confused

[lacoste]

:notsure: Thank you for all the good advice...but still confused about changing the water...I use spring water from a local company and I feed a small amout of frozen brine everyother day...I've done all my water testing and everything is great, maybe I will only turn the lites on for 8 hrs a day(my tank is not in direct sunlite. I will purchase some snails to help this problem...any more input from anyone? Thanks

 

[meadbhb]

Hiya,
You do water changes to replace the nutriants that are used up by the tank enhabitants.
Though, with spring water, you might want to get it tested to see what minerals are in it. The salt mix you use should be balanced for what a SW tank needs. I'd hate to see you over dosing something and throwing your water out of wack.
Meadbhb

 

[snipe]

For a 55 gallon I would do 10% weekly. For some reason my tank seems to be lazy I only have to do 10% monthly. I know it seems low for such a new tank but as most ppl say if it aint broke dont fix it.

 

[jacknjill]

is your tank cycling?

 

[lacoste]

:nervous: I just hope that I won't have to many problems...Is there any thing I should be adding to the water( I have 25lbs of live rock) my fish are all doing great...I keep checking water temp, and salt levels...I do regular water test too. I also have live sand on the bottom. what else should I do?? thanks

 

[lacoste]

Originally posted by JacknJill
is your tank cycling?
Can you please tell me more about the cycling!! Thanks

 

[lacoste]

:thinking: can someone please tell if your tank is suppose to cycle if yu already have cycled rock and imatation corals and only 5 small fish for a 55 gallon tank with live sand. thanks

 

[1journeyman]

Hmm... ok, let's back up a step..
How old is your tank? How much sand do you have? What are your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels?
All tanks must "cycle". This term refers to the ammonia cycle. In a properly cycled tank ammonia builds up, bacteria grows and converts ammonia to nitrite. New bacteria grows and converts nitrite into nitrate.
The bacteria stays in your tank and breaks down the fish waste and decaying food. As you add more fish more ammonia is produced, which feeds more bacteria, etc.

 

[lacoste]

:thinking: I put 3 bags of live sand (25lb?) I have 25lbs of live rock...all my water test are great...(nitrite is 0and and my ammonia is .25 also I think the lights are being turned on way to early( you see the fish tank is in another part of our work place here...so now i've told everyone not to turn them on till 11am and then we will shut them off at 5pm.) now that you told me about the process of cycles..I fully understand and it's now all coming back to me. thank you for your help...should i keep doing water changes ( 10ga each friday??

 

[meadbhb]

Hiya,
Sounds like your tank is starting to cycle. A tank will sometimes go through a cycle even if you put 1lb of live stuff per gallon. It might be a really fast short cycle, but the fact that you have ammonia in there shows that it's cycling.
Since there are fish in there, I'd do the water changes.
Good luck!
Meadbhb

 

[lacoste]

thanks for the advice, somebody said I have to many fish for the short amout of time since I've had the tank running( 5 small ones) and i only feed everyother day( frozen brine)...any more advice?? thanks

 

[jacknjill]

yeah, too many fish for a tnk that hasnt cycled yet. they will probably die during the cycle.
dont feed frozen brine, only as a treat. it ahs no nutritional value whatsoever. feed mysis shrimp or silver sides, formula cubes, flakes, basically anything meaty

 

[scottwol27]

Frozen brines dont have much nutrition...IMHO I would use mysis shrimp to feed you fish....or flakes...make a the birne as a treat so they dont heavily depend on it...its like candy for a 7 year old...sorry BUMP.

 

[lacoste]

:notsure: where do you get your supply of food? I think I may have to order mine online...what kind of fish do you have?

 

[sonofkrono]

i wouldn't use distilled water or bottled water or any of that, you might as well be using tap. try finding a good aquarium store and see if you can't buy r/o from them, should be cheap, in canada here, i buy it for $.50 a gallon

 

[scottwol27]

I get my food supply from South Shore tropiclas over here in NY....We also have alot of other LFS who are good in fish food supply.......
i have a striped damsel and a blue damsel in my tank..along with a red scooter blenny....not much i'm going to get alot more...just got to wait for the $$$$
email me if you get a chance
scottwolling27@hotmail.com

 

[lacoste]

I have to use spring water because the supply of water here at work is salt...I work in a mussel plant and we have to order spring water to drink, I will get a different food supply. any suggestions on my water situation?? should i have it tested?? seems like the fish are doing great. thanks:happyfish