It's About Time to Get This Party Started.....

[Guest]

 

[Hara]

The only goofy question is the one you dont ask

 

[PrettyFishies]

It's time for my water change. I have had the mixture sitting in a tub with a PH and heater for a while now. I noticed yesterday that there are these lightly colored flakes floating on the surface of the change water.... anyone experience this b4?

 

[PrettyFishies]

I decided today to purchase my first fish. And the winners are.... a pair of Percula Clowns. I also got a Bubble Tip Anemone.

Any tips on how to ensure the Anemone lives other target feeding it phytoplankton and baby brines?

I have the light....

 

[Guest]

you can feed the anemone with fresh shrimp from the market. I wouldn't feed it the phytoplankton or the baby brine. more will be in your tank than what will benefit the anemone. once the clowns, if they host it, get into the swing of things, they will do the task of feeding. All you have to do is supply them the small pieces of shrimp...they will do the rest....ps, you will only have to feed the anemone once or maybe twice a week...

 

[PrettyFishies]

What kind of Anemone do you have?

Can you explain more about HOW the clownfish will feed the anemone? I assume you are talking about the food falling from their mouth...

 

[Hara]

I have a carpet anemone and clarkii clown. When I feed the fish in the tank, the clownfish will gather silversides and mysis and carry it back to the anemone and poke it into the mouth area.

 

[Guest]

I have 4 anemones, 2 CurlyQ's, 1 Atlantic Stinging anemone, 1 Flower anemone...

All anxiously await the little pieces of shrimp....

 

[PrettyFishies]

HARA - Wow.... now that's cool... I can't wait....

Next Question: My PH teters around 8.1-8.15, moreso on the lower end. Is this too low? And how can I keep the PH up other than adding buffer daily? (It seems I add the buffer and within a few hours, it's back down)

Another Question: I had the water tested for Nitrate - .25 was the result. Will this come down on its own with LR? Do I need to do big water changes? or add chemicals?

I have setup my quarantine tank - with the water from the main tank - and I'm worried about the nitrate level because I will acclimate the clowns and anemone (Bubble tip) next week.

 

[BillyZ]

You may want to wait until your nitrates are down and your reading in general become more stable. Your clown could probably handle the changes without too much stress but the anenomes are a bit more susceptible to stress from water conditions and fluctuations.

 

[PrettyFishies]

Thanks for the input Billy, but... you didn't answer the questions...

Plus, I already ordered the fish to arrive next Thursday.

 

[Guest]

My PH teters around 8.1-8.15, moreso on the lower end. Is this too low? And how can I keep the PH up other than adding buffer daily? (It seems I add the buffer and within a few hours, it's back down)

Are you testing during the day or first thing in the morning when the lights are off? The best time to check the ph and see if it needs adjusting, is in the morning before lights on. You will prolly find it ok...During the day as the lights are on, the PH tends to drop a bit...This is normal...

I had the water tested for Nitrate - .25 was the result. Will this come down on its own with LR? Do I need to do big water changes? or add chemicals?

If you mean NITRATES, then you are fine at .25, I haven't seen a test kit that went that low, but if it is, that is almost non existent. If it is NITRITES, then the tank is still in somewhat of a cycle. This will go down to 0.

If you meant NITRATES, the only way to get it down, is through skimming, waterchanges, DSB+LR, Refugium with Algae, etc,,, Water changes will reduce but not eliminate. Also, feeding once a day tends to keep the levels down....

 

[PrettyFishies]

I test in the morning and at night and have a Pinpoint PH Monitor.

Maybe it's 25 and not 25 tenths... but NITRATE definitely. There is no more ammonia or NITRITE in the tank...

I feed once a day.... I was thinking of doing the water changes... I have LR and a DSB....as well as an active skimmer... I guess the tank is just stabilizing...

Are nitrates also lowered by bacteria such as Ammonia and nitrites are?

 

[Guest]

Are nitrates also lowered by bacteria such as Ammonia and nitrites are?

Yes, however, not near as much present in the tank. That is why a plenum system with a dead water space harbors this bacteria and reduces nitrates.. The bacteria that uses up the nitrates lives in oxygen depleted water. The amount of this bacteria that lives in the LR and just the sand without the dead water space, is minimal. This is one of the reasons that water changes are so important. With the use of DSB and LR, it will help keep the nitrates down but not eliminate it...

 

[PrettyFishies]

Back to the PH - is 8.10 too low?

 

[PrettyFishies]

Does anyone use CHEMI-PUR in their sump? My county water has metals and possibly phosphate - according to there tests, no copper...

CHEMI PUR claims it removes phosphate, heavy metals, copper, and other toxins...my PUR water filter, I fear, is not enough and I'd rather prevent the problem before it materializes.

 

[alrmc4]

a good ro with a di would probably be worth looking into try ebay or www.purewaterplanet.com not as expensive as you may think.

 

[PrettyFishies]

Price is less of a concern than Space. I'm in an apartment and I don't want this to take over my living space.

 

[Guest]

Back to the PH - is 8.10 too low?

My tanks PH is 8.4 in the morning. I read tht the PH of a saltwater tank shoud be in the range of 7.8 to 8.4 with between 8.0 and 8.4 being the standard...

 

[cmor1701d]

The RO/DI units are not that big. I have the Typhoon III from airwaterice and it's 22" long and 6" wide. Most of the units are meant to go under the kitchen sink. I just hook mine up to the faucet when needed and take it down when done
.
The deals on e-bay right now are pretty good.

He's on ebay and has the 75gpd unit for $149.00
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2322319976&category=20756

Others are even less.