Seeking any advice

[shdwtek]

Hey all, im new to this forum and to reefs. I have a 40 gal. with an Orbit light(not sure on sepecifics at the moment will get back with those). As for filtration, i just have an Emperor 280, I also have a Red Sea Prizm pro (its just not working untill my new impeller comes in). I have a blue tang, maroon clown, 2 damsles, a chromid, fire shrimp, cleaner shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp, 2 small orange stars, a brittle star, snails, hermit crabs, and finally a queen conch................OK and now for what im asking for. I am looking for any information anyone would feel like telling me. Anything from feeding to fish or coral suggestions. I would like to learn anything i could from anyone i could.....Thanks,
M.M.
OH yeah pics to come soon!

[SteveC56]

How long has your tank been up?
How much live rock?any?
Any upgrades in the near future?
How many power heads do you have for water movement?

[DaveC]

Sort of hard to offer advice without any specific questions, but I can tell you that if you monitor the Used Equipment section here of RC you will find people selling there Marine and Reef books, most are excellent reading...also read thru the online magazine here on Reef Central and the back issues for various topics, you will find many good topics search thru the back issues...

http://reefkeeping.com/

DaveC

[Mud Shrimp Moe]

Originally posted by shdwtek
Hey all, im new to this forum and to reefs. I have a 40 gal. with an Orbit light(not sure on sepecifics at the moment will get back with those). As for filtration, i just have an Emperor 280, I also have a Red Sea Prizm pro (its just not working untill my new impeller comes in). I have a blue tang, maroon clown, 2 damsles, a chromid, fire shrimp, cleaner shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp, 2 small orange stars, a brittle star, snails, hermit crabs, and finally a queen conch................OK and now for what im asking for. I am looking for any information anyone would feel like telling me. Anything from feeding to fish or coral suggestions. I would like to learn anything i could from anyone i could.....Thanks,
M.M.
OH yeah pics to come soon!


How long has your tank been up? You've got a fair amount of stuff in there already, so unless it's been up a long time, it's probably best to sit back and read and learn now rather than add anything else.

I'm just a newb too, but I've read enough to advise you that many people will caution you that a blue tang is going to get too large for a 40 gal and the queen conch is also going to grow very large and may starve to death if you aren't feeding her except what she scavanges off the sandbed.

I'm not saying this to bring you down. If you live anywhere near a large city, there is probably a local marine aquarium organization and I'd bet you could join and trade livestock. That tang and conch might be exchanged for something that will thrive more easily in your tank.

Good luck.

[WaterKeeper]

Hi M&M's
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

Gee Wiz, you sure have A Lot of livestock in there for a 40. I bet you have or had a FW tank that is packed to the seams with fish. Try reading this as a primer The New Tank Thread (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239848).

With all those starfish you might also read- Starfish (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/ac/feature/index.htm) and More Starfish (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rs/index.htm).

The Tang is not suitable for your sized tank. It needs lots of swimming room. Also the damsels will be nipping at it in those confines. Take a look around the Ask Doc Ron forum for lots of info on the care and feeding of invertebrates.

[adickerson0]

Sounds like you have a good tank other then the tang. So...my suggestion is to keep the tang and just get a bigger tank :p You will want to soon anyway.

[shdwtek]

Originally posted by WaterKeeper
Hi M&M's
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

Gee Wiz, you sure have A Lot of livestock in there for a 40. I bet you have or had a FW tank that is packed to the seams with fish. Try reading this as a primer The New Tank Thread (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239848).

With all those starfish you might also read- Starfish (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/ac/feature/index.htm) and More Starfish (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rs/index.htm).

The Tang is not suitable for your sized tank. It needs lots of swimming room. Also the damsels will be nipping at it in those confines. Take a look around the Ask Doc Ron forum for lots of info on the care and feeding of invertebrates.



Actually i've never had a FW tank. And this is my second SW tank. its just my first reef.

[shdwtek]

well to answer some of the questions i have a good deal of live rock ( not sure of the exact weight), my tanks been up for about 6 to 7 months, i am looking into getting a sump or wet-dry setup. which would be the best?? oh by the way i am on a very limited budget so any quality cheap product suggestions would help.....Also i could use some advice on what kinds of chemicals i am going to need to be adding into my tank, also some advice for feeding my corals.....but i supose that must have to wait untill i can get some pics up(not to good on the names yet). once again thanks for any help

[The Grim Reefer]

One of the best additions you could make considering a tight budget might be a refugium. You got a pretty large bioload and your current skimmer isn't the greatest. You could make a sump/refugium from a rubbermaid tube or a cheap 20 gallon aquarium. Do a search on "refugium plans" in the equipment forum and you'll get an idea of what it would take to build. I agree that you are going to need a plan for the tang, they need a lot of aquarium.

Keep reading and asking questions. GoodLuck