tankstare
New Member
I am submitting this and realize i will be probally be scrutinized to the fullest from the purest's in this amazing hobby.
For months i have seen many storys of sadness so i thought i will share my experiences right or wrong
My backgound is a full time father of 3 kids, have had aquariums all my life, and work as an executive for a plastics company where Marinland is one of my Clients, helped design the Magnum 350 etc. So I am fully versed in Aquarium Filtration.
For my birthday my wife bought me a custom 125 gallon,Salt water set up along with a 30 sump and 150 pounds of Red Tonga/Figi Premiun live rock.
Overjoyed I proceeded to read every boook on the subject and my Sister who works for Scripps Aquarium, talked to many of the the staff on the pitfalls of a Saltwater Aquarium.
So my water parameters was perfect
Did weekly water changes of 5% everything per the book
After cycling my tank i waited for 3 months with your standard Clean Up crew and 5 Chromis I added my first fish. A yellow Tang. Everything went well up untill my 7th Fish a Flame Angel.
The the minions of DOOM struck
Little white spots. Rapid Breathing,Scratching, Sorryful eyes looking at you.
I tried everything reef safe Medicine in the world. Even called Shawn Prescott the creator of KICK ICH. The thing i started understanding is that everyone has an Opinion on desease cure.
There is no sure formula. And reef safe medicine is really just a hit or miss. One thing for sure it did not work for me actually started killing my live rock,I rteid them all to save my fish,Greenex,Herbal Attack, Pro-Biotic stuff.
One by one my fish died in a horrible fashion.
Garlic,Cleaner shrimp, nothing worked
I hated waking up to find another fish dead, as i surveyed my tank, the dis-collored water, the once beatuful live rock now barren. I decided to finally listen to the preachings of Terry B
Bought a 20 gallon QT tank and refractometer.
Bare in mind i am a father fo 3 , between softball, soccer baseball piano etc i have limited time.
The constant monitering of hypowas too much, and my last fish died a horrible death.
So I let the tank go fallow for 4 weeks
Started QT tank and to my dismay i found that this seems to stress the fish almost a much as the desease and i had many fish die, stay huddled and hidden i guess if they survived this they would certainly be ready for the main tank.
I started adding fish slowly:
First a Yellow Tang, 2 weeks later a FoxFace,Then an Juvenal Emperor Angel. The A coral beauty,Bi-Color Goby,
All waters parmeter was fine,THEN ACK!!!! White spots again!!!!!!
Goby died quickly,
Feeling Hopless i call one fo the staff at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography:
He actually came to my house and did the following:
1. Told me you must decide whether you want a FOWLR or Reef
Having both is difficult. Needing Constant Monitering if you want corals and fish,ad the corals last once tank stabilized form desease.
2. Get the best Protein Skimmer. As he looked at my ACM in disgust. Proceeded to tell me to get a Euroreef and explained that good Protein Skimmer not only help in water quality but when ich enter the free swiming stage it actually help isolate them in cup an reduces numbers.Let me tell you the difference in the froth is amazing now you cant believe the difference
3. Get a oversized UV. He likes the Aqua brand. and pull the minumum flow requirement( i acrually called the Aqua Company in Temecula and the said around 387 GPH will kill Protezoa) so i bought a RIO power head that does aroumd 350GPH. />
4. Buffer you PH always- High PH helps fish build slime and absorbtion of minerals.Weekly add Calcium,Stront.Moly,Mangenese. Top off consistanly to not allow fluctuation in water > he also added 2 Blocks Of Sea Chem 28.
5.VACUME THE SAND TILL ICH IS CONTROLLED!!
my tank atually has lower Nitrites and in my opionion feels healthier
since i started doing this so i keep doing it bi-monthly
with water changes
6.Make sure you buy you fish from a good source.
He likes online source because your cutting out the LFS actaully buying from their sources. Make sure the quarinteen 2 weeks The Marine Center is his favorite and now mine. ASK for Randy SWF is good too
7.Increase surface agitation of water pointing stream towarded corner overflow he explaned the freeswiming ich will more likely to be carried to overflow where UV and protein skimmer is in sump to do there job
With in days my fish colored up in fact white spots diminshed
to none since i started doing this
Since i have added a UV i have not had 1 outbreak of anythig not 1 fish death,
I have since added a blue face angel from Cristmas Island,Flame Angel,Coral Beauty,Candy Hog,Flame hawk
Its been 1 1/2 years since i have had a fish die.
Instead of me looking at the bottom in the morning , I have beautufull happy freinds begging me. My coraline algae which was one dead is a beautifull Purple,and i have a couple a mushrooms clonies which is thriving.People said for me to charge for admission(just Kidding) my tank looks so good
I hope this helps because believe me i have felt the pain and i know it is un-conventional
but if its help 1 person save some fish I have done a service
Good luck
PS
I am ready for the bashing of the Immortal Terry B:happyfish :happyfish
For months i have seen many storys of sadness so i thought i will share my experiences right or wrong
My backgound is a full time father of 3 kids, have had aquariums all my life, and work as an executive for a plastics company where Marinland is one of my Clients, helped design the Magnum 350 etc. So I am fully versed in Aquarium Filtration.
