Startin up a 24gal AqPod Reef

[paintballer768]

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
HMMMM Ok ok I wont say anything about the fish seeing as though you obviously know.
What I am going to ask you is why are you buffering? What is your water change schedule? And how is your chemistry right after your water change? And lastly how many days after your water change do you notice your calc, and pH dropping off? Whats your Alk?
Yea I know about the fish, its going to be quite tight in there for a while.
I tested my water last time before I did the change (the new water). The pH in there is 7.8 when I get it, and the calcium Ive never tested yet, as I only got the kit a few days ago. My water change schedule I try to keep is a 10 gallon change every week or week and a half.
I havent noticed the calcium drop off before since I said before, I got the test kit 2 days ago. Without calcium added, the water read at 360. I added a capful of calcium yesterday and today it tested at 400.
I dont know my alkalinity, Im going to try to pick up a tester for that, strontium, magnesium, and iodine within the next few days hopefully. I dont know where I would be without holiday money right now

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by paintballer768
Yea I know about the fish, its going to be quite tight in there for a while.
I tested my water last time before I did the change (the new water). The pH in there is 7.8 when I get it, and the calcium Ive never tested yet, as I only got the kit a few days ago. My water change schedule I try to keep is a 10 gallon change every week or week and a half.
I havent noticed the calcium drop off before since I said before, I got the test kit 2 days ago. Without calcium added, the water read at 360. I added a capful of calcium yesterday and today it tested at 400.
I dont know my alkalinity, Im going to try to pick up a tester for that, strontium, magnesium, and iodine within the next few days hopefully. I dont know where I would be without holiday money right now

The reason for me asking is with weekly water changes you shouldnt have to dose anything. And as I am sure you know dont dose anything you dont test for. Im not sure what brand salt you are using but for me Oceanic is the one I have used since I started and I have never had to dose or buffer once. Just an FYI...
PS you may want to aim a ph at the surface of the water to agitate it a bit. This can increase your pH a bit.

 

[paintballer768]

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
The reason for me asking is with weekly water changes you shouldnt have to dose anything. And as I am sure you know dont dose anything you dont test for. Im not sure what brand salt you are using but for me Oceanic is the one I have used since I started and I have never had to dose or buffer once. Just an FYI...
PS you may want to aim a ph at the surface of the water to agitate it a bit. This can increase your pH a bit.
That might be the thing. They have water thats premade I think. Im not sure what it is to be honest, but its saltwater they treat with a few UV sterilizers and RO/DI. I suppose I should mix the water myself. Honestly, Im lazy and would rather spend the few more dollars on the premade.
You said the Oceanic brand and youve never had to dose anything? I will see if my LFS has it and I might then start mixing. Im just afraid Ill get lazy is all.

 

[new2salt1]

Paint - Im a little disappointed buddy. You seem to spend a lot of time learning about this hobby, but you still have not changed over to mixing your own salt? And you are topping off with distilled water?
I GUARANTEE that is your problem. That is where your phosphates are coming from (guaranteed), and since the LFS is using the lowest quality salt they can get away with, that is where your low PH is coming from, and that is why your fish are dying.
Have you had your LFS water tested? If your LFS is like most, they use the RO/DI membranes about 6 months longer than they should, which is why I chose to get my own RO/DI kit.
Think about all the expensive/fragile things you are putting in your tank. Their LIFEBLOOD is the WATER. I hate to be harsh, but there is NO ROOM for LAZINESS in keeping SW aquariums. ESPECIALLY SMALL ONES.

 

[new2salt1]

I agree with PD. I use Tropic Marin and I dont have to dose anything.
Premade saltwater! Paint, you are striving to "control" this tank, but you give total control of the most important element (saltwater source) to some stranger? DO you own a hydrometer? What do you do when you have evaporation? How do you control the salinity?
I can tell you right now. If I couldn't control the water source and the salinity level, I would not be in this hobby. Adding bad water is like...
...It's like getting a haircut, wearing cologne, and buying a 70K Mercedes so you can attract the girl of your dreams, but forgetting to pull your pants down when you take a dump.

Yes, everything looks pretty and calculated on the outside, but NOTHING you do will work if you have a load of dump in your pants when you go to ask the girl out.

How could people skimp on WATER quality??? It's like being a farmer, getting the best seeds, fertilizer, and workers, and then using dirt and gravel from the side of the highway to plant your crops.
Ok, enough with the silly illustrations. If you dont get the point after all that, Im afraid you are a lost cause, and so are the poor dying fish.

