Help me with my new 29

[FroggyFox]

Hey guys So I got a new 29 setup ($150 on craigslist for the tank, stand, hood and a set of lights - Current, Dual Satellite 30" 2 x 65w w 1 LED, 2 Fans) on August 9th.

Took me awhile, but I managed to move it upstairs and rearrange my office to accomodate the new tank. I slowly added some water to make sure I wasn't going to end up with an unintentional lake, then when it seemed ok after a few hours I put the rest of my salt mix into it. Unfortunately only had about enough for 20 gallons, so I let that mix. (thats why the water level is so low in these first two pictures)

Then on 8/12 I went to my favorite fish store and got 11 lbs of live rock. One cool piece of Takonga? It wasn't Tonga..and it started with a T and had a K in it LOL whatever, its the piece on the right in the first picture...and then two pieces of Florida aquacultured rock that has some great algaes on it etc. (if anyone can tell what they are that'd be super, haven't had time to identify them. There's a ferny type and a type that has like round 'leaves' on it)

I got about 15 more lbs of live rock into the tank this past Sunday (8/19) from a couple who was consolidating tanks and needed to get rid of some live rock. The rock has some great coraline growth on it, were from some pretty well established tanks, and unfortunately also some aiptasia that I know I need to get rid of asap.

First thing I found from the LR in here was a snail, not sure what kind he is but he's active esp at night or when the tank is cooler. Then this morning I found a 2nd thing! He's totally cute.

Johnny said he's harmless and will probably multiply woohoo I love the little critters!

Haven't seen many pods yet, but I'm guessing I need to just get into the "patience" mindset. Monday I filled the tank up most of the rest of the way. Yesterday my order from bigals showed up so I can put a thermometer on there, got a Hydor Koralia 2 to put in there and replace the little powerheads that are in there right now and some other stuff. I'll pull my test kits out and do a test today and see where everything is at.

I also have some sand here and am planning on putting just a bit of sand in the bottom of the tank (you can see its still bare bottom right now)

I dont think I'll be getting any corals for this tank, I dont know, we'll see. I'm not planning on it right now. (how are those lights if I wanted some??)

Ya'll can help me with suggestions on stock for the tank, and timeline too since its been awhile since I set up a new SW tank. I know it needs to cycle, ie no ammonia...but then I'm a little rusty. Should I get some hermits? snails?

Is this tank too small for some blue/green chromis? If not, how many could I have? Was also thinking maybe an angelfish? I'd also like to try a shrimp in here. Any other ideas? this is kind of a show tank so I'd like some color (thus the reason I LOVE the coraline)

 

[Mushroomman]

Once the tank gets going, I would add a few various snails and hermits to help out, if you do decide to go with invert safe fish, as you want to try a shrimp. If you dont go with inverts there are several cool fish that arent invert safe that would work in the tank, such as vallentini puffers, dwarf lions, hawkfishes, etc.

If you really wanted to, you could get 2-3 chromis, preferably 3 as they like schools. Some people say there isnt enough swimming room in a 29 for them, but personally I beleive you could definately do chromis. Dwarf angels in the genus Centropyge are for the most part good candidates for your tank, such as pygmy angels, coral beauty, flame... etc.

 

[TRe]

the rock is looking good.. in that other pic its a asterina star wich some belive to eat zoos when i see them i throw um in the sump..as far as cycling the live rock alone will fully cycle the tank and when your ammonia reads 0 your ready for snails hermits ect.. personally in a tank that size your already limited and i wouldnt both with the cromis but rather a few clowns,shrimp/goby pair, maybe a dwarf angel i dont know

 

[Lotus]

Looks like you're off to a good start!

The macroalgae sound like Caulerpa species. Maybe C. mexicana: Algae Page

and C. racemosa: Algae Page

 

[FroggyFox]

hmm...I don't honestly know. LOL Here's a picture, both kinds on this rock. Its a little pale because I turned the lights on just to take a picture and it was all dark for awhile.

After looking at the types on that site you linked I'd agree that they're caulerpa...they don't look like any of the other types (some of those are creepy lookin!)...but I don't see another bubbly type that isn't quite as...grapelike?

At any rate, no matter exactly what types they are, they're ok to have in the tank right?? I mean its probably better to have them in a fuge or something like other macros but as I dont have one plumbed in that could be interesting

 

[Lotus]

The bubble one looks like C. nummularia. I had some when I started my fuge, but it got outcompeted by another caulerpa.

To be honest, caulerpa's not really good to have in the display. They can do something known as "going sexual" where they release a bunch of spores, which then causes an ammonia spike. Fish don't generally like to eat them, either (they apparently taste bad).

I think the only way to remove them would be to try to scrub them off the rocks. Sometimes it's apparently hard to get rid of from the rock.

 

[FroggyFox]

hmmm well I suppose since I only have them on two rocks, I should move those rocks elsewhere then. If they were in a fuge that was plumbed into the main tank that wouldn't really remove them from the main tank enough not to affect everything?

 

[shift_9k]

I would say play it safe, scrub the rock.

 

[TRe]

i agree with scrubbing the rock..culerpa can go out of control very fast

 

[TheFool]

I wouldn't worry about the caulerpa too much - it's no big deal to pull strands out by hand to keep it under control, and as long as it's growing it wil limit the growth of other nuisance algaes that are far more tiresome to control/remove.
As far as fish and such go, in such a small tank I would carefully pick what I wanted rather than filing it up with the first fishI saw. Chromis - no , boring, and small shoals have a habit of slowly reducing themselves to populations of one - they are damsels, not neon tetras. A dwarf angel is always nice, but in such a small tank any meanness will be exaggerated. Maybe a dwarf angel and one of the less psychotic dottybacks would be nice. It's not real easy to say. It would need to be one of the very small dwarfs. I would go for that, and maybe a plectranthias if you can get them, or a small wrasse, or even one of the quieter damsels.

 

[TRe]

and as long as it's growing it wil limit the growth of other nuisance algaes

including coraline *crazysmil

 

[FishGeek]

You should just be able to remove the seaweed. The rock it too nice to just throw into the sump

 

[FroggyFox]

I *like* the seaweed tho I could move those two pieces into my 20g...and we could just call my 20 an unplumbed fuge (since its across the room and I am NOT rearranging the upstairs furniture again)

 

[FroggyFox]

Could I keep green star polyps in here? With the lights I have? Also, if those lil stars eat zoas will they eat GSP? Are any of the mainstream fish or inverts known for eating GSP? I wouldn't want to get any other corals in there...be doin fine with one I think.