bioload advise?

[bzolnowski]

i have a 75 gallong hexagon that has been set up for about three months. amon is 0 and nitrites are still a little elevated, water changes bring them right back down. have been doing 5 gallons every other day to keep it in check. nitrates are somewhat elevated also. is my bioload too much?
cleaup crew not counting
2 clowns
1 koran angel
1 longnose butterfly
one unknown wrasse
6 damsels (i want to get two to four of them out but just cant catch them, i have tried everything)
any thoughts?

 

[aarone]

i would get those damsels out, they are just a nusiance. Unless they arent acting aggresively toward your other mates. Maybe that will help out the trites. HTH

 

[bzolnowski]

i agree with you. they arent being that bad actually, better then i thought they would be, i just cant catch them, how do people do it. i have a tall hexagon and a decent amount of live rock?????

 

[bzolnowski]

thank you for your advise. i know that the angel and butterfly will get very large. i will then put them in my friends 155 tank. i have live sand, about thirty pounds of live rock and a sump wet dry filter. i want to get some damsels out to get my bioload down but i just cant catch them. i dont understand why everyone doesnt have that problem. any help would be great. i think getting two to four out would help a ton. any thoughts?

 

[michaeltx]

I took a lot of my rocks out to catch the ones I had if there are any rocks in there they will find a place to hide from you and they are so quick that its hard and time consuming. thats another reason people dont like them in their tanks.
might have to take a weekend or something and do a rock restructure to get them out.
Mike

 

[bzolnowski]

that is exactually what i was trying to get away with not doing. i love the placement of my rocks as they turned out better then i ever imagined with lots of great spots inside for them to hide, etc. i wish there was another way but i dont see it happening! brian.

 

[david s]

ok hope I dont get flamed for this A few guys in my reef club have used a tiny hook with no barb and fishing line. altho I have never tryed it . they claim it works I have always wonderd how you catch the right fish. when I had to get a fish out my lfs let me use a fish trap. it is a clear acrylic tube with a door with fishing line attached it worked for me. I learned to wind the string away from tank not to scare them out of the trap. and alot of patience.

 

[bzolnowski]

thanks for the good ideas. i guess no matter what i am going to get annoyed and its not going to be easy. i just dont want to have to break down the live rock. i will decide on what method to use, thanks and if anyone else wants to add anything, that would be great! thanks again, brian.

 

[bwmichael21]

I have a hex aswell, only keep clowns and damsels (13 fish in all)They all have their respective territory at different hieghts in the water coulmn but when its time to feed them all of the fish come to the top. I wouldn't even need a net to catch my damsels i could take them out with my hand. I would try catching them when your feeding them. That way it saves you from putting your hand in the tank for an extended period of time and moving everything around.

 

[bzolnowski]

good idea, i have tried once with no luck, mine seem to know exactually what is going on. i think that is one of my best shots at getting a few out. i appreciate your thoughts. i will work on it tomorrow. brian.

 

[bzolnowski]

hey

, have your numbers come down with the 13 fish? how long have they been in? thanks, brian.

 

[bwmichael21]

my tank is a couple years old, my NO2, NO3, NH4, HP04e-2 are all low of undectable.

 

[bwmichael21]

i think you should take things a little slower with respect to building up your aquarium. Good things come with time !

 

[lesleybird]

Originally posted by bzolnowski
thank you for your advise. i know that the angel and butterfly will get very large. i will then put them in my friends 155 tank. i have live sand, about thirty pounds of live rock and a sump wet dry filter. i want to get some damsels out to get my bioload down but i just cant catch them. i dont understand why everyone doesnt have that problem. any help would be great. i think getting two to four out would help a ton. any thoughts?
Fishing pole and lure! Just kidding!
Lesley

 

[bzolnowski]

thanks mike, i dont plan on adding anything else for awhile. leslie, i have heard of people doing that, think it will work? i am getting to that point and would try! brian.