So, do I need to do anything? Or just let it sit?

Just let them be. The diatoms should go away slowly once your cycle is over.

Like other people stated, you really did introduced those fishes little too early. But those clown fishes are really hardy, so they might be ok. Check your water condition regularly. And those diatom will be gone soon. Have plenty of cleaning crew, like snares, hermite crabs. Take your time, you'll be fine in this hobby.

If you were looking for something to keep your mind occupied you sure picked the right hobby.


Have fun with the tank a keep the updates coming!

This is what I was referring to:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showforum=17

You can see there are 5 "stickied" important topics, and I highly suggest reading all of them (yes, some are long). They will help to answer most of your beginner questions and even some that you haven't thought of yet.

So I went to the fish store yesterday and picked up some more live rock rumble to replace all the bio balls. I also picked up pretty cool looking live rock to add to the front of the tank that almost look like coral. Definitely pretty cool.

I also picked up a couple of a hermit crabs. One of them has made about 100 laps around the tank already. The other one... it's kind of boring. Just sits on one of the rock in the back. The fish store gave me a couple of free shells with the two of them. One of them has a little coral attached to it. It looks Very cool.

I took in a sample of water for them to check and they mentioned that I should do a water change to try to keep the nitrate levels down. They are getting a little high. It probably has to do with a light rock that I ordered online. It came in nice and wet wasn't submerged in water so I think it might have done something to the tank. Any suggestions from anyone on how to keep the nitrate levels down?

U just need to really let the tank set for the next 3 or so weeks I no it may be hard but just try to keep frome messing with it at all. dont add any more life rock or any other animials to it. And id not trust the lfs they are thare to sell stuff.

Thare are 2 kinds of ppl in this hoby the do nothing and the do somthing-(can't stop messing with the tank) now is the time to be a DO NOTHING kinda guy. the more you keep adding to the tank the more money you are going to throw away at this point.

First Welcome Dexter...
First, Do have another light in the back sump area/rear chamber's?...because if you don't your really just replacing one nitrate trap for another with the rubble...If you plan on turning it into a mini refrugium then thats cool.

What's up -Ryan

wow I'm very impressed with all you have accomplished Dexter,

quadriplegia is an intense condition, we recently covered a case regarding C3/C4 spine compression/fractures in school and its nice and inspiring to know that the pleasures of life doesnt cease after such debilitating accidents.

congrats and welcome

Too take control of your nitrate levels
1.) Do regular Water Changes (WC)
2.) monitor your bioload....Clean Up Crew (CUC) vs. Food entering tank.
3.) You should probable take out a few bio-balls everytime you do a WC until they're all gone, then try running some purigen or Detox2 in the rear chambers along with some filter floss. (just a suggestion)
4.) Get some other opinons from everyone here...They're some good people here with some great advice.

later -Ryan

I've completely taken out all the bio balls and replaced it with live rock now. but one question I have is what is purigen, detox2, and filter floss? I would love to know.

The first two are forms of chemical filtration (I'm not too sure on the "detox2"). Filter floss is used by some to basically filter particles and polish the water, but it needs to be cleaned weekly so detritus doesn't accumulate and become a nitrate factory like your bio balls.

So it seems those diatoms are starting to get really intense in there for some reason. I know some of you are saying that it is a good thing and it will pass by I'm just wondering how long it usually takes and if there's something I can do to help it.

The diatoms are a natural part of a new tank, so just go slow (i.e. no more livestock additions). In the meantime, try observing the smaller animals in the tank and doing basic research.

Just make sure you keep up with your water changes through the cycle and the diatoms will go away themself as the tank has a chance to balance out. I would personaly prevent from adding any more items for a little while to let the tank have a chance to settle. Great to see you here everyone seems to be great on this site so i'm sure you will have a blast. So far the tank looks great just be paitent and it will all pay off.

Question... how often do think i should do water changes? Also, how much?

since you added fish pretty fast, i would do about 20% weekly for a couple months. then you can slow it down and start doing 10% weekly or 20% bi-weekly

Welcome to the forum, and the hobby Dexter! You won't find a better place for advice. Don't worry too much about those diatoms yet, I know they're ugly but they will clear up eventually.

