Do you have Zoa's in your tank?

- Some species of Zoas and Pallys can secrete a toxin that can be very harmful and perhaps deadly. So, wear gloves and be careful of who's by your tank (children, pets).

lol hilarious

dipandots: please do research before posting drastic recommendations in this thread, especially when this is your first post.

I apologize for my generalizations. It may be unlikely for a human to be strongly affected by Zoa's toxin but it is possible. The toxin would have to enter the bloodstream through an open cut or digestion. Being someone who has hangnails often, my fingers therefore have entrances in which the toxin could enter my body. As I stated before, is this likely? Maybe not, but I do not see any harm in being careful. Also, Zoa and Pally toxicity is documented. Please see these links for more information.

http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/resources.asp?show=16

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/invert.htm

http://fishinsects.suite101.com/article.cf...or_the_aquarium

*****I bought my tank, and the person i bought it from said to start with the rocks and sand. They also said that i would be able to start with a couple fish; 2 green damsels and a fire fish.

I have had my tank for 3 weeks now and since then have added a tomato clown fish, sea urchin, and green polyp coral. up to this point my tank is doing good, but now that i have become a member on here everyone is saying not to add anything for a few weeks or so. I have been to other tropical fish stores and they too have said that it is alright to have put in what i put in my tank up to this point.now, i guess my question at this time is, what should i be doing now?


ultimately, i want to get another fish or so, more coral, and a couple more crabs. I have a 12g nano cube i know this is going to take time t build, and i understand i might be jumping in to this a little to fast. its very exciting, but i would like someone to give me some advice so that i do not ruin my tank and everything in it. thanks!

---Chone86

to nano-reef.com

Unfortunately, this thread is tailored to people giving general advice to all beginners, not really an individualized Q&A thread. Your best bet is to start a new thread ("new topic") in this forum to get more people to read your questions I will try to address some issues so other new members don't assume the advice you received was completely correct.

You should be more skeptical of the advice given by LFSs (local fish stores). Also, make sure you have done you're own research before buying any livestock. Many LFSs are misinformed (especially on nano tanks) or just opportunistic. It's like going to a car dealership before learning to drive and expecting the dealer to give you the best advice on choosing a new car. This is why forums like nano-reef.com are so important in getting less biased advice.

How much and where did you get the rock from, and was it cycled? Generally you need 1-1.5 lbs of rock per gallon.

The main problem is that you have too many fish for a 12 gallon nanocube. Your tank 12 gallons of water in the display after you subtract the volumes of the back chambers and rock/sand. 2 (3 max) small fish would be the maximum for a tank of that size, with "small" meaning anything smaller than an ocellaris/percula clown. If you want more fish, you should get a larger tank.

You need to find what's going on in your tank, which is to test the water for things like ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and specific gravity (or salinity). The API saltwater master kit is a good choice for beginners. It's likely your cycle has finished after three weeks, but you should test the water to make sure. To learn about water parameters and what are the normal ranges you should strive for, read this:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

The second problem is starting with 2 damsels and a fire fish. You should try to add no more than one fish (unless there is a mated pair that should be added simultaneously) because fish have large influences on the tank bioload, and often a mini-cycle will occur with each addition. Too many fish added at once can create a noticeable cycle, which causes multiple issues if you have delicate livestock. This is even worse in a tank as large ("small") as yours. Corals and other invertebrates are often insignificant in terms of bioload.

Here are my observations on your livestock list:

Damsels, which include clownfish, are notably aggressive fish (they are related to FW cichlids). If your "green" damsels are in the genus Chromis, they should be peaceful; although, there can be issues between individuals of the same species. Chromis also appreciate a lot of swimming room.

The firefish is a good choice for a nano tank, but it needs peaceful tankmates.

A tomato clown is way too big for a 12 gallon tank because of size and aggression issues as a more typical damsel than chromis. When deciding what fish to buy, always go by their adult size. Ocellaris/percula clowns are ideal because they're peaceful and small.

