[matt_bet]

hi,
Have recently set up a 3ft saltwater tank thats filled with heaps of fish and starfish and anemenies and is goin great. what i am wondering is what you guys regularly add to your aquarium to maintain and keep the water and fish healthy.

At the moment i am using a product called cycle that basically adds bacteria and promotes nitrates in the water.

Any other comments on keeping it healthy would be appreciated

 

[trreherd]

Please tell me you let that tank cyle before you added ''heeps'' of fish and anenamones. If you are not already doing them you need to do water changes one a week about 25%

 

[matt_bet]

yeah, it was set up for about a month before anything was added and have been building up for about 3 weeks now.

 

[bettababy]

Watch water quality while adding more animals, as each animal you add will alter the water params until the tank's biological filtration catches up to the new waste levels. Also, keep a watch on calcium, pH, and salinity/specific gravity.
Can you post any of these test results for us? Once we know exact numbers we can help to sort out if anything more is needed or if it's good where it is.

 

[caferacermike]

I like the deep sand bed but could you tell me if it is true aragonite or is it beach sand? If it is beach sand you will have BIG troubles with algae. Beach sand is made of land elements and is basically silica. There are algaes that feed upon silica. Aragonite substrate is crushed coral skeleton from deep in the reef.

 

[trreherd]

your tank looks very cloudy could you tell us what thats from?

 

[matt_bet]

that is beach sand, but we don have to worry bout that cause weve got algae sifting snails, there weird but clean the sand and the cloudy water appear when we placed the plants in the water and cleared up in a day or two. Its fine now.

 

[Lupin]

that is beach sand, but we don have to worry bout that cause weve got algae sifting snails, there weird but clean the sand and the cloudy water appear when we placed the plants in the water and cleared up in a day or two. Its fine now.

What plants do you use? Just scientific curiosity.:mrgreen: I never encounter marine plants except seaweeds and Caulerpas.

 

[usmc121581]

that is beach sand, but we don have to worry bout that cause weve got algae sifting snails, there weird but clean the sand

I wouldn't say that now, because a snail can only do so much, and if it spreads quicker then the snails can eat it, then it will big problem. As for the sand They can be others things you can introduce into the system. Like bacteria or alot of bad stuff. Well good luck!

 

[matt_bet]

there not plants they are just extensive forms of algae, some include sea lettuce and sea velvet. they basically anchor themselves to the rocks and the fish enjoy picking and cleaning them. they appear to be doing fine so far.