LadyQuorra
Aquarium Advice Regular
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for taking the time to read this post.
I recently adopted a 30gallon FOWLR Tank from my friend a couple days ago, who has just moved away to California.
The details of my tank can be found on my profile.
In addition to the tank & the things attached to it he gave me.
1. Instant Ocean Sea Salt
2. TOP FIN Tap Water Dechlorinator
3. Hydrometer
4. Ocean Master Test kit (for: pH, Alk, Amm, Nitrite, and Nitrate)
5. Kent MarineTech*l Iodine supplement
6. Ocean Nutrition Formula Two Marine Pellets
7. Replacement Filters
How I ended up with it. (kinda crazy but he was in charge cause idk anything)
He emptied out 2/3 of the water out of the tank and put the live rock in a bucket. Packed the tank, bucket, and all the other supplies into my sedan, and I drove 15 minutes to my apt and got some help unloading everything.
He didn't really give me detailed instructions on what to do since he seemed busy and in a rush, so I used common sense, logic, and the internet to put it back to together.
What I did: 1. Place some of the rocks back in 2. Chlorinated a bucket of tap water as the instructions on the bottle said, then added the salt and mixed it until it looked dissolved and the SG was at 1.022, and last siphoned it into the tank, and repeated the process for 2 more buckets. 3. Finished placing the rocks in to optimize the amount of caves and cool swimming spaces 4. rinsed and scrubbed the filter casing and hung the filtration system on and plugged it in. 4. The tank didn't come with a cover so I put some clingy wrap over like 2/3 of it as a temp fix.
Instructions he gave me: A 20% water change every 2weeks, change the filters every 2-4 weeks, top off w/ dechlorinated tap, keep an eye on the water quality. (maybe a couple others things I can't quite remember atm.
I performed a water quality tests yesterday (as carefully as I new how) my results:
pH-7.9 SG-1.022 Alkalinity~3.5 mEq/L Ammonia - 0 Nitrates <10mg/L Nitrite Low-Range <0.2mg/L Temp-Unknown but I keep my apt between 77-79 degrees F
MY QUESTIONS/CONCERNS:
1. I know I need a thermometer (the sticker one on the tank looks super old and doesnt show anything), any recommendations???
2. The tank didn't come with a lid or cover, was thinking of making one out of cut plexi-glass. Is this a good idea? any recommendations?
3. Should I use the Iodine supplement as directed on the bottle?
4. Is the food provided adequate for all the inhabitants in the tank?
5. Should I test for calcium and phosphates in addition to the basic parameters allowed w/ my current testing kit?
6. Is the light and filtration system adequate for the tank?
7. I'm concerned I may have too much CO2 in the tank concluded from my measured pH & Alkalinity values. How can I verify this? How can I correct this?
8. The tank light is on a timer 8hrs on, 16hrs off, is this correct?
9. The rocks have: white stringy looking stuff on it with super tiny hairy swaying things at the ends; are brownish greyish; I remember them being kinda pinkish/purplish before but they aren't very much like that now; and I sometimes see very small dark gunk dangling off the rocks. Is all this normal?
10. Is the sand deep enough? Should I get more? what kind?
That's all I can think of right now. I can provide nice pictures tomorrow evening for reference if needed. Thanks again for taking the time to read this.
-an extremely concerned newbie
Thanks for taking the time to read this post.
I recently adopted a 30gallon FOWLR Tank from my friend a couple days ago, who has just moved away to California.
The details of my tank can be found on my profile.
In addition to the tank & the things attached to it he gave me.
1. Instant Ocean Sea Salt
2. TOP FIN Tap Water Dechlorinator
3. Hydrometer
4. Ocean Master Test kit (for: pH, Alk, Amm, Nitrite, and Nitrate)
5. Kent MarineTech*l Iodine supplement
6. Ocean Nutrition Formula Two Marine Pellets
7. Replacement Filters
How I ended up with it. (kinda crazy but he was in charge cause idk anything)
He emptied out 2/3 of the water out of the tank and put the live rock in a bucket. Packed the tank, bucket, and all the other supplies into my sedan, and I drove 15 minutes to my apt and got some help unloading everything.
He didn't really give me detailed instructions on what to do since he seemed busy and in a rush, so I used common sense, logic, and the internet to put it back to together.
What I did: 1. Place some of the rocks back in 2. Chlorinated a bucket of tap water as the instructions on the bottle said, then added the salt and mixed it until it looked dissolved and the SG was at 1.022, and last siphoned it into the tank, and repeated the process for 2 more buckets. 3. Finished placing the rocks in to optimize the amount of caves and cool swimming spaces 4. rinsed and scrubbed the filter casing and hung the filtration system on and plugged it in. 4. The tank didn't come with a cover so I put some clingy wrap over like 2/3 of it as a temp fix.
Instructions he gave me: A 20% water change every 2weeks, change the filters every 2-4 weeks, top off w/ dechlorinated tap, keep an eye on the water quality. (maybe a couple others things I can't quite remember atm.
I performed a water quality tests yesterday (as carefully as I new how) my results:
pH-7.9 SG-1.022 Alkalinity~3.5 mEq/L Ammonia - 0 Nitrates <10mg/L Nitrite Low-Range <0.2mg/L Temp-Unknown but I keep my apt between 77-79 degrees F
MY QUESTIONS/CONCERNS:
1. I know I need a thermometer (the sticker one on the tank looks super old and doesnt show anything), any recommendations???
2. The tank didn't come with a lid or cover, was thinking of making one out of cut plexi-glass. Is this a good idea? any recommendations?
3. Should I use the Iodine supplement as directed on the bottle?
4. Is the food provided adequate for all the inhabitants in the tank?
5. Should I test for calcium and phosphates in addition to the basic parameters allowed w/ my current testing kit?
6. Is the light and filtration system adequate for the tank?
7. I'm concerned I may have too much CO2 in the tank concluded from my measured pH & Alkalinity values. How can I verify this? How can I correct this?
8. The tank light is on a timer 8hrs on, 16hrs off, is this correct?
9. The rocks have: white stringy looking stuff on it with super tiny hairy swaying things at the ends; are brownish greyish; I remember them being kinda pinkish/purplish before but they aren't very much like that now; and I sometimes see very small dark gunk dangling off the rocks. Is all this normal?
10. Is the sand deep enough? Should I get more? what kind?
That's all I can think of right now. I can provide nice pictures tomorrow evening for reference if needed. Thanks again for taking the time to read this.
-an extremely concerned newbie