Claic's 29 Gal. First Timer Tank - Please give me advice!

[Claic Yuzolt]

Originally Posted by SiNiStEr NaTiOn

Frogspawn is a lps.

from liveaquaria.com

So does the S at the end of LPS mean I can have it? Sorry I'm just not understanding the difference between softies and the hard.

[yungreefer2410]

lps- large polyp stony corals, sps- small polyp stoney coral, softies- no hard coral skeleton, just soft and it gets denser but not stoney

[Claic Yuzolt]

Originally Posted by yungreefer2410

lps- large polyp stony corals, sps- small polyp stoney coral, softies- no hard coral skeleton, just soft and it gets denser but not stoney

Ah nice, those were the kind I wanted anyway. So the frogspawn will totally work. Thanks a lot.

[Claic Yuzolt]

I also would like to know how much water flow I should have in my 30 gallon tank if I am planning on keeping Frogspawn and other corals like that. I have one Koralia 1, is that enough or do I need another?

Also does anyone know the name of a good book to get for corals and how to care for them? I got that other book I was supposed to get along with Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies lol.

[yungreefer2410]

i would add a koralia 2 to the mix and call it good on flow

[Claic Yuzolt]

Alright sounds good. If I want clowns to host in m frogspawn which do I add first or does it not matter?

[yungreefer2410]

it does not matter, what are your light specs and water parems? your not ready for corals yet, much less a frogspawn

[bllfish]

Originally Posted by yungreefer2410

it does not matter, what are your light specs and water parems? your not ready for corals yet, much less a frogspawn

+100 - Apparently you are not hearing what we are trying to tell you. YOU MUST start to read up on reef keeping and salt water tanks. You will not be ready for fish or corals for at least two months - got it two months. You just cannot buy a tank put some salt water in it and start putting in corals and fish. They will not last a week. You have a lot of prep work to go through before you start to introduce life into your system.
You should not be depending on this forum for all the answers. You MUST start to get a basic knowledge of the hobby yourself or you will waste your money and our time. You must be ready to make a committment or you will be out of the hobby quickly. The people here have spent a lot of time and money gaining the experience they willingly give out. We all are eager to offer an opinion on whatever questions should arise but we also expect the question asker to be trying to understand the hobby.

[Claic Yuzolt]

Originally Posted by bllfish

+100 - Apparently you are not hearing what we are trying to tell you. YOU MUST start to read up on reef keeping and salt water tanks. You will not be ready for fish or corals for at least two months - got it two months. You just cannot buy a tank put some salt water in it and start putting in corals and fish. They will not last a week. You have a lot of prep work to go through before you start to introduce life into your system.
You should not be depending on this forum for all the answers. You MUST start to get a basic knowledge of the hobby yourself or you will waste your money and our time. You must be ready to make a committment or you will be out of the hobby quickly. The people here have spent a lot of time and money gaining the experience they willingly give out. We all are eager to offer an opinion on whatever questions should arise but we also expect the question asker to be trying to understand the hobby.

Alright first off I KNOW THAT. Not to sound like a jerk or anything but I've read that book you told me to get and another book. I ALSO KNOW that I cannot have any fish in my tank until after my tank finishes cycling and maybe a week or two after. I also know that I cannot have coral for several months. I am just asking simple things so I can be ready for when that day comes for the coral I would LIKE to keep not that I am going to go out buy and throw in you know? I have read several threads, two books now, and some of the questions I am asking are questions I am having trouble finding the answers for. WHY do you assume I am going to through fish into my tank tomorrow just because I am asking questions about the fish I would like to have in my tank down the road? The reason I am talking like this is because you are acting like I am a 12 year old kid just throwing water into a tank and throwing a goldfish in there and letting it die in salt water. I knew as soon as I set the tank up it would be almost 7-8 weeks before my fish could go in. I ask questions because I want to be sure of what I am doing, I spend my off time reading up these forums trying to gain the knowledge needed for the hobby and ask small questions to make sure I am getting the correct answers.

