45 days in!!!!

[rperez915]

Hello Everyone,

Here we go 45 days into my first soon to be reef tank.

55 gallon with Stand and Canopy
2 X 96 watt PC 10k and actinic
Eshopps Skimmer
little giant pump
70 lbs of live rock
60 lbs of live sand
Chaeto in sump

Live Stock:
20 margarita snails
13 turbo snails
10 small nasarius snails
8 red leg hermits
1 horseshoe crab
1 sand sifting star
2 firefish gobies
1 yellow watchman gobie

Also can you tell me what those green polyps looking things on my Rock.

[potterjon]

Looking good!
The green stuff looks like a type of macro algae. Not sure what kind though.

[unclejed2]

You may be going to fast. I know you are excited, I was too. Many of us have rushed things only to be disappointed lateron. Here is my mini essay on cycling;

Tank cycling:There are some who would tell you that once "the numbers" are all good the cycle is over and you are ready to go, I am not one of those. What many beginner (even some advanced) aquarium keepers are not (fully) aware of is that the full cycle takes at least 6-8 months. The reason being, mainly, is this is the time required to fully cultivate a total beneficial bacterial base and achieve a saturation of such. Also, allowing the tank to "season" and go through the inevitable mini-cycles and diatom blooms and get fully established is the key to a healthy and stable tank in the future. You could have one fish after about the 6 week mark, let the tank get established by light feeding and going through a moderate light cycle (6-8 hours) for the next 3 weeks.At the 2 month mark, A 25% water change of the "total"water volume is in order. After that, add a few clean up critters (crabs and/or snails) and allow the tank to "catch up" to the added load (you may at this time add some live bacteria to help in this process) and give it another 2 weeks doing all your tests on a regular (weekly) basis and determine if the tank is stable. Water changes of 30% should be carried out once a month to once every 5-6 weeks. Coral should not be introduced (even soft) until the tank is around 3-4 months old. Too many beginners don't exercise the proper patience and discipline at this early stage of getting their tank going only to have problems and head aches down the road. Once the tank has gone through this full cycle period and the tank is stable, then and only then, should you add more difficult coral like hard coral. I always employed a bit of advice I got when I was starting out to add bacteria after each water change for the first and subsequent next 4-5 changes. After the 4th water change then and only then add to the tank and minimally at that.
Another good tactic I learned is to add (whatever you are adding) a couple days after a water change. This gives the new creature fresh minerals and trace elements and a good 3-4 weeks (I adhere to 4-5 week intervals between changes) to adjust to the new water parameters, light, temp etc. before disrupting the tank for the next water change.
I hope this helps.

[rperez915]

Originally Posted by unclejed2

You may be going to fast. I know you are excited, I was too. Many of us have rushed things only to be disappointed lateron. Here is my mini essay on cycling;

Tank cycling:There are some who would tell you that once "the numbers" are all good the cycle is over and you are ready to go, I am not one of those. What many beginner (even some advanced) aquarium keepers are not (fully) aware of is that the full cycle takes at least 6-8 months. The reason being, mainly, is this is the time required to fully cultivate a total beneficial bacterial base and achieve a saturation of such. Also, allowing the tank to "season" and go through the inevitable mini-cycles and diatom blooms and get fully established is the key to a healthy and stable tank in the future. You could have one fish after about the 6 week mark, let the tank get established by light feeding and going through a moderate light cycle (6-8 hours) for the next 3 weeks.At the 2 month mark, A 25% water change of the "total"water volume is in order. After that, add a few clean up critters (crabs and/or snails) and allow the tank to "catch up" to the added load (you may at this time add some live bacteria to help in this process) and give it another 2 weeks doing all your tests on a regular (weekly) basis and determine if the tank is stable. Water changes of 30% should be carried out once a month to once every 5-6 weeks. Coral should not be introduced (even soft) until the tank is around 3-4 months old. Too many beginners don't exercise the proper patience and discipline at this early stage of getting their tank going only to have problems and head aches down the road. Once the tank has gone through this full cycle period and the tank is stable, then and only then, should you add more difficult coral like hard coral. I always employed a bit of advice I got when I was starting out to add bacteria after each water change for the first and subsequent next 4-5 changes. After the 4th water change then and only then add to the tank and minimally at that.
Another good tactic I learned is to add (whatever you are adding) a couple days after a water change. This gives the new creature fresh minerals and trace elements and a good 3-4 weeks (I adhere to 4-5 week intervals between changes) to adjust to the new water parameters, light, temp etc. before disrupting the tank for the next water change.
I hope this helps.

As i am new ot the hobby i am being very careful with with anything and everything i've added to the tank. The savior here is that all 70 lbs of live rock that i have came from a 2yrd old tank that belonged to a buddy of mine. He no longer had time for it so he pieced it out. I test the water every other day and everything seems ok. All live stock is still alive since day one and is eating and seems to be thriving. Everything has been added to the tank in this order (CUC)25 days (Firefish) 32 days (HSC, yellow watchman and sand sifter) day 42. I am currently running a 10 hours light cycyle with the 10k only being on 3 hours. I will not add anything else till about the 20th of november when i get back from vacation. The plan then is a mated pair of clowns. thanks for the feedback. The more i know the better.

[rperez915]

Anyone else want to take a jab at the green things on the rock?

[njudson]

Originally Posted by rperez915

Anyone else want to take a jab at the green things on the rock?

Can we get a closer pic? Bubble Algae maybe