| OK so this is my first time, i need some constructive criticism
This is my first time with salt water and i am completely in awe of how in depth and what all i can do, but i have lots of questions. First off my tank that i bought (used and up and running) is a 55g with compact lighting and a big filter thing underneath (ha ha laugh at me) Its running with live rock (i believe its called the berlin method), not bioballs, in the filter. I have got good water flow and moon lighting. everything seems to be running great. When i bought it i got about 50 to 60 lbs of live rock with it and live sand already in it. I got a a few fish and inverts (orange spotted blenny, cucumber, huge hermit, and some spiny starfish thing) but i turned in all of them to my local Lfs (except the hermit) seeing how i realized i bought a nitrate problem with the whole deal. I have a small clean up crew (some snails, hermits, an emerald crab, 2 peppermint shrimp and a sand sifting starfish). I have had the tank myself for about a month. I have done plenty of water changes. I have added 20 lbs more sand to the tank to raise the sand bed from about 2 in to about 4 in.(I have learned that a deeper sand bed prevents and helps with nitrate issues). I am using a pura nitratelock bag in my filter. (and yes i keep regenerating it). I just learned that mangrove plants help with nitrate issues in a more natural way, so i am headed to the store in the morning for that little boost. I was told (falsely) about a week ago that my nitrate issue was resolved so i went ahead and got me some friends to help with the whole cycle thing in my tank ( 1 yellow tang, 1 royal gramma, 1 flame scallop, 2 blue damsels, 1 blue and yellow tailed damsel). I now see that i made a mistake with the damsels they are going to the store with me in the morning...maybe to exchange for 3 green chromis. The damsels have harrassed each other and my gramma horribly and i am not happy with them at all. I hope to produce a peaceful reef tank. I have wonderful coraline algea growing on the live rock i got with the tank and i am hoping to help it spread, i bought purple up and just introduced it to the tank tonight (should i put in one capfull 2x a week?). I have to small corals growing on some of the live rock too. They are babies (both the size of a quarter)but i am hoping to nurture them well. I believe one to be a type of mushroom or maybe polyp and the other is a flowing ricordia (clear little tuby things with green on the ends)...again i think. Today i learned that i was misled by another fish store that everything was ok with my nitrates. When i went to my main Lfs they let me know that they are still there, not bad and getting better but still there regardless. I am doing all that is possible to get composure of this issue and i am doing fairly well for a newbie. I will take any advise or criticism. Please tell me what you think of my progress and/or situation. I need all the help i can get. I have been reading other peoples ?'s to try and learn from them. I want to learn all i can and i hope to make this tank one of my babies (i have a 20 month old, am due any for my second little man any day and a cat that thinks she is queen). Seeing as my husband is overseas a lot this salt water thing is really awesome for me cause i have lots of time even with my babies, i live at the beach and i love the ocean and i am so in love with the idea of bringing the ocean into my home, please give me the best advise you can to lead me on my way to years of a well running, established reef community in my tank. Thank you all so much  | 
02-22-2007, 01:48 AM
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