I was just wanting to know what light/flow was needed for the coral I want to keep so I can start saving for that equipment, so I don't try and put a coral in without knowing. I have searched on the internet for a place where I can find specific GPH and lights needed for corals but I can't find things like that so that is why I ask because it seems like you guys understand a lot more than I do.

As for my water parameters and lights specs I know my lights are one 10,000K 31 watt and one Actinic Bluelight 31 watt.

My salinity is at 1.023. My temperature at 78-80. My ammonia I think is .25 with Nitrate and Nitrite at 0. Now as for pH this is one of those things I need help with because using my test strips I find it hard to determine exactly what the color is supposed to match with. This is why I wanted to know how you guys test so I can get better at it.

Listen I am sorry for my rant but you have no idea how much I have been reading and studying this hobby over the past three weeks and for you to say that to me, I don't know, I guess it felt like an insult.

I really do appreciate your help though.

Thanks.

[bllfish]

It was not meant as an insult. I am trying to figure out just how serious you are. Some of the questions you ask are answered in the books. Sorry if I offended you. I hate to see people jump into this hobby with little or no knowledge and after spending several hundred dollars, if they are lucky, start losing everything.
Glad to hear you are reading and trying to learn.
Keep asking questions and seeking help, that is what these forums are for. I was not trying to discourage you. Good Luck.

[Claic Yuzolt]

Originally Posted by bllfish

It was not meant as an insult. I am trying to figure out just how serious you are. Some of the questions you ask are answered in the books. Sorry if I offended you. I hate to see people jump into this hobby with little or no knowledge and after spending several hundred dollars, if they are lucky, start losing everything.
Glad to hear you are reading and trying to learn.
Keep asking questions and seeking help, that is what these forums are for. I was not trying to discourage you. Good Luck.

Thanks and sorry once again to sound like a jackass. I am extremely serious about this hobby and I suppose the reason I ask certain questions that are in the book is because I would like ,I guess, a more in depth answer than just the brief overview the book may give me.

Today I added another 10 lbs of live rock and did close to a 5 gallon water change just to make sure the live rock could fit. Here is what it looks like.











A few questions that I couldn't really find in the books. What is that green on my rocks I just bought from my LFS? It doesn't feel like algae it is actually very hard. Also, does water changes affect my cycle as in slowing it down?

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

I could be wrong and if so others will correct me. whst looks like to me, I'm seeing 4 different color coraline purple, green, red, and a tad bit of orange. but like i said if i'm wrong other's will correct me.

Nice rock structure your building there Claic Yuzolt. except the piece thats touching the glass on the left side, thats how it looks in the picture.

[Claic Yuzolt]

Originally Posted by SiNiStEr NaTiOn

I could be wrong and if so others will correct me. whst looks like to me, I'm seeing 4 different color coraline purple, green, red, and a tad bit of orange. but like i said if i'm wrong other's will correct me.

Nice rock structure your building there Claic Yuzolt. except the piece thats touching the glass on the left side, thats how it looks in the picture.

Thanks man! So can i add more than 29 pounds of live rock ro my 29 pound tank?



Water Parameters at 2 weeks and 3 days.

pH - I'm thinking it is 8.0 or 8.2 hard to tell.

Temperature - 78-80 degrees

Salinity - 1.023

Nitrite - 0.2

Nitrate - 0

Ammonia - 0.8 its actually probably higher than that but my test cannot read that high. Is this too high for cycling?

Calcium - 420, I've read that 400-500 is ideal so should I be shooting for closer to 500 or more in the middle?

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Anything between 400 and 500 is good.


What kind of lighting do you have? Type is more important than spectrum in most cases.

[Claic Yuzolt]

Originally Posted by chipmunkofdoom2

Anything between 400 and 500 is good.


What kind of lighting do you have? Type is more important than spectrum in most cases.

I've got one 10,000K 31 Watt and one Actinic Bluelight 31 watt. Does this affect my ammonia cycling?