Wow people get pissed so easy, new comers always make mistakes its no big deal. Most likely you will take a few losses with your fish till your more experienced, it sucks to lose fish but we have all done it. I would say go with easy to care for low maintenance fish and take everyones advice into consideration. Your tank is very young and will have many problems but that is how most of us have learned.
How many fish
- Thread starter meagheavz
- Start date
- Location
- Jamaica, Queens
Thanks NSIEGEL5,
This person is a newbie:biglaugh: We've all been there before. A little anxious but with good intentions! Your tank needs time to mature. This hobby demands patience. Like others have said take it slow and get to know the fish in your tank. Keep coming with the questions because the responses are usually very insightful and helpful. Your fellow MRers have valuable experience. We all want the best for you and your tanks inhabitants. Welcome to MR:wink1:
Good Luck
This person is a newbie:biglaugh: We've all been there before. A little anxious but with good intentions! Your tank needs time to mature. This hobby demands patience. Like others have said take it slow and get to know the fish in your tank. Keep coming with the questions because the responses are usually very insightful and helpful. Your fellow MRers have valuable experience. We all want the best for you and your tanks inhabitants. Welcome to MR:wink1:
Good Luck
- Location
- Huntington
tangs don't belong in anything smaller than a 150 and recommending them for anything less is irresponsible. If you have ever seen a full grown tang of any kind you wouldn't dream of cramming them in a small tank, most of them grow to over a foot. Take your time and research the fish you may want and then do some more research. Reading up and looking for info online will save you time, heart ache, and money in this hobby. Stock your tank responsibly. Only add what can live it's entire life in your tank comfortably.
nsiegel- What is upsetting here is not that newbies make mistakes. It is the type of mistake being made that results in death of fish when they shouldn't be in the tank in the first place since it isn't finished cycling.
If you read through the numerous threads that Megaheavz has posted you will see that it has been stated that this tank was 2 weeks, maybe 3 weeks, maybe 4 weeks..and then changed to being 6 weeks old.
'We' have not all killed fish due to inexperience.
From what I have seen here on MR the majority of responsible reefkeepers here have learned by asking questions prior to making further mistakes...or any mistakes...and have immediately corrected any condition that might place their livestock in a deadly environment.
OK, please do not depend on your lfs. LFS are notorious for giving bad advice. I'll start over.
1)You started your tank August 9,2007. Is this correct?
2) How did you put together your setup?
A) Did you use tap water or RODI water?
B) What type of substrate did you put in?
C) Did you put live rock in your tank?
D) Where did you get the lr?
E) Have you kept a record of your parameters from when you started until now?
Can you please answer these questions for us, so that we can better help you?
1)You started your tank August 9,2007. Is this correct?
2) How did you put together your setup?
A) Did you use tap water or RODI water?
B) What type of substrate did you put in?
C) Did you put live rock in your tank?
D) Where did you get the lr?
E) Have you kept a record of your parameters from when you started until now?
Can you please answer these questions for us, so that we can better help you?
Awi I spoke to Meg 2 weeks ago and it seems that she had initially used cycled water that had come from an allready established tank. So with that factored into the scenario it should change the impression that was given in this thread.
As far as I understand, that tank was started on Aug 9th, using precycled water from an allready existing tank. the live rock wasnt all added at once, but it was added before any fish had came in contact with the water. Meg seems to be using a new Tom's Aquatic hybrid sump/wet dry system that utilizes Bio balls in a 3 stage canister type filtration method with a built in skimmer. I recommended the removal of the bio balls if she planned on attempting a reef (due to their Nitrate factory qualities)
Meg had put in Carib sea Aragonite sand with LR that was purchased at the LFS (allready cured). Sorry to answer all your questions for ya Meg, but the MR family needs to know all the juicy details if we are going to help.
Dj, thanks for clarifying for Meg. Perhaps your answers will show Meg, what it is that we are asking her. And therefore help her to better understand what we are asking.
Meg, we need the numbers not a pic of your test tubes. Pics of the test tubes doesn't mean much, it looks like your using a test kit that is both for fresh water & salt water. I'm not so sure they are all that reliable.
Glad to hear you used water from an established tank. I see that you got cured lr from an lfs. When I first stated my tanks many years ago, no one told me that lfs lr although cured would still go through a cycle. Actually the lfs told me I could start adding fish immediately, they even sold me a Coral Beauty Angel fish for my first tank. Now that I know better through searching, and trial & error I know that that was absolutely wrong. For instance angel fish require a well established tank with EXCELLENT water conditions. I can't begin to tell you all the mistakes I made going by what two lfs were telling me just to sell me their products & animals. I didn't have access to the internet, nor good books. The library didn't have much on salt water. I knew a great deal about the fw & bw world since I had been keeping those for over 20 years before I dove into sw. But had very little knowledge, or better yet in retrospect I had none. Consequently I ended up killing many animals. Upto this day I feel terrible about that! I never thought it was funny. The death of an animal is not to be taken lightly. We all have had losses, and I would dare say the majority felt awful behind this. It is not the loss of money that is so disconserting, it is the actual thought that I killed a living animal. I'm getting to lengthy here, sorry.
Know even though you did start your tank with established water, and cured lr you still need to take it slow.
Dj answered some of the questions I asked you, and that is good. Know I would like you to answer the rest, most importantly the water parameters. Do you happen to remember what your numbers were the first time you tested? And the numbers after that along with the time span?
By the way I see you have a 6 line wrasse in your tank. Is your tank tightly covered? Wrasse are jumpers, and some how find the smallest opening.
