35g need help with tank buddies and LR

[hagerman]

Hey i gotta 35 gallon live rock just started to grow something lol...
Its brownish is that supposed to happen not sure what im supposed to see when it starts to grow
Is a aqua glow hagen good enough for live rock growth
Also help me with tank buddies please i gotta percula clown
a tomato clown a blue yellow tail damsel and a hmm not sure what the last ones called its white with 4 black stripes gets about 3 inchs total growth if i remember anyway lookin for suggestions and should i get an anenome?????
Thanks

 

[hagerman]

I need help please

Tank buddies
i have percula clown
Tomato clown
blue yellow tail damsel and not sure what this ones called its white with 4 black stripes gets 3 inch when full grown
what kinda tank buddies would be good and should i get an Anenome

Also will aqua glow tube bulb be good for my live rock i have had live rock for 2 weeks and its starting to grow some brown stuff on top is that normal

 

[HN1]

Did you cycle the tank? What size?

 

[hagerman]

Yeah i did but not as long as i should have proably... only a week before i put fish and live rock in
its a 35 or 40 gallon

 

[melosu58]

It does not sound like your lighting is strong enough for an anenome. You are going to need some high powered lighting. What type system do you have as lighting.

 

[melosu58]

Unless it was cured LR you might be in for some trouble. One week is nowhere near enough. Keep real close tabs on your water parameters. You`ll probably need to do alot of PWC`s.

 

[hagerman]

Just a hood with a 20w hagen aqua glow bulb
what you think i should get for tank mates
and what would you suggest for lighting instead of this

 

[hagerman]

the guy at the store said it was cured and that i could just throw it in when i got home
what you suggest for lighting other than what i have or is what i have fine
as well as suggestions for tank mates for the fish i have i wanna get an anenome
and your opinion is live sand or crushed coral a better substrate for the bottom of tank

 

[HN1]

Ok. The guy at the fish store is by no means unbiased. You need to allow your tank to cycle. Fish should not be added until you have disappeared spikes of Ammonia and Nitrite and increasing Nitrate. Do you have a test kit?

You will need at minimum a T5 lighting fixture and MH would be better to keep a nem. Aragonite sand is the best substrate option IMO, it doesn't need to be "live". It will become so in time. CC will trap wastes and cause problems down the road. Please read the stickies and articles.

 

[HN1]

The brown stuff is probably a natural occurance for a non-established system. It takes months before the algaes die off as the tank establishes.

 

[melosu58]

A T5HO system will work fine.

 

[melosu58]

Duplicate threads merged together. Please dont post same questions in multiple forums.

 

[thincat]

I would wait for the anemone. Your clowns don't really need them.
Here is proof... My B & W hosting on a bunch of Zoas...Ha, ha that was funny to see.

 

[hagerman]

No i just have the hydrometer but the thanks for your help i will look into better lighting and a test kit for ammonia and nitrates in water.
So that lighting setup you suggested for the anenome is that good for your live rock as well

 

[mdaniel2882]

Forget the lights and the anemone for now. A better investment would be a protein skimmer at this point. I would get one that would work on the 100 gal that you said you would be going to. As far as tank mates I would not put anything else in that 35.

A good t-5 light system is going to cost between $200 and $500 for the 100 gal. don't waste money on anything for your 35 that won't work on your 100. I would suggest just "practice" keeping your water good with the tank and live stock you have. You are going to be doing A LOT of water changes to get those clowns and damsels through your cycle. Those water changes are going to slow down you cycle.

I know that it is exciting geting everything up and going but SLOW wins this game.

 

[hagerman]

Ok so if i get protein skimmer next and leave lights will my live rock make it thats in there i got 8 poungs in there for now all i have now is a 20w hagen aqua glow tube bulb just wondering if once i get good lights later after skimmer if LR will still be good to go

 

[hagerman]

thanks

 

[mdaniel2882]

Live rock doesn't need heavy lighting. The bacteria and the corline algae will be fine. With the bio load you already have in the tank the protein skimmer is next. after that the lights and then the fun stuff like corals.