An urchin is another complicated issue as many species can be bulldozers in a tank, but a more specific description than "sea urchin" is necessary to determine behavior. Likewise, the "green polyp coral" could mean many things, but it sounds like it's some type of soft coral.

I suggest removing the tomato clown, urchin, and possibly both chromis. Getting rid of the chromis would allow you to keep an ocellaris/percula clown with the firefish. You also haven't mentioned any type of clean up crew (snails and other things that help scavenge or eat algae). Here's a good guide to this:
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/cleanupcrew.html

im a noob
i spilled all my tank water on the floor
oopsy

Research equipment.

That's my favorite part so far. I'm really new to the hobby (I don't have any coral in my tank yet), but it seems like every day there's a new anenome, or little worm, or starfish that I didn't have the day before.

hey whats up, any info quarantine tanks

I just learned this today: Get a smart phone (like an iPhone)

1. It helps when you're in the local fish store, see a fish you don't recognize. No need to go home and research the breed.

2. It helps you compare prices with your other LFS. Most LFS will price match or price beat their competitors. Not only will you benefit economically, but your LFS will like that you did their homework for them.



Cheers.

why is that, I thought that they were peaceful fish

It seems that one persons crusade has been to ban every basslet from nano reefs. I personally think they are the most amusing and have the best personality of any nano fish species out there. I have an ORA Neon Dottyback that I got from my LFS for $20 that has been a joy to watch and interact with. In another tank I had a Royal Gramma that was the life of the party and would swim into my hand and also would play catch with a rock when it was bored.

The trick with keeping them is a tank with awesome POD population, and make sure to add the peceful fish first at least two weeks prior to the Dottyback or Basslet. They will learn to eat pellets from your hand, which is very rewarding.

Sorry for the rant...Back on topic...

The best reef keeping advice I could give you is to be consistent and persistent. Honest Abe Lincoln said it best. "Endeavor to Persevere". Great Advice from a Greater Man.

Quarantine your sh!t. And by sh!t I mean fish and corals.

Dottybacks (family Pseudochromidae) are different than most "basslets"; although, the precise grouping of which fish are even considered basslets is vague. Grammas are part of another family, Grammatidae, and generalizations are hard to make across different families.

It's true that fishfreak218 does not like grammas and that they can be peaceful, but it's another matter to say that all dottybacks should be considered as "peaceful" based on keeping a captive-bred neon/arabian dottyback (Pseudochromis aldabraensis). Many dottybacks are so aggressive that they can only be kept alone or in pairs.

Gramma info:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/hcs3/index.php
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/grammas.htm?h=

Dottyback info:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcs3/index.php
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pseudoch.htm

Thanks for posting those links, but I didn't say that all dottybacks or basslets are peaceful, on the contrary. I said that he would be alright adding a dottyback or royal if he adds his peaceful fish first. It is a well known fact that adding the more aggressive fish should be done last so the aggressive fish has less of a chance to harass weaker tankmates.

It is also a well known fact that dottybacks are very aggressive weather they go in last or not. If you want a peacefull tank avoid dottybacks. This is generalization not the exception.

Your "well known fact" is not always a fact for all dottybacks. You're still extending your experience with one dottyback to give advice on all dottybacks. It could be that captive breeding influences aggression. In your original post and this post, you made no indication that there are some dottybacks that will attack other fish no matter how long they are added after those fish. Moreover, aggression also depends on the other fish. As my link indicates, some dottyback species are predators of small fish/crustaceans.

The bottom line is that generalizations often have exceptions, and many beginners will not realize when exceptions are accurate. This is where researching the species of fish is important.

Don't use tap water. Make your own or buy RO.