IMO... you need to let nature take its course and let the tank "Cycle". It is a natural process and doing water changes will only make it last longer.

http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/?article=17

There is no magic cycle additive so dont waste your time or money.

The high levels will pass in time and then you can start adding livestock. This will start with a clean up crew.

You should have not added the fish so early. I hope he will survive the cycle.

Just take it slow or you will be selling all of your equipment in a few months because you cant keep anything alive for long.

To N-R.com and the super cool hobby of saltwater reefing. Like everyone else has said the fish went in way too soon. We have 67 gal worth of reef tanks and our general rule is Do research look everywhere you can, books, online, and other reefers. If you find the same info in 3 or more places then it is good info. Do a little checking I'm sure there is a reefing club in your area, they are great sorces of information and can direct you to local "Frag Swaps"

Great to see that you don't let life's road blocks stop you from reaching the sea.

I am not really sure if weekly 20% WC is actually going help our nano tank. Until your tank is become stable, and your 10% WC becomes scheduled, I would rather watch the water parameter very carefully and do the WC accordingly.

If I were you, I will do regular 10% WC every week. Make sure you do have the premixed water ready and get the temperature same as your tank before you add new water. Then if you see unusual water condition detected from your test, I would do emergency 20% WC.

So get yourself big bucket and mix the salt with it. And put the heater on so it matches your tank temp.

Worst thing you can do to your tank, especially a nano tank, you can't suddently change anything. It will introduce more problem. Slow it down, and set the schedule and don't be lazy. That's how my tank crashed first time when I start to become lazy and not follow my schedule.

Looking good! Welcome to the Biocube crew!!

Looking good so far! Keep us updated.

no pet monky?

Good one. Thanks for the nice comment.

Actually it's being trained right now. She will be done in a couple years.

For those who don't know there are monkeys that help out quadriplegics with daily activities.

Go check this video out. ---> http://www.monkeyhelpers.org/ <---

It won't clean fish tanks though. lol

That is awesome!!!!! good luck with the monkey

Thought of any names for the monkey yet?

Hey I'm really close to the city where they train those monkeys. "Boston the city of trained monkeys"

I don't have that choice. They come with names.

Florence

Alfred or Chives would both be excellent trained monkey names

Welcome to the club.

When you are ready for more livestock check around in the local area. I have picked up some great deals on really nice Zoas and Rics from local reefers. Seattle is a pretty active area for reefs.

Thank you fellow Seattleite. I just ended up getting a great deal on a rose bubble anemone. Boy, is it beautiful, and it is growing already in just a couple of days.I also put in a couple of snails and I'm looking at getting cleaner shrimp sometime in the future. Very interesting creature.

Question. Does anyone have a peppermint shrimp? What is the difference in what you think between the two? I like the looks of the peppermint shrimp. But I've heard the cleaner shrimp is quite handy.

I'll put up some photos here in the next couple of days.

Everyone is great on here by the way.

I love my cleaner shrimp, they are the most entertaining creatures in my tank and they can help rid your fish of parasites. But, peppermint shrimp may eat aiptasia.....so both have their benefits.

So the live rock that I ordered online are starting to grow a ton of small seaweed looking things all over them. also, they seem to be turning kind of a white color. Do you know if this is something that happens normally? Or maybe that rock is not doing that well.

Dexter,

It sounds to me like you are moving a little too fast. I think that adding an Anemone within one month of starting your tank is a colossal mistake. Not to mention the fact that your tank is really small for one. I'm honestly surprised that I'm the first one to mention this; Esp. considering how new I am to the hobby myself. I would really just slow down and let your tank cycle. You shouldn't have started off with the fish, and now you're adding more bio-load. That's probably algae starting to kick in, and you'll only see more if you continue on the path your taking. I know it's hard to wait, but you're only setting yourself up for more problems.

Like aparnold stated, anemones are not very hardy animals, unlike clownfish, because they need an established tank with strong lighting (often more than a biocube stock light provides). So, you should remember to feed the anemone to keep it alive, which will also place a heavy addition to the bioload. Hopefully it isn't bleached (looking transparent-white) because that often indicates a dying anemone.

