Otter's 5 gallon Diary

[otter]

The Bacti boost and some heat really did the trick.

My Nitrates are up and my Nitrite is 0. The Ammonia shows a little, but I am not sure if that is just what the directions call "cloudy water". I did a 1 gallon water change and removed the carbon out of the HOB filter last night. The only thing in there is the mesh screen for picking up the bigger bits. This morning I checked the Ammonia and is was 0. There is a bit of brown algae.
Next thoughts on improvement:
There is one Turbo snail and two Hermit crabs in the tank now.
Should I add a couple more snails and a couple more crabs to help clean it up?
I would like to add to the Aquascape. Could I add another 3 or 4 lbs. of LR and not hurt the filtration process? Would it help the process?

 

[spanko]

Hello my friend,

Some things you need to know. First you added things too quickly. Your tank needs some time to adjust. Do you have test kits? The most important right now are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate along with a hydrometer to check sg. Each time you add a fish or more live rock you will have what is called a mini cycle. I don't know from your post how much cycling your tank has done so far but from what you have written I would stop putting in any fish and let the tank settle. You want ammonia, nitrites and nitrates back to zero.
Otherwise you tank is looking good. The saying is "only bad things happen fast with marine tanks". Take it slow and you will be rewarded with a beautiful pc. of the ocean over time.

 

[otter]

In my earlier posts I realized my need for instant gratification overcame common sense. Thanks for the opinion. I will keep it in mind.

 

[spanko]

Been there, Done that......... not to worry, mistakes are what we learn from. I lost a firefish and a sebae clownfish when I first set up because I listened to the LFS emplyees that told me "go ahead you won't have a cycle". Needless to say I don't frequent that store anymore.

 

[seagems]

I have a question for you (or anybody)...out of curiousity, if your LFS sold you already cycled water (recycled water from a sump in the store) for a reasonable price, would you purchase it??

 

[seagems]

oh- I forgot too...most damsels are pretty relentless- We've also had a pseudochromis who killed our pygmy angel and a purple crab- maybe porcelain?- who has killed plenty of our fish.

 

[otter]

Originally Posted by SeaGems
I have a question for you (or anybody)...out of curiousity, if your LFS sold you already cycled water (recycled water from a sump in the store) for a reasonable price, would you purchase it??
IMHO I would not buy it. After everything I have read and went through, your water will have to cycle one way or another. If I already had a cycled tank, I might transfer some water to the new tank. It will help with cycling but not remove the process. I would also submit you learn more from your mistakes. I should be a genius by now! Good Luck! :happyfish

 

[spanko]

When you buy a fish and drip acclimate him you are not supposed to use the water from the bag. I am not completely sure on why but it would seem to me you would not want to buy their water enmasse for you tank either.

 

[seagems]

When we started, we had a 20something gallon Nanocube. My boyfriend is impatient, so he wanted to throw fish in right away- we purchased the recycled water with some LR and threw fish in after 2-3 days and they were great. A week later, he decided the Nanocube wasn't big enough, so he bought a 55gal and did the same thing....waited a couple days and put the fish in with no problems. This could have been nothing but luck on our part, but I assume it would happen for anyone starting a tank. I was just curious if people would prefer that over cycling and starting from scratch on their part.
I always thought to never use the store's water for acclimation because the measurements change with bacteria in the water and light exposure and disease in the fish? Even though we do have the shop's water, we drip acclimate. Salinity is most likely different as time goes on as well, right?

 

[otter]

It sounds like your boyfriend and I have a lot in common. :notsure:
I am also impatient and want everything the way I see it in my head Now! Depending on the type of fish, water, phase of the moon, etc.. your fish survived. That's great! It may not have been the best thing for them, but they survived. There are many experienced people on this board. Start a thread and see what they have to say. So far, I have been pleased with the suggestions and advice I have recieved. :joy:

 

[seagems]

lol...yea, with him everything should have been done yesterday

I have been reading and posting on all the boards...everyone has been extremely helpful! There is so much experience (good and bad) and knowledge here which is really awesome : ) I've also gotten a lot of good tips here

 

[lantos]

Tank is looking good brother. You have inspired me to get my 29g back in operating shape.

