Hi all. I've been out of the saltwater hobby for 15 years, and am now converting my 55 gallon from fresh to salt. I've added 72 pounds of live rock on top of an aragonite base layer. I have 130 watts of mixed day/actinic lighs and a Hang on Tank Prizm protein skimmer. Currently using 5 powerheads. Appreciate your help in advance.
1. The skimmer leaks, but only sometimes. Can't figure it out; my wife will get mad soon if I can't figure it out. There is no obvious place from where it's leaking and it's only sometimes then it stops. The skimmer is not very efficient so far as I can tell. Should I buy a Red Sea Hang on tank Berlin skimmer instead? Any ideas or suggestions?
2. My tank has been cycling for 6 weeks. Nitrites and Nitrates are at zero. Ammonia test is hard to tell, but I think it's still reading between .25 and .5. Can this be? How long for a zero reading?
3. Tank is always around 82 degrees. Any way to lower the temp without buying a chiller? Or is this temp still OK?
4. I was going to add a cleanup crew (snails, hermits, crabs, starfish) - before adding fish. is this the right order? and do I feed them or is the algae enough?
5. Finally, in addition to the cleanup guys and a few more starfish and shrimp (my kids like them) my fish plan is for 6 green chromis to be added first, then a royal gramma, then a clownfish, then a flame angel. Is this a good mix and order?
Thanks all.
Gesh
1. The skimmer leaks, but only sometimes. Can't figure it out; my wife will get mad soon if I can't figure it out. There is no obvious place from where it's leaking and it's only sometimes then it stops. The skimmer is not very efficient so far as I can tell. Should I buy a Red Sea Hang on tank Berlin skimmer instead? Any ideas or suggestions?
2. My tank has been cycling for 6 weeks. Nitrites and Nitrates are at zero. Ammonia test is hard to tell, but I think it's still reading between .25 and .5. Can this be? How long for a zero reading?
3. Tank is always around 82 degrees. Any way to lower the temp without buying a chiller? Or is this temp still OK?
4. I was going to add a cleanup crew (snails, hermits, crabs, starfish) - before adding fish. is this the right order? and do I feed them or is the algae enough?
5. Finally, in addition to the cleanup guys and a few more starfish and shrimp (my kids like them) my fish plan is for 6 green chromis to be added first, then a royal gramma, then a clownfish, then a flame angel. Is this a good mix and order?
Thanks all.
Gesh