Ashley and Ben's 55gal Gift.

[flricordia]

Does look like nitrate problem and possibly ph too. Might have to sacrifice a few hitchhikers to get the tank in shape. Water changes are fine if you are wanting to save the worm and other hitchhikers, but you are going to delay a good cycle and even possibly keep your tank from ever fully cycling. You really need to go at least a month minimum before turning lights on, adding any livestock or doing a water change.
Any shortcuts will mean trouble down the road. The only tanks I have seen that don't have any future problems with hair, cyano, excess diatoms and coral/fish losses are tanks that have cycled without water changes for the first month. It's not magic and there is no fast fix when it comes to a reef. Without patience might as well figure on waisting lots of money in the future on this hobby.
One good thing about letting the tank cycle a good long time is it will give you a chance to research what exactly you want to keep in there and avoid impulse livestock buys that turn out mistakes.

[ASH]

Yea Oct. send me a pm....we live in an apartment is that ok to set it up here?


Fla-so if I don't do water changes will my shrimp die? I'm not to worried about everything else all of them we're really cheap....but that would suck if my big snail and conch die.

Just to note.....this is my first water change. it's almost been a month (trying to make myself feel better lol)

[Craig Manoukian]

Could you move the inverts to the 29 gallon, cycle the 55 and then put them back in a month or two?

[ASH]

I took the 29gal down yesterday and put the sand in the 55gal.

[Craig Manoukian]

Can the LFS "hold" your inverts until your tank cycles?

[ASH]

lmao......That's exactly what I just told ben. I'm gonna call them tomorrow and see if they'll hold on to them.

One of my shirmp just molted....does that mean anything?

[AQTCJAK]

that means it is eating well & the pH is good

[Craig Manoukian]

Agreed, molting is a good sign. Any new test readings?

[ASH]

This has been one CRAZY morning. I come and look at the tank this morning and saw a serpent star LEG!!!!!! Then I found the starfish and noticed he had two legs missing....So I figured he was dead. But then......He moved!!!!! But that's not the weird part. The leg (which isn't attached to the body) was moving too!!! And I just so happen to have a video of it.



Here's the starfish.




Both are real blurry....sorry I was in a state of panic lol.....

[BigAl07]

When a starfish starts "shedding it's members" that's commonly a sign of poor water conditions. I have one shed a leg and that leg outlived the rest of the body by hours. It was eery seeing the leg crawl around and stuff with no body. Looks like a horror movie. I'd say that due to your tank possibly going through a major cycle is the reason you see this happening. Sorry about that.

[ASH]

It's ok....I was ok when I thought he was dead.

The LFS is holding my shrimp right now so I can let this tank cycle.

What about my hermits and snails.....is there anyway that I could put some rock in my 5gal bucket and let them live that way?

what would I need to do?

[Doot77]

Originally Posted by BigAl07

I have one shed a leg and that leg outlived the rest of the body by hours.

That is kinda weird.

Sorry to hear about the starfish, maybe you'll get lucky and he'll pull thru.

[BigAl07]

I don't know.. I know that crabs and snails are pretty tough but don't know that they will make it long term in a bucket. I've had a crab live for 2 days (accidentally) with only a damp rag for water out on my porch in fairly cold temps (I didn't know it was in the bucket and I put it outside to clean at a later date). Hopefully someone who's done something like this will know. I've been lucky far and haven't cycled my tank after it was set up.

Good luck Punkette

[ASH]

Update.

Starfish didn't make it but his detatched-leg is still kickin...

[BigAl07]

Odds are that the leg wont make it either. Starfish need some portion of the central "disk" (at least in my understanding) to survive and re-grow into a new "Critter".

Good luck and don't hesitate to yank the leg out once it goes limp and lifeless.

Sorry about these losses and keep yourself focused on how SWEET it's gonna be once you get this tank cycled and stable.