New to the Club & Marine Fish Keeping

[Felix Wong]

Hi S'pore Reef Club members,

I'm new to this Club and would like to say a Big Hello to all of you.

I'm also new to marine fish keeping though I have had experience on planted freshwater tank for a few years.

I have just set up a 2-ft marine tank with sand bed and live rocks with a protein skimmer and an external biological filter.

I have some questions and need assistance:

1) Noticed a few Aiptasia on the Fiji rocks. Wished to get rid of them using Peppermint shrimp. Does any member has any spare Peppermint shrimp to sell to me?

2) How many hours of light should the red coralline algae (which I loved) be exposed to for optimal growth (without those undesirable algae bloom)?

3) Was advised to dose Ca once every 3 week and carbonates/borates once a week (of course to perform Ca and kH test periodically). Is this sort of regimen often followed among marine aquarists?

4) As I'm still establishing and seeding the tank with bacteria for biological filtration, I don't intend to switch on the UV light (for fear it will kill all the good bacteria as well) until 1 or 2 days before adding fishes. Is that ok?

5) Was also advised by local fish shop that I should switch on UV light for 6 hours per day. What's the usual practice?

6) Anybody had problem with external filter heating up the water. Mine seems like it. I hope it's not too adverse for the fishes. Looks like coral is out for me unless I'm willing to invest in a chiller.

Thanks and so sorry for so many questions at my first posting.

Felix Wong

[lightningstrike]

hi Felix, welcome to this monie-draining pothole.

1) Noticed a few Aiptasia on the Fiji rocks. Wished to get rid of them using Peppermint shrimp.  Does any member has any spare Peppermint shrimp to sell to me?

IMHO, u'll be better off ridding aiptasias by injecting kalk paste with a syringe onto the aiptasias. melt instantly. do a search in SRC, u will find out more.

2) How many hours of light should the red coralline algae (which I loved) be exposed to for optimal growth (without those undesirable algae bloom)?

no hard and fast rulez as to how many hours of lights u shld switch on. depending on what corals u keep, etc. a general guideline will be anything from 8 to 10hrs. Coralline algae primarily flourishes under actinic (420 - 450Nm) lights and additives such as magnesium, calcium, etc.

3) Was advised to dose Ca once every 3 week and carbonates/borates once a week (of course to perform Ca and kH test periodically). Is this sort of regimen often followed among marine aquarists?

IMHO, it is good to get a Ca Reactor to supplement for ur corals' needs. but for a start, weekly/fortnightly check of water parameters wld be good. add additives accordingly to replenish the necessary trace elements. alternatively, u can do regular water changes.

4) As I'm still establishing and seeding the tank with bacteria for biological filtration, I don't intend to switch on the UV light (for fear it will kill all the good bacteria as well) until 1 or 2 days before adding fishes. Is that ok?

IMHO, it does not matters much. beneficial bacteria colonise on rocks, sandbed, etc.

5) Was also advised by local fish shop that I should switch on UV light for 6 hours per day. What's the usual practice?

again, no hard and fast rulez here. get a UV which is appropriate for ur tank size. adjust accordingly to instructions given. btw, i was and still am never a believer of UV. so my info on this might be wrong.

6) Anybody had problem with external filter heating up the water. Mine seems like it. I hope it's not too adverse for the fishes. Looks like coral is out for me unless I'm willing to invest in a chiller.

external filter as in cannister? get good and reliable ones. e.g. ehiem. cannister filter works well, but regular maintenance is needed. my ehiem 2026 never seems to hv given me problems. esp heat. temp of ard 27 degrees will be good enuff for most corals to thrive.

hope i hv helped.

[giantbicycle]

welcome bro....

read the pinned up thread,its useful

[Felix Wong]

Hi Lightning Strike & Giantbicycle,

Thanks for your responses and I did read some of the threads. Indeed very useful

Yeah! Totally agree that it's not only money draining but time draining, I've spent more than $300 so far and that's excluding the tank and the fish have not arrived yet... BUT will still take up the challenge...

Also read alot of marine fish keeping stuff from books borrowed from the Library and sometimes searches the Net for information.

Killing Aitapsia

What is kalk paste? Pardon, my ignorance, is it conc. Ca hydroxide?

I have "Blue Sea CA Plus" which contains Ca, Mg & strontium. Is that a good substitute?

Actually, my 1st choice is still the Peppermint Shrimp as the Shrimp can get reach nooks and corners of the rocks where I cannot reach or see.

So if there's anyone out there who knows where I can get this shrimp, please let me know.

I understand that there is this lookalike Camelback Shrimp which does not eat Aitapsia.

[shoelevy]

me and my frend haf had great success with boosting coralline growth that is noticable within jus a week's time by dosing mraine health trace element by aquapharm, using actinic lights and strong water currents

[Felix Wong]

Thanks Decentkid & Shoelevy

great success with boosting coralline growth that is noticable within jus a week's time by dosing marine health trace element by aquapharm

I use Seachem Marine Trace. Is this similar to Aquapharm Marine Health Trace element?

those are tube worms....they feed on phytoplankton

How do I encourage the growth of tube worms? Do they grow towards light?

It's been 3 weeks and I've tested the nitrite level a few times. It's always at zero level. Why is it so? Does it mean that my tank is ready for fish addition.

I did not measure the ammonia and nitrate level coz I did not buy those kits.

Felix

[diabolus]

get a nitrate test kit...

it doesn't means that when nitrite is 0, nitrate will be negligible...

[moxa]

welcome to the club bro.

cheers

Moxa