just getting started

[FragOutpost]

I have not used photoshop elements before but I do use photoshop 6.0 regularly. Look along the top and click on "Image->Image Size". This should open a popup window where you can change the physical dimensions of the image. 550 or 600 pixels wide usually works well. After that click "File->Save for Web". This will compress the image for display on the web. Then save wherever you want. Like I said, i haven't used PS elements before, but I would assume that the basic functions are the same. Try it and let me know if that works for you.

As far as snails and crabs, the next time you are at the LFS grab a couple of astreas and maybe a couple of blue leg hermits or scarlets. Acclimate them to your tank and give them a week or so. If they are surviving reasonably well them get some more.

$150 for a 5 stage Ro/Di unit is not a bad deal. I paid more than that for my 4 stage unit. Do not get less than a 50 gpd unit. 100 gpd is better. A flush kit is recommended to lengthen the life of your RO membrane. I will sometimes get replacement prefilters and carbon block filters at my local Lowes or Home Depot which are usually moderately priced.
Most units are virtually the same. So go with the best price you can find for a comparable 4-5 stage 50-100gpd ro/di unit.

[littlemutt]

tried what you suggested, set the pics at 500x330 pixels and am attaching again just to see if it's better.

[D12monkey]

LOL Hey frag with those explinations, who needs to mention anything else. As for the RO units. I purchased mine a year ago from Ebay for $135 (shipping included) and it's a 7 stage both RO and DI filter. Works like a charm still... Haven't replaced a single thing on it, yet. I have a TDS meter and it's reading execptable low still. Besides my tap water isn't too bad, but won't used that.

Nice photos by the way. Love that camera... Too bad I'm a Canon Junky...

[D12monkey]

Nice start...

[littlemutt]

i retested my tanks and the readings are:

ph - 8.2-8.3
ammonia - 0
nitrates - 0
nitrites - 0

does this mean my tanks are cylced or will it still spike up and down for awhile?

i went to local lfs, he didn't have to much but i got 4 bumble bee snails and 2 hermits, it's been about 4 days now and they seem to be doing well so far. one of the hermits doesn't move around much, not sure if that means anything. i thought they would stay on the bottom sifting thru the sand which they did at first, but once they climbed up on the rocks they won't come off. should i be feeding them? i bought a package of dried marine algae and when i first put them in the tank i put a small sheet in a veggie clip on the bottom of tank and they imediately devoured the whole thing. is that enough to keep them going? the snails stay mostly on the rocks moving all over them, i hope they get enough food that way.

i removed as much of that long brown algae as i could and it doesn't seem to be growing back, there is some green algae growing on the glass but it's not enough to be a problem. seems like everyday i see something new, these flat worms with red heads and gray bodies and lots of legs, are they bristleworms? there are lots of these little grey things that run in and out of the rock, they seem to be increasing in numbers. they have a grey almost armor plated looking bodies with a number of legs and move very quickly - good guys i hope. there are numerous little plants starting to grow which i am trying to get pics of . i'll try to post those on here in the next couple of days. i assume that that is a good sign.

can i start adding some frags at this point or is it best to wait awhile longer? or fish for that matter but i was going to hold off on them til i was sure everything was ok. thanks for the help, i know this is basic stuff for you guys .

[FragOutpost]

Hello littlemutt,
When all of your readings say zero then that usually means that the tank is cycled. The brown algae should just be a phase of the tank and it will not likely come back as long as you keep up with the regular maintenance. The green algae that grows on the glass will probably need weekly cleanings. Even the most established tanks will grow this green algae on the glass.

As for feeding the hermit crabs, I usually don't directly feed them. They will get any scraps that the fish might have missed.

The red and grey worms sound like bristleworms. Some people consider them as a nusciance but I feel that they are very effective scavengers. Usually if you see them eating something then it was probably already dead.

The grey armor plated creatures you mentioned are probably amphipods and are a sign of a healthy tank. These are very desirable critters to have. When you add fish to your tank you will probably see the amphipods more at night as many fish will eat these.

Since all of your levels read zero then you should be ready to begin adding fish and frags. Just take it slow and only add one or two things at a time. It is better to add any non aggressive fish first and let them settle in. If you add any territorial fish first then any passive fish you add later may get bullied.

Sound like you are off to a good start. Good luck and keep us updated!

[littlemutt]

i've added 1 fire shrimp, 1 pistol shrimp, 2 emerald crabs, 1 procelan crab, and 6 snails. i've also added two zoanthids and two small ricordia's. these have all been added in the last two weeks.
i took new water tests last night and got theses readings:

ph 2.8
ammonia: 0.25
nitrate : 0
nitrite : 0

the ammonia reading is up, is that due to the additions? and is that a problem? do i need to do anything or will it go down by itself? one problem i'm having is with feeding the 2 shrimp, i got some frozen meaty seafoods - 4 types and this is where i am having trouble, i bought a plastic clip with some plastic mesh designed to hold the frozen food but it doesn't work well, when i put a piece of food in it it seems to work it's way out before it hits the bottom with food floating all over the tank. and if i'm lucky and get it down there the fire shrimp has no problem and he comes zooming out and grabs what he can, but the pistol shrimp who also comes running out doesn't seem to be able to deal with the mesh and i'm not sure he's getting anything, he usually will come out only once and then seems to give up where as the fire shrimp will make repeated trips and take as much back with him as he can. a lot of the food ends up floating around the tank which i know is not good, could this be the reason for the ammonia spike? does anyone have a better method of feeding these guys? also how do you figure out exactly how much to give them? i keep hearing to feed them what they will eat in 3 minutes but this doesn't seem to apply to these guys especially the pistol shrimp and when i add fish it would seem like the problem will grow worse for them. any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

also the algae is still a problem with a lot of film as well as hair algae
growing in one tank, which is the tank with the shrimps and crabs in it, the other is much better with just some algae on the glass and small amounts growing over some of the sand. is this pretty much normal or is it the result of the ammonia readings? i keep cleaning up what i can but it makes a mess in the tank with floating debri, etc. i keep seeing photos of other tanks and they seem to be algae free and crystal clear. am i doing something wrong here or does it just take time to work itself out? thanks for any input.

[FragOutpost]

I'm guessing you meant 8.2 instead of 2.8 for your ph. If so then that is good.
The elevated ammonia levels could be from the excessive food depending on how much you are feeding. I use a turkey baster for target feeding. I turn off all of the pumps so that the food doesn't scatter around the tank so quickly. Does the pistol shrimp have a burrow built? If so you can just use the turkey baster to target feed the burrow. Got any pics of the new shrimp? Have you considered getting a companion goby for the pistol shrimp?

also how do you figure out exactly how much to give them? i keep hearing to feed them what they will eat in 3 minutes but this doesn't seem to apply to these guys especially the pistol shrimp

Start will small portions and slowly increase the amount. Over time you will figure out the correct amount. If there is food left over in the tank then you have probably fed too much.

also the algae is still a problem with a lot of film as well as hair algae
growing in one tank, which is the tank with the shrimps and crabs in it, the other is much better with just some algae on the glass and small amounts growing over some of the sand. is this pretty much normal or is it the result of the ammonia readings?

Both of your tanks are plumbed together, right? Which means that they share the same water supply, but you also have different lighting on each tank. You posted earlier that you had a 96 watt 50/50 compact pc on one tank and a 64 watt 50/50 compact pc on the other right? How old is the bulb on the tank with the algae issues? Which lighting is on the tank with the algae problem? You could easily test whether it is the lighting that is causing the problem by switching the lights from one tank to another. Then if the same algae begins to grow in the other tank and decreases in the original tank then you will know that your problem is the lighting.