Alright... well to recap - I picked up my tank right before Thanksgiving. It was an establisehd tank (specs below)... supposedly with live rock. Honestly, I dont see anything on the rock EXCEPT... I am now getting the nice brown algae (RUST??) on the top of the rocks and the tank glass. Not much but about every 2 weeks I need to clean the tank glass. Now I'm on well water here and have simply been adding tap water to refill the tank - have not done a water change yet. I think my well water may have some phosphates or something. However, the outfit that moved the tank has come 3 or 4 times while I have been at work to check the tank and I don't know what they do. I want to add some corals, shrooms, etc. which is why I bought the T5 lights - I knew what I had wasn't enough - but now I think I'm jumping the gun. Here is my what I think I should do:
1) I already have the new T5's but I'm not changing the lights yet.
2) I have some water testing equipment on the way (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, etc.) but it hasnt arrived yet. I want to test the tank water and my well water and see where things stand.
I really think I need to establish that my water is OK. Then I think I need a "cleanup crew" that I see so many places for sale. This is your snails, crabs, etc, etc... I'm thinking also maybe I need a RO/DI unit for my water additions (and changes if I'm going to do them - have to see what the "fish guys" as I call them have been doing).
I do not have a quanrantine tank - do I need one of these to add the "cleaner crew"? And how to you gather all those little guys up after two or three weeks in the quarantine tank if you do? If my water is OK, can I just get one of these cleaner crew kits and dump them in?? Obviously if the water is not OK, I'll address that first. I can always buy water until I get the RO/DI going (any suggestions on a good quality RO/DI model for not much $$$??)
Next thing is I'd like is a pair of clowns and an anemone to replace the ones that didnt survive the move. Any suggestions here?? Oh, there is some nice fine green algae which I think is the good stuff growing on the rocks and I found four tiny tiny tiny white things that look like crowns attached to the rocks that are definately alive because when fish swim by too close they retract and are so small retracted that you cant even see them but when they are open they are obvious (as long as you know where to look). What are these things?? Any clues - they are kind of neat looking.
Anyway, thanks again for a great site and any help you can give is much appreciated. I'm still trying to learn as quick as I can.
Oh I almost forgot - I have plenty of room in the tank for more rock - the guy I bought from had lots of HUGE pieces of the white coral and I didnt put it all back in when the tank got moved. Should I add some more live rock? Especially since Im not sure if I have any? Also, can I get live rock cured that I can safely just put in? I'm really not into the whole rinsing, picking worms off, letting it stink up the house for 2 weeks before I do deal. Or is that just never a good idea no matter what the seller says about the live rock?? Anyway, thanks again!!
1) I already have the new T5's but I'm not changing the lights yet.
2) I have some water testing equipment on the way (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, etc.) but it hasnt arrived yet. I want to test the tank water and my well water and see where things stand.
I really think I need to establish that my water is OK. Then I think I need a "cleanup crew" that I see so many places for sale. This is your snails, crabs, etc, etc... I'm thinking also maybe I need a RO/DI unit for my water additions (and changes if I'm going to do them - have to see what the "fish guys" as I call them have been doing).
I do not have a quanrantine tank - do I need one of these to add the "cleaner crew"? And how to you gather all those little guys up after two or three weeks in the quarantine tank if you do? If my water is OK, can I just get one of these cleaner crew kits and dump them in?? Obviously if the water is not OK, I'll address that first. I can always buy water until I get the RO/DI going (any suggestions on a good quality RO/DI model for not much $$$??)
Next thing is I'd like is a pair of clowns and an anemone to replace the ones that didnt survive the move. Any suggestions here?? Oh, there is some nice fine green algae which I think is the good stuff growing on the rocks and I found four tiny tiny tiny white things that look like crowns attached to the rocks that are definately alive because when fish swim by too close they retract and are so small retracted that you cant even see them but when they are open they are obvious (as long as you know where to look). What are these things?? Any clues - they are kind of neat looking.
Anyway, thanks again for a great site and any help you can give is much appreciated. I'm still trying to learn as quick as I can.
Oh I almost forgot - I have plenty of room in the tank for more rock - the guy I bought from had lots of HUGE pieces of the white coral and I didnt put it all back in when the tank got moved. Should I add some more live rock? Especially since Im not sure if I have any? Also, can I get live rock cured that I can safely just put in? I'm really not into the whole rinsing, picking worms off, letting it stink up the house for 2 weeks before I do deal. Or is that just never a good idea no matter what the seller says about the live rock?? Anyway, thanks again!!