Test the ammonia etc levels now and go from there I think. I have never tried a fishless cycle but they are all the rage in the UK and cycling with fish is very much frowned upon.
I get all mine from Hokitika beach. It has wonderful waterlogged rata and rimu washed down from the rivers. All I do is give it a squirt with the hose and scrub out the holes and add it to the tank.
There are no such thing as cold water guppies! All it means is that guppies can cope with cooler temperatures (down to 15 - 18C). This does not make them cold water fish, despite often being sold as such :evil:
Yes you can post pics if you upload them into an online site first (like Photobucket). Keep them small though please (640 x 480 or less and under 128kb)
I have heard of others with this white slime in new set-ups and it seems to disappear as the tank matures. Wipe it off in the meantime.
Just doing an article and need to check (as I know nothing about marines) whether the following can be found in aquariums in NZ:
Sun corals (Tubastrea aurea)
Heliofungia sp
Fungia sp
Goniopora sp
Herpolita limax (slipper coral)
Cynaria lacrymalis (elephant's eye coral)
Thanks
Fish release growth hormones into the water and having them in too small a tank, even though the fish itself is small, may stunt their growth.
Hiding places should give them security.
Sounds like bullying to me. Probably someone after lights-out (BGK?). Would explain the clown loach whitespot too if water parameters are good.
Lots of plants and provide more caves. All those fish will need to be moved anyway as they grow too big for a 3ft.
If longer than 10 - 14 days I put doses in a daily pill container then get house sitter to empty dose into tank on alternate days. Also hide all other fish food.