 

[paintballer768]

Yea I get it. Once I get paid Ill get a powerhead and start using one of the brands of salt listed here. How often do you find yourselves going and buying a new package of salt? Because I know it can get pricey spending 20$ on mixing equipment every time. I havent tested the LFS water besides doing ammo, trites, trates, pH, and calcium. Its about time I started mixing my own anyways.
My only concern is the funds for salt every time I need to do water. For a 10 gallon change, do you all find yourself using a whole package of the salt or just a bit?

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by paintballer768
Yea I get it. Once I get paid Ill get a powerhead and start using one of the brands of salt listed here. How often do you find yourselves going and buying a new package of salt? Because I know it can get pricey spending 20$ on mixing equipment every time. I havent tested the LFS water besides doing ammo, trites, trates, pH, and calcium. Its about time I started mixing my own anyways.
My only concern is the funds for salt every time I need to do water. For a 10 gallon change, do you all find yourself using a whole package of the salt or just a bit?
In March of 07 I bought a 5 gal container of Oceanic salt for $65.00 I still have about 1" of it left at the bottom of my bucket. Mostly because my LFS is rather upscale I know them well, and I can practically go in the back and get my own water. They run a TDS meter on their RO/DO water all the time and they often sell salt water premixed, they use the same brand I do, and they will mix it to 1.025 for me. But a 5 gal container will mix approx 200 gals of SW @ 1.020 so for the sake of argument call it 180 gals @ 1.025. thats about $ 3.61 a week for salt. And I just bought a 5 gal container of oceanic for $39.00 thats cheap they were having a sale.

 

[paintballer768]

Ok so thats not very bad at all. The last salt, when I first filled the tank, must have been a small size because I used it all. Thanks for those figures, I really dont mind spending that little per week on water to make sure that the water will be perfect. It makes up for itself in supplement costs.
Then I assure you all that I will be picking up some Oceanic Salt brand salt, RO/DI water, and a powerhead next time I go down there. Ya'll sold me on it, and for the sake of my guys in there I dont have a problem with it.
I dont know your opinions are on this, but its actually fun working on the tank watching the success. This hobby is fun!! Haha
My CBA has been looking around the rocks today for some algae and found some red macro that I never even noticed before, which he proceeded to knock out. I got some lettuce on a clip (the marine-safe kind) for him and he picks at it. He has not touched the corals, so I have a keeper!

 

[paintballer768]

Gentlemen and women, I have achieved the impossible. I convinced my mom to let my dad get a 55 gallon tank, since we had one before we moved and he had to tear it down. Im already speculating what kind of goodies we could put in there

.
Im going to suggest to him we make it a reef, since he mostly likes the peaceful fish anyways. AHH I cant wait haha.
On another note, Im going to be going back down to the LFS in a few days to get my mixing equipment. My CBA gobbles up flakes, and I would have never guessed it. Both are doing great and healthy.

 

[paintballer768]

Updated pictures. My plans for the future is to move the ricordea rock to the right side of the tank, kind of where it is now but mirrored, and replace its current spot with that of a hammer coral or bubble coral. Should be good. Feedback on plans and picture? Thanks everyone

 

[peef]

Looking very good. One thing when you switch your water...Ask your LFS if they use synthetic or natural salt. You CANNOT switch between the two (or so I have been told) and that if you try it will pretty much guaruntee death to all tank inhabitants. So if they use synthetic you are stuck with sythetic and vise versa. Also you said you are doing a 10g a week change. That is quite alot, like 50% a week. Doing that much that often can cause huge swings in stuff like O2 levels and such depending on how long water was mixed etc etc. Also if you are getting it pre-mixed and not testing every little thing with it before you put it in it could be causing huge swings of many other things you are not aware of. I am not burning you here at all, just looking out! I would only recommend doing about 5g a week which puts you right at 20% which is great for all your trace elements and it makes it easier on you and your tank. Also do make sure when you are mixing your own water you let it mix for at least 24 hours with a power head. I use an airstone and two PH in my bucket. After you mix (especially if you use an airstone) let it sit for a few hours and then change away.

