I'm out.

pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/3229122
I've rigged up an old calcium reactor to dose CO2 when needed. I haven't needed it yet though.
There's a square piece of shale in the right side stack that I don't like. I don't think it fits in with the rest of the pieces. Oh, the shale was also in a saltwater tank. Some of the coralline hasn't dissolved completely yet, maybe a couple more months. (see pic)
I don't like the background. I'm hoping I can get it to fill in with plants to hide it.
And a better shot of the Discus.
Yeah, dosing CO2 doesn't seem to be too difficult to DIY. My tank is a little bland right now. I can't wait to cycle and add plants. I still haven't decided what fish I want. I'm probably going to go with dwarf cichlids. I wish I could get discus and a lot of people would tell me that I can...but I don't want to in any way cramp their life.
It's an amazing tank man. What more, you didn't have to spend a fortune on all new equipment. You really are a big critic of your own work. I don't see how the shale doesn't blend

I scraped off/sanded off most of my coralline but there is still a touch in a few spots...especially on plastic parts.
I don't see a problem with your background. It's dark and makes the fish explode with color.
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
There is stuff that will work find both ways. Depending on how you use it. Of course a skimmer won't do you any good, neither really is the sand, but other stuff will work, depending on how much effort you want to put into it...
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3229086

Saltwater poisons the freshwater, anything in a saltwater tank gets the salt absorbed into it and it realeases slow and kills the freshwater fish...I don't know why.
Not true..... it even sounds illogical. My freshwater feeder tank has all previosuly used SW stuff in it, BTW.
Now there are, of course, some things that are made exclusive for FW and things made exclusively for SW, but not interchanging them has nothing with them being in SW (or FW) first.
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3229250
Not true..... it even sounds illogical. My freshwater feeder tank has all previosuly used SW stuff in it, BTW.
Now there are, of course, some things that are made exclusive for FW and things made exclusively for SW, but not interchanging them has nothing with them being in SW (or FW) first.
Thank you Cranberry.
Something I've noticed about saltwater is that the amount of research that can be done with it is infinite. I can't even see the end of the metaphoric rope that is the amount of knowledge that can be gained.
As for freshwater I think I see the end of that rope a couple miles ahead.
I am using sand too (not pre-used saltwater sand). That's why I'm kind of weary to see what my pH is. I made the assumption that by using half tap and half ro/di, my water is going to be acidic and that the sand would just buffer it slightly.
We'll see.
Thanks for the info and help guys. Thanks for sharing your pictures with me Bang.
Thanks for your concern about my tank, Flower.
 
louti

louti

Member
I would advise against the sand. Long term, you're going to be fighting your ph. If you're doing a planted tank, you'll want a neutral ph or lower. Why did you choose the sand? Did you just have it already?
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Here are a couple of pictures. I wish I was more excited about it lol. Yes, that is a bowl. It helps to relieve splashing from my filter and is a temporary solution. I have spent a little money on it so far...but by the time I finish selling all of this saltwater equipment, I think I will break even or have a little profit.
I JUST put water in it yesterday so realize that it isn't anywhere near completion. Just tell me what you think and what you would change. Kbai.
Attachment 238632
Attachment 238633
Attachment 238637


 
louti

louti

Member
What kind of fish are you going to do? Some stuff, like discus, probably won't like that much flow in the tank.
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by louti
http:///forum/post/3229357
What kind of fish are you going to do? Some stuff, like discus, probably won't like that much flow in the tank.
I am going to do dwarf cichlids. I am not going to discus. I am also going to get rid of the maxi-jet once the water clears up.
I have flow going to the sand to keep detritus suspended. If I did a good enough job setting up the tank you wouldn't have noticed that lol.
I'm going to keep the koralia 2 unless it negatively affects the fish.
 
louti

louti

Member
What kind of dwarfs are you going to do? There are some really nice ones. They should be fine with the flow, but I'd still be concerned about the sand. They like softer water (peat moss would be a good thing to run).
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by louti
http:///forum/post/3229363
What kind of dwarfs are you going to do? There are some really nice ones. They should be fine with the flow, but I'd still be concerned about the sand. They like softer water (peat moss would be a good thing to run).
I'm concerned about the sand too, but that is something I really wanted. Like I said I don't have a freshwater test kit yet so I can't determine what my pH is. I need to go out and get one but it looks like I may be snowed in. I'm still not decided on what dwarf cichlids. I am thinking along the lines of rams or maybe some P. saulosi. I haven't even started my cycle yet though so I have some time.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

I did some research...
It is not a myth but not as bad as I thought it was.
You can't use live rock or skeletons (seashells or coral remains, starfish or seahorse) from saltwater because of calcium. It raises the PH too high for freshwater fish to tolerate for very long.You can use the filter and tanks and fake decorations.
The exception is cichlids, they need higher PH than regular freshwater fish.
Skimmers and power heads are not necessary, most freshwater fish are small and the power heads are too turbulent for them, a bubble wall will work better.
Spanko...I love your tanks, they are beautiful. Have you checked your calcium since swiching to freshwater?
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3229086

