please help

[gon4x4n]

I'm not terriblly please how my 90 gallon FOWLR is looking or the amount of cleaning required so I have a few questions that I hope someone can help me with.

-First off with the live rock and live sand, how many snails and crabs should I have? and what other things would be good to have for the sand?

-My tank is an AGA 90 with corner overflow and I use there overflow kit with the float. What are poeples thoughts on this system. It seems to bob up and down a lot which causes irratice spashing is the sump. Should I just scrap what I have and build a different kind of stand pipe?

-I have 2 twin tube AGA light fixtures. What type of bulbs should I have for My FOWLR?

-I have a sump divided into two parts one part has heaters and my skimmer and the other has live sand and live rock. what should I do as far and additional filtering, do I need to have a filter pad at some point to catch the major waste or will the sand rock and critters take care of all the for me?


I'm sorry this is so long but If I don't figure this stuff out soon I'm afraid my hobby will something I hate rather than love.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[JennM]

Well first of all, any newer tank will go through various and aggrivating algae blooms. Ride it out and you WILL get past it

Some people go as high as one snail per gallon...I think this is excessive, and eventually many starve to death. I think 12 or so snails (ie: Mexican Turbos I like 'em) and perhaps the same amount of hermits will do nicely when your tank matures. If you start with more than this, IMO you should plan to give/sell/trade some of them away when the algae settles down, or you will have other issues.

Make life easier...get some algae magnets. Just don't leave them inside the tank all the time...they will eventually corrode unless you shell out major $$$$ for them and even at that they will likely corrode sooner or later.

I'm not familiar with the float system, but if you do a search under DURSO standpipe you will find useful information on a silent overflow pipe system.

HTH

Jenn

 

[Rich-n-poor]

what is the wattage on your lighting ?

Live rock must recieve enough light for it to remain live rock in the real sense and allow beneficial organisms to grow Im not saying it wont host a bacteria culture and keep water chemistry in check but....

If you can get the coraline going the algea will decrease as they use the same nutrients

I dont think there is a number per gallon of snails/hermits thats right its all about balancing the system I think 1 per gallon is excessive also

Try adding a couple at a time and try different types to add some diversity to the clean up crew add 5 and see what happens if it improves some but not to your liking add 5 more of a different type

I have the mexican turbos and they are great glass cleaners but they are large snails and can cause some disturbance in small rocks or coral frags but i like them

i also have bumble bees and nys????? snails total 17 snails in 37 gallon but the bumblebees are tiny things and seven hermits 3 red 2 blue and 1 left handed thats about 1 hermit for 6 gallons of water and i am considering thining them out

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