I'm new, tank test level questions

beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
beaslbob said:
Egg crate is sold as lighting diffusers for dropped ceilings at home supply stores. A4'x2' section is around $12 or so.
The sooner you put it in the better. IME the back lighting really helped. on smaller tank you could just use spiral pig tail screw in fluorescent blubs designed to replace incandescent. With round clip on reflectors.
On my 4' 55g the 4' 2 tube shop lights work nicely.
my .02
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cool

Sound like the screens my university had in a wind tunnel to make the flow laminar.
 
M

mustang_gt_350

Member
jay0705 said:
Lol well it moved so it was alive
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It must be acclimating to the water, its moving around alot more than it did the first day or 2. It was missing most of the day yesterday, and last eve before i went to work it was out on the rock. Now when i got home this morning the pellet looked like its moved under the rock to a place where it doesn't look like it could have rolled to, and the crab is missing again.
 
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mustang_gt_350

Member
Update. I caught the crab feeding from the pellet yesterday. Also i tested this afternoon. Here are the results. This is only a few hours short of being 7 days up and running.



And, i believe i am going to set up the 5 gallon plastic tank i have as a refugium
and put macro algae in it. I have the pump on the way hoping i can get it set up this week, and add the algae next week.
 
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mustang_gt_350

Member
Alright. I didn't think it would be ready. I have seen where a few people have actually put ammonia in their tank to about 3-4ppm to help build up the colony to be able to hold a load? Is that needed? Or is it overkill, or not suggested?
 
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mustang_gt_350

Member
I also have a brown looking stuff starting to cover my sand at a few places. I did some searching and i beleive its diatoms? Is this normal on a new tank, and how do i fix the problem?
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
It is normal. It is a sign that the cycle is progressing. It should correct it self in a few weeks.
 
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mustang_gt_350

Member
Alright another update/question lol. I dropped another pellet in for the crab since the last one was put in on thursday and he finished it off yesterday, or it just fell apart and rotted. Anyway i dropped it on the rock he has been living on and walked away to do a few things. When i walked back the pellet fell onto the sand and was moving. The crab found it, but when i looked up to where the pellet was laying on the rock i found this.



and a pic of the pellet and crab

 
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mustang_gt_350

Member
Ok thanks. I just won't touch it then. Its just interesting that the tank has been up and running for over a week and today is the first i have seen it. I actually just saw another one on a different rock after i took the pic and made the post.
 
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mustang_gt_350

Member
I think they disappear as fast as they can be seen. I walked back and they where both gone. They must have been able to smell the pellet and came out for food.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Yes, it's their job to clean up any uneaten food. Once it's been taken care of they go back to hiding.

Try dropping a pellet in at midnight and come back to look 5 minutes later to see what has come out to feed.
 
M

mustang_gt_350

Member
bang guy said:
Yes, it's their job to clean up any uneaten food. Once it's been taken care of they go back to hiding.

Try dropping a pellet in at midnight and come back to look 5 minutes later to see what has come out to feed.
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i will give that a try tonight. Do they leave their rocks to feed?
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
To really see what goes on at night put a red filter over the flashlight - most animals don't see well in the red, but you do, so they don't know they are bveing observed.
 
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