SeeDemTails
Aquarium Advice Freak
I have a large feather duster in my tank, I have had it for about 6 months and I just noticed recently that it has been looking a little ruff.....anything I can do?
I couldn't agree more.Steve...you are the man
Never trust that. You really need to get your own kits, you never know when they will be needed and you cannot go on someone elses definatition of what is right for the inhabitants of your tank. Dusters in particular are especially sensitive to nitrogens. If there is even a hint of NH3 or NO2 they will suffer and most likely perish. NO3 although not as bad will harm them if elevated.SeeDemTails said:the only thing he ever tells me "Your water is fine!".
Don't break the bank on these test kits. Most are pretty accurate as long as they are SW based and not SW/FW. I find FW cross over kits to be less accurate. Salifert is my #1 choice for most types but there are several that will due in regards to nitrogen testing.I want to buy a test kit, but there are so many....which one should I buy?
Nonsense! (strike two for the LFS). They require regular feeding of phytoplankton, especially in a new tank. These guys are heavy filter feeders. In a welll matured tank with plenty of fish they can get by without feeding do to constant influx of nutrient but I still feed mine twice weekly. You don't need much but it should be done regularly. I would also use DT's oyster eggs. Just be sure you turn off the skimmer for an hour or two.The guy at the store tells me I dont even need to feed it, and that I shouldnt have to worry about it "They are super easy to keep".
What kind?I didnt beleive him so I bought the nano reef stuff to add to the tank to give it some food.
It will do best in moderate random flow. I would move the duster somewhere it will get lower flow. If too brisk or constant, it stands a good chance of casting off it's crown. When choosing a spot, do not be concerned with light just flow. It shouldn't be strong enough to push the crown over at all, only enough to gentley sway the top of it. If the flow is too strong, it will capture less food.I have it DIRECTLY it in front of the skilter 250 so it gets good flow, it isnt getting whipped around but it does get more flow than anything else in the tank. I figured since it was the biggest filter feeder, it needed it more than anything else. Is this too much flow?
cmor1701d said:Salifert makes the best test kits (IMO) for NO2, NO3, Ca, Mg, and Alk. I use a meter for pH and refractometer for SG.