First water change help and clown help please.

ant

ant

Member
I now have a clean up crew in my newly cycled tank. One emerald crab, three hermits, one snail(not sure what type), and a cleaner shrimp. 20 gal, LR and LS. Readings are still very good. SG 1.024, Sal 33, Amonia-0, nitrites-0, nitrates 20. I'm hoping to get some clowns at the end of the week if tank readings remain good but I have a few questions.
When should I do the water change and how many gallons do I change before I add the clowns? Do I do it the same day, the day before, a week before?
Also, in one of the LFS stores they have tank raised clowns for 24.99 is that a reasonable price or should I keep searching? The other LFS stores have caught clowns for $19.99. Any thoughts?
Thanks everyone, Ant.
 
wilks18702

wilks18702

Member
Ant,
Not too sure about the water question, just got a tank myself, however, I bought my two clowns for 15.00 bucks each.
Tom
 
mn1467

mn1467

Member
You have a small tank so you should get in the habit of doing 5% water changes once a week for the life of your tank. I have a 60 gallon and I do 5% water changes every week.
 
lefty

lefty

Active Member
If you can't get tank-raised clowns for less than the price you listed, I would still get them anyway. Clowns caught from the wild are more problematic, more prone to disease, and overall less suitable for the home aquarium. Think about it: they've lived in a huge ocean their whole lives, only to be taken out and put into a confining tank. With tank-bred clowns, it's all they've ever known. :)
Water changes can be performed (ideally) about once a week or once every other week. They should be about 10% weekly or 20% every other week. Not everyone goes by this, but it's the standard advice you'll hear.
:)
-lefty
 
ant

ant

Member
Oh wow, thanks everyone. I really appreciate the input. I bought my own test kit on 3/30 and have these water readings at home since then but before that I was having the water tested at the LFS store every 4 days or so. They weren't too happy about that. I also added the Bio Spira stuff a week and a half into the cycle. I bought the crabs last wednesday and I bought the shrimp last friday. The others were put in yesterday. Everyone looks good so far:nervous:
At the suggestion of others on the board I've been letting my water just sit and "stew" and have been adding evap loss. My question now is, when do I do the water change before I add the clowns? How soon before? Does that matter?
Also, those are the only tank raised clowns I've seen in 4 LFS stores in my area. They seemed a bit pricy to me but I agree that since all they've known is the tank that they would be happy in the tank.
Thanks a bunch!:D Ant.
 
masala4080

masala4080

Member
will you get an anonome for hosting later? If you are, some people have some problems with getting tank bred clowns to host.
 
ant

ant

Member
OOOOOOh-I didn't think about that. I'd like to get an anenome eventually I think. But I'll need to change lighting and such. I don't know at this point. I just want my cleaning crew and fish to survive happily. Ant.
 
lefty

lefty

Active Member
An anemone isn't necessary for your clowns at all. That is a common misconception. They might not even host the one you would get for them. However, if you would like to get them one eventually, that's perfectly alright. :)
You could do a water change perhaps the day before you get the fish (or even the day of, if you wanted). It's not really a matter of when you do them, but rather if you do them and how often. After that, just getting into the regular habit of doing a water change is all that's needed. :)
-lefty
 
ant

ant

Member
Great! Thanks Lefty. I really needed that questin clarified. With the water change before I get the clowns.
I just have the one tube florescent light that came with the tank. Is there another light that I can just buy and replace for an anenome or do I have to do something elaborate?
 
lefty

lefty

Active Member
You'll most likely have to do something elaborate, lol. Most standard bulbs on hoods are somewhere around 15 watts, and you'd need many times that to keep an anemone.
-lefty
 
trainfever

trainfever

Active Member
I know you're anxious to get fish in your tank and I would be to. If it were me, I'd do a water change today, then test the water. Then test the water again this weekend. If all is well, then add your clowns.
 
ant

ant

Member
I will do a water change tomorrow then test again Friday. If all is well it looks like I could get the clowns this weekend. Yes I'm anxious but I'm very willing to wait until it's safe for them.
Also, how do you clean the inside of the glass. It's not bad or anything but I notice some white little specs on the glass.
Thanks everyone.
 
scotts

scotts

Active Member
All good.
Little white specs on the glass is actually a good thing. They are little critters that mean your tank is doing well. I think they are some type of worm, but I am not sure. Hey you are a nurse, you can handle it.
A good thing to get, yes another thing to buy, is a magnetic cleaner. It has two parts one goes on the outside fo the tank and one inside. The inside has a little scrubbing pad and the outside has felt. then you can simply wipe the glass clean. you might want to do this because I am sure that there is some algae growing on your glass that you have not even noticed. You won't until it either gets too bad, or you clean the glass then go wow ook at how dirty it was. The best thing is to wipe your glass every day or everyother day. If not it gets caked on there and then you have to use a razor blade to get it off. Not a good thing. I can take a picture of my glass cleaner if you would like, just too lazy right now.
BTW, liked the "stewing" part. :joy:
Scott
 
ant

ant

Member
Scott-Yes, I'd like to see a picture of the glass cleaner thing. That's right up my alley...hands free!
About the "stew" thing, notice I didn't mention YOU said it?!:) I was kind and left you out of that one. Ant.
 
scotts

scotts

Active Member
Well finally got around to taking the picture. You can tell the lights were off and what the flash bounced off of.
 
ant

ant

Member
Scott-thanks for the picture. I had something totally different in mind. What's the name of it? I can see your rock some and the coraline. Also, I posted another message for you under "Ant."
 
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