Also, I was wondering if you had any suggestions, positive or negative, about this set-up. So far I only have a few rock anemonies, a moroon clownfish, and a snail. I would like to hear anything you would like to suggest or comment on.

BenV.

A few questions:

1. are you using a skimmer?
2. are you using RO/DI for your water or are you using tap water?
3. Have you added a Detrivore kit for your Live sand?
4. Did you seed your sand with Live Sand from an established system or did you use the "Bio-Active" stuff?

[Spick]

Originally Posted by BenV

Also, I was wondering if you had any suggestions, positive or negative, about this set-up. So far I only have a few rock anemonies, a moroon clownfish, and a snail. I would like to hear anything you would like to suggest or comment on.

BenV.

Hey ben,

Well to start of definitely pick up some mroe snails, 1 mix of ten snails should be good, (5 astrea, 3 cerith, 2 trochus) something along those lines. As for your "rock" anemones, i presume you meaqn hitchhijker anemones which came along with your Live Rock. These are called Aptasia, and can be very annoying, as they tend to infest your ecosystem. If you see "flowers" growing out of your rock its a good sign, hair algae will come too, but will also vannish when your tank matures. I just finished cycling my tank approaching 5 months now. And i know for myself having a varierty and a vast quantity of snails helped out a lot. Some choose to go without crabs, but i picked up 25 blue legged hermit crabs, and keep doing so every 3-4 months. Crabs and Snails are a whole different subject. Any mroe question feel free to post. We're here to help! CHeers mate!

[Peterock]

My question about algae is I have a new tank and there is a ton of brown algae growing on the live sand. I picked up 2 emerald crabs but they are only eating the stuff that's on the live rock should i get a few snails? How many is enough for a 45gal with 40lbs of live rock that will go good with the crabs that i have....

[Spick]

The problem with the merlad crabs is if there isnt enough food in youir tank they'll eat your snails. My friend just went though that. The brown algae you are experiencing is suiimply a DIATOM bloom. You could see it as a good thing, it means your tank is cycling, and is going through the first stages of the cycle. Margarita snails like to eat diatom algae. But there are others as well. I used Margaritas myself because tehy are cheap, but you don't hear of many people speaking of them. Not too sure why.as for a 45G i would at least have 20-30 variety of snails. Hope that helps you out.

[Spick]

that's "emrald" crabs... not merlad!!! :s

[Peterock]

Sorry for the mis-spelled words

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Spick

I used Margaritas myself because tehy are cheap, but you don't hear of many people speaking of them. Not too sure why.

Well, perhaps you don't hear much talk about this snails, Tegula funebralis , becouse they are sold to aquarist misidentified as "margarite or margarita" snails.
Tegula snails are temperate species and they die very prematurely if kept at normal reef temperatures, where in nature they have quite a long life span. None of the Margarite snails belonging to Genus Margarites are found in tropical temperatures either and they too should not be kept in aquaria.
You can find some more information about them in this article, just scroll down the page a bit. I would recommend reading an entire article though, where Dr.Shimek goes as far as saying that "Putting these animals in a reef aquarium is both unethical and immoral."
Perhaps it is one of the reasons why people do not talk much about it?

[Spick]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Well, perhaps you don't hear much talk about this snails, Tegula funebralis , becouse they are sold to aquarist misidentified as "margarite or margarita" snails.
Tegula snails are temperate species and they die very prematurely if kept at normal reef temperatures, where in nature they have quite a long life span. None of the Margarite snails belonging to Genus Margarites are found in tropical temperatures either and they too should not be kept in aquaria.
You can find some more information about them in this article, just scroll down the page a bit. I would recommend reading an entire article though, where Dr.Shimek goes as far as saying that "Putting these animals in a reef aquarium is both unethical and immoral."
Perhaps it is one of the reasons why people do not talk much about it?

Thnx Gene, I've noted and will take precaution with these ansilas and no longer purchase them. I guess this is why my LFS doesn't sell them. Thnx for teh heads up.

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Spick

Thnx Gene, I've noted and will take precaution with these ansilas and no longer purchase them. I guess this is why my LFS doesn't sell them. Thnx for teh heads up.

Spick,

I sure hope you didn't take my post as if it was directed at you personally. I just felt that some information needed to be posted for the benefit of everyone that would read this some day, and since you did ask that question I felt like quoting your question to give meaning to my post.
If your LFS don't sell them for the reasons that I mentioned than they should be commended for this, in many cases it is just the opposite.

[Peterock]

Hello after checking out this post i went out to get some snails and crabs today and picked up 10 hermit crabs a few large and med. but mostly small, and also got 5 blue leg and 5 red leg crabs that are all small will that work for my 45 gal tank with a ton of brown algae growing all over the substrate and glass. What else should I do is it time to use the hose and clean everything

[prow]

hey everyone

the advice that i see given here is not for your type of system. that being said let me be the first to tell you the type system you picked is by far the best type for mimicing natural conditions. you dont need to add anything no iodine no plakton no stronium no carbon filter no protien skimmer (may use skimmer at first during set up but remove after 6-8 months)etc.. you do need to monitor your ca level however, but dont just add it this system provides the ca needed. the only time you really need to add is if you tank load is heavy. then just check it and add if needed. about the algae to help you i need to know some things first. like what type light are you using in your refuge. and do you leave it on 24/7(u should) in your refuge how much mud do you have and caulerpa. is there any algae growth in your sump. if so what color. has your caulerpa grown roots yet or has any creatures appeared in your mud yet(they will). most important question is how big is your refuge and what is the flow rate through it. i highly recommend you wait to buy snails and crabs for this type of system. once this system is going you will have no algae problems at all the snails and crabs will act as an export of nutrients(there piss and ???) adding to your tanks load thus reducing the number of other tank mates ,a few maybe ok just for cleaning up left over food, but you really dont need the regular cleaning crew. i am not sure how long your set up has been going but it takes about 4 week to start going. then add fish and corals you will see the caulerpa grow with the increase load. if the green stuff growing in your tank is not hair algae it might be caulerpa. to prevent this you should use bioballs after the refuge(make sure your boiballs if used before or after the refuge are wet/ meaning under the water line) i would also suggest wet bio balls before the refuge as it acts to break up dentrites and dialantons. if caulerpa is already growing in your tank there is no way to remove it. more than likely you will need to get new rock, if you want to get it out. if you leave it in it will not harm anything but it does grow very very fast all throught the rock i mean everywhere( tangs will help control it but not get rid of it) and if not under 24/7 lighting it will lets say have sex. and can do damage to your tank some say yeah some say no.i think both maybe it depends on the type of caulerpa. anyway if need help let me know.good luck