shady3210
Aquarium Advice Freak
So I have had my 75 gallon running for about 8 months now and my wife decides she wants a tank of her own(after she promises to help me with maintenance... we'll see about that). So it's off to craigslist I go.
I picked up a stock 29 Gallon Coralife Biocube. It came with a pair of Ocellaris clowns that look very healthy and bright (which is amazing considering how bad the water smelled...), about 8 lbs of live rock, a sand sifting starfish, and a giant hermit crab(it's a 5" monster) and a heater. I managed to talk the guy down to 80 for everything.
Now onto the fun! Right now everything alive is in the bucket I transported them in with the rock, a heater, and a little HOB filter for surface agitation. I cleaned and setup the tank last night tossed his sand and used some from my 75.
Here are some questions i have run into:
1) He has bioballs and some ceramic rings in the back that I want to get rid of but i'm guessing I should keep these until I can get some more rock in there correct? They are all clean at least.
2) The cf bulbs in the hood need to be replaced. I was thinking of going with 1 antic and 1 50/50 to give it more of a blue look. Could i do this or should i stick with the original 1 white and 1 antic setup? She does want soft coral and maybe an lps or 2 in this.
3) I'd like to move the critters out of their bucket tonight. How long would you drip acclimate the clowns? I don't think their water quality was very good and they will be going to clean water.
4) What other equipment do I need? I'm thinking a small powerhead and maybe a new return pump the stock one seems pretty pathetic.
5) I know sand sifting stars get big and i'v read they tend to eat everything in the sand then die. Thinking I should see if my LFS will take him.
6) Is the big hermit going to be an issue? He seems awfully hungry...
7) And lastly what are opinions on stocking? Are the 2 clowns about max for it? Maybe add some shrimp? Would another small fish be happy in there?
Thanks for the help i'll try and get pics tonight.
I picked up a stock 29 Gallon Coralife Biocube. It came with a pair of Ocellaris clowns that look very healthy and bright (which is amazing considering how bad the water smelled...), about 8 lbs of live rock, a sand sifting starfish, and a giant hermit crab(it's a 5" monster) and a heater. I managed to talk the guy down to 80 for everything.
Now onto the fun! Right now everything alive is in the bucket I transported them in with the rock, a heater, and a little HOB filter for surface agitation. I cleaned and setup the tank last night tossed his sand and used some from my 75.
Here are some questions i have run into:
1) He has bioballs and some ceramic rings in the back that I want to get rid of but i'm guessing I should keep these until I can get some more rock in there correct? They are all clean at least.
2) The cf bulbs in the hood need to be replaced. I was thinking of going with 1 antic and 1 50/50 to give it more of a blue look. Could i do this or should i stick with the original 1 white and 1 antic setup? She does want soft coral and maybe an lps or 2 in this.
3) I'd like to move the critters out of their bucket tonight. How long would you drip acclimate the clowns? I don't think their water quality was very good and they will be going to clean water.
4) What other equipment do I need? I'm thinking a small powerhead and maybe a new return pump the stock one seems pretty pathetic.
5) I know sand sifting stars get big and i'v read they tend to eat everything in the sand then die. Thinking I should see if my LFS will take him.
6) Is the big hermit going to be an issue? He seems awfully hungry...
7) And lastly what are opinions on stocking? Are the 2 clowns about max for it? Maybe add some shrimp? Would another small fish be happy in there?
Thanks for the help i'll try and get pics tonight.