Saltwater poisons the freshwater, anything in a saltwater tank gets the salt absorbed into it and it realeases slow and kills the freshwater fish...I don't know why.
This is a myth. The implication is that nothing that was used for saltwater can be used for freshwater. That is false.
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3229437

I did some research...
It is not a myth but not as bad as I thought it was.
You can't use live rock or skeletons (seashells or coral remains, starfish or seahorse) from saltwater because of calcium. It raises the PH too high for freshwater fish to tolerate for very long.You can use the filter and tanks and fake decorations.
The exception is cichlids, they need higher PH than regular freshwater fish.
Skimmers and power heads are not necessary, most freshwater fish are small and the power heads are too turbulent for them, a bubble wall will work better.
Spanko...I love your tanks, they are beautiful. Have you checked your calcium since swiching to freshwater?
Spanko has awesome tanks! Bang Guy has some pretty neat tanks as well lol. I'm just joking with you.
Again, I would like to express my gratitude that you are concerned about my tank. I would however like to respectfully suggest that you only give advice about things you have first hand experience with or have researched. If you don't want to research the topic, then post in the form of a question. EX:
Originally Posted by SuzieReefer
http:///forum/post/3229086
Can you use that saltwater equipment in a freshwater tank?
That way you are encouraging me to researching it.
I am trying to be respectful in telling you this. In my head I'm saying it with a smile and a nice voice infliction lol.
 
louti

louti

Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3229437

I did some research...
It is not a myth but not as bad as I thought it was.
You can't use live rock or skeletons (seashells or coral remains, starfish or seahorse) from saltwater because of calcium. It raises the PH too high for freshwater fish to tolerate for very long.You can use the filter and tanks and fake decorations.
The exception is cichlids, they need higher PH than regular freshwater fish.
Skimmers and power heads are not necessary, most freshwater fish are small and the power heads are too turbulent for them, a bubble wall will work better.
Spanko...I love your tanks, they are beautiful. Have you checked your calcium since swiching to freshwater?
Well now you are just talking about a separate issue. Rock and sand that is calcium based naturally raises ph, that is why we use it in our saltwater tanks.And this is exactly why I told PEZ that the sand is a bad idea for his freshwater tanks.
You said "Pez don't take anything from a saltwater tank and put it in a freshwater tank, not even a decoration." because "Saltwater poisons the freshwater, anything in a saltwater tank gets the salt absorbed into it and it realeases slow and kills the freshwater fish...I don't know why." THAT IS A MYTH. Now you're just changing the subject. Stop repeating things you have "heard" and not researched properly. This is not the first time you have done it, and it leads people astray.
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
As far as the sand goes, you may be right about it. I knew it would buffer the pH when I got it. I do however have a small piece of driftwood that can leach tanic acid (isn't that what it gives off?). My water is also fairly acidic so I am hoping that this combo will render a pH that is below 7.5.
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
I would be surprised if Bang even had a calcium test for freshwater. Then again he constantly surprises me.
Sorry for the triple post btw but I have been reading up on the effects of an argonite buffer.
It seems as though the effects should be minimal.
If I do have some problems, I think I'll supplement CO2. Supposedly that helps to lower pH...and it will be good for the plants.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

Originally Posted by louti
http:///forum/post/3229465
Well now you are just talking about a separate issue. Rock and sand that is calcium based naturally raises ph, that is why we use it in our saltwater tanks.And this is exactly why I told PEZ that the sand is a bad idea for his freshwater tanks.
You said "Pez don't take anything from a saltwater tank and put it in a freshwater tank, not even a decoration." because "Saltwater poisons the freshwater, anything in a saltwater tank gets the salt absorbed into it and it realeases slow and kills the freshwater fish...I don't know why." THAT IS A MYTH. Now you're just changing the subject. Stop repeating things you have "heard" and not researched properly. This is not the first time you have done it, and it leads people astray.
.....
....what has your underwear in a bunch?
You know what, I said I HEARD it was so and I have kept freshwater fish for 30+ years. I had never touched anything with saltwater to my fresh in all that time. When I told Pez don't add a thing not even decoration, it was a warning so he didn't just jump in and change up....as I had been warned about it oh so many years ago.
I did not present it as a solid fact...I made it very clear that I wasn't sure why. So I didn't lead anyone astray. I said I ASSUMED it was the salt but wasn't sure.
Also if you had bothered to read all of my posts on the subject you can see that I offered to do some more research to find out for sure. I had to go to work. I did not change the subject. This morning when I got home I posted and I said I did the promised research, and found it not as bad as originally thought, that the restrictions were on rock and skeleton remains like seashells, and found it to be calcium not salt that leaked, also keeping Cichlids are the exception....they need the higher PH calcium produces.
 
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