lost in Maine...

cwazy · 12-31-2007, 03:40 PM

howdy all... yet another snowy day here in maine so i got some spare time...

ive been poking around and lurking for a lil while now tryin to figure out just what ive got in my tank and what i can or cant do with it... i will warn you all... im brand spanking new to the salt water world... ive had a pretty basic fresh water tank praticly my whole life... but know nothing about salt... well maybe a lil bit lol... my wife bought me a salt water tank for christmas... used, complete tank for 75 dollars... they said it was a 35 gallon... but i almost think its only a 20 long... i could be wrong though *shrug* it came with 2 clowns, 1 blue & yellow demsil, 1 chocolate chip star and 1 pencil urchin... some live rock and live sand... theres one small snail of some sort that likes to cruise around... on the live rock i have a bunch of "things" that the previous owner said they never bought... they just kind of appeared... i beleive they are tube anemones... but not sure... i have a couple rocks covered in them and lately i can find them on the glass and in the sand... just about anywheres... i have tried to do some reserch and found that alot find them to be bad? i also have some white almost polipy type of things scattered about and i have 2 red and black things... almost looks like feather dusters of the small kind? *LOL I TOLD YOU IM NEW!* ... i was told that with the star and urchin that i cant put much of anything for coral and what not in the tank? is that true? my tank set up is far from great... but i think it was woth the money... adventually want to get new lighting and once i figure out everything and can afford it i need to up grade filtration... gosh i have many questions... yall would be here forever reading if i posted em all... but ill fire off a couple...

skimmer... i hear this alot... dunno what they are or what they do... explain?

the salinity in my tank seems to be high as i just added 3 gallons to fill the tank back up... is this bad? a good way to lower it?

when we got the tank it was covered in red stuff on the glass... is this a type of algee? its just now very lil starting to come back onto the glass... anyway to prevent it?

what will mix with the things i have in my tank?

i currently feed saltwater flakes and frozen brine shrimp... is that good?

when i got the tank home the filther died on me

... i wasnt sure if i needed one or not and it being around midnight when i got home to set this thing up all i had was a whisper10 wich i used on one of my freshwater tanks... is this ok? i didnt use the carbon in it... just the filther... and i put the lil spongey block into that that came outta the other dead SW filther...

frags... i got the basic concept... they are pieces of grown corals and such... but how does the process work???

i could go on and on so i better stop here for now... thank you all for a great and imforitive website

***disclamer... im a HORRIBLE speller... please forgive me!

***

oh BTW... my name is Bill... =P

ReefGuy69 · 12-31-2007, 04:13 PM

Well welcome. You have a lot to learn and you came to the right place. Read Read read and when you think you got it read some more. LOL...
Well we will need some more about your tank to figure out where to go. What type of water are you adding. Tap water or do you buy RO from a Store? You said the filter died... So your going to need to stock up on live rock and maybe sand... if you dont already have it in your tank. sounds like you do though. You can do the filtering naturally with a few minor mechanical things. Sounds like you dont have a skimmer. You definatley need one. especially being new and its just so much easier knowing you can take all the junk out of your water with it and help keep your parameters in check. Next do you have test kits? if not youll need the basics for now. Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite and PH. eventually you will probably want Calcium and Alkalinity. Youll need to test and get us your results so we can get your tank up to par. Your Salinity shouldnt be rising. are you adding Salt water to your tank for top offs. if so then you want to stop. Water that evaporates doesnt evaportate with the salt. the salt stays in the tank. So just add plain water for top offs. and then for water changes youll add mixed salt. hope this gives you a start

vdituri · 12-31-2007, 04:22 PM

Brand new? Still under waranty? lol

For identification of your unknowns try this site

Indo Pacific Hitch Hikers

It's great for identifying alot of things.
Do you have a way to test the salinity? A hydrometer would be a good inexpensive way to get started. It will give you a range on the meter for a safe zone.

Feel free to ask questions.
Best of luck on your new adventure.
I look forward to seeing your progress.

framerguy · 12-31-2007, 06:13 PM

You have asked a broad range of questions and it would take volumes to answer them and provide any help. My advice is for you to go and purchase Robert Fenners "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" book and read it thoroughly. It will answer all of these questions, then you can post more about the stuff you don't understand.. and there will be lots.. and it never ends because everyone can learn more and more about this hobby and still come up with more questions! Welcome to RS and the addiction we call Reefing!!

