New to sw got some questions - Page 3

**CarmieJo** · 02-11-2008, 10:30 PM

I think you are fine. Every tank is different and so you just can't say the ammonia will be this high, or it will take x days for the nitrites to go up and down.

asneeze531 · 02-11-2008, 10:42 PM

ok thanks, i checked it again about ten min ago and it is .25 now, so i will just watch it over then next few days to see what it does.

**CarmieJo** · 02-12-2008, 05:21 PM

Jay, that sounds like your tank is doing just what it should.

asneeze531 · 02-24-2008, 01:28 AM

hey guys my tank has cycled, all my valeus are zero, except nitrates, which are at like 5. my question is: i had live rock and base rock, and i got snails today, and i noticed they are eating the red algae on my base rock that has grown sisnce i started the tank. the brown algae i don't really care about, but the rock has some really nice looking redish purple algae that i like, is this normal? should i keep the snails? is this hurting the rock ? is the algae good or bad?
any advice woudl be much appriciated.

**CarmieJo** · 02-24-2008, 02:23 AM

Hi Jay,

If the snails are eating it the algae is probably not coralline. They red algae you are seeing may be cyanobacteria. Does it look kind of slimy?

asneeze531 · 02-26-2008, 04:13 PM

I know it's kinda blurry, but this is the trail that the snail is making in my rock.

one thing i did notice is that the snails sitting on the live rock that i got from my LFS did not eat away a trail, so i am taking that as a good thing. as of now i have 4 in a 46 gal tank, shouel i add more or remove some or is that a good start?

here is a picture that is zoomed out a little

the other guys are doing a good job clearing the glass and stuff, but the algae is getting kinda long. shoudl i do anything about it? the snails have been in there for about 4 days and my levels are still 0 my nitrates went up to 10, but i did a water change and they seem to be going back down. i am gonna be starting my own tank thread so i can keep track of everything better. as usual any comments or suggentions are much appriciated.

also, at this point i am planning on FOWLR, but i will most likely convert to reef later down the line, when is it OK to add fish?

**JustDavidP** · 02-28-2008, 04:34 PM

I'd cut off the photoperiod..period.. and finish letting the tank cycle and mature. The algae you are seeing is normal for a new tank, but can get ugly quick. It needs a) food; so feed your tank little to nothing right now. Personally, I'd use pulverized flakes or something for the micro crustaceans etc. but do NOT feed much. They also need b) light to grow. Nothing in your tank needs light right now. Starve it and let the snails take what is in there now.

The snail in the picture is an astrea type turbo. They do good work. Are the ones from the LFS the same type? What you need now are those grazers. Don't get anything whelk like or those silly Ilyanassa/mud snails. They're of no use at this point. True, mexican turbos, and the astreas that you have are wonderful

Dave