Once again, try to stop adding any more livestock for a while (weeks). The cleaner/peppermint shrimp aren't bad, but they are just "another mouth to feed." What I mean is that they will soon start to need feedings and aren't don't bring any benefits, besides some peppermints eating aiptasia anemones, in nano tanks.

I'm not sure what kind of algae is turning white unless it is Caulerpa that has "gone sexual" (tank should be cloudy).

wow. welcome Dexter! seems like your doing a great job so far, and just so you know- i updated my signature because of you

Really? It seems to me like he's made a lot of mistakes so far...

yea mistakes = a learning process - he'll learn alot from them.. and i'd like to see you set your tank up without the use of your hands.. actually im sure you could - your water change would consist of you sucking the water into that airhead of yours. ignorant ####

I was wondering how long it was going to take to hear a personal insult because of my comment. It was not supposed to be offensive. Dexter is physically handicapped... NOT mentally. If anybody else had thrown an anemone in a tank less than one month old, after being told to let their tank cycle for a while there'd be a lot of people here with concerns! Why not add a clam and a few tangs? Would you be inspired by that? Tell me what the criteria are for kid gloves here on this forum and I'll try and offend no more.

lol. i didnt say his tank inspired me. i said you (dexter) inspire me.

and i have 3 yellow tangs in my 3 gal pico, whats wrong with that? my LFS told me they only need 1 gallon per fish.





lmao

It's OK, I did not state that you were inspired by his tank. I don't want this to turn in to a giant flame thread, so I am going to drop this. Dexter's ambitions in this hobby are inspirational, and I couldn't imagine a more perfect hobby for somebody in his position. I'm not a hater, I'm a nanoreef... Lover. I hope people are motivated to make the right decisions here by educating themselves... Not to fall prey to the incredibly powerful urge to rush things in this hobby.

I did a project on monkey helpers last year. Pretty interesting, can't believe you got one! I thought they were really hard to come by. Anyways good luck with the tank and you should teach it how to scuba

Name the monkey mary jane.

^^ lmao ..

what does it matter what his name is? why not just teach him to smoke it. . or blow a shotty or two.. bet that would be right up his alley

Welcome to NR Dexter, i really like that tank you got, the stand is really cool

Best of luck from Iceland

Hi Dexter
Welcome to NR and to reefing.
As mentioned already you do need to slow down. That is the best way to be successful in this hobby. The rewards will be worth it. That anemone has to be removed from you tank right away. If you can not return it to where it came from take it to the store you have been dealing with and get a credit to use later. You should have gotten the rest of your clean up crew instead. You have not mentioned if you read any of the threads in the information forum. You really should. I know you want a nice looking and healthy home for the live stock under your care. Your tank is too new, too small and does not have the correct lighting for an anemone. Only bad things happen fast in this hobby. God bless, take care and keep us posted.
Deb

Dexter- Welcome to Nano-Reef, You can tell by my post count that I'm kind of a forum Troll as I love to read but not very often interject my Opinions. A few Others have stated that the Anemone was not a wise idea and I do have to agree with them on that. But on a side note I don't think anyone has mentioned to you that you really need to watch your Clowns closely It looks to me like you have a Maroon along with an Ocellaris. They may be getting along fine now, but eventually I believe that Maroon is going to become aggressive and you may wind up with a Casulty. Just my $.02

That just made my day. I got some bad news earlier today from my doctor but this just completely turned it around. Thanks for putting a huge smile on my face!

I've been reading through a lot of the last posts that people left for me. I really want to thank everybody for giving me feedback all the time. It definitely helps me out and gives me great ideas.

Maybe I have taken a chance with getting an anemone or maybe not. But the girl down at my LFS gave it to me for $20 because she really likes me and somebody traded in a ton of them just a few days ago. I figured it was worth the minimal amount I paid to bring home of beautiful rose bubble anemone that my clown fish is now in heaven with. I made sure to check all my levels before doing so as well. She said it would do just fine in there.

I want to say to those who said harsh words I do feel kind of hurt when people leave lame comments about what I'm doing though. I know this is a tough hobby and I'm going to learn a lot of things down the road. Make many mistakes, and learn new lessons. So please, give me ideas on what I should do and not beat me up on the little things. It hurts.