It has cycled!

[heithingi]

Hello everyone!
My 120 has cycled! Wish me luck, am going to do the big "swap" over the next few days...going to move out AT LEAST 50 pounds of the LR before it drives me batty, then put in my marine betta and checkerboard wrasse. Will most likely order those giant snails and a small spiney puffer within two weeks....so excited!! I am getting brown algae everywhere in that tank.
There is an absolutely beautiful niger trigger at the LFS I am hoping will be around in the next month or two...cannot add him until I add the other fish! I hope to be able to add a fish every week to two weeks until I can get him. Of course, the testing will tell the tale, there..
THEN, I have to move a yellow tang to the 45, then my 29 and 45 will be back to normal. They are driving me batty right now. The coral beauty hates the checkerboard wrasse and those two chase each other all over, the betta keeps eyeballing the royal gramma like he really thinks he can swallow it or something, and the maroon clown apparently is convinced the powerhead is an anemome. The royal gramma is not impressed with any of the above. They are really pretty funny.
Has anyone ever heard of perc clowns, OR a tiny six line wrasse, OR a yellow tang, OR a sally lightfoot eating red legged hermits? Something is doing this in my 29...cannot figure out the culprit.
Also, can someone PLEASE explain to me the deal with PH and ALK? I test all the time and normally my ALK is high with my PH either normal or a tad high. The LFS says to not worry about it, but it would be nice if I understood the point behind the ALK.
Thanks!
Lynda

 

[lionfish]

LionFish says.....
Well, Heithingi, seems to me the only thing that could even possibly be eaating your red legged crabs would be the Sally-light foot. They can be very predatory nand have been known to feast on a crab or two. They do like to eat smaller inverts and featherdusters. Also, PH is the measure of acidity or alkalinity in the water. If your water is alkaline it is above the PH level of 7 if it is below 7 it is acidic. It is good to alkalinity in the water. I wouldn't worry to much if it is just a little high because I have had mine over by a little bit and it had never hurt any of my fish. Hey, glad to hear your tank is finally cycled. Have fun with the new tank.

 

[heithingi]

Hi Lionfish,
Thanks again, for your replies. You know, I am starting to intensely dislike inverts, except for snails and red legged crabs. I apparently need to find a good book devoted entirely to inverts. My sources are not helping me much in this area.
OK, as for the ALK and PH, I guess I am not getting it. Surprise surprise! In the new tank, the ALK is at 7.2, and the PH is at 8.2. Supposedly, the PH is normal, and the ALK is a bit high. All my tanks seem to be like this. Isn't this wrong? I do have a buffer on hand if ever needed, but according to the directions, it is only to be used if the ALK is low. Am I correct in thinking that as long as the PH is good, then to not worry about the ALK?
Thanks again! By the way, what might you be cooking? hehe
Lynda

 

[lionfish]

LionFish says.....
Well, your PH is just where you want it to be. Try to keep it between 8.0 and 8.3. That is the normal PH for a salwater tank and it is good to have with any fish inverts, etc. The Alkalinity thing is a bit confusing and I have had it at about the same as yours for a little while in tthe past. As far as I know it leveled back out. I, however am no expert when it comes to alkalinity. But as far as I know all my fish lived through it and it should level out.
What am I cooking? Well, to tell you the truth I will give you the origon of the phrase. Over a year ago there was a shark by the name of the_rock. He left shortly after I arrived. So after about 6 months and I was sure he was gone. I took the phrase he use which was therock says and turned it into lionfish says. The rock is a WWF wrestler and he always says if you smell what the rock is cookin. So I finished off my look with that phrase. However I have no idea whta the rock is cooking and have no wants to know what the rock is cooking.

 

[heithingi]

Hi Lionfish,
LOL You make me laugh sometimes...ok, so at least now I know where the cooking thing came from. A pro wrestler, no less!!
OK, called the LFS today and finally got to speak with one of the employees who does not mind speaking to us less knowledgeable folks. Do not get me wrong, the owner is very nice too, just has a tendency of forgetting he has to start at the beginning...that not all of us knows exactly what he might be talking about. Anyway, the guy told me that with ALK, too low is BAD, that means it is acidic. Too high is BAD, too, anything at 10 or above is BAD. Now, he was not really able to explain WHY it is BAD when it is high, but when low, it apparently messes up the PH, causing the need for a buffer. Normally, according to him, the only way the ALK can get too high is if one uses tap water with...something...shoot, cannot remember what he called it now, silicates?..in it. Anyway, thought I would share this. Of course, I am still about as clear as mud on it, but at least I now know my ALK is fine. LOL
Lynda

 

[robbytt]

Ah Ha! The 'Lionfish says....' is in fact NOT copyrighted by you! Nice of you to wait six months after he was gone to steal his phrase. Un-tactful percula clowns such as myself do it to your face when your posting!...lol
RobbyTT
Curious as to the TT after my name. I'm thinking of switching handles to TTriger but don't worry, I'll still be controvesial..lol