Need tank help!!!

[ErikH]

Dude, you just need a clean up crew. Diatoms are a common in a newly cycling tank. Where did you get your sand? Is it aragonite based? You can tell if you take a pinch of it and stick it in a cap of vinegar. If it's arag based, it'll fizz. The best rule of thumb in my opinion is to go to the fish store, look at the fish, and buy as many hermits and snails as you can afford instead. Do this several times! Blue legs are the only real recommended hermits, but I don't mind the reds either. Nassarius snails are awesome, ceriths, turbos, astreas, and nerites are also great for diversity. Even though they're cannibalistic, bumble be snails are cool too. I have had all of these in every tank I have owned, and they're not as bad as alot of people make them out to be. Snails don't eat live fish, but it one is dead or right at the point of death, count on them to clean it up!

[beamer]

I just bought some snails and peppermint shrimps. I have to wait till the shipment gets here in the stores here in Laredo on thursday to buy more... Thanks for all the help guys. Now, why can't I change ally media at once?

[Kristy]

You don't want to change out your media all at once because it is building up some nice beneficial bacteria that will play an important role in nitrate reduction and allow you to eventually begin to slowly increase your bioload. Occasionally we can do too good of a job changing it all out at once, deplete all that lovely beneficial bacteria, and then find it causes a diatom bloom or algae outbreak of some kind (at best) or can cause a mini-cycle of ammonia/nitrites (at worst).

Really good advice above. I think you are on the right track by asking questions here and just read, read, read and proceed slowly.

[beamer]

Thank u very much