lookin good

glad to see you on the site!!! tank looks great!

Please don't cycle your tank with a fish of any kind! This is incredibly cruel, and causes permanent damage to the fish. Considering most fish we have are stolen from the ocean, this is really a waste of a perfectly good fish! You can cycle your tank simply by adding a chopped up raw cocktail shrimp. Maybe half the shrimp since your tank is smaller. This will cycle your tank as good as any fish could, and much more eco-friendly.

Having said that, your tank looks great so far! I would also advise against buying pretty much any damsel or chromis. Most damsels will change color into much less eye-catching shades (to say it nicely), and turn into devil's spawn when they get bigger. Chromis aren't much better for attitude, but not as bad as damsels. I have seen large damsels patrolling 100 gallon tanks, and killing every other fish added to the tank. They really can be downright mean! If you're really set on the bright blue color, Blue Chromis (different than the typical Blue Green Chromis) would be a better option although tougher to find. Since this is your first saltwater tank, you may be disappointed in the fewer number of fish you can keep compared to a freshwater tank.

I also love the blue color. I have a Blue Assessor, and although it has quite an attractive color it looks black unless it is under the lights, and is really quite elusive. I just moved him from my 90 into my 20, and am hoping I will see him more.

Another option would be an Orchid Dottyback, although they are bright pinkish-purple rather than blue they are a striking color. Maybe sure you get the Orchid though, not one of the other Dottys as they can be rather aggressive as well, where the Orchid is comparatively docile.

October 8, 2010 Update
 

Hi all I thought I would do an update with pics! First of all I would like to say that it was nice attending the reefers meeting a few weeks ago and meeting new people to talk about this hobby as I know little to no friends that are into saltwater.

After a few weeks of cycling the nitrite went to zero, nitrates spiked, algae bloomed and nitrates went to zero in that order. Let me say the live rock must have been really good as the nitrites did not have a very noticeable spike at all before going to zero.

I waited a few days more then added some astrea snails and a turbo snail that I got from Blue World. Shannon there was more than helpful and is really a great person to deal with there.

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture049.jpg

After a I let the snails do their business for a while I went back to Blue World and got my first saltwater fish! A yellow clown goby.

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture001.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture012.jpg

She had a rough time settling in at first but now she is eating brine shrimp and flakes after doing some target feeding, dimming the lights for a few days and using garlic extract.

I got 2 clownfish after that from a private seller. The 2 babies came from a Darwin and Ocellaris mated pair. Since they are only about 4 months old I hope to have a mated pair from this. They weren't eating at first as well but now like Spectrum pellets and flakes.

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture004.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture013.jpg

After the reefer's meeting last month I went to the new Red Coral and bought a few items. I got a cleaner shrimp, nassarius snail, 2 baby mexican turbo snails, a purple firefish and 2 chromis. Over the next few days we lost the chromis but the purple firefish started eating after target feeding for about 3 days. Now she eats brine shrimp and flakes.

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture017.jpg

I tested the water almost everyday after adding each fish and the water parameters looked fine. I thought the chromis were good since they were swimming around in the open. I didn't see them eating but I wasn't too worried at the time. Maybe the chromis was stressed from the move or my tank just couldn't handle it. Anyways lesson learned and I won't be adding anymore fish for a few weeks and even then it will be one at a time.

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture022.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture035.jpg

I finally found my nassarius snail this morning. I saw a tentacle poking out and decided to pull him out so I could snag a picture and prove to my roomate that it did not die or disappear from the tank. We decided to name it Ninja Assassin.

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture028.jpg

A few more tank shots from this morning:

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture031.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture044.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture047.jpg

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture032.jpg

Anyone here know what this is growing from my live rock? It looks red and bubbly.

http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...Picture050.jpg


Well I'm learning a lot and I definitely feel that my other freshwater fish aren't getting the attention they used. Anyways hope you guys enjoy the pics! More to come hopefully soon!

Looks like red bubble algae. Just another typical nuisance algae, just try getting rid of it by pulling it off if you have nothing in there thats going to eat it. What are you parameters like? phosphates?

I've used a baster to remove it, just scrape the algae with the baster and suck it up as it comes off.
Emerald crabs will also eat this off.

Thanks, Ill search that type of algae online. Ill test phospates tonight to see what they are at. Too bad its a bad algae it kind of looks nice. Ill try the baster method tonight.

Hey little buddy tanks looking great I'll have to come over and see it one day:):)

Love the Aquascapping, good job!

Oct 23, 2010 Update
 

Hi again everyone. Just wanted to share some update pics with new SW bulbs and corals! I had FW bulbs in until now and I didnt realize how nice the SW bulbs would make everything look!

Enjoy!

FTS
http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...l/IMG_7675.jpg


Pulsing Xenia from Edmonton Aquarium Club auction
http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...l/IMG_7684.jpg


GSP and zoa
http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...l/IMG_7687.jpg


Zoa cave
http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...l/IMG_7690.jpg

Ricordea
http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...l/IMG_7693.jpg

And the little guys :)
http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/q...l/IMG_7695.jpg

Lookin Good
 

Tank looks like it is coming along nicely.

A bit of hair algae in there I see. You have enough that I don't think a small clean up crew will clear it. I would just yank some of it out now before it goes further. I added a Rainford's Goby to my tank... and they will pick at hair algae as well as sift sand. He gets max 2" so good size for your tank IMO. AND he is a cool looking fish.