55 gallon reef - First Saltwater Build Ever!

[matthewh133]

Are you using ro/di water? Thats the one thing I can come up with....also if you are it might be worth a test of the source water to be sure. I had one LFS selling me ro/di water with phosphates and nitrates in it. :-(

Hey Carey, I am using nsw for water changes (tested, has 0.04 phosphate reading), and for top ups using RO water from LFS measuring 0 phosphates.

That's why I'm having trouble finding out how they are so high, the water seems fine

 

[carey]

The other way to have phosphates is to introduce them with fish foods. Flakes are really good at adding to levels and if you are using frozen cubes and not rinsing them in ro water you might be adding them that way. How often do you feed? too frequent feedings can contribute to a buildup. I would do some serious water changes and maybe add a bag of phosphate remover like GFO or rowaphos if you want them to dwindle. Just my opinion and what I would do. I had super high phosphates for quite a while when I first started my 29g and it took endless water changes and some gfo and they finally went down. I also cut back on my feeding as well.

 

[matthewh133]

The other way to have phosphates is to introduce them with fish foods. Flakes are really good at adding to levels and if you are using frozen cubes and not rinsing them in ro water you might be adding them that way. How often do you feed? too frequent feedings can contribute to a buildup. I would do some serious water changes and maybe add a bag of phosphate remover like GFO or rowaphos if you want them to dwindle. Just my opinion and what I would do. I had super high phosphates for quite a while when I first started my 29g and it took endless water changes and some gfo and they finally went down. I also cut back on my feeding as well.

I have both frozen mysis (which I rinse in RO water) and small pellets. I feed the two clowns once every other day, and only a tiny amount (6-7 pellets). I'll definitely keep doing a water change once every few days to see if that helps, thanks Carey

 

[carey]

Wish I could have all the answers for ya lol. But yeah, I would keep up on the water changes maybe do larger ones for a bit and see if that can help.

 

[matthewh133]

Just a quick update.

The two clowns have been in for a week now, and all is going awesome.

They aren't shy at all. If I put my head up to the tank they come swimming up to the glass and look at me. They also love going through the current from my power heads lol.

As far as I can tell, the smaller guy has given up power already to the slightly bigger one, there's no more nippiness between them. They are also very much enjoying the new life spectrum pellets, but I'm feeding them a few mysis shrimp every third day.

Elegance is going great, always open and looking very healthy.

My phosphate is still a little high, so I'll be adding a phosban reactor within the next couple of weeks, as well as an RO/DI system so I don't have to keep doing trips to the LFS for water.

I'm still unsure of the next fish to go in my tank. I really want a six-line wrasse, but I'm thinking that I won't get one as I definitely want a mandarin or scooter once the tank and pod population is well established and the six-line would steal all the pods.

I have a nice frag of bleeding heart zoas arriving tomorrow, and a very small yellow/gold tip torch this week as well.. I'm hoping the clowns take a liking to it

 

[matthewh133]

What kind of light should I be giving the tank during the day? My light cycle is blues on at 4pm, whites and blues from 5-11pm, blues only from 11-12 midnight when they turn off.

So they get complete darkness from 12:30am till I wake up. What kind of lighting should they have from the morning till 4pm when my first lighting kicks in? I'm never sure if I should have the room lights on, or my window open or what?

 

[carey]

I have my lights on a timer so the blues come on at 10am and then the whites at noon. The whites then go off at 8 pm and the blues follow at 10pm. Hope that helps a bit

 

[matthewh133]

Thanks Carey sure does. Is anyone able to tell me how to grt a new frag of zoas I bOught to start growing on a rock?

Currently they are on a small frag plug, there's probably about 20-30 heads. Do l just place the frag plug in the sand next to the rock or?

 

[carey]

I usually place my zooa frags on a rock and either glue them or let them just take over. They tend to spread pretty fast under the right conditions so you'll have a rock full in no time.

 

[matthewh133]

Thanks Carey. Sorry for the ignorance, but do I take the zoas off the plug and glue them on the rock, or place the plug on the rock?

If I need to take them off the rock, what's the safest way to do this as to not hurt the frag?

 

[carey]

I've left them on the frag plug, they will spread over and all over it so that you won't be able to see it eventually. I've been gluing the discs to the rock using coral glue lately when I get zooa frags, it seems to make it sturdier. I glue them to rock rubble pieces though, not the large rocks just in case I want to move them later.

 

[matthewh133]

Kool thanks! Looking forward to these spreading out some more.

It's been nearly 2 weeks since adding my first two fish, so this weekend I'm heading down to the LFS to see what's goig to be my next addition

 

[redsea]

Kool thanks! Looking forward to these spreading out some more.

It's been nearly 2 weeks since adding my first two fish, so this weekend I'm heading down to the LFS to see what's goig to be my next addition

Great! What did you have in mind?

 

[matthewh133]

To be honest.. No idea. I really want a scooter blenny down the road, so I can't get te six-line wrasse I had planned.

I really like the royal gramma, but they are like $80 in Australia and you only come across one once so often.

I also really like the lOngnose hawkfish, but I don't want them eating my peppermint shrimp.



One option I had considered was 3 dispar anthers, but I've heard they are very hard to keep alive.

 

[redsea]

Yep, unfortunately Longnose Hawks are notorious for shrimp-eating. Royal Grammas also eat pods, so one of those would also take away from your pod population. I am like you, I go into the pet shop and see if anything catches my eye. If I am informed on it, and know it's requirements, and I like it, I will consider buying it. (Also, if I am not sure about something I pull out the handy-dandy iPhone, .)

 

[matthewh133]

Haha yep. Thanks for the info on the gramma, that sucks though! Didn't realize they ate pods too. This blenny is crossing lots off the list, but they're just so awesome lol.

 

[redsea]

Haha yep. Thanks for the info on the gramma, that sucks though! Didn't realize they ate pods too. This blenny is crossing lots off the list, but they're just so awesome lol.

I agree, the Blennys are very cool!

 

[matthewh133]

Does anyone have any ideas for what fish I should put in next?

 

[carey]

I didn't read up so I'm not sure if you have these or if you've crossed them off your list: A watchman goby, chromis, some kind of Blenny, cardinal fish or maybe a flame hawk?

 

[matthewh133]

I didn't read up so I'm not sure if you have these or if you've crossed them off your list: A watchman goby, chromis, some kind of Blenny, cardinal fish or maybe a flame hawk?

I've never seen a watchman goby in an LFS here in Australia. I've seen one online for $100 lol.

I find chromis quite boring, I'm getting a scooter (dragonet I know), bangai cardinals aren't bad but I want fish that are more active, and the flame hawk will eat pods/my peppermint shrimp lol

I heard the royal gramma doesn't actively hunt pods, but
may just snap up uncouple if they are in it's cave. So I might get a royal granma.

That leaves me with 2 possible fish spots.