Coral help and sand help

[xEchOx]

thanks =] i have one of the kits you have posted i have to get the one you posted that test for cal and phos. i thought dwarf blue leg hermits where only scavengers? not sure if my lfs has exacly dwarf blue leg hermits would any hermit do the same job? they have tiny tiny hermits labled as hermit crabs. and for the snails and hermits how many should i get? i assume they dont have a big bio load? the one snail i got was GREAT he cleaned a good portion of the rock crystal white! So should i get maybe 3 more snails and 3 hermits? Also for wc i dont mix my own salt i just go down to the lfs and get 4-5gallons of their sea water. they say it comes from the ocean but like "healthy regions" such as reefs.

Hmmm, I can't comment on getting your fresh water from the LFS... I really have no experience with that. I would assume you will need to dose trace elements then but as mentioned earlier, only dose elements that you can also test for.

The turbo snails are pretty heavy duty cleaners. I don't think I would get more than 1 or 2. I would also return them once the hair algae is taken care of. Turbo snails are quite strong and can knock over frag plugs pretty easily, but you can cross that bridge when you get to it. I have around 20-25 nassarius snails. They are pretty much scavengers. They stay under the substrate for the most part until they smell food.

The hermits can definitely be hit or miss. I have seen some picking at hair algae in my tank but I would say they prefer to scavenge meaty foods or left over pellets. Still, they are good at keeping the substrate free of debris and lightly stirring the sand bed.

 

[Zfishies]

Hmmm, I can't comment on getting your fresh water from the LFS... I really have no experience with that. I would assume you will need to dose trace elements then but as mentioned earlier, only dose elements that you can also test for.

The turbo snails are pretty heavy duty cleaners. I don't think I would get more than 1 or 2. I would also return them once the hair algae is taken care of. Turbo snails are quite strong and can knock over frag plugs pretty easily, but you can cross that bridge when you get to it. I have around 20-25 nassarius snails. They are pretty much scavengers. They stay under the substrate for the most part until they smell food.

The hermits can definitely be hit or miss. I have seen some picking at hair algae in my tank but I would say they prefer to scavenge meaty foods or left over pellets. Still, they are good at keeping the substrate free of debris and lightly stirring the sand bed.

With freshwater I just tap it off I just ment with saltwater I get it from the Lfs my bad. So I'll just get one more snail then and 2 hermits. When I add softies though do they even have a bioload? Thanks for all the help guys really learned a lot.


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[Zfishies]

Instead of the hermits can I get a dimond goby?

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[Totalimmortal]

Corals do have a SMALL bioload, considering the small size of the tank, but really negligible at best.

Id stick with the basic clean-up crew for now, hermits, a Turbo, stuff like that.

 

[xEchOx]

Instead of the hermits can I get a dimond goby?

Technically speaking you as long as your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are in check you can add fish, however I would recommend waiting until you get the hair algae situation under control. Adding another fish will add to the bioload and only give more nutrients for the algae to consume and therefore grow.

As stated, corals do contribute to the bioload but the amount is pretty insignificant until you are really packed full of corals.

I know it's difficult, but I would wait until you have the hair algae under control before moving too far ahead. It's easier to prevent problems now than it is to fix them later. Get those test kits, get some results and move on from there.

 

[Zfishies]

okay so I got a problem ph is 8.0 ammonia 0ppm no2 0ppm the problem is my no3 (nitrate) which is I think in between 20-40ppm which explains the algae problem I think? I'll add Carbon tomorrow get ONE snail only. Could it be cause I took out the cardinal? I gave him to a friend. Anyway tomorrow is water change day what else can i do to always keep my no3 down this is my first time with this problem! My water is ush pristine!


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[Zfishies]

Technically speaking you as long as your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are in check you can add fish, however I would recommend waiting until you get the hair algae situation under control. Adding another fish will add to the bioload and only give more nutrients for the algae to consume and therefore grow.

As stated, corals do contribute to the bioload but the amount is pretty insignificant until you are really packed full of corals.

I know it's difficult, but I would wait until you have the hair algae under control before moving too far ahead. It's easier to prevent problems now than it is to fix them later. Get those test kits, get some results and move on from there.

Will do ! No more fish for this tank tho!! Lol Gna wait a GOOD time before any corals. The snail and clown fish don't seem to be bothered tho and whats the diff between nO2 & nO3? Sorry about the pajama pants pic, was a lazy day today


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[Zfishies]

Did a very good wc about an hour ago and got one snail he hasn't turned over since I acclimated him and put him in his tank should I be worried he's (I think) sticking out his eye though it's been like 5 min tho View attachment 749532 View attachment 749533 View attachment 749534


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[Zfishies]

Snail still hasn't moved he's still on his back, is it cuz the lights r on ? Should I help him?


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[BigCountry]

Pick the snail up up out of the tank and smell it. If it smells like ass its dead. If it's not moved, I am guessing its dead. And you will not be the first to lose one. I have had them die as well. Consider yourself lucky it died on top of the sand and not buried under it....

Try to get the nitrates down to 10ppm if your looking to someday grow some entry level coral. 20ppm-40ppm is nothing to panic over though with FOWLR. Fish can deal with nitrates. Corals on the other hand, not so much.