Hi; This is an update about my tank.
It is a 32 gal tall with 35lbs of live rock straight from working tanks at the LPS, 40lbs of bagged live sand from LPS, a Fluval 205 canister filter, SeaClone 100 protien skimmer, Hydor Koralia 1 powerhead, a 65watt compact florescent with a 10000 day bulb and the Actinic, also a 20watt with ablue Actinic in it for night times,( I want to get a better light most likley in the next month or so)and a 250watt heater.
I got the tank on Feb23, put the RO-DI water(from local grocery store) in on Feb25 & added the salt, turned on the heater and powerhead. On the 26th I added the sand (what a mess). On the 27th added 30lbs of rock & the filter, having a problem getting the salinity right, can't figure out the hydometer yet. 28th took water test to LPS, salinity way low so I spent the next couple of hours getting it up to where it should be. Mar1 took in another sample just to make sure I was reading it right. They recommended to get 4 little Damsels to help cycle the tank. One wasn't looking very good. Mar2, got up to a crab eating the sick/now dead blue damsel, others looked fine. Alot of dust in the water, so after work I cleaned the filter foam and put in some polishing filters. During this week the brown algae started so I got 7 turbo snails to help clean up. Also noticed Aptaisia? so I want to get someone in to eat that asap. I've been testing the water for nitrate and nitrite, and ph. The LPS says all is good, and I got a kit to test inbetween as well. Nitrite=.1-0, Nitrate=.1-0, ph=seems to be between 8-9 from what I can tell, I was told by LPS owner to use mild amounts of calcium because I didn't want to lose all the beautifull coraline algae that is already on the rock I purchaced, so I have been puting in 1/2 tsp a day, but when I tested for it yesterday my calcium was waaaay high, like over 600ppm, so that can't be good, although the coraline algae looks great and more is forming. Also because I din't want any of the little critters living on the rock to die I have been feeding them mico foods 1/2tsp a day. I have the lights on for the same reason, I don't want to loose all the beautiful coraline algae or have the critters die off.
So that is where my little tank is at now I am going to try to control myself untill everything settles. Although I am trying to catch the remaining Damsels, because the big blue one is such a bully. He has got to go. I knew better than to get them but the family wanted something moving around and colorfull.
I have been told by the LPS that I can't put anything into my tank for 4-7months like soft corals, shrimps etc, and yet I see on these forums people starting up tanks and within a month having these things already in(like on the 5 & 10g Nano contest) What is the reasoning behind that? Can anyone enlighten me?
I want to have soft corals, eventually a pair of clown fish and an anemone, shrimps, gobys and blennys and a couple of other fish not too big.
Thanks in advance for all your help, Krista