Scarsdale Newbie!!

[BlueSi4]

also, the rock is not put the way i want it, i just threw it in there since i didn't have the time to arrange it the way i wanted it.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The best method to be rid of the Crushed Coral substrate is to drain the water, scoop out the CC then put the sand in, put the water back in.

 

[KathyC]

Remember Oriol..you do not want to take all of your crushed coral at the same time. For now just try and get it out from under where you are going to place the lower layer of rocks. I would think that a sitty litter scooper would work well to get out the crushed coral and still leave the sand in place.
Unless you do what Chief suggested, you are going to have a sandstorm each time you take out more of the substrate.
You want to turn off your skimmer & PH heads for a little while when you are doing it,and have a plan first of where you want to place the rock. DON"T FORGET to turn them back on!

Congrats on the new lighting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do I see a coral or two in there on your new rock??

 

[BlueSi4]

Thanks for all the help guys! I will do some more work on the weekend as far as removing the crushed coral goes.

And yes Kathy, you see corals! rstimeout, Rich i believe his name is, gave them to me with the live rock i bought from him. They've opened up!!!

 

[KathyC]

Sounds good Oriol!
Yes, his name is Rich, hopefully you got a chance to see his tank. He's one of the nicest people on these boards and the first person I made a purchase from when I started I'm certain you got nice healthy rock from him!
Congrats on your first corals. Did he tell you what kind they are?

 

[Davidl919]

Hello everyone!!
So today i was at Pet Goods shopping for some fish food and i came across a member here, i believe his name is Nick,

I remember you My name isn't Nick, It's David. I was there picking up a 20 gallon and then I saw you at the store again when i went to return it cause it had a small crack the next day or week. I'm just responding to your first page but yeah I do remember telling you not to get a skiimer but what I meant was not to get that skimmer chances were that pet goods was not going to sell you the best skimmer for the money.
I see you were at rich. I just came from his house. I brought that huge clam and about 60 pounds of rock.
I wouldn't take the filter off till after you change from crushed coral to sand being that the cc was there for a bit you can use the extra filtration when introducing the new sand.. sorry I was so late to see your thread and say welcome. Good night.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Petgoods is a ripoff.

 

[KathyC]

I wouldn't take the filter off till after you change from crushed coral to sand being that the cc was there for a bit you can use the extra filtration when introducing the new sand.

Great advice David!!

 

[BlueSi4]

Once again, thank you for all the help!
The crushed coral should be out by the end of the weekend, the filter will probably be out by next weekend, which is the time that the filter should be changed...

 

[KathyC]

You can take the filter out once the sand all settles from the rock/sand movement..it will be full of crud at that point and should be removed from the tank then.

 

[BlueSi4]

One of the corals i have is similar to this...

I put it towards the top of the tank, with decent flow. Is it the right place for it, or should it be more towards the bottom and away from flow?
Also, do you have to feed them or what do you have to do to keep them alive?

 

[KathyC]

Until you have a bunch of experience...always (99%) start a coral at the bottom of the tank and see how it does, and then move it up a few inches per week.
Many corals can be severly damaged if placed up too high in the tank when first introduced, so it's best to do at least one of the following:
-find out from the prior owner what conditions (light & flow) the coral was living under..and if it was thriving in that situation.
-ask what type of coral it is. Once identified, google it so you can find out how to care for it & learn about it.

Zoas don't need to be fed.
Medium flow is fine for them.

Some pink zoas like it high in the tank and I've found that others don't.
With zoas you always want to start them on the bottom of the tank. If they stretch (literally) toward your lights, move them up a few inches for a few days to a week and see how they react, if still stretching, move them a little higher up.
If they look happy..open fully, skirts (the outer frilly edges) wide open (not curled up) you can leave them where they are or move them up a little and see if they are still doing well..and so on.

What is the other coral and can you take pics?

 

[BlueSi4]

Here you go, a couple more pics!

 

[KathyC]

The top pic is a mushroom.. pretty color!
He should be fine wherever you place him..unless Rich changed his lighting, he's still running MH's..so your T5's will be ol. These guys can grow out of control, but it doesn't happen in all tanks. If you can place the rock with him towards one of the ends of your aquascape. If eventually you have way too many - then you could easily remove the rock.

That's a nice color coraline growing on the rocks..that will spread onto yours..eventually.

 

[BlueSi4]

Thanks Kathy, i moved the Zoas a bit lower than they were and a couple of them opened up pretty nicely.
And as you said, the mushroom seems to be doing fine, i also moved him a little bit lower and is doing fine there too.
I'll keep you posted!

Anything else i should be worrying about??

 

[KathyC]

Sounds good!
Work toward the goal of getting the crushed coral out & then remove the filter, keep up with your water changes and keep your salinity at a uniform level.
What is the salinity now?
Did you get to see the tank w/the moonlights on?
Keep your eyes open for a phosban reactor on the for sale thread!

 

[BlueSi4]

My refractometer just came in, my salinity level is at 1.025, a little bit higher than what the hydrometer said. Tomorrow there's a water change coming, i'll try to get most of the crushed coral out, and then arrange the rocks!

 

[BlueSi4]

Since i didn't have time this weekend to prepare teh water for the water change, i will do it tomorrow as well as removing the crushed coral and arranging the rocks. I have a quick question though. Should i remove the fish from the tank when i do that? Or should i keep them around? Because i'm planning on taking all the rocks out, or at least most of them in order to be able to arrange it the way i want it, so i'm not sure if it's safe to leave the fish in there. Any help?

 

[KathyC]

If it isn't too difficult to get them out, then yes. Use the current water from your tank. You can put them into an empty salt bucket. Rest the cover on it and be sure to have a powerhead in there that keeps the surface of the water moving (but not as a whirlpool .

After the sand settles in the tank you can put them back in, water and all. (make sure to make extra water (to the same temp & salinity) beforehand.
Good luck with it Oriol!

 

[BlueSi4]

I already have about 10 gallons of water ready to be put in the tank, and i will first siphon the water out into a bucket, then i will remove the rock and put it in the bucket that has the new water as well as the bucket that has the old water, then i will put the fish in the bucket with the old water, i'll remove the crushed coral and arrange the rocks and then i'll add the new water, and i'll finally add the fish!
I'm still not sure if i wanna glue the rocks or not, i don't really want to use glue, but is that the only way to go?