G&D's Foray Into a 90G Tank (Take One)

[gridley]

Originally Posted by daplatapus

Check out a couple of these links. Might be isopods:
http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchpods.html
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/

Thanks for these links - I found them helpful - especially the first one. I have bookmarked them for future reference.

Originally Posted by gregzz4

If the bugs are super tiny, they're probably copepods. They'll almost look like a dot in size and are almost impossible to see on rocks
If they have a dozen legs, they are probably isopods. These I've had everywhere - rock, sand, glass. My fish have all but decimated them
Both are great fish snacks
The bigger ones you may see will look like small shrimp and are amphipods. These you'll see crawling around the rocks at night and you'll get molts floating around the water. Some fish will eat these too

The bryopsis I had was easy to pick off and my CUC kept it in check. I also run GFO and feed very lightly
Now that I have fish in the tank, I don't have anymore of it
I have an urchin, hermits, 4 kinds of snails, and 3 kinds of fish that graze on algae, although I don't know if anyone is eating it, or if it was just part of the cycle

Yes, the bugs are "super tiny" - almost a dot. It's nice to know now what they are - I had done some reading but wasn't sure. I also have had one larger one that was more like a tiny shrimp - but haven't seen another one for a few days.

Regarding your bryopsis - did you pick it off by hand? And this will really show that I'm new at this "CUC"? what is that?

I have been running GFO from the start to keep the phosphate down. The phosphate levels have been at near zero.

Originally Posted by subman

Yes it does look like Bryopsis to me as well, nothing to worry about at this point but keep your eye on it. Sounds like copepods as well, its amazing what just starts growing isn't it, that was my favorite part of starting a new tank!

It has been amazing to watch new things develop - though I'm really looking forward to actually getting a fish into the tank!

Thank you to everyone for your comments and help. It has been encouraging.

[gridley]

Originally Posted by spit.fire

I've read that there's a sea slug kind of thing that will eat bryopsis

Also I've heard raising your mag will kill it off

In my reading this week I had also read about increasing the mag - I'll keep a watch on this for a bit and if it is growing/spreading I'll start looking into the best way for me to increase the mag levels. Thanks.

[gregzz4]

The bryopsis just picks off

CUC is clean up crew, as in snails, crabs, etc

I wouldn't raise your magnesium right away. Give your tank time to settle in on it's own and go through some of the initial cycling
You'll add some critters, then some fish, then worry about the algae

[gridley]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

The bryopsis just picks off

CUC is clean up crew, as in snails, crabs, etc

I wouldn't raise your magnesium right away. Give your tank time to settle in on it's own and go through some of the initial cycling
You'll add some critters, then some fish, then worry about the algae

Thanks - regarding the CUC I should have figured that one out . . . Thanks.

Well, off to "that northen AB city" for the weekend.

[gridley]

We returned from Edmonton last night to a nice surprise - the Bryopsis - if that is what it was - is completly gone! The snails that had seemded to be ignoring it for the past week cleaned it up over the two days we were gone. From the reading I had done I understood that few if any animals would touch Bryopsis - so maybe it was something different. Regradless, it was a nice surprise.

While in Edmonton we stopped in at Red Coral just to take a look - it was nice to see you again Doug - thanks for the conversation and advice.

[chris88]

My advise would be to go with some Lps corals to begin with and when the tank ages add some spa corals to fill the upper layer. Maybe try some shrooms, zoanthids, or gsp to fill up the live rock. It's a beautiful tank and I am excited to see what it looks like a few months down the road.

[gregzz4]

Hey George
Sorry to jump in here, but I haven't read your whole thread lately
I was a little concerned about you having multiple royal grammas ...

I like the idea that you are adding corals and wanted to let you know what happened in my tank ...

I had originally planned on adding only some softies, then maybe some LPS, and eventually some SPS ...

Before I had a chance to think about the future, a friend came over with some Montis. Then, a week later, there was a frag swap ....

I populated my tank faster than you can say cycle

I ended up with so many SPS and took the crash course in keeping parameters ...

I am really happy with our tank and all it's SPS ...

So, I'm saying, just jump in

If you can keep your major 3 up, just do it

[gridley]

Originally Posted by Coralgurl

What are you interested for corals? Lps, sps, softies? I personally prefer lps. To start you could add some shrooms, zoas, acans, leathers. My first corals were a bubble, button and frogspawn, lost the frog but still have the other 2.

I like frags as its rewarding to watch them grow, but it's nice to have some bigger pieces as well.

Our long term plan is to have a mixed reef tank.

Originally Posted by chris88

My advise would be to go with some Lps corals to begin with and when the tank ages add some spa corals to fill the upper layer. Maybe try some shrooms, zoanthids, or gsp to fill up the live rock. It's a beautiful tank and I am excited to see what it looks like a few months down the road.

I appreciate the advice re: to start with LPS - that's two votes in favor

Originally Posted by gregzz4

Hey George
Sorry to jump in here, but I haven't read your whole thread lately
I was a little concerned about you having multiple royal grammas ...

I like the idea that you are adding corals and wanted to let you know what happened in my tank ...

I had originally planned on adding only some softies, then maybe some LPS, and eventually some SPS ...

Before I had a chance to think about the future, a friend came over with some Montis. Then, a week later, there was a frag swap ....

I populated my tank faster than you can say cycle

I ended up with so many SPS and took the crash course in keeping parameters ...

I am really happy with our tank and all it's SPS ...

So, I'm saying, just jump in

If you can keep your major 3 up, just do it

No problem jumping in with a question about the Royal Grammas - I think I understand your concern with the multiple Royal Grammas, we had been told to go with either one Royal Gramma or three or more - but not to have two. So far the four of them are all playing nice together. The larger one is obviously boss, but there have been no bullying issues . . . yet.

And . . I had noticed how quickly your tank seemd to fill with frags - I had wondered what took place as your whole build has been a study of patience - I've been amazed at your pateince. Now I understand the sudden amount of frags. Thanks for the advice to "just jump in!"

Can anyone point me towards a good resource or two regarding chemistry / water parameters?

Thanks

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by gridley

Can anyone point me towards a good resource or two regarding chemistry / water parameters?

If you're still looking for some reading ...

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=48321

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

[gridley]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

If you're still looking for some reading ...

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=48321

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

Hi Greg - now I have some reading for tonight! I appreciate your sending these. I'm looking forward to learning and hopefully soon getting some coral into the tank.