I got a good deal from a former tank owner. 75g, crushed coral, internal overflow, trickle filter underneath, with bioballs, the fitlered water goes thru a little pump and uv filter. water pumped back up. i used ro water to fill it, have sea salt, test kits, food, cleaning supplies.
it was grey so i painted it black. the back of the tank has some black glass when i got it.
i got it last weekend.
also got some artificial coral on some rocks from somebody else. it was in a tank that had some live rock also and fish for 6 months i think he said. i plan to add some small live rock to add on either side. and try to replace some of the artificial coral with some real ones over time and slowly build this up.
today i got 4 yellow tail damsels and 2 white and black striped damsels.
questions:
1. just before i got the fish i noticed i could see very tiny tiny air bubbles in the water. all throught the tank. should i turn the valve to let the water coming in down a little? is it ok to have it this way, or bad?
2. i do have a rio 1700 powerhead, also with an adjustible knob, i took it out because i think the water pumping in has enough agitation in the water. should i put the powerhead back in or is there enough water flow with this water coming in?
3. i do not have a protein skimmer. i do not have a true live rock, reef setup, i plan to get one eventually. do i really need one now? i know i prob will in the future. i hear conflicting answers.. some day they dont have one, some do, some say its completly neccisary to have one but only if ur doing a reef. the old owner didnt even have one.
4. water temp.. i dont have a heater or chiller. water stays constant around 78 for the most part. although i know its a bit on the high end. is this ok? if anything it is possible water can get to 80 or 82 in summer.
5. chemical levels, never added anything. ph around 8.2, cionstant, normal to high alk. 0 ammonia, started to see trace nitrate and nitrite but very very light on my scale. almost 0 well below the warning levels. i am doing 10% water changes, i actually did one yesterday. another question is i have 0 for ammonia reading but trace nitrate and nitrite. is this possible? it doenst even turn the very light green for the lowest level when i do my ammonia test.
6. when should i have light on? just when im awake i assume from my reserach.
7. my new fish.. i accimilated them using the bag in water method and adding the half cup every 10 minutes or so, suctioning half out when full repeat adding half cups, suciton almost all out before releasing fish in water. took 2 hours to do this. the 2 striped fish are swimming around, but the behavior of the fish is making me nervous.
first of all the 2 black striped ones are swimming as a pair everywhere they go, and in very twitchy quick moves. after a quick tour to the reef and back, for a while all they did was sit in the corner where i first put them in when i accimilated the tank. but now after a few hours they swim with more seperation and more flowing manner.
the 4 yellow tailed damsels immediatly ran to either the corner or hid in the reef. all they do is hide. now they are all hiding in the rock/crevices of the articial coral to the point where they cant even be seen! is this normal? what can i do for them to swim freely like they did in the store. they were in an empty tank in the store. i read online that this might be their natural habit and i fear they will never come out of hiding. all fish eat fine. also would like to know how much to feed them. i use like 2 pinches. i guess i can feed them 2 times a day?
just concerend on how to get them out of hiding..
8. the tank has no canopy! i would like one, can i buy it sperately since i already have a stand? do i have to build my own?one issue with that is the lights have fans on the side. how can i accomodate this?
i think tahts all my questions ha
btw heres a picture i took with my phone
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2097/208/12/12401942/n12401942_46416548_9182.jpg
it was grey so i painted it black. the back of the tank has some black glass when i got it.
i got it last weekend.
also got some artificial coral on some rocks from somebody else. it was in a tank that had some live rock also and fish for 6 months i think he said. i plan to add some small live rock to add on either side. and try to replace some of the artificial coral with some real ones over time and slowly build this up.
today i got 4 yellow tail damsels and 2 white and black striped damsels.
questions:
1. just before i got the fish i noticed i could see very tiny tiny air bubbles in the water. all throught the tank. should i turn the valve to let the water coming in down a little? is it ok to have it this way, or bad?
2. i do have a rio 1700 powerhead, also with an adjustible knob, i took it out because i think the water pumping in has enough agitation in the water. should i put the powerhead back in or is there enough water flow with this water coming in?
3. i do not have a protein skimmer. i do not have a true live rock, reef setup, i plan to get one eventually. do i really need one now? i know i prob will in the future. i hear conflicting answers.. some day they dont have one, some do, some say its completly neccisary to have one but only if ur doing a reef. the old owner didnt even have one.
4. water temp.. i dont have a heater or chiller. water stays constant around 78 for the most part. although i know its a bit on the high end. is this ok? if anything it is possible water can get to 80 or 82 in summer.
5. chemical levels, never added anything. ph around 8.2, cionstant, normal to high alk. 0 ammonia, started to see trace nitrate and nitrite but very very light on my scale. almost 0 well below the warning levels. i am doing 10% water changes, i actually did one yesterday. another question is i have 0 for ammonia reading but trace nitrate and nitrite. is this possible? it doenst even turn the very light green for the lowest level when i do my ammonia test.
6. when should i have light on? just when im awake i assume from my reserach.
7. my new fish.. i accimilated them using the bag in water method and adding the half cup every 10 minutes or so, suctioning half out when full repeat adding half cups, suciton almost all out before releasing fish in water. took 2 hours to do this. the 2 striped fish are swimming around, but the behavior of the fish is making me nervous.
first of all the 2 black striped ones are swimming as a pair everywhere they go, and in very twitchy quick moves. after a quick tour to the reef and back, for a while all they did was sit in the corner where i first put them in when i accimilated the tank. but now after a few hours they swim with more seperation and more flowing manner.
the 4 yellow tailed damsels immediatly ran to either the corner or hid in the reef. all they do is hide. now they are all hiding in the rock/crevices of the articial coral to the point where they cant even be seen! is this normal? what can i do for them to swim freely like they did in the store. they were in an empty tank in the store. i read online that this might be their natural habit and i fear they will never come out of hiding. all fish eat fine. also would like to know how much to feed them. i use like 2 pinches. i guess i can feed them 2 times a day?
just concerend on how to get them out of hiding..
8. the tank has no canopy! i would like one, can i buy it sperately since i already have a stand? do i have to build my own?one issue with that is the lights have fans on the side. how can i accomodate this?
i think tahts all my questions ha
btw heres a picture i took with my phone
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2097/208/12/12401942/n12401942_46416548_9182.jpg