 

[fishymaster776]

um just IMO but you should try to take the damsels out as soon as possible. when they get bigger, they become into complete bullies and rearrange your landscape if they could, killing hermits(all happened to me before) and if you try to ake them out to late they'll just hide in your aquascape and it'll take you forever to catch em. replace them (unless you love them) with like firefish, or jaw fishes, small gobies, etc. BUT ALL IN mY OPION
p.s. i'm a very bad speller(i'm 13)

 

[otter]

Originally Posted by lantos
Tank is looking good brother. You have inspired me to get my 29g back in operating shape.
Hey Lantos, nice to see you on the board!

I will take some more pics of the tank when I have something different to take pictures of.

I have managed to hold off a whole week without buying anybody else for the tank. It is sooo hard! I feel like an addict.
Fishymaster776
Thanks for the tip. I will take my Damsel out when the tank has completed its cycle. My LFS will take him in trade and I am trying to not be in a hurry. ***)

 

[otter]

Picked up "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" yesterday. A great book. He is not so keen on the small marine setup though. I did run into some great luck. A good friend is giving me his 29gallon and stand. I am also buying his PC lighting system. In a few months I will put together another tank. Yahoo! :jumping:
The little tank is doing well chemically. My nitrites are 0, nitrates are 5, and my is Ammonia is almost 0, but I am not sure it is a correct reading. I have cut down the feeding to once a day and may do a water change.
My Damsels, "Frik and Frak" have been fighting for the past couple of weeks. Frik ended up bullying Frak to death. Frik is enjoying being King of the tank. "Jack and Jill" the hermit crabs enjoy the setup very much.

 

[otter]

The tank has been cycled and doing well for a month or more. I stayed true and kept only a damsel, two hermit crabs, and two turbo snails. I am really glad I waited. It has been proven by all looking healthy and active. I also upgraded my lighting to a 24w PC. So, I made an addition. I picked up a couple more pounds of Live rock and a blue starfish. My LFS let me pick through the rock. I got lucky and found some pieces with three sponges and a feather duster that I could see so far. Following SWF's acclimation advice, the starfish is doing great. A couple of weeks and I will be ready for a frag or two. Thanks to everyone for their help and guidance.

 

[otter]

I have been doing a bit more reading on the blue starfish or "Linckia laevigata ". It turns out they are not a very easy starfish to keep in captivity. Unless you feed them by hand, they need a lot of space to maintain and they react poorly to stress. It has been two days now and so far he is ok. I had fed him some clams. The hermit crabs have started nibbling on one of his legs. Not a good sign. I am contemplating taking him back and getting a smaller Red starfish or "Fromia milleporella". They are much hardier and adaptable to aquarium life. We'll see.

 

[poop_head]

Ya from what I understand your blue linkia starfish will die. Linkia's need like large tanks, like 120+ I think. I would definately take it back. I dont think that there are any starfish that can work in a Nano tank except like serpent star.

 

[oak]

Originally Posted by fishymaster776
um just IMO but you should try to take the damsels out as soon as possible. when they get bigger, they become into complete bullies and rearrange your landscape if they could, killing hermits(all happened to me before) and if you try to ake them out to late they'll just hide in your aquascape and it'll take you forever to catch em. replace them (unless you love them) with like firefish, or jaw fishes, small gobies, etc. BUT ALL IN mY OPION
p.s. i'm a very bad speller(i'm 13)
You spelled opinion wrong.

Oh and by the way I'm 12.

Oh and Otter try and hold the urge to buy. I know it's hard. Oh also nice LR and starfish.

 

[otter]

Oak: [Oh and Otter try and hold the urge to buy. I know it's hard. Oh also nice LR and starfish.

Thanks I think :thinking: Resisting the urge to buy is hard for most people. No one likes to watch a empty tank.
And since were talking about age Oak, I am old enough to be your father! So brush your teeth and go to bed!