Base Rock?? And Cycling??

[1journeyman]

Well, just make sure nothing is routinely stirring deep in your sand bed.
Surface disturbances are very beneficial to a deep sand bed.
But I agree with ya, Jdragunas, there are both advantages and disadvantages! My gobies love the sand soo much I can't imagine ever taking it out.
2 inches is a great sand bed depth. It won't be deep enough for anearobic activity, but your crustaceans and many fish will love it. Just make sure you have good water flow across it.

 

[aredmon]

Well I can't help myself. I am just getting realy excited now. I checked my water again yesterday and my ammonia is down to 0. Everything else still the same. Hopefully not much longer.

 

[aredmon]

Ok. I have a realy stupid question this time. When testing my water I always placed the test tube against the white part of the test card. But yasterday i realized that by doing that it totaly changes the color of the test tube. Well realy only the nitrate, and nitrite tests. When I place the tube against the white th nitrate looks to read 20 but if I hold it to were it is not quite toching the card it looks to be about a 10 or less. What reading do you think is the correct one?

 

[snailheave]

i take the average when i do it. i notice the same thing. it reads differently when read from different angles.

 

[jdragunas]

what do the directions tell you to do? It all depends on that. I have different tests, and some tell me to hold it vertically against a white backgroud, some tell me to hold it vertically 8" from a white background, and yet others tell me to look down into the test tube while holding it 8" from a white background. You have to follow the directions to the T, or else you'll get an incorrect reading. The directions should let you know how to check the results. If it just tells you to hold it against the white background, that means directly against it with no space in between.
And, BTW, there's no such thing as a stupid question!!!

 

[aredmon]

The directions don't realy say. It just sais to wait 5 min and check the colors with the color chart test card. I have the aqarium phamisuticls or "DR. Wellfish" test kit. If you have the same kind or have ever used that one how did you read it?

 

[jdragunas]

the only test kit i have of that is the ammonia one, and it says to compare it to the color chart by holding it up to the white part on the card. I took this as meaning to hold it directly against it. If you were meant to view the results a different way, it would tell you.

 

[snailheave]

i would put it against a white background with light source behind you, and leave space about 1/4"-1/2" between the tube and the background.

 

[aredmon]

I will have to go home and re-read the directions. I read it again last night when I noticed the color difference but I am pretty sure it just said compare the colors.

 

[jdragunas]

well, to play it safe, i'd go with the higher reading at all times... that way, you can be sure you're not over your limit.

 

[aredmon]

Hey I just want to give you guys a big :cheer: for helping me out!!!! I thank you alot. Alot of people get realy

when others ask questions. The way I see it is you can't be a pro untill your a rookie

So thanks alot

 

[snailheave]

i will take all the credit.
you're welcome.

 

[jdragunas]

haha, i helped too...
i don't understand why some people get mad when newbies ask questions... that's what this forum's all about, right?

 

[0verfl0w]

I was reading thru this thread and hit the part about the mandarin. I'm about 10 days into my cycle and I have a major pod outbreak. When I shine a flashlight at the tank in the dark it looks like my sand is moving. Plus they're all over the glass and my refugium. Should I look into one of these guys when my cycle completes or is this a normal occurence during cycling?

 

[jdragunas]

unless you can guarantee that there'll always be pods (if you have a fuge with many pods, so they can reproduce), i'd strongly advise against a mandarinfish. They ONLY eat pods, so when it finally consumes the last of your pod population, there'll be nothing left for it to eat, and it'll slowly starve to death...

 

[0verfl0w]

Well, they're in my refugium right now but I don't have anything else in there except for some sand and mud. My tank is 10 days old so I can't guarantee anything at this point.

 

[jdragunas]

how big is your fuge?

 

[aredmon]

ok. another newbie question what is a fuge?

 

[jdragunas]

lol... ok, here goes. It's like a sump, in the aspect that it's another tank that either sits below or above your tank. It's a type of filter that utilizes biological media to control your ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, etc. It houses media such as: live rock, miracle mud, a DSB, and a number of macroalgaes. These aglaes thrive off of nitrates and phosphates, so they sort of "eat" these items. The way that it works is quite simple. It passes the water through these materials, and as this happens, the aglaes in the fuge "sucks" the unpleasant things from your water (ammonia, nitrates, etc...)
Does that make sense?

 

[0verfl0w]

20" x 9" x 16"...probably holds about 15 gallons.