FOWLR to Reef - Suggestions?

ladylinden · 07/03/2012, 04:45 PM

Hi All!
I have a mostly FOWLR tank... or at least, any reef inhabitants I have are hitchhikers, and honestly I'm not even sure what most of them are... But my tank is thriving! I have a clarkii and a blue tang that are in love with each other, and a carpet anemone that the clarkii hosts in that is doing amazing as well... aside from a glass anemone outbreak recently, and something mysterious eating everything in shells, (all my hermits and small snails end up dead with piles of shells in the corners of the tank... gorilla crab??) my tank is super happy. I have coralline algae on EVERYTHING. The whole tank is purple. I have to scrape the glass weekly. So I'm thinking I'd like to start experimenting with some corals and see if I can get some additional color and vibrancy in this tank! The whole thing is purple... so some brighter colors would be amazing. I've attached some pictures...
Out of curiosity - is my coralline out of control? Is this a bad thing? Because when I look at the amazing pics all of the veterans on this site post, I don't see NEARLY the amount of purple that I have in my tank... Am I crazy?
Thanks for all your advice friends!

Lady

Noobtosalty · 07/03/2012, 05:00 PM

let see a pic of the whole tank

Chaotic Reefer4u · 07/03/2012, 05:08 PM

It looks really nice lady, if all your parameters read right it looks like your ready for some coral id say go for it! hope this helps. . .looks like you have an Aptasia problem, id also say while your at the tropical fish store put some peppermint shrimp on your list, Happy Reefing! Also a really nice starter coral would be a frogspawn/torch or hammer coral, hope this helps. . .

ladylinden · 07/03/2012, 05:09 PM

Oh! Sorry!

I also guess I should say that I'm looking for some advice on what to do next - what corals are good to start? There are some mushrooms that were hitchhikers... pic attached... What do you guys think would be a good starter coral, what do I need to do once I get it, etc...
Thanks all!
Lady

Spyderturbo007 · 07/03/2012, 07:06 PM

I bought a bunch of live rock that was covered in purple coralline algae. I thought it looked nice, but perhaps it was a bad idea? I hope it doesn't cause a problem in my tank like you're describing.

moe458 · 07/04/2012, 12:56 AM

i'm pretty new to this hobby myself but as from what i read..coraline algae is good for corals and etc..you can check your water parameters and that explains alot of things...like calcium, mag, ph, lighting, and etc..if they are all in check u're good to go..let the nature do it's thing..

MarkGP · 07/04/2012, 04:02 AM

Those rocks are amazing! I would kill to have that much coralline. What are you running for lights?

Michigan Mike · 07/04/2012, 04:42 AM

You may have a polyclad flatworm eating your snails and whatnot. Try lookingaround when the lights are off.
Here's a pic of mine I found eating my astrea snails[IMG]

[/IMG]

DIYnitemare · 07/04/2012, 06:41 AM

What is your Nitrates at, this can cause demise to the snails as well.

ladylinden · 07/08/2012, 08:02 PM

All water params are in check, so looks like I'm ready to go! I'm sure there's something "sneaky" eating the snails, cuz all the shells are gathered neatly in piles around the bottom of the rocks.
Gonna check out some of the corals y'all recommended... can't wait for more color in the tank! It's pretty now, but some of you guys have tanks that are BREATHTAKING!
Thanks for the inspiration!

ladylinden · 07/14/2012, 05:43 PM

Hi all! Okay so we all know that LFS's can be a challenge... so I went to the LFS and got a couple corals. I was wondering if you all could weigh in on what they are...
I'm pretty sure this one is frogspawn:

And this one... Blastomussa??

I also picked up this little guy to help with the glass anemone issue...

Whatchathink??

ladylinden · 07/14/2012, 05:46 PM

(As a side note - they had this little nano-reef on the counter for sale ($229.99 I think??)
Isn't it gorgeous?? I don't think it was even a GALLON!!!)

Jbrodys · 07/14/2012, 08:33 PM

What kind of lights do you have

ladylinden · 07/15/2012, 10:17 AM

Okay, I'm going to attempt to answer the light question: (Please no snickering at my lack of lingo!)

I have (2) Zoo Med T-8 bulbs, one is "coral sun" and one is "ocean sun"...