Hi there. Just found this site tonight. I have a 29 gal. BioCube with metal halide lights on a FedEx truck due to arrive next week. I've been obsessing over what I want in it, and a Royal Gramma made the list. Why are they bad for a nano tank?

i don't know a thing about Royal Gramma, but sit back and watch everyone rant and bicker about weather or not they are good or bad in a nanno. its better than watching old people at the grocery store.

Not that they are bad for nanos.They are agressive and listed as peaceful.You will find some people saying they have no problems with them. But I have seen a Dotty kill 2 clowns and 3 chromis in 1 night. I avoid them.

I am brand new and starting my tank next week. I read in a couple different places that putting newly acquired LR in a bath of extra salty water will cause bristle worms and mantis shrimp to bail out. Then you can put your LR in your display tank.

Thoughts?

First of all, to N-R!

I have a Royal Gramma in a 55g, I know it's not a nano but I think you could put on in your tank, as long as you put it in last. They can be pretty aggressive! Also, just give it a cave/crevice to call it's own.

Bristle worms are good for your system good scavengers.I would do a fresh water dip before a high salinity dip.

Debonator: please make a separate thread (click the "new topic" icon at the top of this page) so that your questions can be answered in one place and in greater detail. This thread is more for people giving generalized advice rather than a question-and-answer format.

As for your question, fishfreak218 had a bad experience with grammas, but that is more of an anecdote than a strict rule. Note that grammas (family Grammatidae) are related to but not exactly dottybacks (family Pseudochromidae), which often earn their aggressive reputation.

Oops, sorry. I finally sifted through all 14 pages and a lot helped, and some was confusing.

Hi
Very new to this so just reading through suggestions!! please can you tell me what BTA stands for? Thanks Natalie

BTA stands for Bubble Tip Anemone.

@lakshwadeep I have had many Dottybacks over the years...But in all fairness I should have also said that the dottybacks that I have had have all been the smallest fish in the tank. They are aggressive, and will fight with other fish in an aquarium that doesn't have enough food in it. A veggie clip with some nori in it will help, as most fish are omnivorous.and would rather forage throughout the day.

At those New to reef-keeping... Water quality is king...make frequent water changes and make sure to use RODI water for top-off, (the freshwater will evaporate and needs to be refilled / replenished daily). I do a small saltwater change everyday when I do my maintenance...takes me about 10 minutes and my fish / corals love me for it. I use Troic Marin salt and basically all I do is;

1. Take 2 empty 16oz cups,
2. fill one with the new saltwater
3. Dip the other cup in to remove 16oz
4. Carefully pour the new saltwater into the tank
5. I do this after I have scrubbed the glass, and or stirred the sand.

That's it!

The true answer to nearly every reefkeeping question is, "It depends" because often there isn't enough information to give a good answer or even and educated guess.

So, it's very useful to give as much info as you can about your system when asking a question. This includes, but is not limited to:

equipment
-tank size at the very least
-stock or modified equipment if it is an "all-in-one" tank
-include filtration sources (both live rock and external filters)
-lighting brand/model/bulbs when asking about photosynthetic corals/algae

water parameters
-probably the worst thing you could do is to say your parameters are "perfect/good"
-include the units, like ppm or dKH, except for pH and brands/models of the testing equipment
-if the question is about a change in water quality, it's good to provide data on what happened before and after the incident

complete livestock list
-at least everything you purchased but also "significant hitchhikers" like crabs, corals, anemones etc.
-try to find the taxonomic name of at least the animals: invertebrates will be fine with either the family or genus name; fish should be identified down to the species

pictures
-often the most important part of identifications; although, blurry/dark pictures are often useless
-a full tank shot (FTS) can sometimes help others point out things that were overlooked (like problems with the current equipment/livestock)

so what color should it be, im tring to do the right thing need a little help on this one...

Anemones that are photosynthetic have symbiotic zooxanthellae algae, just like photosynthetic corals. These are yellow-brown in color, so healthy anemones with enough of the the zooxanthellae should be a tan color (in addition to the other pigments). Bleaching, which also occurs in corals, happens when the zooxanthellae are expelled, usually during high stress. A bleached anemone may not be white per se but clear.

