Newcomer/First time saltwater enthusiast!

[GaryP]

There is a test for carbon, but from what Richard said, I wouldn't recommend it. Its basically a dissolved organic (DO) test. I just change mine out once a week or every other week. I used a powered carbon filter but what you are doing is probably ok. I assume you put the carbon in one of the chemical trays in the back of your tank. If so, that's good. As long as you have flow going through it.

Running carbon will help you manage the cyano (the red slimy stuff) you have in the tank. Cyano likes water with high DO and low flow. I know you already added an extra pump. As I mentioned, my first tank was very similar to your's, and looking back on it now (with a lot more experience) I realize that the biggest problem I had with it was a lack of flow and a weak protein skimmer.

[Euclid]

Have you checked to see what the previous owner was feeding? In my experience with eels, you may have to start with something live (live feeder goldfish/guppies) to get them to start eating. The eel has really poor eyesight and may have difficulty finding the food if it is not moving. If that is the case, you can devise some sort of feeding prong to spear krill (my eel loved frozen squid btw) and shake it right in front of the eel's nose. This might help too. But if the previous owner only feed the eel live foods, then you need to start the process of switching over yourself.

Good luck.

Previous owner said that he only fed the tank frozen krill.
I'll try the spear thing. Should a coathanger work?

[SaltyJim]

Previous owner said that he only fed the tank frozen krill.
I'll try the spear thing. Should a coathanger work?

I'd go to the LFS and get a length of Rigid Airline tubing. Heat it up about 1-2 inches from the end, and bend it there to give it an angle. Try not to give it a sharp end, just asking for trouble. You should be able to spear a thawed krill with that.

BTW...when you fed the tank...did the eel even look like it was hungry. Try swimming around or anything...maybe not hungry yet.

[Euclid]

Eel didn't look hungry. He came out for a minute when I dropped the food in there, im guessing he sensed the lion's activity, but then he went right back in. There was a shrimp like right next to his face and it didn't phase him.

[GaryP]

You can also use the wooden skewers that you get at HEB to make shish kabobs.

[gjuarez]

Gary, I dont have gray hairs but I did have a Lee's skimmer at one point. It was my first skimmer. Euclid, make sure you dont let too much air go into the wooden air stone, the bubbles should be very small. The other one is sort of like a bubble counter. It controls the bubbles coming out of the tube and they should be about an inch apart from each other. Hope this helps.

[Euclid]

For those interested, here are some updated pictures of my setup.
The water quality is at 0/0/0/8pH and the fish are eating great! The tang seems to have developed a bit of ick from the move, but I'm in the process of treating that. I've also added about 40 pounds of liverock to start.
I plan on getting rid of the 2 ugly fake corals, upgrading my lighting and then hopefully adding some real corals/invertebrates. I'm not very satisfied with the tank's stand right now, does anybody have any suggestions as to something that I could do to make it look better? It's pine and pledge doesn't help.
Let me know what y'all think and please shower me in criticisms/suggestions/reccomendations!!

Thanks again MAAST!!

[Bill S]

Oh, your tang doesn't look THAT bad. It's so typical of them...