New saltwater tank and looking for some advice!!

[Adam10045]

Originally Posted by Aqua_woman

But can someone tell me what this is:

This is on one of the live rocks that we got from our friends saltwater......

Hard to tell, can't really see the rock clearly

[Adam10045]

Looks like you have pieces of filter pad in your rock? Did you buy some pods? Btw welcome to the most addictive hobby ever!

I will agree with everyone but not going to be so forceful. Your doing great and most of us are guilty of the new sw hobby rush. With fresh water, people tend to setup and buy fish the same day. Waiting on buying your first corals and fish just isn't easy. Setting up your first sw tank makes you anxious and Even us "advanced" sw people have done this when we first started the hobby (Not all but most)!! It's just a learning experience.
Like others, I would also recommend a little more rock. But keep in mind that EVER tiny thing you do to your tank, your tank knows it and responds in chemical changes. if you add a rock,fish,coral or even MOVE a rock. The tank knows it. I can stick my hand in the tank and the skimmers go crazy.
Base rock is a great idea that some have recommended. I placed 20% of LR on top of base rock when I started my third system. A year later you can't tell the difference because it's all covered in life.
As for making your sanded not so "fine", crushed shell or (my preference) aragonite works well. It's really a personal preference. Just be careful not to get the sand bed to deep, this can cause a huge headache in the long run. Sand beds are like an aquariums trashcan. Everything settles and begins breaking down in the sand. The deeper it is, the more waste it holds causing perimeter problems. Unless your a good "floor cleaner"

Great looking tank, i wish you the best!

[Aqua_woman]

Thanks Adam10045! I haven't really done anything new to my tank. I will be adding some base rock in about 2 weeks. Other than that, no new fish, critters, etc. I have added some new corals, about a week ago, and they are still bright, beautiful, open, and enjoyable to just sit and watch. I have been testing levels every night and will be conducting my first full 25% water change this weekend. I have slowed way down since the beginning and won't be making anymore livestock purchases until April. I am also going to remove half my sand and add some aragonite. I am noticing issues with the sand. Also, looking at either getting a new HOB skimmer as the one I have doesn't work very well.