It's a good idea to make a separate thread (click "new topic") in this forum so you can get tailored answers because there are many factors that go into why an anemone would be bleached. Also, try to make only one thread to keep replies coordinated.

Best advice I can give.

reefcleaners.org
mediabaskets.com
mrcoral.com

Ok, I see this every day and I don't know where it comes from. There are so many posts talking against this yet it still is a "mod" that n00bs do all the time.

Sample post:



No

Bioballs and live rock (LR) rubble are the exact same thing. They both can cause the same problems and they pose no benefit to your tank. I would love to know how 1/2 pound of rubble will help 8-35 gallons of water.

The live rock in your display is your bio-filter.

He has the sponge part correct.

This raises an important point - if you're going to do a newbie thread, don't use so much jargon without explaining it at least once along the way. I'm still scratching my head over much of it.

Feng shui is bunk...

There is nothing difficult about spelling "quarantine". Not to be mean, but it's easy to look words up online that you aren't sure about. Headaches avoided.

This thread is meant for posting advice, not nitpicking years-old posts with personal opinions. There is a useful glossary in the library section (top left of page).

Sounds excessive.

That's right! Send it my way. It can live in my new saltwater or, darn it, feed my crayfish if it does die.

Form your own opinion on the knowledge given by LFS employees by doing research to compare with. For example, some of the best advice I've received has been from a few guys at my local (chain store) Jacks. Just because they work for a chain doesn't mean they're ignorant or will force BS on you to make a sale. There are some individuals working there who are intelligent, maintain their tanks well, and will give you the straight facts about what they do or don't know. I've had them place personal orders for me based purely on my interest in something and without requesting it, to boot.

This might not be the norm, but it's worth finding out for yourself before jumping to conclusions. I tend to see a lot of bashing going on regarding this subject, so that's my two cents on it.

I like that idea.....

Hello,
I thought this would be an appropriate place for my first post. I'm doing as much research as I can and will continue for the next few months before taking the plunge. This thread is very helpful... keep it coming guys!

I would add three equipment categories

Good
Better
Best

Does it hurt to do water changes during the cycle or does it just make it take longer to cycle?

The nitrogen cycle occurs constantly, but "the cycle" is usually when new live rock has a lot of die-off and a spike in ammonia production, which is an imbalance in the nitrogen cycle. So, the basic point is you don't need "the cycle" to have a successful tank; this is why people can transfer rocks from an established tank to another often with no ammonia spikes. Check the nitrogen cycle article (library section at the top left of this page > articles) for a good description of the nitrogen cycle.

Water changes are useful in reducing the severity of the ammonia spike, which would be important if there are delicate hitchhikers (like corals). This is sometimes called "soft cycling". Otherwise, water changes may not make a big difference (i.e. most of the hitchhikers will survive). That said, avoid waiting for a long time to start water changes; they can help cut down on algae blooms that often come after "the cycle". It's usually difficult to anticipate whether a cycle is long (or even what is the "normal" length) since it depends a lot on the rock.

Also, curing is basically pre-cycling rock before it gets into your tank; cured rock is pre-cycled rock.

I'm a bit new but here's something I've learned pretty quick:

Don't let family/friends sway you into buying something for your tank or setting it up a certain way. It's your tank. Have fun with it!

Good advice. What I did and I am really enjoy it!

Be gentle I've only been researching nano reefs since Monday.. Why not a Royal Gramma?

It's one person's experience. Some, not all, owners of grammas have reported them being aggressive, which is a problem if you want shy/peaceful fish (like most nano reef fish).

just buy some good rock get instant ocean salt and let the tank do its own work


all i did was get some good quality rock at petco about 15 pounds of it and reef crstals salt let the tank cycle and you got your aquarium just use a hydrometer to measure the salinity and evrything works out