new saltwater

[Beengirl]

A hydrometer measures the weight of the water (specific gravity). Salt water is heavier than fresh water. It's a plastic thing you'll find near the salt at LfS. If you go reef at some point, you'll want to get a Refractometer, which does basically the same thing but is more precise. The hydrometer will get you by to start, and I think its usually $10 or less. You'll want specific gravity to be between 1.021-1.023 for fish only tank and 1.023-1.025 for corals. Ocean water is 1.026, so you can decide for yourself which number you wanna keep it at. If you're new to salt, better to keep it a little lower at 1.022-1.024 cuz when you have evaporation, your specific gravity (salty-ness) will increase. If you're a little on the lower side, then you'll have some wiggle room before your fish are adversely affected.

 

[isiah1820]

I see learned something new that adds to the list. Wanna hear u guys opinion on flame hawkfish

 

[nikki_kaiser]

<---loved my flame hawk! I think they are really cool! Read up on them and take into consideration that some people claim they've had issues with them picking at shrimp (saw this in another forum). Personally I never had any issues. I would still have him but when I moved and had my LFS bag fish up for me, I was pulled over (rolls eyes) and the dude picked the bag up that was in my front seat and laid it back down...he was in the corner and I guess got squished . I should of billed the police department because I'm still not sure exactly why he pulled me over to begin with and now I'm minus a cool fish...FAIL.

 

[isiah1820]

Yea I read a little about the shrimp thing, what kind of shrimp do you have with yours and did u have any other fish with the hawk

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I had a coral banded and peppermint shrimp. He was in my larger tank so I had quite a few fish with him. I had a lot of live rock as well and I never had other fish that liked the bottom like gobies. They perch on the live rock and are cool to watch. I'm going to add another one pretty soon! I miss having him!

 

[isiah1820]

He never attacked the other fish because I'm looking to have clowns and maybe some gobys

 

[isiah1820]

Gobies*

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I had two true percs of decent size and bigger fish. He never did anything but the clowns can usually hold their own. Gobies...now that idk about because honestly, never had any in that tank. I have a place that can get the mandarin goby that's trained to eat frozen foods etc. so I'm curious if those two could go together as well.