New Guy
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Main
Forum Name: Introduce Yourself
Forum Description: Introduce Yourself the the club.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57238
Printed Date: August 24 2025 at 11:16pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: New Guy
Posted By: saltyjarhead
Subject: New Guy
Date Posted: June 18 2012 at 2:44pm
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Just wanted to say hello to everyone and I look forward to learning all I can. I just bought a Biocube29 that was already established, but in poor shape. I had to empty the livestock (2 clowns) and clean the whole tank.
I plan on getting them back into the tank tonight depending on my peramiters. It did come with lots of nice live rock, but it had tons of aptasia. I killed most I could, but it's already comming back wo I will be picking up a few shrimp tonight.
How long do I need to wait before I start adding some acan's and anome's?
Thanks
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Replies:
Posted By: saltyjarhead
Date Posted: June 18 2012 at 2:46pm
| BTW I am pretty sure I spelled a few words wrong. |
Posted By: Nails12
Date Posted: June 18 2012 at 3:11pm
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Welcome! I would definately check your water parameters before you throw some livestock in there even some shrimp... Peppermint shrimp would definatley chow down on some aptaisia... Again before adding coral or anemone's i would check you water conditions. Also aneomene's need to be in a more established tank (6 months) i would say just to ensure their survival... Aneomen's will also cruise around and perhaps sting and kill other corals. Its a risk for sure!!!
Lots of good help here, any questions just ask! ------------- This is more than a hobby; its a lifestyle. |
Posted By: saltyjarhead
Date Posted: June 18 2012 at 3:36pm
| Yeah my brother has been at his tank for 8 yrs and he also said to wait about 6 mo before some Anenomes are added. I figured I would just take it nice and slow. |
Posted By: Dionysus
Date Posted: June 18 2012 at 7:59pm
Welcome!! ------------- AquaMedic 250 Watt XM 20k 2 420s Vhos 29 DT SPS Dominant 20 G Long Frag http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=56607&title=dionysus-tank-build" rel="nofollow - My Tank Progress =) |
saltyjarhead wrote:Posted By: Spbeyond
Date Posted: June 19 2012 at 9:45am
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" I figured I would just take it nice and slow. " Not my strong suit but it is the best thing you could do! ------------- 90 Gallon Reef w/4 bulb 54W t5 I buy, sell and restore pinball machines. Got one in the basement? ;) |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 19 2012 at 11:24am
 Who is your brother? I have known many hobbyists in Tooele over the years. Maybe he and I are acquainted? My best advice would be to treat this tank just like you were setting up a brand new reef aquarium and a moved aquarium. I would strongly advise that you take the time to read the http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244" rel="nofollow - Secrets of an Affordable Reef Aquarium , also linked below in my sig line as well as the Tips about http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=44914" rel="nofollow - Moving an Aquarium , as well as the Tips listed below that regarding moving LS and moving LR Enjoy  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: saltyjarhead
Date Posted: June 19 2012 at 2:04pm
LOL That's the same thing I said when everyone tells me to go slow.
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Posted By: saltyjarhead
Date Posted: June 19 2012 at 2:05pm
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Posted By: saltyjarhead
Date Posted: June 20 2012 at 1:45pm
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Well I decided to get rid of the used Biocube29 that I recently bought and just bought me an Innovative Marine 30 Gal tank with LED lights and stand. I can't wait to get it and start the cycle. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 20 2012 at 2:51pm
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Forget the "cycle". That's old school. You might have your brother read the WMAS Reefkeeping Tips thread where the awesome alternative using modern biological technology is described. He might find it and this entire MB enlightening. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: BillyC
Date Posted: June 20 2012 at 3:16pm
| Everyone does things different. I personally would never start a tank without a cycle but everyone's different. My best advice to you is to look at people's tanks, pick one you really like, and try to imitate their techniques. |
Posted By: Akira
Date Posted: June 20 2012 at 6:25pm
| Just so happens Im looking for a bio , you still have it ? Also I have a ton of live rock to help you along ! Might be able to work a small trade . Kurt 801-637-6113 |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 20 2012 at 6:51pm
 Why set up a tank to have high levels of pollution when there is a way to completely avoid the death that comes from high pollution levels?A person might as well drive straight into another car saying, "So what, I have insurance." ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: BillyC
Date Posted: June 20 2012 at 7:41pm
I know this makes no sense to you Mark... I assure you that for most, having patience is better than rushing a tank setup just to stuff it with ugly beginner corals and infesting it with invasive macroalgae. To the original poster: I'm sure that you understand the purpose of a cycle and how "high levels of pollution," like Mark stated, are important for multiplying the bacteria that will ultimately keep your tank healthy and allow you to have a beautiful tank. Almost everyone will agree with me when I say that patience is key in this hobby. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 21 2012 at 12:08pm
