J
jstdv8
Guest
^^^ What she said
suggestion
- Thread starter trotsky123
- Start date
trotsky123
Member
Wow! Thank you very much for the suggestion. I actually copy/pasted it our of here so I can reference 
Just to answer few questions
- I have no idea what kind of sand it is - I bought it in my LFS specifically for the saltwater aquarium - these guys wouldn't sell me garbage.
- Hydrometer is the swing arm - I do check it on several surfaces - dining table, kitchen counter, other surface every time I do the checks.
- How do I tackle poor oxygenation?
- I never heard of carbon???
- Fish did come from few stores
- I will get more live rock for sure
- Pls let me know on the proper acclimation process. Someone gave me a video and I tried to replicate it but you need PhD to figure that out
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
I have 2.5 gallon tank - can I put my crabs/snails there for now as I can empty out like almost all of the tank (unless you tell me to dump ALL the water). Also, if I do get a new tank - should I use ANY of the existing water to start the process OR have to start from scratch?
Just to answer few questions
- I have no idea what kind of sand it is - I bought it in my LFS specifically for the saltwater aquarium - these guys wouldn't sell me garbage.
- Hydrometer is the swing arm - I do check it on several surfaces - dining table, kitchen counter, other surface every time I do the checks.
- How do I tackle poor oxygenation?
- I never heard of carbon???
- Fish did come from few stores
- I will get more live rock for sure
- Pls let me know on the proper acclimation process. Someone gave me a video and I tried to replicate it but you need PhD to figure that out
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
I have 2.5 gallon tank - can I put my crabs/snails there for now as I can empty out like almost all of the tank (unless you tell me to dump ALL the water). Also, if I do get a new tank - should I use ANY of the existing water to start the process OR have to start from scratch?
btldreef
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trotsky123 http:///forum/thread/383443/suggestion/20#post_3354383
Wow! Thank you very much for the suggestion. I actually copy/pasted it our of here so I can reference
Just to answer few questions
- I have no idea what kind of sand it is - I bought it in my LFS specifically for the saltwater aquarium - these guys wouldn't sell me garbage. Probably just your generic sand for saltwater tanks. Do you remember if it was dry or wet?
- Hydrometer is the swing arm - I do check it on several surfaces - dining table, kitchen counter, other surface every time I do the checks. It's not so much about checking swing arms on different surfaces as it is that they are highly inaccurate most of the time, and wear out over time, especially when not properly washed out after each use. I would invest in a refractometer, they're only about $40-50 for a good one and well worth the investment. I've had swing arms that read perfect for a few months, and even with being rinsed after each use, just go bad over time. The one I have now has been the most consistent, but it reads .003 off.
- How do I tackle poor oxygenation? More surface agitation. This is usually accomplisehd by aiming a powerhead near the surface. You want the surface of your water to look like a pot of boiling water.
- I never heard of carbon??? Look into Chemi Pure Elite. Carbon will help your water quality, which you don't have an issue with, but it's a safety measure. Carbon will help remove any toxens in the water, etc. Many people, myself included, will not run a reef without carbon.
- Fish did come from few stores Well, we have ruled out that possibility. This would have been so easy :-(
- I will get more live rock for sure Sounds good. Make sure it's LIVE ROCK and no deco rock. Many decoration rocks that can go in a freshwater tank and very, very bad for a saltwater tank and can leach minerals and metals into the water.
- Pls let me know on the proper acclimation process. Someone gave me a video and I tried to replicate it but you need PhD to figure that out There are a few methods:
Drip acclimation: Place fish in bucket with water in the bag that he came in. Sometimes this isn't enough water for a bucket, so you might have to tilt it on an angel so that the fish has enough water. Use airline tubing and tie a not in one end. Start siphoning water from your main tank with the tubing, ideally you want a drip rate of one-two drips per second. As the bucket fills up, remove some of the water (removing the cr@ppy LFS water is the key here) and continue to fill. I do this method for about 2 hours. Keep an eye out for temperature changes in the bucket, it can get cold fast. I use a Coralife Digital Thermometer (they cost $7) and keep it in the bucket so I can keep an eye on the temp. If I'm acclimating on a colder day or my house is cooler, I take a heat pad meant for my back and wrap it around the bottom on the bucket.
Floating bag method (I don't recommend, but people do it, and even I'm guilty of it on occasion): Float the bag with the fish in the tank. With a turkey baster (or something similar) remove some of the water in the bag (again, we're trying to get rid of the cr@ppy LFS water) and discard and replace with some tank water. Keep doing this (usually for an hour or two) until you are positive that there is very little of the original stores water in the bag. You need to remove and add water in small amounts so that there is no shock to the fish (higher salinity, pH difference, etc). Turn lights off and release the fish.
It's best to add a new fish with lights off AFTER you've just fed the tank. The inhabitants will be less likely to pick on a new fish if it's dark and they're bellies are full.
People do have other methods of acclimation and variations on the two processes that I listed, but these are what I have tried that work well. Drip acclimation really can be a PITA, but it's worth it, especially with sensitive fish and shrimp.
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
I have 2.5 gallon tank - can I put my crabs/snails there for now as I can empty out like almost all of the tank (unless you tell me to dump ALL the water). Also, if I do get a new tank - should I use ANY of the existing water to start the process OR have to start from scratch? Move the crabs and snails if you're going to recycle the tank/add uncured live rock. Empty out as much water as you can without disturbing the sand bed. The more the sand bed is disturbed, the more likely you are to have an ammonia spike and your water will get cloudy.
