New guy with a new tank!!

[lakaiguy]

Hello people new guy here in Orange County, CA

Just converted my very boring 29g freshwater tank to a what already looks like beautiful saltwater tank.

Details:
25 gallons of RO/DI water
Can't remember if it was Oceanic or Instant Ocean salt
20 lbs Caribsea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink Live Sand
15 lbs Live Rock
Koralia 550 Pump
Heater
Crappy aqueon light

So I know I need more live rock and I think I want more of a sand bed. I also know I need better lighting, but what else do I need??

I have a great lfs that I will be working with as far as monitoring water etc. I would love to get some coral in there and Im not too concerned with stocking because Im used to boring Tiger Barbs!! So anything is going to be an improvement.

Well I hope for some input and TIA

 

[paul87]

You have a bunch of dead corals!!! LOL. Off to a good start though. What kind of fish or corals, if any, do you plan to have? And what kind of filtration do you have now. Your tank is borderline size but you may be interested in a protein Skimmer. I use the aquac remora on my 35 gallon and it does a great job.

 

[lakaiguy]

That's what live rock is, no? dead coral

Did I get hosed? Cause I payed $5 per lb

 

[paul87]

No. Live rock is any rock it can be dead coral rock as well with live organisms living in and on it making it 'live'. The rock itself is not living. Most of my live rock is lace rock which is limestone. I do have a few pieces that are dead acro corals. You can put dry rock in and it will become live as the tank ages. I did half live rock and half base rock. Same with my sand. Half live and half dry. Just to seed the rock and sand. It all became live over a period of time. The more porous the rock the better. Giving more surface area for organisms to live. Was the rock you got dry when you got it and sold as live rock or was it in a tank or container of cycled saltwater?

 

[lakaiguy]

Ok yeah it was fully submerged in water, and they knew I was setting up a new tank and needed live rock.

Were you just pointing out that all I had in the tank was dead coral (live rock hopefully)?

To answer your other question though I have no other type of filtration mechanical or otherwise.

I would like to just maintain a very simple system with some basic coral (im guessing soft coral) and a few fish (a clown or two and maybe a flame angel)

I just want a stable and relatively low maintenance system.

 

[StiREEF]

Your in OC. Me too. What fish store are you going to. You should run a HOB so you can run carbon or chemi pure. Other then that it looks good.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

OC!!! Lol love it. Great tank

 

[paul87]

Hows that tank going?

 

[lakaiguy]

Your in OC. Me too. What fish store are you going to. You should run a HOB so you can run carbon or chemi pure. Other then that it looks good.

Hey thanks I've been going to all the ones in lake forest and a couple in mission viejo. Familiar??

I keep reading so many negatives on the hob filter. I think Im going to see how stable a system I can maintain without my crappy aqueon hob filter. It gave me problems in my freshwater tank also.

Thanks for your input though

 

[lakaiguy]

Hows that tank going?

Hey thanks thats a good question I guess.

I haven't done a water sample yet so I don't know where Im at water quality wise. I assumed it was too early but from talking to others it seems possible that because I started with all live stuff that I could be closer than I think.

I did add another 10 lbs of live rock so it looks alt better at least.

There's actually something attached to one of the rocks that I wanted to get identified. It looks alive!!!

 

[lakaiguy]

These are the things growing off the live rock I bought last night.

What is it??

 

[paul87]

Looking good but unfortunately that is aiptasia. Need to get rid of that ASAP! When I bought some live rock it had some on it and I thought I got a bonus. Boy way I wrong. Its a bad anemone that spreads like wildfire and can kill corals and anything else it can catch. I used a syringe and aiptasia x. It cast 20 bucks but worked instantly. There are other ways to get rid of the so do some research on it. You can't simply remove it it will grow back full force. Good luck and let us know how it goes

 

[Sniperhank]

Def aiptasia. Welcome to officially being a reefer, aren't one without having to battle this little pest! I just had some pop up in my reef tank on one of my powerheads, round 3! But, like stated above, aiptasia-x is a great product that will do the job as long as the instructions are followed. Others have found success with boiling lemon juice or boiling water...but I had no such luck personally.

 

[lakaiguy]

Awesome thats what I get for straying from my lfs

 

[paul87]

Yea when. I got mine I got it from the not so good LFS instead of my trusted place. You could always call them up and say you want a refund. They know its there and they know exactly what it is. Some places actually sell aiptasia infested rock for more to newbies and call it 'coral incrusted rock'! I'm not sure if a freshwater dip will release them or not. Just research it. I tried a few things then I just bought the aiptasia killer with syringe and injected each one and it died instantly. It last a good while too if it ever happens again in the future you will have it. Good investment. I only had about 4 of them in my tank so I didn't use but a few drops of it

 

[paul87]

You can also try peppermint shrimp. They are known to eat aiptasia but mine didn't. Some have better luck

 

[Sniperhank]

Those are too big for a peppermint shrimp. They have to just be starting to grow for them to be interested.

 

[lakaiguy]

So if I was to remove the one rock with the aptasia would that fix my problem?? Or is my tank permanently tainted??

 

[StiREEF]

I'm in the brea Anaheim area. My favorite store is called fish collection but that might be a drive for you. As for the aptasia I would use the aptasia x on what you can see and then get 2 peppermint shrimp. I have a 55g tank with a refug. The fuge is full of aptasia but my two peppermint shrimp keep the tank clean.

 

[paul87]

You could do that. But by the time that aiptasia died the rock wouldn't be live rock anymore. No guarantee on the aiptasia isn't on the other rocks you got from there either since it was in their system. Possibility a couple could spring up down the road but you are still in good standings. Your not overrun with it and the tank is still cycling anyway.