tanksitter fed WAY too much food while I was away..now what?

[courtneyclv]

ARRRGGG..AHHHH...
my roomie was suppose to feed the fish once during my four day trip, when I called and told him to. He fed TWICE A DAY!

I get home and there are flakes all over the bottom. I tested the water with my kit.
ph 7.5
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate light light light blueish purple (very low..or was that nitrite?)
salt .025
brown algae on walls.

Anyways, the fish look alright, a little sluggish..water is ok.
I did about a 5 gallon change with premade saltwater.

What should I do to get out the other food? I tried to get it with a net but that didnt work. I do have live rock that I dont want to move, it will make a mess, and sand. I HAD a diamond gobie but he jumped. (second one in a month?)

 

[Fluff]

Try syphoning out what you can using some airline tubing and let your clean up crew clean up what you can't. Do extra testing and extra water changes to help keep things stable. I would probably do 10g water changes as opposed to the 5g til things are back to normal. The only thing that is of a concern is you ph that I can see. Is it always that low?

 

[roka64]

I agree with Fluff. If you have the python siphon or something similar, with a bigger opening, that might make it easier to keep a lot of sand from getting sucked up. You can do it with your regular tubing, just go slow or you will suck up a lot of sand....like I found out the hard way.

 

[courtneyclv]

Yes, my ph is always a bit low..I am adding a ph buffer powder (8.2) weekly when I add more water to top off.

My ph is always around 7.8 or so. How come? How often should I add the powder to raise it?

Is it true that ph is higher in the evening when your lights have been on all day?.

 

[Tex]

Time to ditch the roomie and get a new one. 8)

 

[courtneyclv]

I agree..the guy is a idiot and can't follow directions. He also killed 3 of my bf's freshwater fish and there were floating pellets everywhere!

Let's just say that my new majestic angelfish better make it..OR ELSE!!!!

 

[Tex]

Floating pellets? 8O Get a rope.

 

[Fluff]

Yes, my ph is always a bit low..I am adding a ph buffer powder (8.2) weekly when I add more water to top off.

My ph is always around 7.8 or so. How come? How often should I add the powder to raise it?

Is it true that ph is higher in the evening when your lights have been on all day?.

I have no experience with the buffer additives so I really can't say how they are supposed to be used. Sorry.
I can tell you though it's more important to have a stable ph than an ideal one. If this is what your fish are used to and they are doing well then your probably ok. Constant ph fluxuations are hard on the fish.
The best way to buffer your water is through water changes as there are natural buffers in the salt mixes and it should keep your ph stable. Here is an article that may help. HTH

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/phalkalinity/a/aa061301.htm

And yes, you ph will change depending on what time of day you test it.

 

[weemanpow3]

get as much out as you can. After your crabs will eat alot of it to, what ever is left over.

 

[courtneyclv]

I got rid of my big hermit! He ate everything including a shrimp, baby trigger, and mithrax crab!

Hmm..I wonder what can eat up the rest?

 

[dorian965]

what brand salt mix are you using. and what brand ph test kit. is the color hard to match on the test strip?

 

[courtneyclv]

I cycled my tank with instant ocean, I think thats what it was.
I do partial water changes with boxed ocean water and top off with dechlor. tap water.

I dont know the name of my test kit but it has 4 test tubes and bottles with NO2, NO3, ammonia, ph. It is what my two LFS use as well.

 

[Fluff]

Instant Ocean will not cycle your tank. You need an ammonia source for the tank to cycle.
How were your test numbers today?

 

[courtneyclv]

My tank is already cycled completly. But when I did cycle it, I filled it with my salt mix water that I had just made...so a majority of the water is that mix. When I do my PWC I use ocean water that I get from the LFS.

I just tested the water and everything is perfect except the ph is a bit low (like always) 7.8

I bought some small, tiny hermits (blue legged maybe) and they are going to down in the sand.

I also fed everyone some brine shrimp because it has been a few days, and everyone ate including majestic angelfish.

 

[roka64]

I just tested the water and everything is perfect except the ph is a bit low (like always) 7.8

PH will change a little bit, from lights out to lights on. Like Fluff said, stable is better. I used to dose with something, but decided I would go the natural way.