JFK_Jr · 01-01-2008, 07:53 PM

AQTCJAK · 01-01-2008, 07:54 PM

Welcome Aboard

Dentoid · 01-01-2008, 08:09 PM

12-31-2007, 03:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
cwazy Tunicate Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Maine Posts: 1 View Gallery Karma Komment	lost in Maine... howdy all... yet another snowy day here in maine so i got some spare time... ive been poking around and lurking for a lil while now tryin to figure out just what ive got in my tank and what i can or cant do with it... i will warn you all... im brand spanking new to the salt water world... ive had a pretty basic fresh water tank praticly my whole life... but know nothing about salt... well maybe a lil bit lol... my wife bought me a salt water tank for christmas... used, complete tank for 75 dollars... they said it was a 35 gallon... but i almost think its only a 20 long... i could be wrong though shrug it came with 2 clowns, 1 blue & yellow demsil, 1 chocolate chip star and 1 pencil urchin... some live rock and live sand... theres one small snail of some sort that likes to cruise around... on the live rock i have a bunch of "things" that the previous owner said they never bought... they just kind of appeared... i beleive they are tube anemones... but not sure... i have a couple rocks covered in them and lately i can find them on the glass and in the sand... just about anywheres... i have tried to do some reserch and found that alot find them to be bad? i also have some white almost polipy type of things scattered about and i have 2 red and black things... almost looks like feather dusters of the small kind? LOL I TOLD YOU IM NEW! ... i was told that with the star and urchin that i cant put much of anything for coral and what not in the tank? is that true? my tank set up is far from great... but i think it was woth the money... adventually want to get new lighting and once i figure out everything and can afford it i need to up grade filtration... gosh i have many questions... yall would be here forever reading if i posted em all... but ill fire off a couple... skimmer... i hear this alot... dunno what they are or what they do... explain? the salinity in my tank seems to be high as i just added 3 gallons to fill the tank back up... is this bad? a good way to lower it? when we got the tank it was covered in red stuff on the glass... is this a type of algee? its just now very lil starting to come back onto the glass... anyway to prevent it? what will mix with the things i have in my tank? i currently feed saltwater flakes and frozen brine shrimp... is that good? when i got the tank home the filther died on me ... i wasnt sure if i needed one or not and it being around midnight when i got home to set this thing up all i had was a whisper10 wich i used on one of my freshwater tanks... is this ok? i didnt use the carbon in it... just the filther... and i put the lil spongey block into that that came outta the other dead SW filther... frags... i got the basic concept... they are pieces of grown corals and such... but how does the process work??? i could go on and on so i better stop here for now... thank you all for a great and imforitive website *disclamer... im a HORRIBLE speller... please forgive me! * oh BTW... my name is Bill... =P Last edited by cwazy : 12-31-2007 at 03:41 PM. Reason: added name

12-31-2007, 04:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
ReefGuy69 Plate Coral Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 746 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: lost in Maine... Well welcome. You have a lot to learn and you came to the right place. Read Read read and when you think you got it read some more. LOL... Well we will need some more about your tank to figure out where to go. What type of water are you adding. Tap water or do you buy RO from a Store? You said the filter died... So your going to need to stock up on live rock and maybe sand... if you dont already have it in your tank. sounds like you do though. You can do the filtering naturally with a few minor mechanical things. Sounds like you dont have a skimmer. You definatley need one. especially being new and its just so much easier knowing you can take all the junk out of your water with it and help keep your parameters in check. Next do you have test kits? if not youll need the basics for now. Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite and PH. eventually you will probably want Calcium and Alkalinity. Youll need to test and get us your results so we can get your tank up to par. Your Salinity shouldnt be rising. are you adding Salt water to your tank for top offs. if so then you want to stop. Water that evaporates doesnt evaportate with the salt. the salt stays in the tank. So just add plain water for top offs. and then for water changes youll add mixed salt. hope this gives you a start __________________ Dennis ________ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...journal-3.html 55gal AGA w/ built in overflow 15 gal acrylic DIY sump/fuge 75lbs Fiji Live Rock 45lbs of Live Sand 1-1/2inch (1) 96 watt Super Blue Actinic Power Compact (2) 96 Watt 10,000k Power Compacts (2) Ebo Jager 200 watt heaters Seaclone 150 Skimmer (2) Hagen 50's Power Heads for flow (1) Hagen 70 Return Pump DIY ATO system (5 Gal) Mini Aqua Lights for fuge (10k/Actinic03) TLF 150 Phosban Reactor 12X turnover rate 2 Ocellaris Clownfish, 1 Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp, 1 Peppermint Shrimp, Neon Green Hairy Mushrooms, Red Zoanthus Polyps.

12-31-2007, 04:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
vdituri Excellent Guesser :D Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sacramento California Posts: 5,641 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: lost in Maine... Brand new? Still under waranty? lol For identification of your unknowns try this site Indo Pacific Hitch Hikers It's great for identifying alot of things. Do you have a way to test the salinity? A hydrometer would be a good inexpensive way to get started. It will give you a range on the meter for a safe zone. Feel free to ask questions. Best of luck on your new adventure. I look forward to seeing your progress. __________________ Victor ----- People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

12-31-2007, 06:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
framerguy Manta Ray Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mount Airy, Ga Posts: 3,264 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: lost in Maine... You have asked a broad range of questions and it would take volumes to answer them and provide any help. My advice is for you to go and purchase Robert Fenners "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" book and read it thoroughly. It will answer all of these questions, then you can post more about the stuff you don't understand.. and there will be lots.. and it never ends because everyone can learn more and more about this hobby and still come up with more questions! Welcome to RS and the addiction we call Reefing!! __________________ ___________________________________ Greg All time fav quote: "Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."-Guillaume Apollinaire "Being happy can be as easy as deciding to be!"-Greg Kimsey (framerguy) Still Workin' on it! 390gDT built in wall, Gargantuan DIY Beckett Skimmer, 150g sump, Sequence Hammerhead closed loop, 75 gallon seagrass/mineral mud refugium, 55 gallon crushed coral/live rock refugium, 30 gallon DSB/ cheatomorpha refugium, algae turf scrubber, DIY calcium reactor, DIY kalkwasser mixer, DIY light system w/4x 250MH & 4x54w T5, etc, etc, etc... chronicles-akwareum (\___/) This is Bunny. (=O.o=) Copy and paste him into your signature (")__(") to help him gain world domination

01-01-2008, 07:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
JFK_Jr Golden Moray Join Date: May 2006 Location: Hallandale Beach FL Posts: 2,108 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: lost in Maine... __________________ *JFK_Jr's 150 Gallon Starphire*

01-01-2008, 07:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
AQTCJAK Tiger Shark Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 6,844 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: lost in Maine... Welcome Aboard __________________ A Wiseman once said build a stage add a pole & they will dance - Jack 2007 www.aquaticaggression.com Projects & Chronicels http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...car-buffs.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nts-tanks.html

01-01-2008, 08:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,239 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: lost in Maine... __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

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