New Tank Cycling Question

[Riggs]

This is a two parter... I'm not really an impulse buyer but my local fish shop enjoyed my credit card the last 2 weekends!
Added 2 clownfish (I know they're common ;-) an urchin and a fire shrimp (who won't come out for the cameras!)
Starting to think this is limit for the tank? 12.8Gallons... The fellas in the shop reckon I can keep one more:
Was recommended the Blue Damsel with yellow tail but as far as i've read its semi-aggresive and odd's on will be fine in there until an adult at which point it may become aggressive? Also, a Royal Gramma, a Pink Scooter (everywhere I've read say this and the Mandarin are hard to keep) and a chromis...
What do you guys and girls think? Would that put me at my limit for what I can keep? I'm getting kind of partial to the slugs!
Thanks all - Riggs

 

[bagu]

from what i have read around this area hehe

you are fully stocked, and im not sure 2 clowns are okay in there, but i might be horribly wrong so please dont take my word; im just a lurker

looks nice! and that urchin looks amazing!

 

[Trod]

Can't beleive I've only just found this thread

A belated welcome to the salty side

You seem to be getting along well

I wouldn't add anymore damsels they are aggressive and would not do well with the clowns in a tank that size.

If you really want another fish you might like to consider a purple firefish, I think this would be fine and complete your fish list

 

[Riggs]

Thanks guys - I'm going to sit on the fish list for a while see how these guys settle in but I know I'm restricted to ONE more fish/creature - going to give my bank balance a break for the moment though

Does the fireshrimp ever come out from his cave during the day generally or is it only at night?

Also, if anyone can help to tell me if the spray bar should be pointed up to the point that the water surface breaks (ie 30degs from straight up?)

 

[xxBarneyxx]

12g is borderline ok for clowns. I kept a pair in a similar sized tank with a firefish and they did ok. However after moving them to a bigger tank and seeing how much more active they are i personally wouldnt keep them in a smaller tank again.

The pink scooter blenny is not actually a blenny but is a mandarin (spelling?) as you have seen. These are very difficult to kept so would not recommend them (unfortunately as they are amazing fish).

I would recommend either a firefish or a clown goby. Clown goby would probably be a better option imo.

 

[Trod]

Also, if anyone can help to tell me if the spray bar should be pointed up to the point that the water surface breaks (ie 30degs from straight up?)

Yes the water from the spray bar should be breaking the surface of the water

 

[seffieuk]

Thanks guys - I'm going to sit on the fish list for a while see how these guys settle in but I know I'm restricted to ONE more fish/creature - going to give my bank balance a break for the moment though

Ehhhhhhhhh, is that an urchin I see in your tank.............go do some reading young man!

Yeah, you could get away with a small goby if you keep up regular water changes

Does the fireshrimp ever come out from his cave during the day generally or is it only at night?

Not really, they only come out for feeding - which, when you get some coral will be a blessing, some of the other types trample all over corals

Also, if anyone can help to tell me if the spray bar should be pointed up to the point that the water surface breaks (ie 30degs from straight up?)

You should have as much surface aggitation possible mine actually comes right out of the water - I like the noise but it gives good aggitation that way - my powerhead also creates surface aggitation

Seffie x

 

[Riggs]

Thanks Trod, Barney & Seffie ;-)

Oh crap - whats wrong with the Urchin!???!

Ok - will turn spray bar further up on next water change... I'm trying to get to weekly 15% water changes schedule.

Current Stock:
3 Red Hermit Crabs
2 Turbo Snails
1 Fire Shrimp
1 Urchin
2 Clowns

Whats good/guaranteed for cleaning the sand? Or should I be doing this myself as in suctioning it up and then putting it back?

Cheers
Riggs

PS: One of my clowns has grown kind of partial to swim parallel to the water surfce - should I be concerned? The other seems fine...
PPS: He's ok again this morning...

 

[Trod]

Thats normal for a clown, mine do it at night when they sleep

As for the sand I just turn mine over occasionally.

 

[Riggs]

Thanks Trod - he's doing it again tonight so not concerned now

This might sound like a real newbie question but the Orca tank I bought has a filter (black sponge) in the 4th chamber, should I be washing it out once a week?

Seffie...! Urchin....? Should I expect problems?

Also, I'm looking to brighten up the live rock in the future (I didn't buy the purple type of rock ) and was wondering what type/ways there are of simple corals/growth (thats nicely coloured) to make this happen? I've seen some brightly coloured green stuff (on the actual rock) in my local LFS !

Thanks
Riggs

 

[TigerIssey]

Coralline algae (the purple and green stuff) will develop as the tank matures presuming the calcium level is kept between (i believe if I read right) 430 and 480. This can be done by doing regular water changes and using a good quality salt if you are only keeping soft corals or by testing Calcium , Magnesium and Alkalinity levels and supplementing to keep in the correct range if you have lots of hard corals. Don't buy anything like purple up as this is a calcium and magnesium supplement that will need testing for and there are much cheaper ways of supplementing calc and mag.

Hope this explains it a little for you.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

The green stuff might have been green star polyp. This is a soft coral that grows pretty quickly under good conditions and is an ideal starter coral. Look for local reef keepers near you and someone is bound to be able to frag you some bits. Pulsing xenia is also another nice starting coral that I think is really pretty and adds a bit of movement to the tank. Just be warned though that once these two get going they spread quickly, not a bad thing but you may find eventually tou have to start pruning them back

With regards to the urchins, I know next to nothing about them im afraid. From what i remember they generally arent a great idea (like starfish, which is why I never bothered doing to much reading on them).

Most people with orcas take the black sponge out completely (I cut mine in half so it still had some mechnical filtration in ther ebut didnt cut down the flow so much). If you leave it in there then yes I would take it out every week to 2 weeks and give it a good clean out under tap water (dont worry about killing bacteria with the tap water, all the biological filtration will be taken care of by your Liverock).

 

[Trod]

Agree with Barney, I'd take the sponge out, in fact I did

Do you know which type of urchin it is, I found this web site http/www.marinelifephotography.com/marin...ins/urchins.htm its got some great photos. going through the pictures it looks a bit like a Tripneustes gratilla, http/www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=...20&aid=2197 or may be someone else can come up with the name

 

[seffieuk]

Agree with Barney, I'd take the sponge out, in fact I did

Do you know which type of urchin it is, I found this web site [URL="http/www.marinelifephotography.com/marin...ins/urchins.htm"]http/www.marinelifephotography.com/marin...ins/urchins.htm[/URL] its got some great photos. going through the pictures it looks a bit like a Tripneustes gratilla, [URL="http/www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=...20&aid=2197"]http/www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=...20&aid=2197[/URL] or may be someone else can come up with the name

I agree with Barney, take the sponge out and also agree with my dear sister

Seffie x



ps take the urchin back to the lfs

 

[Riggs]

Hey - thanks everyone for the replies

Tomorrow I will turn the spray bar up so it breaks the water surface, do a 20% water change and remove the all the sponge filter completely. Is it safe to remove ALL the sponge filter and not replace it with anything?

###### on the urchin going to chat the LFS tomorrow - concerned as I don't like being misinformed or not being given all the facts etc.

What do you guys think - cleaner shrimp to clear up the sand as the snails don't seem to go on the sand?

I'll also try my rather limited skills of persuasion to get a free frag or two... its going to be painful.

Once again thanks for all the help

Riggs