really need some help

doryarlin955 · 02/04/2007, 04:26 PM

Ok I have had a 10 gallon tank set up for a week with 5 pounds of live rock, about a 1 inch sand bed, 2 powerheads, a 200W heater, and 26 watts of 5500K lighting. The tank is my first tank with live rock and is to house a couple corals until I get another tank, and some macros for copepods breeding.the other tank I have is 2.5G for dwarf seahorses that I have had for 2 months. Today I visited a guy who is in my local reef club and he gave me a small frag of acropora, some green star polyps, a rock with a couple zoos on it, 2 small leather frags, pumping xenia, and 2 small rocks with muchrooms all over them. All those have been in a bucket with a drip line for 2 hours as of 5:30. The temp dropped in the bucket to 74

because my old old heater wasnt working. It took me over and hour to get an incadescent light right next to the bucket to heat it. While the temp dropped the xenia stopped pumping but its starting up again. I also got 2 large pieces of live rock with a bunch of mushrooms and they're covered in bubble algae. I tried to scrape some off but it ended up in a mess: I didnt want to put those rocks in with the others to acclimate because I thought the spores from mushing the algae would contaminate everything. Right now those 2 rocks are in a 2 gallon bucket with no heater and the temp is about 73. I dont know what to do with these because I dont want to add them to the 10G for fear of the muchrooms dieing and flouing up the water and killing everything. What should I do!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

kharmajavah · 02/04/2007, 04:46 PM

1. Give the rock you're worried about a good rinse (clean salt water) and scrub.

2. Put them in your 10g, bubble algae and all.

3. Go buy an emerald crab or two for five dollars.

4. Don't worry. I've found that most of the corals you named are tough customers - they'll be fine, after a few days of acclimation. The acro might be a stretch with the lighting you have, but it's worth a shot - I've been surprised by the rapid growth of an acropora in my 25 gallon with only 65 watts of PC 50/50. I put it in there as an experiment that I expected to fail, and have been pleasantly surprised.

Bubble algae isn't the worst thing in the world, and it can be kept under control. I suspect the crabs wil help, and they're slow - so if they run out of food (BA) or you decide you don't like them, you can easily remove them and take them back to the store for credit. Personally, I like them - I've seen them eat bubble algae, and other forms of algae and detritus as well.

That's just my suggestion - ideally you could set up a QT tank and stick the rocks in there for a while, but this is the real world, right

doryarlin955 · 02/04/2007, 05:06 PM

Should the shrooms on those large rocks be ok since I didnt acclimate them and kept them at 74 degrees if I just floated them in the tank to stabilize the temp? I guess I will rinse them really well and just add them, then Ill ask my dad to take me out to get a crab or two sometime this week. Im really afraid that some of the corals (mostly shrooms) might die off a bit and make a big mess out of the tank. Am I worrying too much?

Thanks for the help, I suppose Im freaking out a bit more than usual since I havent eaten dinner yet
I will try to post a couple pictures after I put all the corals in the tank.

Matt

OrQidz · 02/04/2007, 05:26 PM

Well, I'm pretty much a newbie at this....but I too have live rock with hitchhiker xenia and mushrooms, and bubble algae. I didn't realize that I had the corals, and just chucked the rock into the tank, no acclimation at all. Later when everything cleared I saw that I had little creatures!

It's 3 weeks later and they seem to be ok.
DON'T pop the bubble algae! I did and now it's cropping up everywhere. Will probably look for an emerald crab soon.
Good luck!

doryarlin955 · 02/04/2007, 08:15 PM

Sorry I havent been able to get pics.
Im really worried and I dont know what to do. I have the two big pieces in another container with no heater and Im going to add an air pump for circulation. Some of the shrooms on it dont look to happy. Will I end up killing it all if the temp gets to 70-72? I really like the pieces and feel bad that Im not keeping them them the right way. I would add a heater but the one I had broke today.

