Automatic Feeder? 3 weeks and pellets! Also a lighting Q...

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GuOD

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
236
Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a reliable automatic feeder (prefer AC + battery) that can hold a 3 week supply of little brown pellet food for 3 damsels. I think they will be fine being fed once a day or every other day. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks a lot!

I was also considering purchasing some additional lighting. My tank is FOWLR 4x2x2 and currently has a Current USA Orbit 48" 260w 2x130PC. One is actinic and the other is regular. I was wondering if I would see any benefit from adding something like a coralife aqualight t-5 strip, 2x28w (one regular light, one actinic). Also, if I can't see any difference (as it's already fairly bright) would the rock/fish benefit?

This light: http://www.fishsupply.com/slesu-58023.html

Thanks!
 
Any chance you can get a fish sitter, just to check in every once in a while, possibly to do some top offs?
 
No chance. I am concerned about the salinity being very high so I'm planning to leave with it a little low. I'm going to TRY and come back after 1.5 weeks to do some maintenance.

Does anyone have opinions on adding a t-5 light strip or anything?

Thanks!


EDIT:

In case anyone was interested, I've rearranged my rocks and here's how the tank looks!

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Unfortunately one of my roommates used the algae brush to clean off his tomato sauce and it's ruined so I need to get another one. The skimmer is running fine now and the water params are perfect! The three damsels are really thriving!

I really feel as though I need more rock now! There are definitely more/larger caves now for the fish to swim through. I also tried to move my purple coraline nearer to the light :)

I also need to clean the algae off my powerheads -- but I'm not quite sure how to do that? Does anyone have suggestions? Thanks!
 
I would very leary of leaving my tank for three weeks and not having someone look in on it. Automatic feeders will work in a pinch but I have heard of stories where they have failed and feed way too much or not at all. My biggest concern would be the top-offs. Maybe look into the LFS or aquarium cleaning company to stop by once or twice a week.
 
I have 10 snails in there. I also have 3 little crabs but they're super tiny. I haven't seen them since I put them in... they could be dead for all I know. The brown stuff is diatoms I think. It's not that bad, I just need to clean off the front glass.

It is actually only 16-17 days. My roommate will feed/add water for 5 days after I go. And I'll try to come back halfway between so I think everything will be fine.




ALSO, I have a clownfish in my roommates tank right now. It has rock in it and my roommate doesn't want to move the rock... does anyone have any idea how I can get him out?? I was thinking of feeding and then tossing a net in to trap him or something like that -- all my attempts so far with regular nets have been unsuccessful.
 
The lighting is really not nessasary.Your present lighting is plenty for a FOWLR tank. The only results you will get is a brighter tank and prettier view if that is what you want but as I said your fish and LR are OK with what you have. It`s up to you.
I am very concerned about your top off water though. I dont think you will be OK. Your clean up crew will be very sensitive to high salinity and high nitrates in the tank as will your fish. You will need some type of top off unit.IMO
 
melosu58 said:
The lighting is really not nessasary.Your present lighting is plenty for a FOWLR tank. The only results you will get is a brighter tank and prettier view if that is what you want but as I said your fish and LR are OK with what you have. It`s up to you.
I am very concerned about your top off water though. I dont think you will be OK. Your clean up crew will be very sensitive to high salinity and high nitrates in the tank as will your fish. You will need some type of top off unit.IMO


See above. I will actually have it topped up a few times for the first week I'm gone.

Halfway through the 17-day period I will come back and do some maintenance.



As for the lighting - would it look nicer if I just added the coralife aqualight 48" t-5 (2x 28W)? I think it's slightly different spectrum than PC or something. Should I maybe try adding only extra actinics maybe?



Did you have any ideas about catching the tomato clownfish? I'd really like to have him in my tank but I can't get him :(
 
I `m sorry but about the fish the only sure way will be to just go ahead and take the rock out and get hiom. I`ve tried all kind of ways and they just would not work. I just bit the bullet and went after him. On the top offs I`d say that is better than nothing but you`ll have a couple of high salinity swings plus even half of 17 days will still rise pretty high. If I was to go 7 or 8 days without Top offs my water would be short 7 or 8 gallons of FW. Dont seem like much but it is. I hope all goes well.
 
melosu58 said:
The only results you will get is a brighter tank and prettier view

This is exactly what I was hoping to get - brighter/more vibrant fish. Would I do best by adding something like 2x28w T-5 w/ 1 10k/1 actinic (coralife aqualight 48" t-5) or would I do better if I add 2x actinic bulbs?



I was also able to catch the clownfish last night :) I shocked him with light in the middle of the night and caught him pretty easily!


Here are some pics of the fish! It's hard to get clear pictures because the front glass is very dirty!! What is the big damsel?? I know one is 3 stripe and one is sergeant major.

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GuOD said:
I was also able to catch the clownfish last night :) I shocked him with light in the middle of the night and caught him pretty easily!

I`m glad you was able to catch him.
 
Thanks! I just picked up an algae brush so hopefully i'll get some much nicer ones tomorrow! Also, once my filter is back from repair the water will be clearer too!

I was wondering - what is the ideal temperature for these type of fish? Liveaquaria has it as 72-78F (my temp was around 26, but now I've moved it to 24-24.5).

I picked up 9 more snails tonight (supposed to be 10 but one was an empty shell :oops: ) and I got 5 more hermit crabs - 4 tiny ones and 1 that's about 1.5cm shell. Now - Total 19 snails and 8 crabs (but I havent seen the first 3 since I put them in)

Sorry to keep posting pics but I'm excited and I cleaned the tank!

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4d2hsuu.jpg


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