arrrgh too much information!

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by sheamurai

ya, I figured...nobody ever suggested not using a skimmer here, lol.
Still researching the anemone vs frogspawn issue tho...seems like frogspawn are easier to find...there's someone parting out a 20gal tank right now and has frogspawn for sale...my tanks not ready!!! OY!

LOL don't worry about that. Theres always someone selling corals on here. One will come along when you're ready.

One thing about the CUC, start slow and only get a few critters to start with. When I speak of a CUC I think of snails and hermits. Most of the others are there for show only and don't really do as much as snails and hermits do (in my opinion anyways). If you start out with a couple of snails and a couple of hermits, chances are, when they've done all their dirty work of cleaning up algae and such (which will be there once the tank gets going) you want to make sure that you have enough to sustain them. Lots of people start out with a large group of snails and hermits, only to find that they die off after awhile due to starvation.

I'm also of the mind that hermits are a pain in the butt. All they ever did for me was eat my snails. Currenly I only have snails in my tank and they get the job done just fine

Also with your HOB filter that you're running floss in, be sure to keep on top of that and change out the floss often (ie weekly or so). Filter sponge and floss can often harbour nitrate producing bacteria which can skew your parameters and make it difficult to keep some corals.

[muck]

Welcome to Canreef!!

[Ian]

You can also watch at the LFS for clowns that are allready hosting on an alternative to an anemone and then buy the whole group at one time. I did this with my cinamon clowns and a toadstool and they are all still happy in my biocube.

[PoonTang]

Originally Posted by Millepora_Maniac

Welcome to our community!! I'd hate to already start contradicting what people are saying, but...I have to say that using a Skimmer is NEVER a bad Idea. I would keep using it, i't definately won't harm anything! Also, as for the frogspawn idea, A frogspawn is a coral, not an anemone. So if you get clownfish and get them to host in it, it won't benefit the coral at all! The constant thrashing of the clownfish into the host can really be hard on the flesh of the coral. My maroon clown will push so hard against his host that he squishes it flat! I would advise to use an anemone, they're just as easy to care for as a frogspawn or torch, and really, you should be target feeding both lps corals and anemones so there is no extra benefit to using a coral to hold a clownfish. I hope this helps steer you in the right direction Cheers-MM

True enough for the larger species of clowns but for Perculas i have never had an issue with the frogspawn getting upset. Infact mine thrived because my clowns kept feeding it.

[fishytime]

Welcome to canreef... Sometimes you can have both an anemone and frogspawn(etc) in the tank and your clowns will host in a powerhead....nothing is a 100% guarantee for clowns to host in...The best relationship for a clown is with an anemone....Ive seems clowns with burn marks from being stung from coral and Ive seen clowns love coral to death...

[viperfish]

Originally Posted by fishytime

Welcome to canreef... Sometimes you can have both an anemone and frogspawn(etc) in the tank and your clowns will host in a powerhead....nothing is a 100% guarantee for clowns to host in...The best relationship for a clown is with an anemone....Ive seems clowns with burn marks from being stung from coral and Ive seen clowns love coral to death...

My two clowns loved my torch so much they have destroyed three of the heads from rubbing themselves against it!

[sheamurai]

Couple questions to clarify cycling - I've read that the tank should be dark for the first weekish - does this mean black out, or just lights off? And how long does it take generally to get ammonia readings?

[sheamurai]

SO EXCITED!!!
haven't added anything yet as I haven't done a water change to reduce nitrates (water is mixed and sitting for tomorrow) BUT

I saw my first creepy crawlie wandering on a rock today!
Signs of Life!
MY TANK LIVES!!!!


I was starting to think I had somehow killed my live rock...

[sheamurai]

Sigh.
My first wave of diatoms has arrived.
Oh, joy.

[sheamurai]

I have ordered some of the new TBPC filter media to give it a try. I am hoping it will suck up the nitrates, which is what it is touted for being able to do, among other things...we'll see how it goes.