Total Newbie Mistake!!

briandg

briandg

Member
Well I'm really bummed. I got my first order online today, it consisted of my inverts and two Clowns. All my readings were perfect, I've waited a long time to make sure of it. I acclimated everything for two hours, then moved them to my tank. Everything survived and looked great!!! My clowns were eating and everything. I went back in to check on them a little while ago, and all my snails and crabs were doing great, but I only saw one Clown. I looked and looked, but couldn't find the other one. I knew he couldn't have jumped, because he was too small. Finally, I looked under one of my powerheads, and he had been sucked up!!! I never put the filter or guard or whatever it is on the bottom of my powerheads. STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!!!!
Oh well, I guees you live and learn.
 
briandg

briandg

Member
Originally Posted by hot883
Sorry to hear that. Never good losing a fish, IT happens.

Thanks, I wouldn't mind it so much if I had done everything right and it happened, but in hindsight, that was just plain dumb of me. At least I found him and fixed the problem before it happened to the other one too I guess :).
 
uberlink

uberlink

Active Member
So sorry. And I know the feeling. It's awful when you lose something to a preventable mishap like that.
 
kogle

kogle

Member
Go a step further than putting the guard on your powerheads and invest in some sponge covers for the inlet on your powerheads. It will be the best $10 you spend this week...
 
symon

symon

Member
Now that's a great idea, I put these sponges on all my power heads because of an anomine (sp) I had that got sucked up while it was wandering! Live and Learn i always say! Got the scars to prove it! :hilarious
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
You know I kept sponge guards on my main powerhead for some time but just got sick and tired of how fast it collected dirt and how often I had to take it out and clean it. I felt the current underneath it and my feelings are the fish should be strong enough swimmers not to get sucked in and the damn snails are nearly impossible to move anywhere they dont really want to go. If by change one of my fish do get sucked in I'll just by slightly bigger fish next time.
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
Originally Posted by Stanlalee
You know I kept sponge guards on my main powerhead for some time but just got sick and tired of how fast it collected dirt and how often I had to take it out and clean it. I felt the current underneath it and my feelings are the fish should be strong enough swimmers not to get sucked in and the damn snails are nearly impossible to move anywhere they dont really want to go. If by change one of my fish do get sucked in I'll just by slightly bigger fish next time.

I have sponges on my filter intakes and my cleaner shrimp keep them nice and clean.
 
cain420

cain420

Active Member
Originally Posted by KOgle
Go a step further than putting the guard on your powerheads and invest in some sponge covers for the inlet on your powerheads. It will be the best $10 you spend this week...
this method will reduce the waterflow generated by the powerheads, therefore decreasing your turnover.. might want to add another powerhead to conpensate...
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
I know how you feel. My newbie mistake was adding a clarkii clown to "cycle" the tank.
I think that's why I'm so hard on other people that use fish to cycle, I know their is a good chance that the fish will die.
 
seahorse11

seahorse11

Member
Thanks Brian, I am going to take your mishap and prevent it from happening to me. I have 2 Maxi Jet 900 powerheads and an Aquaclear 110, both which are pretty powerful. I didnt even think of putting anything over the intakes. I never heard of sponge covers, can those be bought at any LFS. Are they all one size?
Thanks.
 
pfitz44

pfitz44

Active Member
Yup.. you can get them at a LFS. I know TI around here has them, dont know about fintastic.. but im sure they must
 
seahorse11

seahorse11

Member
Hey Fitz, TI is in framingham right? I will check Fintastic for the sponge covers. They sound like an essential part of the tank setup. Did you go to FF thursday and did you get any LR?
 
pfitz44

pfitz44

Active Member
Yup.. its in Framingham.... Nope. I was actually at TI yesterday... picked up sea cucumber and a yellow leather
Hows your tank comming along?
 
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