My first Salt Water Tank...

[jjqs11]

Here goes nothing. ^_^

A JBJ 12gal nano reef.
Haha.

I think this is gonna be really fun.

I got it on boxing day, and it cost me only 99$ for the tank and the stand.

Its got 50/50 Lights and a filter in the back built in, I put in a preset heater hidden in the filter, a nano powerhead, my nano protein skimmer is ordered, Ive got 8 lbs of live rock in there, and about 10lbs of crushed coral substrate at the moment.
Cuz this is my first tank, please help me out if Im wrong @ some point.

Im adding the substrate in after the live rock, because I want the live rock to be on the glass and stable.

Ill be hosting pictures in a couple hours once everything clears up.

Wish me luck everyone.
And help me out with some tips.

This is the tank btw:

 

[jjqs11]

This seems to be growing on my live rock.
What is this?

Its like hair.

 

[TRe]

nano's are fun... GL with the build!

 

[jjqs11]

nano's are fun... GL with the build!

Can you help me with my last post?
What is that hair growing?
Is my cleaning crew going to remove all that or should I hit it with the turkey baster? lol.

 

[TRe]

its not really the best pic lol... is this imediatly after adding the rock to the tank?

 

[jjqs11]

its not really the best pic lol... is this imediatly after adding the rock to the tank?

Yea over a couple hours.
The salt is still diluting into the water, so it will be done soon, Ill post a new picture before I go to bed.
Then another when I get back from work @ 5pm.

Should I be adding any nutrients @ all?

 

[Fishmonger70]

You should have waited until you salt was completely dissolved and your SG was at the right level (about 1.024 - 1.025) before adding your live rock. Where did you get the live rock at? Funny your LFS would sell you live rock with lots of bad crap growing on it. You don't need any suppliments or additives at this time. Your salt mix should provide you with everything it needs. Can you get a clearer picture, we could probably get a better idea of what you are dealing with.

 

[TRe]

not sure what it is but its normal lol .... itll go away and im sure it has by now right?

 

[jjqs11]

not sure what it is but its normal lol .... itll go away and im sure it has by now right?

Yep, its all gone haha.

You should have waited until you salt was completely dissolved and your SG was at the right level (about 1.024 - 1.025) before adding your live rock. Where did you get the live rock at? Funny your LFS would sell you live rock with lots of bad crap growing on it. You don't need any suppliments or additives at this time. Your salt mix should provide you with everything it needs. Can you get a clearer picture, we could probably get a better idea of what you are dealing with.

Its gone now, but I took a better picture anyways.

I bought it @ the local pet store.
They were telling me I chose the rocks with nice algea.
Let me know.
Looks nice and red algea.

 

[Fishmonger70]

Ok, that looks good

 

[jjqs11]

Ok, that looks good

Issue #2:
As you can see the rock front left has white specs on the top.
They seem to be getting bigger, and theres some on the red piece in the back right aswell.
Is this normal, what ppl call "die-off" stage?

 

[jjqs11]

Can anybody help me on that?

 

[jjqs11]

Alright, this is now an emergency, can someone please help me, the picture I showed before.
Atleast half of the red algea has now died off or so it seams.

 

[Lotus]

It's normal for coraline to die off when you're cycling a tank. Don't worry about it, it will come back... eventually.

 

[jjqs11]

It's normal for coraline to die off when you're cycling a tank. Don't worry about it, it will come back... eventually.

Thanks!! Now I'm not scared to add my cleaner crew. Water has been stable no amonia no nitrates and stable salinity for a week now

 

[jjqs11]

Thanks!! Now I'm not scared to add my cleaner crew. Water has been stable no amonia no nitrates and stable salinity for a week now

Lots of the algea on the live rock is turning brown.
Larger chunks of brown algea seem to be floating around, or sticking to the glass.

I have added 6 blue legged hermit crabs, and a fat snail.

How often should I be doing water changes?

 

[Lorna]

brown algaes are normal part of the cycling process. I would look at biweekly waterchanges

 

[susieq728]

Okay so you guys are prob. gonna yell at me, but um, this is my first tank, I've never done a water change, it's a 75 gallon tank with a sump with live/dead rock on the dry side I'm not sure what else is running on the filter as I had a friend who's had s.w. tanks for 10+ years set me up. I just do what he tells me to do, I add new water treated with aquapur into the sump a bit of calcium buffer every now and again and maintain temp. at about 76 and I have ployps growing on one piece of rock (came on some fiji rock I ordered, 2-3 mos. and most is still alive), what I believe to be a tube anemone that came locally from a piece of rock we got at the beach and 3 fish. My fish are all hardy and mid-tempermental fish. I've had it set up for about 5 months now and everything seems to be doing fine. Am I a horrible salt water keeper?

My friend has kept tanks for years and hasn't done a water change in his 150 gal. in 2 1/2 years but has plenty of live rock, etc. in there. I have several snails, at least one conch (I have a puffer and a hermit so after 4 conch and 100 snails, it's hard to know which one's aren't RIP now) that help as far as my filter. My algae build up isn't that bad either ever since I've made sure that my tank maintains a normal day/night cycle and the lights are off so my surviving snails can come out.

 

[Lorna]

well water changes are very important to maintain proper levels of trace elements and alk/ph and ca. It is also your major nutrient export method. Although you have been successful up until now you are a timebomb waiting to go off. Waterchanges are a good habit to get into, your livestock will appreciate the effort