Whisk's Aquapod 24g journal

spanko

spanko

Active Member
Very nice start. Since you know there is a crab in there I would get a pc. of uncooked shrimp and put it in there. Then monitor daily the ammonia and nitrites to see what kind of spike you get. The shrimp will also entice the crab to come out so you can see him. When looking at night with the flashlight, get a pc. of red cloth or a red filter to put over the light. The critters will come out and not run for the hills.
You have a lot of mushrooms there, and they will proliferate and spread quickly once the cycle is done. Keep an eye on things as they will take over a tank easily.
Again very nice start.!.!
 
whisk

whisk

Active Member
thanks Spanko, i will try that out. Your help is appreciated as always and very encouraging. Thanks!
 
subielover

subielover

Active Member
Are you still testing with test strips or do you have the liquid tests as well? You would be better served having the liquid, if you don't have them. They are much more accurate than test strips, kind of like the difference between a hydrometer and a refractometer.
 
whisk

whisk

Active Member
Originally Posted by subielover
http:///forum/post/2827605
Are you still testing with test strips or do you have the liquid tests as well? You would be better served having the liquid, if you don't have them. They are much more accurate than test strips, kind of like the difference between a hydrometer and a refractometer.
On Sunday i was using test strips that my co-worker gave me until my liquid test kit arrived. The latest testing results i posted today were from the liquid test kit.
I also put the bag of chemipure elite in tonight. Halfway putting it in I notice black crap coming out of the bag and then I realized I forgot to freak'n rinse it first. It clouded the tank as if someone took a dump in it. Luckily I pulled it out before fully submerging it and rinsed it. The water is starting to clear up, but boy, was I pissed!

Anyways, the raw shrimp is in the tank, i'll be doing another ammonia and nitrate test tomorrow. How long do I leave the raw shrimp in?
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Test daily leaving the shrimp in until you see the ammonia reach it's highest level then start to come down. When it starts to come back down go ahead and remove, what will be a really stinky, the shrimp. Then let it go testing the ammonia and nitrites until they are zero, do a 20% water change and you will have a cycled tank.
 
subielover

subielover

Active Member
If you have a old stocking lying around you could place the shrimp in the stocking. This way as it decomposes it won't break down and you won't have pieces of rotting shrimp everywhere. FWIW
 
whisk

whisk

Active Member
Thanks for the tips! I hope the ammonia levels that will rise in there wont kill the hitchhikers and mushrooms (and thus create more ammonia).
BTW Spanko, you were dead on about the crab coming out to feast on the shrimp. He's still alive and greedily pulled the shrimp under a rock with him. I was able to pull it out and tie it to a rock, but I might take Subie's advice and put it in a media bag.
Also, i spotted another crab last night as well! it was really small, about the size of my pinky nail, he was very cool.
Thanks again for the help. I'll post some new test results tonight.
 
whisk

whisk

Active Member
Originally Posted by NaNo-NeWb1983
http:///forum/post/2828248
Your so lucky with all the hitchhikers on your rock... I didnt get any :(
I was just praying I got at least one hitchhiker and I got too many! Have you viewed your tank at night after a couple hours when the moonlights turn on? I've seen most of the hitchhikers at night.
That reminds me, I also saw bristle worms, I counted two so far, they were also eating on the raw shrimp. Should I make an effort to get rid of these guys?
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Nope, good detrivores, will help to keep your tank clean like any other clean up crew member
 
whisk

whisk

Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2828258
Nope, good detrivores, will help to keep your tank clean like any other clean up crew member
Alrighty! I just got worried after I saw Nissan's bristleworm trap and he caught like a hundred of them.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
In quantities like that they would be a problem, but if you do the maintenance on your tank and keep nutrients low they will stay in check. Remember things can only proliferate to pests quantities if they have available food sources, otherwise they will die off until thier numbers are equal to the available food.
 
rebelprettyboy

rebelprettyboy

Active Member
Take the Asternias out while u can! My tank has been plauged with them! Ive had at least 300+ in my tank... I was pulling out 25+ at night. They can spread pretty fast!
And the reason I started pulling them out is cuz they delveoped a taste for my zoas and Im still removing them to this day.
But not like I was maybe 3-5 a week. there numbers are limited in my tanK!
 
paintballer768

paintballer768

Active Member
Originally Posted by rebelprettyboy
http:///forum/post/2828271
Take the Asternias out while u can! My tank has been plauged with them! Ive had at least 300+ in my tank... I was pulling out 25+ at night. They can spread pretty fast!
And the reason I started pulling them out is cuz they delveoped a taste for my zoas and Im still removing them to this day.
But not like I was maybe 3-5 a week. there numbers are limited in my tanK!
Yours is the only case Ive seen with that haha. As with all populations, they boom and exhaust all available food and then die down to supportable numbers. The die down shouldnt raise ammonia
 
whisk

whisk

Active Member
Yeah thats something i have debated about the stars...i liked them because it gives me something to look at and enjoy. I keep hearing mixed feelings about them, some people's experience are they dont bother corals and some do. I decided for now since i wont be having corals for awhile that they can stay. If they do become a problem, i'll have to remove them. 300 stars is a scary amount though, I hope i'm making the right choice. If not, its something that comes as a lesson for me as a saltwater aquarist. thanks for your advice Rebel and Spanko.
 
rebelprettyboy

rebelprettyboy

Active Member
Ive been having the LR for about 3+ yrs and just recntly they developed a need for Zoas! Never had a problem with them before.. But soon as I caught one on my armeggedons baby polyp

And everynow and then I catch them on other zoas! Soon as me or my gf see one I get them out!!!
 
whisk

whisk

Active Member
Originally Posted by rebelprettyboy
http:///forum/post/2828285
Ive been having the LR for about 3+ yrs and just recntly they developed a need for Zoas! Never had a problem with them before.. But soon as I caught one on my armeggedons baby polyp

And everynow and then I catch them on other zoas! Soon as me or my gf see one I get them out!!!
Well, i hope you win the battle! good luck dude!
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Looking great Whisk... the best advice I can give to you at this stage is... Patients will pave the road to success. Keep it up.
 
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