Toadstool

[mr_X]

that sea fan is non photosynthetic IMO. it needs strong flow and gets it's food from the water column, not from light. they are hard to keep happy. especially in a new tank.
from what i can see in the picture, the LTA has lost some color since it was taken from the ocean. i would feed it a couple times a week with small bits of meaty foods. you can go to the supermarket and buy 2 or 3 raw shrimp and put them in the freezer. just chip off and thaw a small piece about the size of a pea every few days and feed it to him.

you should get an accurate alkalinity test kit. there is a company called salifert that sells reliable test kits. you need a calcium kit too, but the reason i mentioned alk first is that i've noticed people have problems keeping corals alive when they experience fluctuations in alkalinity.
this especially happens when the new reef keeper hears from someone that he needs to add calcium, and does so without measuring and testing. i'm not saying you did this, but just thinking out loud here.

 

[FishFreak1961]

I use the salifert nitrate test and like that. API and Tetra for the other.
I have some frozen silversides I can give him. I'm sure the shipping
didn't help it any, nor the fan. My clowns don't seem interested yet,
maybe they will. What is proper alkalinity? I have only been in this a
year and boy I have learned a lot. What salt mix do you prefer. I am
going to try to get some oceanic. I really don't care for the residue
the IO has.

 

[mr_X]

yeah, oceanic is a clean salt mix, however, you may have to buffer the alk (8-12dkh is a pretty good range to stay in for closed systems. the higher end of that being ideal IMO/IME).
i use different salt mixes. i try not to stay with the same salt mix 2 times in a row. i don't use instant ocean for coral tanks though. it just needs too much of this and that to get it close to NSW.
reef crystals, made by the same company is a lot closer actually.
i also use oceanic, tropic marin pro reef, D&D H2-Ocean (deltec's salt), seachem reef salt, red sea coral pro, the brightwell salt, and gettanked's "saltwater correct".

i've found that reef crystals and seachem also leave that brown filth in the mixing barrel. i still use them anyway.

 

[FishFreak1961]

I will see if I can find something different, I have used IO this whole newbie year. I just love the exotic stuff and it more difficult to maintain for sure. Nubby says I need to stick to fish!