new here

[mike2670]

hi every one:

i just joined a couple days back and have some questions for you all, 1) i have a 20 high tank that i just switched to saltwater a month back and would like to go with seahorses shortly, a) what would anybody have for this as for as frags that will be safe for seahorses, b) what kind of a light should i get for these frags( right now i can not afford metal hailde or the t5 setups).

current parameters are :

ph 8.3, saltinity 1.024, ammonia 0,nitrate about .25?, nitrite about .25?calcium gussing about 400?

current equipment:

air pump and stone, biowheel 150, sub heater, live rock, perfecto full deluxe hood with plant growth bulb right now(want to go with glass canopy and a 50/50 bulb)

current fish:

2 snails, 1 dasmel, and a couple of plants that i am not sure what they are.

i would like to put a sps coral, a sponge if safe, and a peppermint shrimp , and if any one has any other suggutions here i would be greatful for the ideas.

i also have a white strip going all around the inside if this tank and think it may be a calcium bildup (i am using distelled water for right now and have added lots of calcium to this water when i first set it up for corals, i hope i am right on this and would like to know i can do to get rid of this and keep my calcium high, i am trying to scrap it off but it is going slow and cleared about a 5 inch path on the front glass )

thanks in advance
mike 2670

 

[anthony27]

You are going to need a good protien skimmer and good lighting to keep sps, Take a picture of the white line on the tank to get a better idea of what is going on. I would look into power compact pc lighting I would say 64 watts for now until you can afford t5s. Make sure you have a very good flow rate for the tank and the water on the surface is always moving and there are no dead spots hence you will not need your bubble wand because they are not used in a reef tank. Also what do you have on the bottom of the tank sand or crushed coral? Rember all your levels have to be eavened out not just the cal inorder to keep coral the idion cal and so on. As for the filter try to see if you can get a sump or a hang on sump for the tank it would be better then the filter you have now. But all in all read alot and it takes time to start off a tank. Good luck and if you need help just ask. O and also if you can the best thing to do first of all is to buy a rodi unit if you dont already have one it will pay off in the long run. and what chemicals or who makes the cal that you are using is that the only thing you are dosing in the tank.

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Welcome to MR!

 

[mike2670]

as of right now i am on a extra tite budget and not sure what i will be able to afford if anything as for the calcium it is kent marines liquid calcium, seachems reef builder, and i just started using the carib sea purple up in place of the liqid calcium as per drsfrostersmith techs, i also have not put the sea chem in since setup as well, as for as test kits go i am using api's calcium,nitrite,nitrate,ammonia, and high range ph, is there any thing else i need to get as for as test kits go, as for the strip goes i have taking a photo if it to show a local lfs to if they what it is and it has not spread any since i have seen it, it will scrap off the glass but is taking its time doing that, it is any thing form a 1/16 th of inch up to may be 3/4 inch in hight and in the middle of the tank, i am also putting a small amount of biozyme in, as for protin skimmers go what would be a good one to go with i already was thinking of getting me one of them , what ever i do will be on a slow time line right now and will add items when i can afford them if any one has items for sale at a extra cheap or free price please let me know.

 

[anthony27]

I can help you out I have 2 tst kits I dont use you can have them for free and also If you need rodi water I can make you some water till you get your own rodi, as for the skimmer and adding bio enzyme it a good start what do you have on the bottom of the tank sand or crushed coral also since the tank has been running for about a mont I would hold off on dosing any thing for right now and let the tank cycle out for another month and then add another fish. To start off with coral do mushrooms. What salt are you using and also is it live rocks or base rocks you have in the tank. as for skimmers people will say aqua remoras I have a coralife 65 and up grading to a bigger skimmer for better skimming but what ever you do do not buy a seaclone skimmer they are the worst.

 

[mike2670]

i forgot to add what i had on the bottom of my tank and that is the carib sea sand mix this has the sand and black specs in it.
anthony what do you need to send me the test kits you have other then my address which is
mike hutchison
2213 melanie
marion, il. 62959
as for as the ro water goes i can get some at my lfs as soon as i get the money back up and i have a walmart or kroger store in my town that has the ro machines to get it as well( i am not sure if this is going to be ro but is states it has the filter(machines))

thanks for the kits

and yes this tank has maybe 6lbs of live rock and 1peice of base rock that is a broke peice of flag stone i bought from a local lumber yard and resinsed it off before i put it in the tank, salt wise is the reef crystals from instant ocean, is there any thing else i forgot to say or need to ask about right now.

thanks in advance
mike 2670

 

[NYreefNoob]

i would suggest doing alot more reading before wasting money, seahorse's really need a dedicated system, seahorse.org as for sps in a sh tank no, A you need higher fow for sps and high light, which sh cant handle high flow, and you dont need high light for them, no corals with tenacles, they can and will sting and possible kill the sh's. 6 lb of rock isn't enough, if you have nitrite your tank hasnt finished cycling, your going to need more clean up crew as well, more snails and some hermits, if you dont know your parameters all around i suggest you dont add anything and save to buy some good test kits first, reading and learning = $ saved

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Hey Mike welcome to MR!

 

[mike2670]

i already have joined seahorse .org a couple years back and hopeful still a member in bayarea reefers were i got your guys web listing from and seahorse.org has a seahorse safe list of what i can or can not use with seahorses, one of which is according to them hemit crabs(not safe or may be 2 at most for a tank), and as stated in my last post as soon as i can get the money up i do plan on adding a few more items as snails and what every else i can afford in a slow way right now.