AquaTricia 40 gal FOWLR

[AquaTricia]

OK, guys. I think I may get over my dumbness now. Of course, there will be no frags as this is a Fowlr, so I guess that's why I couldn't understand. The "bugs" had to come from somewhere! And I do have patience, even though I don't sound like it. I'm just one of those people that plans in advance.

 

[Sniperhank]

Bugs? You mean copepods and amphipods? Did they show up in the tank already? If the rock had ever been in a tank, it could easily have been brought over. I had a chiton come out of my live rock a year after the tank was set up...all that after being shipped up from Florida to PA and sitting on my porch for hours in the middle of winter as it waited for me to get home from work.

 

[AquaTricia]

My incorrect terminology. No I didn't mean Copepods and Amphipods. I was meaning the items that will grow on the rocks, the bacteria, algae, etc. Sorry I misspoke. I have been checking the rocks and sand for movement, but it's really too early. After the tank cycles, I was intending on waiting a short while before stocking. That will give the tank more time to grow what's necessary to support the fish. Sorry again.

 

[markodeniro]

Have you got any pics of the choc milk with marshmallows?


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[AquaTricia]

Well, at least it doesn't look like that now! And no, I haven't had time to get the pics. If my husband feels well enough tonight, I'll try to get some. Just remember that it has not cycled yet and does not have all of its equipment.

 

[AquaTricia]

Haven't updated in a while as half my family was hospitalized during February. So glad that month is over. Husband has one more surgery, and hope that will be it. During all this time, the tank just sat with the heaters and powerhead going. I did get two pieces of coralline covered reef rock and added it and, when home, added PurpleUp daily. Checked the rocks closely with a flashlight and actually saw light red patches yesterday. One thing I don't understand. All that time the tank sat, without anything but fresh r/o d/i water top ups, and I tested it today, the ammonia was zero, but nitrites were still at 18. Really expected it to be cycled and am disappointed. Almost sorry I didn't go with live rock. It would have been cycled by now but I might have some unwanted critters, too. Wonder if I'm doing anything wrong.....


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[mr_X]

Ocean rock or dry rock, as long as you have an equal ammonia source, it would cycle the same. I'm sorry to hear about your family. I hope things calm down for you.

 

[AquaTricia]

Thanks about the family, Doug. With all that's going on, it's amazing I still have tanks at all. Half the work on them is between midnight and 2 a.m.
Glad to know the tank is cycling normally and nothing could have been done differently. I will probably take another nitrite reading towards the end of the week. 18 came down from 184 two weeks ago. Guess that is progress.

 

[AquaTricia]

Well guys, I'm finally cycled!!??. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 10 nitrates. Remora S installed and tested. A Tunze 6045 powerhead has been working for about a month and I blew all the loose sand off the rocks and turned the Tunze directly on them to keep them that way. Received a Hydor Nano 240 powerhead today which I will use only to point at the surface of the water. The tank lid is pretty tight, so I'm trying to keep the water roiling a bit. We are having a problem with the lighting controller. It has 4 pre-programmed timers, and whether we use one of them, or we design our own, the lights ramp down appropriately at 6 p.m., actinic full blown until 10 p.m. when it completely shuts off. Amazingly, at exactly midnight, the actinics flick back on and by 6 a.m., the tank is completely lit. Obviously, we're still working on this. Would like to get it fixed before we go for a fish or two. Looking at a Midas Blenny and a cleaner shrimp to start things off. Want to look around the store to check out Chalk Bass, Blue Green Chromis, and, if they have them, a Saddled Filefish. I love Puffers, but will never have a tank big enough, so I want to see if these little guys will do. That's the current "bucket list", subject to change.


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[markodeniro]

That's great news have you got any photos?


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[AquaTricia]

Ya know, I haven't taken the first pic. That's unusual for me, but things have been crazy, and I'm afraid that got put to the bottom of the list. I'm lucky the tank cycled. I will try to get some soon and post them. It really is a pretty tank.

 

[AquaTricia]

I went out to buy my first critters today. A cleaner shrimp and a Midas Blenny. At the shop, they showed me the Blenny's head sticking out of a large rock, but they couldn't get him to come out. They tried feeding. All the other fish in that tank liked that. But not the Blenny. They tried vibrating the rock. No Blenny. They shook it, turned it over and over. No Blenny. They finally got a used salt bucket, filled it halfway with water, put in the rock, charged me $50 for a Blenny I can't see, and sent me home. I acclimated the rock (since I can't verify there's a fish in there), fed the rock, emptied 3/4 of the water and gave the rock a little shake, put it back in the bucket, slowly refilled it with tank water, put a heater in it and a dark cover over it, and there the bucket sits. Any ideas? Fifty dollars is a lot to spend for a rock and a well used salt bucket. And yes, I did call them and they said to give it more time. He's in there (?)


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[AquaTricia]

Well, 5 hours have passed. The temperature of the water is about 77 degrees. I added an airstone. So far, 9 hours after I bought a Blenny, there's still no Blenny. I am very disappointed. Tomorrow we will go back to the shop, an hour each way, give them the rock and bucket, and get my $50 back. The receipt says "no guarantee on livestock", but since I can't confirm I ever had any, I WILL get my money back. Even if he is in there, he'd be so stressed he's sure to get sick. And he was the last they had in the shop. ??


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[Sniperhank]

Don't use an airstone. It'll create salt creep and salinity issues. Salt can even fall back into the tank and burn fish and gills.
Good luck with that return.


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[AquaTricia]

If I don't use an airstone, won't I have water with no oxygen? If he's there, won't it kill him?

 

[Sniperhank]

You want to use powerheads over airstones because of this. It isn't as big of a deal getting oxygen in as it is about getting the co2 out.

 

[AquaTricia]

OK, I got it. I just dropped some food in there...no Blenny. I did take out the airstone as suggested. We will leave in about an hour to make the trek to the shop. I hope they give me no trouble, as this is the biggest store in a 200 mile radius and I'd hate to have bad feelings about going there. Do you agree that even if they can get a missing Blenny from the rock that I shouldn't take him because all the stress may make him sick, or he could die?

 

[AquaTricia]

We're on our way to the store. Can you put 3 Blue Green Chromis in a newly cycled tank at one time? There's going to be nothing else added until April because my husband is having another surgery on 3/30. Appreciate an answer to this and the last post before I get to the shop. Thanks.


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[BigRedsReefs10]

New FOWLR

OK, I got it. I just dropped some food in there...no Blenny. I did take out the airstone as suggested. We will leave in about an hour to make the trek to the shop. I hope they give me no trouble, as this is the biggest store in a 200 mile radius and I'd hate to have bad feelings about going there. Do you agree that even if they can get a missing Blenny from the rock that I shouldn't take him because all the stress may make him sick, or he could die?

So they sold you a rock and said there was a blenny hiding in it? Did you put this rock in your tank?

We're on our way to the store. Can you put 3 Blue Green Chromis in a newly cycled tank at one time? There's going to be nothing else added until April because my husband is having another surgery on 3/30. Appreciate an answer to this and the last post before I get to the shop. Thanks.


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What size tank? Chromis usually don't school (most times one kills the others) so I personally would stick to just one, but jmo.

Edit: in a brand new 40, 3 fish may be pushing it at once

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[AquaTricia]

When we first got to the store, we saw a little head sticking out of the rock. Never saw him again. She shook and vibrated and twirled the rock and decided I should take it home and the fish would come out. That was 3 pm yesterday.
The tank is a 40g breeder. I didn't know Chromis would kill each other.