Need help!!!!

[Paula C Owens]

Filter socks filter out bigger particles, I added mine about 6 months after setting up and wouldn't do without now. ATO is automatic top off, instead of needing to top off manually this neat piece of equipment does it for you and helps keep your tanks salinity more stable by adding freshwater when needed.

Ok our tank isnt set in a place where we can do an ATO. Ty for helping to educate me/us and helping me with the lingo!!!!

 

[Duke4Life]

Ok we were looking at the emerald because it's an algae eatter and we can get one of them at the saltwater store in the next town over for $8.00 a piece. How many algae eatters would you suggest for our tank? 150 gal? I know it depends on how much algae there is like our freshwater tank but just curious what a typical good number of them would be

Id start with around 50 hermits for that size of a tank and be adding more as I started 2 add fish.

 

[Duke4Life]

Ok our tank isnt set in a place where we can do an ATO. Ty for helping to educate me/us and helping me with the lingo!!!!

Have space under the stand? A gallon bucket works as long as you monitor what's used. My sump takes up half of my space leaving the other half for add ons/storage.

 

[Paula C Owens]

Have space under the stand? A gallon bucket works as long as you monitor what's used. My sump takes up half of my space leaving the other half for add ons/storage.

Ok yes half the cabinet is empty so yes we could put a bucket under there!!! Did even think about that!!!!! TY!!!!!

 

[Paula C Owens]

Id start with around 50 hermits for that size of a tank and be adding more as I started 2 add fish.

WOW that's a heck of a lot more than I would have EVER imagined!!!!!! Now would u still do that many with wanting to add other/diff kinds algae eatters later???

 

[Duke4Life]

WOW that's a heck of a lot more than I would have EVER imagined!!!!!! Now would u still do that many with wanting to add other/diff kinds algae eatters later???

Oh yes! 50 in a 150 is a small amount. Just don't do 50 emerald crabs and you'll be fine.

 

[jaws789832]

yeah the CUC is massive. Go to the reefcleaners.org and look under cleaner packages with hermits just to get an idea what you will need. I wouldn't add them all at once (well maybe since yours is an existing tank) add them based on available food.

 

[Brew12]

So instead of REPLACING water just take saltwater out ADD SALT to THAT existing water and put it back in is that correct?

That's what I would do in your situation. You probably have almost 180 gallons in total water volume. You would need to do A LOT of small water changes to get salinity from 1.020 to 1.024. It is typically a bad idea to mix salt in an aquarium with livestock in it (the undissolved salt can burn the fish).
If you could do a 30% change (around 60 gallons) at a time, it might make more sense to use freshly mixed salt water. Just a heads up, it will take a very large amount of salt doing it that way.

 

[Paula C Owens]

This group is SOOOOOOO awesome and amazing!!!!!! LOVE all the help and advice y'all are giving!!!!!! Glad I didn't join another group!!!!!!! We TRULY can't thank all of y'all enough for all of the help and advice!!! This is GREAT!!!!!!

 

[recess62]

One thing to consider. I would put the largest vessel you can fit under your cabinet to store the water for your ATO. In a system as large as yours your evaporation volumes will be quite large. I know my 90g with total water volume of 130g needs 1-2 gallons /day

Evaporations rates vary widely. They vary based on the type of lights used, whether the tank is covered etc. Filling the ATO reservoir daily can get old

 

[Brew12]

I recommend waiting until after you get your water stabilized before worrying about a clean up crew. Once you get zero ammonia and you can test to make sure your nitrates are low then I would add them. And yes, you would be surprised how big a CuC can be.
If I were you, once my water was stable, I would look at adding 20-30 hermits and 50-75 snails of various types. You may need to get more later but that would get you off to a good start.

A tank that size could support 3 to 4 emerald crabs fairly easily. I would consider them more of an interesting addition to a tank than part of the CuC although they do eat algae.

 

[Brew12]

One thing to consider. I would put the largest vessel you can fit under your cabinet to store the water for your ATO. In a system as large as yours your evaporation volumes will be quite large. I know my 90g with total water volume of 130g needs 1-2 gallons /day

My 120g with 15og total volume easily goes through a gallon per day also. On days my AC runs more I can hit close to 2 gallons per day. Without an ATO system this can cause salinity swings if the evaporation isn't replaced with fresh water on a regular basis.

 

[Duke4Life]

As you can see what everyone goes through as far as evaporation is different. I go through 1 or 2 gallons a week. I'm sure this will change once I add new lighting.

 

[Paula C Owens]

Ya for some strange reason we do t seem to have any evaporation!!!!! Of course since we've been taking out water and adding more salt to the water the last week trying to get everything level makes sense that there's been no time for it to evaporate LOL but something we will DEF keep a watch for!!!!!! I'm going to measure my door span on the cabinet and put the largest tote with lid under the cabinet that we can get to fit.

 

[Paula C Owens]

I despise snails. We get them in our freshwater tank sometimes when we buy fish for it from the store and can't ever seem to get rid of them all and they try to take over the tank!!!!! I'm guessing saltwater snails are different???? PLEASE tell me YES LOL

 

[Brew12]

I despise snails. We get them in our freshwater tank sometimes when we buy fish for it from the store and can't ever seem to get rid of them all and they try to take over the tank!!!!! I'm guessing saltwater snails are different???? PLEASE tell me YES LOL

Some species can take over a tank but many will not. Just do your homework prior to purchasing them. You really will want some to help clean and stir the sand at the very least.

 

[jaws789832]

yes they are way different and a vital part of the ecosystem

 

[Duke4Life]

Before going and buying any fish please read through the disease forum some and setup a quarantine tank. Fish disease at the moment is spreading like wild fire and IMO a good solid quarantine routine is the most invaluable thing you can do and invest in.

 

[Paula C Owens]

Before going and buying any fish please read through the disease forum some and setup a quarantine tank. Fish disease at the moment is spreading like wild fire and IMO a good solid quarantine routine is the most invaluable thing you can do and invest in.

Yes after we get our large take situated and before we buy any fish we have a 30 gal we r going to set up as a quarantine tank as well. And keep it going Incase something appears to be getting sick afterwards so we can "hospitalize" it until it's well.

 

[Pole04]

I would set up your QT(quarantine)/Hospital tank as soon as possible. You will want this tank to be fully cycled (0 Ammonia/0 Nitrites) before you add anything to it, and this will take 2-6 weeks. Every fish you add to the tank (good idea to QT corals too) should be added to the QT tank for 3-4 weeks before you place them in your display tank.