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The purpose of the WMAS is too learn from each other how to keep a better reef aquarium. The WMAS mission statement also places emphasis on education/learning. Please forgive my insistence, but I believe this is an opportunity for learning: "Beginner corals" are not ugly, especially to a beginner. How many of us, when we saw our first Aiptasia Anemone, were awed and impressed with that little bit of life in our tank. Personally, to me all coral are beautiful, even the weeds like Kenya Tree. Have you ever noticed how, when Kenya tree closes up, it looks like little pine cones are all over the branches. Macroalgae is not invasive. Algae is the basis of all life; it is food and protection. Of the most used macroalgae, Chaetomorpha is easily removed and Caulerpa is ravenously eaten up by fish. Anyone can set up a lightly stocked reef aquarium in a week. It's only the old idea of the need for a "cycle" that leads uninformed hobbyists to think of it as rushing. High pollution levels actually indicate that there is not enough bacteria and algae to handle the death and dieing that is going on in the tank. The lack of biofiltration causes further death and dieing while bacteria and algal growth try to catch up. In an established reef aquarium, the addition of a piece of uncured LR goes unnoticed as far as pollution levels. The life on the LR that was just hanging on recovers because it is constantly surrounded with good quality water. In the traditional cycling situation, that life dies as it is constantly exposed to lethal Ammonia levels, also leading to high Nitrates which are also coral and invert killers. Patience is the major key in this hobby. Of equal importance is knowing the processes of biological systems, or at least trusting someone that does.  Here is an amazing area of my big aquarium, a tide pool or kind of a Refugium. Tons of life. The fish were camera shy.  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: shawn0999
Date Posted: June 21 2012 at 12:34pm
| +1 billyc |
Posted By: xlr8r
Date Posted: June 21 2012 at 6:50pm
The way I see the "cycle" is that we are not actuallt cycling a tank but waiting for the cycle to become stable. Our tanks are always cycling. We just dont want that cycle to become out of wack. However an individual decides to go about is just that, an individual way. We are all right at times and all wrong at times .
$.02 ------------- When you hear hoofbeats....Think of a zebra |
Posted By: BillyC
Date Posted: June 21 2012 at 7:04pm
With all due respect sir, I would never ever want any part of my aquarium to look anything close to this ^ . But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If this is the kind of reef somebody wants to have then I have to admit that you are the true master of this reefing style ;) Here's an example of what I find amazing and beautiful. I would never be able to keep this coral in a 3-day old tank and without a lot of patience.  |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 22 2012 at 2:14pm
I agree of course, SPS should not be added until 2-6 months after setting up a tank, depending on it's method of set up and it's readiness. Some ways of setting up a tank are quicker than others and also save more organisms from dieing. I don't suggest it for newbies, but I have kept SPS within a month after setting up a tank.  Aiptasia - That was a pic I took to show everyone what Aiptasia look like in a tide pool here on the big island. I call it my "big aquarium". I do like that kind of wilder look as long as it stays in the wild.
------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: saltyjarhead
Date Posted: June 25 2012 at 2:05pm
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Well I have my tank set up and I guess it is cycling. I put in 40 #s of LS and 30 #s of live rock that is awsome I think. The LR I got had a ton of clams, snails and bristle worms on it. It also has a lot of plant life that I have no idea what it is. So far everything seems to be doing well. The snails are all over the tank and the clams are open all the time. Here is a pic of one of my hitch hikers. The snail is in the middle of the pic in the hole. It came out and was cruising around the tank after this pic. Anyone have an idea of what kind of snail it is? It's pretty flat with what looks like a hole with little feelers comming out of the point on the top I guess this is how it breathes? There is some other different ones in there and my brother said he thought one looked like an abalone snail, but didn't know what kind.
 Here is a pic of the tank.
 I look forward to getting some more pics for you as my tank progresses.
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Posted By: xlr8r
Date Posted: June 25 2012 at 10:54pm
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Lookin good! One of the most exciting and interesting parts of this hobby is the hitch hikers. Keep us posted.
------------- When you hear hoofbeats....Think of a zebra |
Posted By: saltyjarhead
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 7:22am
| I totally agree with you. Last night I was looking my tank over and just under my branched piece of LR I noticed what looked to be little black spikes poking out of a hole. Awhile later I looked again and I had a tiny sea urchin making his way out of the LR. Pretty amazing stuff considering he was out of the water from FL to SLC and then from the store in SLC to my house in Tooele. |
Posted By: Kaiden32
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 7:43am
| Nice! |
Posted By: papa-squid
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 8:46am
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Kind of looks like an astrea snail. But I think I know what you're talking about. But I'd like to know too cause I may have one as well ------------- Officially Addicted! new upgrade from 40cube to 55g. and helping friend and his mom with there new 55g. Dallin Anthony |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 26 2012 at 10:00pm
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Limpet
------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: saltyjarhead
Date Posted: June 27 2012 at 7:55am
Well I was able to get a few pics of my urchin and I am thinking it is a pencil urchin?
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Posted By: Teknik777
Date Posted: June 28 2012 at 6:43pm
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Welcome! ------------- 220 G SPS Display. |