Nano Beginner - Need Help

[rlm]

Hey thanks for the advice. I tested my tank after adding a hermit crab and he had shrimp today. Can you help me out? Should I do water change now? My levels read below.

PH 7.8; Ammonia between 0.50 to 1.0 ppm ; Nitrite 0.25 ppm ; Nitrate between 5.0 - 10 ppm

 

[Koyfam16]

I would suggest a 10%.water change..Continue monitoring your levels even after you do a water change..
The water change will help with the nitrates..

BTW...what is your salt level, temperature etc?

 

[skene]

question... why are you adding livestock already to a brand new tank. let the tank cycle first. don't add anything else into that tank.

 

[rlm]

I would suggest a 10%.water change..Continue monitoring your levels even after you do a water change..
The water change will help with the nitrates..

BTW...what is your salt level, temperature etc?

I dont have anything to test my salt level. Temperature was arounnd 78 - 80 F

 

[rlm]

question... why are you adding livestock already to a brand new tank. let the tank cycle first. don't add anything else into that tank.

Will do...my LFS guy told me it's time to add a hermit crab to test the water.

 

[dherrera83]

Bet it was petland... lol You still need to get something to measure your salt because if the salt is evaporating and your adding natual sea water your going to end up killing your hermit. You need to know what your salt level is so you can add clean RO or bottled water when you water level drops.

 

[Koyfam16]

Lol..
Definitely invest in a hydrometer or a refractometer if you want to spend some money
You will need it to monitor when you are doing top offs and to check your new saltwater before and after you do a water change.

 

[rlm]

Lol..
Definitely invest in a hydrometer or a refractometer if you want to spend some money
You will need it to monitor when you are doing top offs and to check your new saltwater before and after you do a water change.

Got one. My reading was 1.026

 

[dherrera83]

Ok cool. Now make sure your always under that. If its only fish you are keeping you can actually go down to 1.021 but if its coral i would say 1.024-025

 

[rlm]

Ok cool. Now make sure your always under that. If its only fish you are keeping you can actually go down to 1.021 but if its coral i would say 1.024-025

Thanks I am going to do coral with fish. I'm thinking about taking the tall marco rock out of the tank. I'm not feeling my aquascape :grumpy:

Updated cellphone pics:

 

[rkaragozler]

IMO I would do smaller structures and keep the rock away from the glass.

 

[james2011]

My Edge

I'm a few weeks behind you, put my substrate in last night!

Going to buy live rock this week!

 

[dherrera83]

IMO I would do smaller structures and keep the rock away from the glass.

+1, It would like better and be easier to clean the glass. you should get a magfloat so you can clean the glass easier without putting your hand in or anything else in and out. You should get the mini but the small would fit too.

 

[james2011]

Live Rock

Ignore the heater, that's temporary.
Live rock is in, tank is cycling, i may add some more live rock in a few months but this will do for now!

 

[dherrera83]

Looks good; add alittle more. smaller pieces would be best...

 

[rlm]

I'm noticing some little worms on my glass tank. Can it be Planaria Worms? If so, how can I get rid of them. I have no fish in the tank, just a hermit crab and i've been doing a 10% percent water change every week. Any advice.

 

[Koyfam16]

Anyway you can get some pics of them?

 

[rlm]

I'll to get some pics of the worms later. But so far the tank is doing okay. So far I have a hermit crab with 3 snails and 3 smaller hermit crabs and just added a cleaner shrimp 3 days ago. I noticed a white hair like algae growing on the live rock. Should I remove it from the tank? Here are some pics:

 

[dherrera83]

nice, i like it. but you light want to use epoxy to seal those rocks together so that they dont fall. sometime the tenants end up moving stuff around...

 

[rlm]

These are the worms that come and go within the tank, the tank temp is about 81 F. I did a 30% water change over the weekend and all my parameters seems right. What could be the issue?