Just Dave
Aquarium Advice Newbie
I am a rookie saltwater tanker. I have had a fresh water tank for years, and it always did well, but now im in a new realm.
Limited on space, the only thing I could get to fit in my livingroom was a 30 gallon hex. (okay stop wincing) I know, not much surface space kind of limits how many fish I can have. I put about 3 inches of crushed coral on bottom, a Penguin 280 filter, heater, and after it turned I added about 10lbs of live rock. Did well for a few months then fish started dying, seemed to have come down with some kind of parasite, treated the tank with Greenex. I was concerned about air and water movement in the tank after some great advice from this forum stating that might be my issue, and why the fish had this parasite problem and wasn't able to shake it.
Soooo off to the pet store I go, I tried the cheap way out, and bought an air stone like I did with my old fresh water stones, obviously not to add air, but help the water circulate. This seems to work, but still my fish are still well, not dying but hiding now, or hanging out in the bubbles, or at the top of the tank.
So I go back for the power head that was originaly suggested (I know I should have listened) and while I was picking it up, I mention to the clerk I also had a airstone in my saltwater tank. He looked horified, and quickly told me that you can't put an airstone in a saltwater tank, The bubbles hurts the fishes gills and is not good for them, its okay in fresh, but a no no in salt. Hmmm I remember my fish swimming in the bubbles allot so this kind of puzzled me, they kind of liked it there when the parasite issue was going on, figured it was helping them out.
So out comes the airstone, and in goes my submersible powerhead, with two jets that point in two directions (thought that was neat) I put it half way down my tank (he warned me not to put it on the top or bottom but in the middle?) I put the little plastic air hose in place and hung it outside the tank, with the little plastic nubby at the end and plugged it in.
Whoooosh I got water circulation big time. But I notice that the air hose is pulling in air to the Powerhead and kicking out, what else bubbles...hmmm
So is bubbles bad for salt water or isn't it?.... If it is, umm why is my power head blowing out little bubbles? Did I install it wrong, there was no Directions in the box, had to wing it?
Ummm anyone? I know this is a rookie question.
(tank colony)
1 Damzel
1 firefish
1 very active Hermit Crab
(kind of empty)
Limited on space, the only thing I could get to fit in my livingroom was a 30 gallon hex. (okay stop wincing) I know, not much surface space kind of limits how many fish I can have. I put about 3 inches of crushed coral on bottom, a Penguin 280 filter, heater, and after it turned I added about 10lbs of live rock. Did well for a few months then fish started dying, seemed to have come down with some kind of parasite, treated the tank with Greenex. I was concerned about air and water movement in the tank after some great advice from this forum stating that might be my issue, and why the fish had this parasite problem and wasn't able to shake it.
Soooo off to the pet store I go, I tried the cheap way out, and bought an air stone like I did with my old fresh water stones, obviously not to add air, but help the water circulate. This seems to work, but still my fish are still well, not dying but hiding now, or hanging out in the bubbles, or at the top of the tank.
So I go back for the power head that was originaly suggested (I know I should have listened) and while I was picking it up, I mention to the clerk I also had a airstone in my saltwater tank. He looked horified, and quickly told me that you can't put an airstone in a saltwater tank, The bubbles hurts the fishes gills and is not good for them, its okay in fresh, but a no no in salt. Hmmm I remember my fish swimming in the bubbles allot so this kind of puzzled me, they kind of liked it there when the parasite issue was going on, figured it was helping them out.
So out comes the airstone, and in goes my submersible powerhead, with two jets that point in two directions (thought that was neat) I put it half way down my tank (he warned me not to put it on the top or bottom but in the middle?) I put the little plastic air hose in place and hung it outside the tank, with the little plastic nubby at the end and plugged it in.
Whoooosh I got water circulation big time. But I notice that the air hose is pulling in air to the Powerhead and kicking out, what else bubbles...hmmm
So is bubbles bad for salt water or isn't it?.... If it is, umm why is my power head blowing out little bubbles? Did I install it wrong, there was no Directions in the box, had to wing it?
Ummm anyone? I know this is a rookie question.
(tank colony)
1 Damzel
1 firefish
1 very active Hermit Crab
(kind of empty)