Does that answer the question?

ladylinden · 07/15/2012, 03:03 PM

Also, sadly - my peppermint shrimp is MIA. Haven't seen him all day. I have a big rock - the one that forms the canopy in the very top of the tank - that is super porous, it's got holes all through it and lots of cool stuff living in that rock - he was lurking in the shadows of that thing yesterday, but today he's nowhere to be found.
Do you think whatever is eating my snails may have had a "lobster" dinner last night?????? If so, how in the world could I find out what is in my tank that is causing this demise?
I've done the bottle trap thing and it didn't work... I don't here "clicking" when the lights go out... not sure what to do.
Thanks all.

nepenthes99 · 07/15/2012, 03:16 PM

Hmmmm.... my first thought was a smasher mantis shrimp, but if there is no evidence of the animal I am probably wrong. Are there any signs of damage on the snail and crab shells? Mantis shrimp are very intelligent and elusive so if you did not look close enough you may still have a mantis. I had one in my biocube 14 for a while, I failed to catch it. It killed a few snails, but I think it eventually died. Good luck with the new tank!

nepenthes99

ladylinden · 07/15/2012, 03:40 PM

Yah, there is some sign of damage on the shells... they're not crushed per se, but they have a few busted out holes etc... Think I'm gonna give a bottle/glass trap another go tonight and see what happens. *sigh.
I wish I knew for sure that the peppermint shrimp was a goner - he could be hiding in that rock for all I know but don't you think he would have appeared at some point today??

Any chance my carpet anemone is to blame in all of this?? I know he got a hold of one of my snails, but that was my fault. I accidentally scraped him off the glass right into the nem when cleaning one day... oops.

07/03/2012, 04:45 PM	#1
ladylinden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 37	FOWLR to Reef - Suggestions? Hi All! I have a mostly FOWLR tank... or at least, any reef inhabitants I have are hitchhikers, and honestly I'm not even sure what most of them are... But my tank is thriving! I have a clarkii and a blue tang that are in love with each other, and a carpet anemone that the clarkii hosts in that is doing amazing as well... aside from a glass anemone outbreak recently, and something mysterious eating everything in shells, (all my hermits and small snails end up dead with piles of shells in the corners of the tank... gorilla crab??) my tank is super happy. I have coralline algae on EVERYTHING. The whole tank is purple. I have to scrape the glass weekly. So I'm thinking I'd like to start experimenting with some corals and see if I can get some additional color and vibrancy in this tank! The whole thing is purple... so some brighter colors would be amazing. I've attached some pictures... Out of curiosity - is my coralline out of control? Is this a bad thing? Because when I look at the amazing pics all of the veterans on this site post, I don't see NEARLY the amount of purple that I have in my tank... Am I crazy? Thanks for all your advice friends! Lady

07/03/2012, 05:00 PM	#2
Noobtosalty Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Vermont Posts: 410	let see a pic of the whole tank __________________ 29 gallon reef tank started 6/23/2012 20 gallon refugium 55 pounds of crystal reef sand 35 pounds of live rock

07/03/2012, 05:08 PM	#3
Chaotic Reefer4u ♥Acropora Aficionado♥ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hollister,Ca. Posts: 5,163	It looks really nice lady, if all your parameters read right it looks like your ready for some coral id say go for it! hope this helps. . .looks like you have an Aptasia problem, id also say while your at the tropical fish store put some peppermint shrimp on your list, Happy Reefing! Also a really nice starter coral would be a frogspawn/torch or hammer coral, hope this helps. . . __________________ Live everyday as if it was your last, take time to smell the flowers, enjoy all things living, never take anything for granted, you just never know when your number might be up... Current Tank Info: * 90g. Reef Ready TruVu tank with 30g. Platinum Filtration Series Sump SpS Acro enthusiast * Last edited by Chaotic Reefer4u; 07/03/2012 at 05:18 PM. Reason: Aptasia. . .=-O

07/04/2012, 04:42 AM	#8
Michigan Mike Freedom costs a buckofive Join Date: May 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,002	You may have a polyclad flatworm eating your snails and whatnot. Try lookingaround when the lights are off. Here's a pic of mine I found eating my astrea snails[IMG][/IMG]

07/03/2012, 05:09 PM	#4
ladylinden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 37	Oh! Sorry! I also guess I should say that I'm looking for some advice on what to do next - what corals are good to start? There are some mushrooms that were hitchhikers... pic attached... What do you guys think would be a good starter coral, what do I need to do once I get it, etc... Thanks all! Lady

07/03/2012, 07:06 PM	#5
Spyderturbo007 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: PA Posts: 2,564	I bought a bunch of live rock that was covered in purple coralline algae. I thought it looked nice, but perhaps it was a bad idea? I hope it doesn't cause a problem in my tank like you're describing.

