STEPS

[earl]

O.K HERE GOES.MY SALINITY LEVEL IS 0.19,MY P.H. IS 8.2, I HAVE NO AMMONIA PRESENT MY NITRITES ARE NOT PRESENT.I ALSO HAVE MY NITRATES IN THE NOT DEADLY LEVEL.MY WATER I USE IS TAP WATER WICH I LET SIT UNDER MY TANK FOR DAYS BEFORE I I PUT IT IN SO IT WOULD REMOVE ALL THOSE BAD THINGS ON ITS OWN THE PET STORE SAID THEY DO THIS,I USE INSTANT OCEAN,I DO NOT USE ANY CHEMICALS.I KEEP MY LIGHTS ON 5 HOURS A DAY.PLEASE HELP.

 

[clayton]

What do you want help with?

 

[mgochay]

Originally posted by clayton:
What do you want help with?

funny

My thoughts exactly. lol

 

[porkypuffer]

THE OTHER TWO THAT REPLY ARE CONFUSED BECAUSE THE TWO QUESTIONS YOU ASKED ARE ON DIFFERENT POSTS. I USE AN AMMONIA DETOX IN MY TAP WATER. TAP WATER VARIES FROM ONE AREA TO THE NEXT AND MY NOT BE SUITABLE IN YOUR AREA. WHAT IS THE NITRATE READING? DOES THE AMMONIA RISE WHEN THE FISH ARE FIRST ADDED? WHAT TYPE OF FILTRATION DO YOU USE? WHEN YOU READ THIS AND WANT TO REPLY, JUST SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM AND CLICK ON "REPLY", THAT WILL KEEP YOUR REPLY UNDER THE SAME ORIGINAL POST.

 

[earl]

I use an penguin wet dry filtration system.I let the fish store check my nitrite levels an they said they are o.k.Could you tell me just how exactly you care for your tank when you do water changes and what you do when you do them? also if you use an protein skimmer and if I should get one?

 

[porkypuffer]

I USE A PROTIEN SKIMMER, THEY HELP REMOVE WASTE BEFORE THE BIO-FILTER HAS TO DEAL WITH IT, BUT THEY AREN'T A REQUIREMENT. I DO A 20% WATER CHANGE ONCE A MONTH. I HAVE A 55 GAL. WITH 4 MED. SIZE FISH. I CHECK THE PH, SALINITY, AMMONIA, NITRITES, AND NITRATES AFTER EVERY WATER CHANGE. I KEEP THE PH AT 8.3, AMMONIA AND NITRITES ARE ALWAYS 0 AND THE NITRATES STAY AT 40 DUE TO THE WATER I USE WHICH I RESENTLY BOUGHT A TAP WATER PURIFIER. LET YOUR TANK STABLIZE WITH THE FISH YOU HAVE NOW, THEN TRY TO ADD ONE FISH EVERY TWO WEEKS, A QT HELPS IF YOU CAN SET ONE UP. THE TWO WEEKS BETWEEN ADDITIONS SHOULD BE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE IF EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT. NEVER ADD FISH IF YOU HAVE OR SUSPECT ANY DISEASES.

 

[earl]

What kind of skimmer should I get?what kind do you have and how much did it cost?Are they hard to set up?

 

[dennish]

I do not have a Protien Skimmer yet, but I was told this is something, if you buy one, you get what you pay for. So buy a good one.
I also, like Porkypuffer, have a Tap Water Purifier. If you can't afford a few hundred dollars for a full DO/RI unit, this seems to be much better than using regular tap water. You can find it for sale on the web for around $30 but I would recommend you also order a couple replacment cartriges at the same time. I ahvn't owned it long enough to give a full recommendation, but so far I have no problems or complaints, and at least the placebo effect makes me feel better about the water I am putting in for my fish.
-Dennis

 

[porkypuffer]

THE SKIMMER I HAVE IS A CHEEP ONE, $25. IT GOES INSIDE THE TANK AND REQUIRES A LARGE AIR PUMP TO DRIVE IT. THE AIR PUMP DOESN'T COME WITH IT. IT'S NOT TOO ATTACTIVE IN THE TANK, BUT IT DOES THE JOB. SKIMMERS ARE EASY TO SET UP. THEY ETHER GO IN THE TANK, HANG ON THE BACK OR GO IN THE SUMP IF YOU HAVE A WET/DRY FILTER. YOU PRETTY MUCH MOUNT IT AND TURN IT ON. I'VE READ ALOT OF POSTS THAT SAY THE CPR'S ARE GOOD, ABOUT $120. THEY HANG ON THE BACK AND ARE DRIVEN WITH A POWERHEAD THAT I THINK IS INCLUDED.

 

[mainejo1]

I also understand that the most important thing in a protein skimmer is that it is a counter-current type as opposed to co-current. You can buy a counter-current unit ready to go (no air pump needed) for $50. Goes in the tank, but still a good unit for the money.

 

[kris]

I believe the best buy in skimmers is not so much brand but type. Counter current models are not nearly as effective as the venturi ones. I had a tap water purifier once and hated it simply because it took me a week to get enough water out of the dang thing for one water change. As far as procedures for changes goes- there was a big debate at one point on this board about wether or not it was neccesary to let the water sit for days before using. I personally mix it in buckets drop a powerhead in to mix well, check the temp and s.g., and throw it in.
But then I usually do my changes in the middle of the night and would really like to be done before the sun comes up.

 

[purplepuffer]

I have a six gallon tank, and when I had my old fish, I always took all the water out about every month. The petstore told me this was very bad, so I stopped, and thats when my fish died, so, I say that cleaning just 20% doesn't work, but maybe it is because I have a small tank, instead of the bigger kind. And I always just through the water in too.

 

[fishgirl]

Oh no!!!! Is this the tank you're keeping the assorted puffer in???

If so, you'll have to upgrade for him to survive more than the QT period. How big is he??

 

[purplepuffer]

Yes, but my puffer is only about 1 and a half inches long and an inch tall. They told me that it is very hard to keep a saltwater tank this small, but I got a few tips from a guy that used to work at the pet store who also had the same kind of tank. I had my other fish in that size of a tank (Domino, Percula,Yellow-Blue Damesel) for 7 months in that tank until I got another fish that had white-velvet and wiped out the tank before I knew what I had. But if I need to upgrade, then I will, even though I heard that my Puffer won't get any bigger than three inches long, but you might be right, and I bigger tank sounds great to me!!!

 

[porkypuffer]

Originally posted by Purplepuffer:
Yes, but my puffer is only about 1 and a half inches long and an inch tall. They told me that it is very hard to keep a saltwater tank this small, but I got a few tips from a guy that used to work at the pet store who also had the same kind of tank. I had my other fish in that size of a tank (Domino, Percula,Yellow-Blue Damesel) for 7 months in that tank until I got another fish that had white-velvet and wiped out the tank before I knew what I had. But if I need to upgrade, then I will, even though I heard that my Puffer won't get any bigger than three inches long, but you might be right, and I bigger tank sounds great to me!!!
THE REASON WHY YOUR FISH DIED WHEN YOU STOPPED YOUR 100% WATER CHANGES IS THAT YOUR TANK NEVER CYCLED AND THE 100% WATER CHANGE WAS REMOVING THE WASTE THAT NORMALY THE BACTERIA WOULD TAKE CARE OF. WHAT TYPE OF PUFFER IS IT? A PORCUPINE PUFFER GROW TO 8 TO 10 INCHES. A LARGER TANK WOULD REALLY HELP.