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by peef
Looking very good. One thing when you switch your water...Ask your LFS if they use synthetic or natural salt. You CANNOT switch between the two (or so I have been told) and that if you try it will pretty much guaruntee death to all tank inhabitants. So if they use synthetic you are stuck with sythetic and vise versa. Also you said you are doing a 10g a week change. That is quite alot, like 50% a week. Doing that much that often can cause huge swings in stuff like O2 levels and such depending on how long water was mixed etc etc. Also if you are getting it pre-mixed and not testing every little thing with it before you put it in it could be causing huge swings of many other things you are not aware of. I am not burning you here at all, just looking out! I would only recommend doing about 5g a week which puts you right at 20% which is great for all your trace elements and it makes it easier on you and your tank. Also do make sure when you are mixing your own water you let it mix for at least 24 hours with a power head. I use an airstone and two PH in my bucket. After you mix (especially if you use an airstone) let it sit for a few hours and then change away.
+1

I agree with everything here.. the only thing I would add IMO is the airstone. I would nix it altogether, when using power heads I dont see the need for one. You are going to accomplish a stable pH with the use of powerheads. And over the course of the 24 hours (longer is better) you will establish and equilbrium between carbon dioxide and oxygen exchange by using the power heads, which is your goal and why its recomended to airate with PH's for at least a day. If anything an airstone can actually lower your pH over time.

 

[paintballer768]

Ah ok. Thank you for that information peef, I had no idea I couldnt switch between the two. I will definitely make sure to ask, and if they use natural salt, am I stuck using the same water I currently do changes with? Do they have salt mixes that are natural?
And concerning the water change amount, I see what your saying about the huge change that could be occurring. Thats one factor that I hadnt thought of before.

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by paintballer768
Ah ok. Thank you for that information peef, I had no idea I couldnt switch between the two. I will definitely make sure to ask, and if they use natural salt, am I stuck using the same water I currently do changes with? Do they have salt mixes that are natural?
And concerning the water change amount, I see what your saying about the huge change that could be occurring. Thats one factor that I hadnt thought of before.
FYI I retract about everything 100% there is no evidence to support the statment about not mixing synthetic sea salt and natural sea salt. I saw the thread peef is refering too. (I think) unless he has other information (I am all ears by all means). And after researching this myself I have found no evidence to support that statment (yet).

 

[peef]

I hope you are correct I havn't had the time to do my own research on the matter yet. You are looking at the same thread that I read I am sure. It sounded resonable to me from an experienced reefer so I threw it out there. I have actually been looking for material on this for like the past hour to no avail. Still so far I like to practise better safe than sorry. So I will keep searching and let yah know if I find any concrete evidense either way!
woooooo another new page!

 

[paintballer768]

Yea great! I do know that when I first filled the tank, I mixed my tank with synthetic salt. Now Im pretty sure its natural salt, but I will check for sure.
Theres going to be differences between the two types of salts, and Im not sure if over a period of time, it affects the water condition or produces anything lethal to livestock when mixed. Ill google it and see if I can find anything to say whether to or not to.

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by paintballer768
Yea great! I do know that when I first filled the tank, I mixed my tank with synthetic salt. Now Im pretty sure its natural salt, but I will check for sure.
Theres going to be differences between the two types of salts, and Im not sure if over a period of time, it affects the water condition or produces anything lethal to livestock when mixed. Ill google it and see if I can find anything to say whether to or not to.
No it does not I have researched this for about 4 hours now. There are lots of pros and cons to using natural sea water in lieu of synthetic and although natural is more preferred, finding a prerfered source is extremly hard and often not practical. Thus resulting in the need to filter and treat days to weeks before use. Therefore synthetic salt is where most hobbiest seem to conclude to. As for pre packaged natural sea salt other than the amount of trace elements in its make up compared to what your currently using there is no issue with changing out types. Although going about it slowly through a series of water changes is recomended.

 

[paintballer768]

Yea, it seems logical that even though we dont know for sure, and there shouldnt be that big a difference, small water changes to allow getting-used-to time is best. So it seems like Ill be buying synthetic (Oceanic or Tropic-Marin brand) salt for mixing. Ill prepare it at least a day in advance with powerheads. I think I remembered most of it?

 

[peef]

That is nice to know. I basically found the same info that PD found. So yay for no mass death to the tank syndrome! Yeah you remembered pretty much everything, just try to get the new water as close to the old water as possible. temp/sal/PH/cal/alk...the alk and cal should be pretty much balanced by the salt so if you measure your amount added well it should be great! I do 1/2 cup salt per 1g of water.

 

[paintballer768]

Ok Ill keep that in mind. I want to get some nassarius snails soon since my sandbed is starting to look pretty rancid with no goby to eat it all. Nothing had changed in the tank at all, except the shrimp is a molting-machine and the fish are surprisingly getting along well. Coral beauty takes up turf around most of the rocks and the back, and my clown just isnt very smart but he can be found swimming against current most of the time or sleeping near the surface on the back wall haha.