07/04/2012, 12:56 AM	#6
moe458 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 312	i'm pretty new to this hobby myself but as from what i read..coraline algae is good for corals and etc..you can check your water parameters and that explains alot of things...like calcium, mag, ph, lighting, and etc..if they are all in check u're good to go..let the nature do it's thing..

07/04/2012, 04:02 AM	#7
MarkGP Why do I do this? Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bristol, RI Posts: 1,015	Those rocks are amazing! I would kill to have that much coralline. What are you running for lights?

07/04/2012, 06:41 AM	#9
DIYnitemare Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: North Carolina Posts: 69	What is your Nitrates at, this can cause demise to the snails as well.

07/08/2012, 08:02 PM	#10
ladylinden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 37	All water params are in check, so looks like I'm ready to go! I'm sure there's something "sneaky" eating the snails, cuz all the shells are gathered neatly in piles around the bottom of the rocks. Gonna check out some of the corals y'all recommended... can't wait for more color in the tank! It's pretty now, but some of you guys have tanks that are BREATHTAKING! Thanks for the inspiration!

07/14/2012, 05:43 PM	#11
ladylinden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 37	Hi all! Okay so we all know that LFS's can be a challenge... so I went to the LFS and got a couple corals. I was wondering if you all could weigh in on what they are... I'm pretty sure this one is frogspawn: And this one... Blastomussa?? I also picked up this little guy to help with the glass anemone issue... Whatchathink??

07/14/2012, 05:46 PM	#12
ladylinden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 37	(As a side note - they had this little nano-reef on the counter for sale ($229.99 I think??) Isn't it gorgeous?? I don't think it was even a GALLON!!!)

07/14/2012, 08:33 PM	#13
Jbrodys Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Langhorne Posts: 51	What kind of lights do you have

07/15/2012, 10:17 AM	#14
ladylinden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 37	Okay, I'm going to attempt to answer the light question: (Please no snickering at my lack of lingo!) I have (2) Zoo Med T-8 bulbs, one is "coral sun" and one is "ocean sun"... Does that answer the question?

07/15/2012, 03:03 PM	#15
ladylinden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 37	Also, sadly - my peppermint shrimp is MIA. Haven't seen him all day. I have a big rock - the one that forms the canopy in the very top of the tank - that is super porous, it's got holes all through it and lots of cool stuff living in that rock - he was lurking in the shadows of that thing yesterday, but today he's nowhere to be found. Do you think whatever is eating my snails may have had a "lobster" dinner last night?????? If so, how in the world could I find out what is in my tank that is causing this demise? I've done the bottle trap thing and it didn't work... I don't here "clicking" when the lights go out... not sure what to do. Thanks all.

07/15/2012, 03:16 PM	#16
nepenthes99 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cental NJ Posts: 139	Hmmmm.... my first thought was a smasher mantis shrimp, but if there is no evidence of the animal I am probably wrong. Are there any signs of damage on the snail and crab shells? Mantis shrimp are very intelligent and elusive so if you did not look close enough you may still have a mantis. I had one in my biocube 14 for a while, I failed to catch it. It killed a few snails, but I think it eventually died. Good luck with the new tank! nepenthes99

07/15/2012, 03:40 PM	#17
ladylinden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 37	Yah, there is some sign of damage on the shells... they're not crushed per se, but they have a few busted out holes etc... Think I'm gonna give a bottle/glass trap another go tonight and see what happens. *sigh. I wish I knew for sure that the peppermint shrimp was a goner - he could be hiding in that rock for all I know but don't you think he would have appeared at some point today?? Any chance my carpet anemone is to blame in all of this?? I know he got a hold of one of my snails, but that was my fault. I accidentally scraped him off the glass right into the nem when cleaning one day... oops.