Meg, we need the numbers not a pic of your test tubes. Pics of the test tubes doesn't mean much, it looks like your using a test kit that is both for fresh water & salt water. I'm not so sure they are all that reliable.
Glad to hear you used water from an established tank. I see that you got cured lr from an lfs. When I first stated my tanks many years ago, no one told me that lfs lr although cured would still go through a cycle. Actually the lfs told me I could start adding fish immediately, they even sold me a Coral Beauty Angel fish for my first tank. Now that I know better through searching, and trial & error I know that that was absolutely wrong. For instance angel fish require a well established tank with EXCELLENT water conditions. I can't begin to tell you all the mistakes I made going by what two lfs were telling me just to sell me their products & animals. I didn't have access to the internet, nor good books. The library didn't have much on salt water. I knew a great deal about the fw & bw world since I had been keeping those for over 20 years before I dove into sw. But had very little knowledge, or better yet in retrospect I had none. Consequently I ended up killing many animals. Upto this day I feel terrible about that! I never thought it was funny. The death of an animal is not to be taken lightly. We all have had losses, and I would dare say the majority felt awful behind this. It is not the loss of money that is so disconserting, it is the actual thought that I killed a living animal. I'm getting to lengthy here, sorry.
Know even though you did start your tank with established water, and cured lr you still need to take it slow.
Dj answered some of the questions I asked you, and that is good. Know I would like you to answer the rest, most importantly the water parameters. Do you happen to remember what your numbers were the first time you tested? And the numbers after that along with the time span?
By the way I see you have a 6 line wrasse in your tank. Is your tank tightly covered? Wrasse are jumpers, and some how find the smallest opening.
your tests look good.
I would suggest a better brand test kit when these run out. The p.h. is fine but if you want a more accurate nitrate look into a better brand like salifert, don't go cheap when buying calcium test kit. Are you using tap water for your top off or water changes? I ask because it looks like a little cyno aka red slime is starting to show. Don't freak out just get some phosphate remover (like phosban) and use an r.o. unit, tap water DI filter, or at least use distilled water.
hope this helps
I would suggest a better brand test kit when these run out. The p.h. is fine but if you want a more accurate nitrate look into a better brand like salifert, don't go cheap when buying calcium test kit. Are you using tap water for your top off or water changes? I ask because it looks like a little cyno aka red slime is starting to show. Don't freak out just get some phosphate remover (like phosban) and use an r.o. unit, tap water DI filter, or at least use distilled water.
hope this helps
i didnt pop the fish in right away i waited a few weeks..i would like to to say the first time i tested the way.. the reading were ammo .50 or 1--- nitrite .25 or .50 maybe even 1 nitrate was 10..now they are all 0..i have a ocean master...im trying to use my api test kit up that i hav from my fw..it only comes with the basic testing ..wut else should i buy... i have a glass cover..she kinds in the rocks alot..she been comming out more
Meg, I know. I got just about all the answers from Ryan.
And now you answered the other one that I was concerned with. I have to say, Great job, very few people get 0 straight across the board. Not even I!Most people here use Salifert test kits, I use Hagen test kits except for my alkalinity. I had bought a salifert calcium, and cross referenced with my Hagen calcium kit, and got the same readings. I use salifert for alkalinity.
Two of my tanks do not have glass covers(155g reef & 20g reef) do not have glass covers. But 120g fowlr does have a glass cover. People here do not like to use them because they feel they inhibit gas exchange. I personally do not find them to be a problem.
Meg, I don't know what you are trying to say here; "she kinds in the rocks alot........she been comming out more". Can you elaborate please?
lol my spelling sucks....i meant she hides...she still runs when i come up to the tank..well i think i hav all 0 cuz i have bio balls, some poeple said to get rid of them and few other said to keep a eye on them and clean them.. im using a glass cover becuz i hav a wild cat, had her since she was a kitten..she likes to watch the fish but i didnt want to chance it...i pretty much but the sw tank together and didnt pay much attention to it. i was trying to unF my fw tank...sw water i just made sure the test were ok and the salt and the heat
I assume she is a fish in your tank. BioBalls, well you already answered your own question there my dear. I took the bioballs out of my fowlr, and it made no difference. I'm just going to have to get a phosban reactor for that tank as well.
BioBalls, well you already answered your own question there my dear. I took the bioballs out of my fowlr, and it made no difference. I'm just going to have to get a phosban reactor for that tank as well.Hope this helps to answer your question. But it looks like you have no need for any other equipment to maintain your para. Your at zero straight across the board. Lets see what happens when have your tank totally stocked.
PhosBan Reactor 150™ The PhosBan Reactor 150 is designed with the upflow principle to achieve the most efficient use of PhosBan? or other chemical filter media. By pushing water from the bottom upward through a dispersion plate, it forces an even distribution of water through the media, and prevents channeling. It can be mounted hanging on the back of the aquarium or below the aquarium. Hose barb connections are for 1/2 inch i.d. tubing. Includes 1/2 inch barbed ball valve for flow control, and hose clamps. Recommended flow rate is 80 to 90 gallons per hour.
PhosBan Reactor 150™ The PhosBan Reactor 150 is designed with the upflow principle to achieve the most efficient use of PhosBan? or other chemical filter media. By pushing water from the bottom upward through a dispersion plate, it forces an even distribution of water through the media, and prevents channeling. It can be mounted hanging on the back of the aquarium or below the aquarium. Hose barb connections are for 1/2 inch i.d. tubing. Includes 1/2 inch barbed ball valve for flow control, and hose clamps. Recommended flow rate is 80 to 90 gallons per hour.
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