Need advice BEFORE I set up!

[Callen]

RIP Paul Blart. He escaped through the overflow box and ended up down under in the blue mesh stuff. We miss him already!

[Cjsanders757]

Originally Posted by Callen

Not dismissing y'all, just changing the subject.

The yellow watchman goby has been missing all day. He appeared to be happy last night. After lights out he tucked himself in under a rock. Halfway buried in the sand. Never saw him this morning. Boys say they didn't see him today. He's not out and about this evening. I've got so much rock, he could be anywhere. What is their typical behavior? If he is still alive will he come back out?

Look for random divets in the sand bed. That's how I knew mine was still alive

[Callen]

Will adding fish cause my ph to lower? I added them on Tuesday. The goby escaped to his own death Wednesday. The shrimp is dead today. I did a water test and ph is 8.0 ammonia 0, trites 0 and trates around 5 Ph is the only thing that looks off

[Greenstreet.1]

What's wrong with the ph 8.0 is good.

[carey]

8.0 is fine for pH as long as it's consistent. A steady pH lower than 8.4 is better than one that has swings. My 125g was constantly at 7.8 for a year or more but since it was stable nothing bad came of it. Stability is more important, especially with a saltwater tank. it's not worth it to mess with chemicals to raise and lower things in my opinion.

How long did you have the shrimp in total? How did you acclimate him? When you tested the water did you check salinity? Shrimps are very sensitive to changes on salinity as well as swings on Ph.

[Callen]

Let's talk salinity!

The shrimp was in there about 36 hours before he died. I made the trip back to Houston today and took a water sample to the semi-LFS They tested my salinity at 1.028, which they said was high. They gave me store credit for the shrimp but advised I wait til later before I add anything. They told me to remove 5 gallons of saltwater from my tank and replace it with freshwater.

My hydrometer measured the water between 1.025 and 1.026 when I got the water sample that I took to the store. The store reading was 1.028 As I was driving I got to thinking about that chart that Grizz posted earlier in this thread and how temperature affects salinity. Could the temp be the difference between my reading and the stores?

I didn't specifically ask what she used to measure my water, but it wasnt a hydrometer. I asked how accurate it was and she said "highly accurate...almost exact" She told me from now on just to take my reading and add 2 to it. For example if my hydrometer reads 1.025 then my salinity is really 1.027

I'm not so sure I believe this. I need my expert friends to weigh in!

[Bectan01]

If you can invest in your own refractometer, you can get not a bad one off eBay. It will be much more accurate than the hydrometer

[Greenstreet.1]

Hydrometers are off by at least 2+ I found that out the hard way I don't use them anymore at all.

[Ericwm]

I just have my LFS test my salinity and compare that to my hydrometer. They need to be rinsed before and after each use. I just ordered a refractometer from BRS for~$40 I am excited to finally dial in my salinity, I think it is a good investment.

Also as for the shrimp, they are sensitive, I waited 5 months before I added my shrimp, I now have 3 and haven't lost any.

[Callen]

That's a good price, Eric. The semi-LFS had them for $100 and up. The first one they showed was over $200! Does anyone know if there is much difference in use and accuracy based on the price?

[carey]

My $30 refractometer is very accurate, every few weeks/months I recalibrate it and it has never needed any adjustment since it was first dialed in. One of the best purchases I have made! I hate those swing arms lol

[Callen]

That price is more like like it! I think the semi-LFS is just overpriced.

[carey]

Salinity Refractometer Aquarium Seawater Dual Scale 1 0 to 1 070 s G | eBay

Heres a link for ya

[Ericwm]

That is a good deal. It looks like the same one I got, mine comes with the calibration fluid and was discounted from the group buy, it came out to about the same. From BRS you would pay shipping too if that is all you got. I'm glad to know it is quality.

[Greenstreet.1]

Originally Posted by carey

Salinity Refractometer Aquarium Seawater Dual Scale 1 0 to 1 070 s G | eBay

Heres a link for ya

Same one I have works great.

[Callen]

Thanks y'all! I will order one this weekend

[Callen]

How do I know if I have algae growing in my tank? We added a bicolor blenny this weekend and I am reading that he needs algae to graze on or else I need to supplement/feed him some. He ate the food I put in there yesterday (frozen cube stuff--photo a few posts up from here.) He was sleeping/peeking out of a hole in a rock at wake-up time this morning. THen he disappeard and I haven't seen him since. I fed them at noon, thinking he might show up for that, but no luck. I am hoping he is happily munching, getting fat and happy on some algae that I can't see!

[carey]

My lawnmower blenny goes up to rock that doesnt appear to have algae and start munching on it, so i"m guessing theres some there that we dont actually see. And since he is eating prepared foods I wouldnt worry about him starving.

You can clip a seaweed sheet in your tank as well if you like, he may eat that as well.

Hope that helps.

[TangoTank]

Originally Posted by Callen

How do I know if I have algae growing in my tank? We added a bicolor blenny this weekend and I am reading that he needs algae to graze on or else I need to supplement/feed him some. He ate the food I put in there yesterday (frozen cube stuff--photo a few posts up from here.) He was sleeping/peeking out of a hole in a rock at wake-up time this morning. THen he disappeard and I haven't seen him since. I fed them at noon, thinking he might show up for that, but no luck. I am hoping he is happily munching, getting fat and happy on some algae that I can't see!

My Lawnmower Blenny, I don't see him eat very often... but when he does, it's comical! He draws his head back & pecks the rock w/ way more force than is necessary & his mouth is open huge! He eats in squares like 2" big where there's visible algae. Must be OCD or something! I have not seen him eat seaweed but I put some in there 1 evening, forgot about it. The next day, GONE! Not a trace!! So might been him or the crab or everybody.

[Callen]

I'm just assuming there's something there but I really can't see anything. Some of my live rock is a little fuzzy, but I was thinking it was die off. I don't see anything on the glass, but the turbo snails spend a lot of time on it so I guess they are happy! But then again, what else are they gonna do?!

Thanks for the replies. I'm sure I will keep coming back with more questions!