For my birthday my wife bought me a custom 125 gallon,Salt water set up along with a 30 sump and 150 pounds of Red Tonga/Figi Premiun live rock.
Overjoyed I proceeded to read every boook on the subject and my Sister who works for Scripps Aquarium, talked to many of the the staff on the pitfalls of a Saltwater Aquarium.
So my water parameters was perfect
Did weekly water changes of 5% everything per the book
After cycling my tank i waited for 3 months with your standard Clean Up crew and 5 Chromis I added my first fish. A yellow Tang. Everything went well up untill my 7th Fish a Flame Angel.
The the minions of DOOM struck
Little white spots. Rapid Breathing,Scratching, Sorryful eyes looking at you.
I tried everything reef safe Medicine in the world. Even called Shawn Prescott the creator of KICK ICH. The thing i started understanding is that everyone has an Opinion on desease cure.
There is no sure formula. And reef safe medicine is really just a hit or miss. One thing for sure it did not work for me actually started killing my live rock,I rteid them all to save my fish,Greenex,Herbal Attack, Pro-Biotic stuff.
One by one my fish died in a horrible fashion.
Garlic,Cleaner shrimp, nothing worked
I hated waking up to find another fish dead, as i surveyed my tank, the dis-collored water, the once beatuful live rock now barren. I decided to finally listen to the preachings of Terry B
Bought a 20 gallon QT tank and refractometer.
Bare in mind i am a father fo 3 , between softball, soccer baseball piano etc i have limited time.
The constant monitering of hypowas too much, and my last fish died a horrible death.
So I let the tank go fallow for 4 weeks
Started QT tank and to my dismay i found that this seems to stress the fish almost a much as the desease and i had many fish die, stay huddled and hidden i guess if they survived this they would certainly be ready for the main tank.
I started adding fish slowly:
First a Yellow Tang, 2 weeks later a FoxFace,Then an Juvenal Emperor Angel. The A coral beauty,Bi-Color Goby,
All waters parmeter was fine,THEN ACK!!!! White spots again!!!!!!
Goby died quickly,
Feeling Hopless i call one fo the staff at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography:
He actually came to my house and did the following:
1. Told me you must decide whether you want a FOWLR or Reef
Having both is difficult. Needing Constant Monitering if you want corals and fish,ad the corals last once tank stabilized form desease.
2. Get the best Protein Skimmer. As he looked at my ACM in disgust. Proceeded to tell me to get a Euroreef and explained that good Protein Skimmer not only help in water quality but when ich enter the free swiming stage it actually help isolate them in cup an reduces numbers.Let me tell you the difference in the froth is amazing now you cant believe the difference
3. Get a oversized UV. He likes the Aqua brand. and pull the minumum flow requirement( i acrually called the Aqua Company in Temecula and the said around 387 GPH will kill Protezoa) so i bought a RIO power head that does aroumd 350GPH. />
4. Buffer you PH always- High PH helps fish build slime and absorbtion of minerals.Weekly add Calcium,Stront.Moly,Mangenese. Top off consistanly to not allow fluctuation in water > he also added 2 Blocks Of Sea Chem 28.
5.VACUME THE SAND TILL ICH IS CONTROLLED!!
my tank atually has lower Nitrites and in my opionion feels healthier
since i started doing this so i keep doing it bi-monthly
with water changes
6.Make sure you buy you fish from a good source.
He likes online source because your cutting out the LFS actaully buying from their sources. Make sure the quarinteen 2 weeks The Marine Center is his favorite and now mine. ASK for Randy SWF is good too
7.Increase surface agitation of water pointing stream towarded corner overflow he explaned the freeswiming ich will more likely to be carried to overflow where UV and protein skimmer is in sump to do there job
With in days my fish colored up in fact white spots diminshed
to none since i started doing this
Since i have added a UV i have not had 1 outbreak of anythig not 1 fish death,
I have since added a blue face angel from Cristmas Island,Flame Angel,Coral Beauty,Candy Hog,Flame hawk
Its been 1 1/2 years since i have had a fish die.
Instead of me looking at the bottom in the morning , I have beautufull happy freinds begging me. My coraline algae which was one dead is a beautifull Purple,and i have a couple a mushrooms clonies which is thriving.People said for me to charge for admission(just Kidding) my tank looks so good
I hope this helps because believe me i have felt the pain and i know it is un-conventional
but if its help 1 person save some fish I have done a service
Good luck
PS
I am ready for the bashing of the Immortal Terry B:happyfish :happyfish
