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chase33

How long has it been since your tank completed the cycle? You shouldn't think about getting corals anytime before you upgrade your lights at the earliest.
 
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Ryan88

Oh yeah, im just going to enjoy the tank for awhile now though. I wont upgrade the lights for a few months. I dont know if I told anyone here but I found a small snail on 1 of my powerheads last night, he cleaned it already because when I woke up the powerhead was very clean. Stomatella I think someone told me it was. But anyway I just wanna say my plans for wednesday are getting a nice cleanup crew for the tank. I'll take everyones suggestions and make my own decision.
 
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chase33

Imo, finding new living creatures in my tank is one of the best things about this hobby. How long has your tank been cycled?
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

chase33 said:
Imo, finding new living creatures in my tank is one of the best things about this hobby. How long has your tank been cycled?
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haha - or it can be the most stressful/annoying aspects. After countless numbers of crabs, whelks and mantis shrimp from the gulf-of-mexico, I am looking forward to getting some Dry LR to cure.
 
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chase33

phil519 said:
haha - or it can be the most stressful/annoying aspects. After countless numbers of crabs, whelks and mantis shrimp from the gulf-of-mexico, I am looking forward to getting some Dry LR to cure.
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So very true.

Ryan, you can expect and are likely to get a case of diatoms. It will come quickly and leave just as fast. Maybe some hair algae too. Your cleanup crew will assist in removing both.
 
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Ryan88

True true. I have heard everyones opinion of a cleanup crew but yours, which way should I go do you think, I really would like a crab or two honestly. Again Im going to take everyones opinion in and make my own decision on tuesday night so wednesday I can go to trop
 
J

JerseyWendy

Ryan, depending on what type of corals you are planning to keep, you just "may" get away with PC lighting.

If you like crabs, by all means, get some. I actually like those little (or not so little) critters, too. Just remember that they can be quite opportunistic when it comes to food. Check out Scarlet hermit crabs, and the little blue-legged ones. I keep them both and never had a problem. I also keep Emeralds, but they're a hit or miss. Some may take a liking to corals while others leave them alone. I also keep a Sally Lightfoot and never had a problem with her. Here are some more ideas for inverts:
Peppermint shrimp
Cleaner shrimp
Coral banded shrimp
Astrea snails
Cerith snails
Nassarius snails
Brittle starfish/sandsifting star

I don't know where you live, but Aqua Oceans in Toms River sells snails for $1.00 each.

I'm not sure whether you've mentioned this or not, but are you strictly using RO water for your tank (top off included)?

---
Wendy
 
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Ryan88

Im just using the water I got from trop when I first set up. Mike said it was good for 6 months. Should I maybe buy some of that distilled water from like a pathmark or a shoprite?
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

The water is good..but you should be doing water changes every week...say 10-20%. Plus as your water evaporates you need to add water without salt...if you add salt water your water will get higher and higher concentrations of salt.
 
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Ryan88

Alright, but my question was that could I use the distilled water from like a supermarket or something like that to top off the tank? And for the water change is it the same as a freshwater tank? Using a siphon and bucket?
 
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Ryan88

I like JerseyWendy's response in saying

Peppermint shrimp
Cleaner shrimp
Coral banded shrimp
Astrea snails
Cerith snails
Nassarius snails
Brittle starfish/sandsifting star

Lol, A starfish? haha.

Anyway Im on LiveAquaria looking at some stuff and reading up on the suggestions
 
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Ryan88

I wasnt making fun of her suggestion either. It just seems hard to keep a starfish. Also the crabs really need shells it seems, You guys have seen my tank pics. All I have is the rocks, am I going to have to add anything or whats up?
 
JohnS_323

JohnS_323

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Ryan88 said:
I wasnt making fun of her suggestion either.
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Sorry, that's how it came across (to me at least) and I felt like I needed to defend one of my peeps ;D

We have several varities of reef safe stars and they are no trouble at all. As for hermits, you have plenty of time before you need to worry about them outgrowing their homes. By that time, they'll just move into the "homes" of any turbo snails that land on their backs and are incapable of righting themselves (how the heck did they ever survive evolution, anyway?!?).

The one crab no one else recommended that I can't get enough of are Porcelains. They're fun to play "Where's Waldo" with and fun to watch once you spot them.
 
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Ryan88

John,

I looked at the Porcelain crabs and they seem realy cool thanks for the suggestion. Guys this is what Im gettin with starfish on liveaquaria. Alot of them need alot of space and eat the shrimp and inverts. I just dont know about getting one, granted they are amazing. If anyone has more info let me know
 
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