pashari
Member
What is right? What is too much?
I have a 3.5 y/o 60 gal FOWLR. About 70 lbs of LR with a CC substrate. 3 power heads moving the water and a cannister as a mechanical filter aid. I'm having a nitrate problem (all other levels reading 0 w/pH - 8.2) which I think is a feeding problem combined with not caring for my substrate properly. I also have a tang that may have HLLE. So, caring for my substrate and nitrate problem by doing 10% water changes daily and vacuuming the substrate thoroughly a section at a time. Will continue to do this until the nitrates are down. However, sill need to get to the cause and my tendancy to overfeed, I think.
In the tank there is -
1 yellow tang
1 psuedochromis
1 clown
1 mandarin
1 millet butterfly
3 emerald crabs (2 are new additions today)
15 blue legged hermits (5 are new additions today)
10 small turbo snails (new additions today)
4 large turbo snails
4 peppermint shrimp (new additions today)
1 cleaner shrimp
2 cleaner crabs (new additions today)
1 decorator crab
Added grounding prob for tang HLLE as recommended by LFS. Not sure about this one as my husband is an electrition with all these cool gadgets and there is NO current coming out of my tank by way of the grounding probe. Has anyone else been able to document current coming from their tank?
In the past I've been feeding flake food a 2x per day and frozen about once or twice a week. However, in the last month have added much more variety in hopes of helping my tang.
So, now I feed 2 - 3 pinches of flake food (Brine Shrimp Plus & either Veggie Flakes by Omega or Formula 2) in the am as well as clip a seaweed select on the side of the tank. In the pm, I feed 2 frozen cubes (alternate between mantis shrimp or brine shrimp as well as either Emerald something-or-other or Formula 2).
I have been leaving the seaweed select in overnight as it really doesn't get picked at much during the day. I'll see the tang swim by and take a bite or two, but if maybe 5% is eaten during the day I'd be surprised. Every morning, however, it's all gone. I'm suspecting that my crabs are going to it as I know my tang doesn't feed at night so I'm going to start pulling it prior to lights out.
Anyway, what do you think?
Is this enough? Is this too much? Please don't give me "as much as they eat in 5 minutes rule" because my fish are a bit on the shy side and won't eat if I'm watching them. Also, my tang is a grazer and will eat the majority of his food by picking it off the substrate.
A skimmer would be an ideal solution but it's not an option now (unless someone knows of a great HOB skimmer under $50
).
Thanks!!!! Everyone here as been truly helpful these past few weeks.....
lisa
Anyways....
I have a 3.5 y/o 60 gal FOWLR. About 70 lbs of LR with a CC substrate. 3 power heads moving the water and a cannister as a mechanical filter aid. I'm having a nitrate problem (all other levels reading 0 w/pH - 8.2) which I think is a feeding problem combined with not caring for my substrate properly. I also have a tang that may have HLLE. So, caring for my substrate and nitrate problem by doing 10% water changes daily and vacuuming the substrate thoroughly a section at a time. Will continue to do this until the nitrates are down. However, sill need to get to the cause and my tendancy to overfeed, I think.
In the tank there is -
1 yellow tang
1 psuedochromis
1 clown
1 mandarin
1 millet butterfly
3 emerald crabs (2 are new additions today)
15 blue legged hermits (5 are new additions today)
10 small turbo snails (new additions today)
4 large turbo snails
4 peppermint shrimp (new additions today)
1 cleaner shrimp
2 cleaner crabs (new additions today)
1 decorator crab
Added grounding prob for tang HLLE as recommended by LFS. Not sure about this one as my husband is an electrition with all these cool gadgets and there is NO current coming out of my tank by way of the grounding probe. Has anyone else been able to document current coming from their tank?
In the past I've been feeding flake food a 2x per day and frozen about once or twice a week. However, in the last month have added much more variety in hopes of helping my tang.
So, now I feed 2 - 3 pinches of flake food (Brine Shrimp Plus & either Veggie Flakes by Omega or Formula 2) in the am as well as clip a seaweed select on the side of the tank. In the pm, I feed 2 frozen cubes (alternate between mantis shrimp or brine shrimp as well as either Emerald something-or-other or Formula 2).
I have been leaving the seaweed select in overnight as it really doesn't get picked at much during the day. I'll see the tang swim by and take a bite or two, but if maybe 5% is eaten during the day I'd be surprised. Every morning, however, it's all gone. I'm suspecting that my crabs are going to it as I know my tang doesn't feed at night so I'm going to start pulling it prior to lights out.
Anyway, what do you think?
A skimmer would be an ideal solution but it's not an option now (unless someone knows of a great HOB skimmer under $50
Thanks!!!! Everyone here as been truly helpful these past few weeks.....
lisa
Anyways....
