oops double post haha. ricordea? acans? these would be ok too? I hear halides are a real jerk on your power bill though?

Your cleaner shrimp molted every week or so?? Really? That's not typical. What is typical is for the shrimp to hide several days after a molt, as their shell is still soft. Sounds like you had a defective shrimp from the start.

I wouldn't worry about copper, you have other inverts that are fine. Don't add more stuff for a while, get good at keeping what you've got, them build on it.

yup start it up high a good rule of thumb is 24" from your sandbed and lower it slowly but watch the temps, a fan helps alot when dealing with the heat. lids ime arent the best for salt tanks as we rely on the open tops for gas exchange unless your top is vented:):)

I have rics, mushrooms and acans under a 250w in a 50g, they seem to love it.
One 250w bulb won't break your bank account :)

ricordias,acans hammers and zoas are all fine with halides and they do fine with t5's as well.....halides are costly though more so then anyother light.

that should be a golden rule very well said:):)

Hey nano, I just reread a thread I started in august on another site looking for some advice given to me...

"Key to this hobby is all about patience .patience and more patience....that being said a 6 month tank is a new born.after a year thats when it will really start to do its own thing and take care of itself.you can help it along with filters and skimmers.but nature needs to take its course over time.as the tank matures it will usually self correct except if you do something dramatic like add 5 fish at one time."

I was having all kinds of problems. Since then I've slowed down and while I've still had struggles, it's gotten better. I am loving my tank ATM. I've lost all my fish except 1, completely my fault, slowly restocking. It's hard being a newbie when so many have such gorgeous tanks, I get tank envy a lot which makes me rush or make bad decisions. Take the advice given and you will really start to enjoy this. Watch what's happening in your tank, you'd be surprised at what's already in there. I just found a plate coral that I have no clue where it came from!!
Cheers

thanks brad and reefwars, I have a sliding glass lid with a plastic peice at the back thats supposed to seal up the tank, but I drilled holes all over it, cause I know fish need oxygen lol. the reason I have a lid is cause I have heard of lots of fish jumping didnt want to risk it ya know? I guess I'll have to convince my wife to let me suspend the light lol, and find brackets for hanging this light, I know they make them, but I'm sure I could get away with something different

i help alot of people set up new tanks and one of the first things i tell people is think of your tank like a see saw(teetor totter)....it starts off on the wrong side and slowly it will even itself out ......the more you add to one side the more it tips in the wrong direction..... the trick is to let it get so far past the good side that when you add something it cant tip to far onto the wrong side:):)may not be scientific or alot of fancy words but the big picture is there:):)

haha cool a plate coral eh? Yeah I'm done adding anything aside from one ricordea but Only if I find one that I like more then the one I already have! haha. I noticed a large feather duster tube that has been growing on the rock for the past few days now about a 1/8-1/4 inch in diameter and maybe 1/2 inch long ATM, I havent seen the feather duster but it has gotten bigger, so maybe he's building lol. I also found one on the back side of my LR that is rather big too! about an inch in diameter he's very shy though! and a gsp on my rock that I dont know where it came from I have a neon gsp at the front of my tank but this one is just a green gsp that just appeared. I guess thats why they call it "live" rock. haha. Yeah definitely going to slow down. it hurts the wallet lol especially when it dies. patience is my new hobby. :lol: