Quote:
Originally Posted by
tirtza http:///t/387340/during-the-cycling-process-when-my-ammonia-eventually-spikes-what-is-the-best-way-to-handle-it/60#post_3412460
I give you my word...no more fish for at least one week (I might even wait a little longer just to be on the safe side).
good... I would wait even more than one week.
I think getting rid of my long hair algae by dumping out my sand and bleaching my rock would have been a big mistake in this situation. I went back and forth and read numerous discussion threads on this forum about which creature would be better for getting rid of long hair algae. I was stuck between an emerald crab and an LMB. I finally decided on the LMB, I really hope it works out.
How long did you have your 3 lawnmower blennies before they died?
1 week to 2 months.
I read LMB's were territorial with regards to other LMBs, did you experience that?
I only kept one at a time.. because one died I tried another and so on... 3 times.
Did you not have enough algae or was there some other problem? Did you have any luck feeding them mysis shrimp or algae sheets?
2 out of the 3 accepted foods other than algae growing on the rocks.
Most importantly......Do you think I should remove the Mexican Turbo Snail, so that he doesn't consume all of J.D.'s algae supply?
In my opinion, I don't think you should because even without the turbo the LMB would run out of food anyways... it's better to "train" the LMB to accept other foods as soon as possible.
Sorry to hear about your loss Meowzer 
Did you ever see your LMB eating the mysis shrimp or from the algae sheets?? I read that some LMB's are picky and refuse to eat what isn't naturally attached to a rock and that it's kind of a hit or miss sort of situation. What's your opinion on the Mexican Turbo Snail....keep it or take back to the LFS so that J.D. has plenty to eat?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/387340/during-the-cycling-process-when-my-ammonia-eventually-spikes-what-is-the-best-way-to-handle-it/60#post_3412975
No, I haven't set up a Qt yet, I really know next to nothing on them and really need to do some research on the subject. I have many questions such as...does it have to run all of the time, cost, supplies, ect...
This Sunday my tank will have been set up for exactly one month. I had the 2 damsels in there for a couple of weeks and then took them out. Now I have a Lawn Mower Blenny and a Mexican Turbo Snail. The live rock is growing purple coralline algae in different spots, and the zoa button pollyps look healthy.
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I check my water parameters each day (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and salinity). I never saw a spike of any kind in the ammonia or nitrites. The only thing that ever changed was the salinity. One day this week it went from 1.025 to 1.026 (I suppose because of evaporation). I added a few cups of RO water and the salinity went back to 1.025.
Now that it's been a month, what tank maintenance should I do? (keep in mind it's a 29 gallon Oceanic Biocube and the only change I made to the filter was adding a piece of filter carbon that I cut out and fit over the overflow tray covering the bioballs.
water changes... 10-15 %
I see brownish spots on the glass, should I wipe those off with an algae- remover sponge?
Personal preference... I personally like the more natural look, but some like the more sterile look so they wipe it off... now if it is on the front of the tank or obscuring the view of the tank then yes definitely.
Should I rinse the stock carbon filter (in chamber #1) in RO or tank water? Should I do anything to clean the bioballs in the second chamber?
with the bioballs, you want to rinse 20 percent of them each water change with RO water that has salt mixed in it... take 20% from the 2nd chamber and dip them into the sw ro water... don't scrub or anything. If it still seems really dirty, do it a second time...
Should I clean the sponge in the 3rd chamber in RO water or tank water?
Should I do any water changes? 10-15%.... weekly to bi weekly imo
Thanks for your help and expertise!!
