JennyLynn9579
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hi everyone,
I have been lurking on here for about 3 weeks now, learning TONS from you guys! I acquired an established 40 gallon reef tank with a 20G sump/refugium on July 3rd, has the following goodies: Euro skimmer, fluval heater, 2 Koralia powerheads, Nova Extreme Pro T5 HO 36" 6x39w lights, MarineLand single bright LED whites and moons. 50 lbs live rock divided between sump and DT, 25-30 lbs live sand. Livestock: pair of mated Ocellaris clowns, pair of blue-green Damsels, orange firefish, big fireshrimp, various CUC (hermits, snails, tiny stars, etc). Corals: 5x4 in green frogspawn (clowns don't leave it!), rose tip anemone (clowns don't pay it any attention whatsoever!), various leathers, red mushroom, blue mushrooms, sun polyps, pulsing xenia, green star polyp.
Water tests have been pretty optimal, ammonia-0, nitrites-0, nitrates 0-5, pH 8.0-8.4, alk low-normal 1.5-2.3 (estimate based on color), specific gravity- 1.023-1.025, temp 79-80.
Everything is going relatively smoothly for this being my first tank, bought from a lady on CL who had 4 tanks going and wanted to cut back (other tanks were exquisite!). Have had the typical newbie issues, getting powerheads aimed right (multiple sandstorms and a very irritated anemone), couple aiptasia's popping up (X'ed them immediately, peppermint shrimp to be delivered Thursday), and general grossing out from my first glimpse of a bristleworm.
I do have a couple minor questions:
1) when I was setting up after transporting the tank from an hour away, I was very stressed and anxious, didn't devote the proper time to arranging my live rock the way I should have, and I ended up with more in my sump than I would prefer. At this point, I am wanting to move some of it up to the DT to allow for corals and for hiding places, am I correct in assuming it's not an issue? It's the same water, organisms, parameters, etc, so I'd compare it to moving rock from one end of the tank to the other.
2) I have a livestock delivery coming Thursday, a Yellow watchman Goby, Flame Angel, 2 peppermint shrimp, 2 emerald crabs and 3 zoo frags. I don't plan to add more than MAYBE one more fish to the tank in the future, but not for quite awhile. At this point, am I overstocked?
Any comments, suggestions, etc would be appreciated, you guys are a wealth of information!! Thanks!!
I have been lurking on here for about 3 weeks now, learning TONS from you guys! I acquired an established 40 gallon reef tank with a 20G sump/refugium on July 3rd, has the following goodies: Euro skimmer, fluval heater, 2 Koralia powerheads, Nova Extreme Pro T5 HO 36" 6x39w lights, MarineLand single bright LED whites and moons. 50 lbs live rock divided between sump and DT, 25-30 lbs live sand. Livestock: pair of mated Ocellaris clowns, pair of blue-green Damsels, orange firefish, big fireshrimp, various CUC (hermits, snails, tiny stars, etc). Corals: 5x4 in green frogspawn (clowns don't leave it!), rose tip anemone (clowns don't pay it any attention whatsoever!), various leathers, red mushroom, blue mushrooms, sun polyps, pulsing xenia, green star polyp.
Water tests have been pretty optimal, ammonia-0, nitrites-0, nitrates 0-5, pH 8.0-8.4, alk low-normal 1.5-2.3 (estimate based on color), specific gravity- 1.023-1.025, temp 79-80.
Everything is going relatively smoothly for this being my first tank, bought from a lady on CL who had 4 tanks going and wanted to cut back (other tanks were exquisite!). Have had the typical newbie issues, getting powerheads aimed right (multiple sandstorms and a very irritated anemone), couple aiptasia's popping up (X'ed them immediately, peppermint shrimp to be delivered Thursday), and general grossing out from my first glimpse of a bristleworm.
I do have a couple minor questions:
1) when I was setting up after transporting the tank from an hour away, I was very stressed and anxious, didn't devote the proper time to arranging my live rock the way I should have, and I ended up with more in my sump than I would prefer. At this point, I am wanting to move some of it up to the DT to allow for corals and for hiding places, am I correct in assuming it's not an issue? It's the same water, organisms, parameters, etc, so I'd compare it to moving rock from one end of the tank to the other.
2) I have a livestock delivery coming Thursday, a Yellow watchman Goby, Flame Angel, 2 peppermint shrimp, 2 emerald crabs and 3 zoo frags. I don't plan to add more than MAYBE one more fish to the tank in the future, but not for quite awhile. At this point, am I overstocked?
Any comments, suggestions, etc would be appreciated, you guys are a wealth of information!! Thanks!!
I qt every thing lol I've had my horror story only thing i can think of is start a journal it will help you in the long run as you can look back and see what when things were done. 