I would just add them directly too the tank after rinsing them a bit but Im afraid of a bubble algae outbreak and a bunch of dead shrooms

I would really like it if someone could reply soon because I have to go to bed shortly. Thanks for the help so far though

02/04/2007, 04:26 PM	#1
doryarlin955 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Greece, NY Posts: 833	really need some help Ok I have had a 10 gallon tank set up for a week with 5 pounds of live rock, about a 1 inch sand bed, 2 powerheads, a 200W heater, and 26 watts of 5500K lighting. The tank is my first tank with live rock and is to house a couple corals until I get another tank, and some macros for copepods breeding.the other tank I have is 2.5G for dwarf seahorses that I have had for 2 months. Today I visited a guy who is in my local reef club and he gave me a small frag of acropora, some green star polyps, a rock with a couple zoos on it, 2 small leather frags, pumping xenia, and 2 small rocks with muchrooms all over them. All those have been in a bucket with a drip line for 2 hours as of 5:30. The temp dropped in the bucket to 74 because my old old heater wasnt working. It took me over and hour to get an incadescent light right next to the bucket to heat it. While the temp dropped the xenia stopped pumping but its starting up again. I also got 2 large pieces of live rock with a bunch of mushrooms and they're covered in bubble algae. I tried to scrape some off but it ended up in a mess: I didnt want to put those rocks in with the others to acclimate because I thought the spores from mushing the algae would contaminate everything. Right now those 2 rocks are in a 2 gallon bucket with no heater and the temp is about 73. I dont know what to do with these because I dont want to add them to the 10G for fear of the muchrooms dieing and flouing up the water and killing everything. What should I do!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

02/04/2007, 04:46 PM	#2
kharmajavah Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 18	1. Give the rock you're worried about a good rinse (clean salt water) and scrub. 2. Put them in your 10g, bubble algae and all. 3. Go buy an emerald crab or two for five dollars. 4. Don't worry. I've found that most of the corals you named are tough customers - they'll be fine, after a few days of acclimation. The acro might be a stretch with the lighting you have, but it's worth a shot - I've been surprised by the rapid growth of an acropora in my 25 gallon with only 65 watts of PC 50/50. I put it in there as an experiment that I expected to fail, and have been pleasantly surprised. Bubble algae isn't the worst thing in the world, and it can be kept under control. I suspect the crabs wil help, and they're slow - so if they run out of food (BA) or you decide you don't like them, you can easily remove them and take them back to the store for credit. Personally, I like them - I've seen them eat bubble algae, and other forms of algae and detritus as well. That's just my suggestion - ideally you could set up a QT tank and stick the rocks in there for a while, but this is the real world, right __________________ ---------------------- "I bet I can get that back together..." -me, usually right before throwing something in frustration Current Tank Info: 25g reef and 10g fish only

02/04/2007, 05:06 PM	#3
doryarlin955 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Greece, NY Posts: 833	Should the shrooms on those large rocks be ok since I didnt acclimate them and kept them at 74 degrees if I just floated them in the tank to stabilize the temp? I guess I will rinse them really well and just add them, then Ill ask my dad to take me out to get a crab or two sometime this week. Im really afraid that some of the corals (mostly shrooms) might die off a bit and make a big mess out of the tank. Am I worrying too much? Thanks for the help, I suppose Im freaking out a bit more than usual since I havent eaten dinner yet I will try to post a couple pictures after I put all the corals in the tank. Matt

02/04/2007, 05:26 PM	#4
OrQidz Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 825	Well, I'm pretty much a newbie at this....but I too have live rock with hitchhiker xenia and mushrooms, and bubble algae. I didn't realize that I had the corals, and just chucked the rock into the tank, no acclimation at all. Later when everything cleared I saw that I had little creatures! It's 3 weeks later and they seem to be ok. DON'T pop the bubble algae! I did and now it's cropping up everywhere. Will probably look for an emerald crab soon. Good luck!

02/04/2007, 08:15 PM	#5
doryarlin955 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Greece, NY Posts: 833	Sorry I havent been able to get pics. Im really worried and I dont know what to do. I have the two big pieces in another container with no heater and Im going to add an air pump for circulation. Some of the shrooms on it dont look to happy. Will I end up killing it all if the temp gets to 70-72? I really like the pieces and feel bad that Im not keeping them them the right way. I would add a heater but the one I had broke today. I would just add them directly too the tank after rinsing them a bit but Im afraid of a bubble algae outbreak and a bunch of dead shrooms I would really like it if someone could reply soon because I have to go to bed shortly. Thanks for the help so far though