If you do end up getting a new tank, moving existing tank water will NOT help start the process. Very little beneficial bacteria is held in the water column. If you get a new tank, it will need to cycle regardless, so new water.
SIDE NOTE: How old are your test kits? If you can, I would invest in a SeaChem Nitrite/Nitrate combo test. IMO they're much more accurate than API tests. All other test kits, I prefer Salifert.
I'm just curious as to what suggestions you were getting on other forums as to what to do with your tank?
Originally Posted by Trotsky123 http:///forum/thread/383443/suggestion/20#post_3354383
Wow! Thank you very much for the suggestion. I actually copy/pasted it our of here so I can reference
Just to answer few questions
- I have no idea what kind of sand it is - I bought it in my LFS specifically for the saltwater aquarium - these guys wouldn't sell me garbage. Probably just your generic sand for saltwater tanks. Do you remember if it was dry or wet?
- Hydrometer is the swing arm - I do check it on several surfaces - dining table, kitchen counter, other surface every time I do the checks. It's not so much about checking swing arms on different surfaces as it is that they are highly inaccurate most of the time, and wear out over time, especially when not properly washed out after each use. I would invest in a refractometer, they're only about $40-50 for a good one and well worth the investment. I've had swing arms that read perfect for a few months, and even with being rinsed after each use, just go bad over time. The one I have now has been the most consistent, but it reads .003 off.
- How do I tackle poor oxygenation? More surface agitation. This is usually accomplisehd by aiming a powerhead near the surface. You want the surface of your water to look like a pot of boiling water.
- I never heard of carbon??? Look into Chemi Pure Elite. Carbon will help your water quality, which you don't have an issue with, but it's a safety measure. Carbon will help remove any toxens in the water, etc. Many people, myself included, will not run a reef without carbon.
- Fish did come from few stores Well, we have ruled out that possibility. This would have been so easy :-(
- I will get more live rock for sure Sounds good. Make sure it's LIVE ROCK and no deco rock. Many decoration rocks that can go in a freshwater tank and very, very bad for a saltwater tank and can leach minerals and metals into the water.
- Pls let me know on the proper acclimation process. Someone gave me a video and I tried to replicate it but you need PhD to figure that out There are a few methods:
Drip acclimation: Place fish in bucket with water in the bag that he came in. Sometimes this isn't enough water for a bucket, so you might have to tilt it on an angel so that the fish has enough water. Use airline tubing and tie a not in one end. Start siphoning water from your main tank with the tubing, ideally you want a drip rate of one-two drips per second. As the bucket fills up, remove some of the water (removing the cr@ppy LFS water is the key here) and continue to fill. I do this method for about 2 hours. Keep an eye out for temperature changes in the bucket, it can get cold fast. I use a Coralife Digital Thermometer (they cost $7) and keep it in the bucket so I can keep an eye on the temp. If I'm acclimating on a colder day or my house is cooler, I take a heat pad meant for my back and wrap it around the bottom on the bucket.
Floating bag method (I don't recommend, but people do it, and even I'm guilty of it on occasion): Float the bag with the fish in the tank. With a turkey baster (or something similar) remove some of the water in the bag (again, we're trying to get rid of the cr@ppy LFS water) and discard and replace with some tank water. Keep doing this (usually for an hour or two) until you are positive that there is very little of the original stores water in the bag. You need to remove and add water in small amounts so that there is no shock to the fish (higher salinity, pH difference, etc). Turn lights off and release the fish.
It's best to add a new fish with lights off AFTER you've just fed the tank. The inhabitants will be less likely to pick on a new fish if it's dark and they're bellies are full.
People do have other methods of acclimation and variations on the two processes that I listed, but these are what I have tried that work well. Drip acclimation really can be a PITA, but it's worth it, especially with sensitive fish and shrimp.
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
I have 2.5 gallon tank - can I put my crabs/snails there for now as I can empty out like almost all of the tank (unless you tell me to dump ALL the water). Also, if I do get a new tank - should I use ANY of the existing water to start the process OR have to start from scratch? Move the crabs and snails if you're going to recycle the tank/add uncured live rock. Empty out as much water as you can without disturbing the sand bed. The more the sand bed is disturbed, the more likely you are to have an ammonia spike and your water will get cloudy.
If you do end up getting a new tank, moving existing tank water will NOT help start the process. Very little beneficial bacteria is held in the water column. If you get a new tank, it will need to cycle regardless, so new water.
SIDE NOTE: How old are your test kits? If you can, I would invest in a SeaChem Nitrite/Nitrate combo test. IMO they're much more accurate than API tests. All other test kits, I prefer Salifert.
I'm just curious as to what suggestions you were getting on other forums as to what to do with your tank?
trotsky123
Member
WOW!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I will have this printed and will follow it
I do get the suggestions only on this forum although saw some other ones as well.
So far I got good suggestions on how to start it from scratch and get the water to the perfect levels.
But not why my clowns kept dying......
Thank you AGAIN!!!
I do get the suggestions only on this forum although saw some other ones as well.
So far I got good suggestions on how to start it from scratch and get the water to the perfect levels.
But not why my clowns kept dying......
Thank you AGAIN!!!
btldreef
Moderator
I really think the clowns were dying do to poor flow/oxygenation of the water and acclimation issues. But we'll see. This tank is totally workable, just might need to start over a little.
My internet is giving me a lot of issues with the snow storm we're getting so I might not be on too much more today.
My internet is giving me a lot of issues with the snow storm we're getting so I might not be on too much more today.