Salt Water Startup

[InfernoST]

Sorry to here about the snails, they are pretty cool to watch.

[jason1985]

My local shop said my snails probably died and then the hermits make them into a snack..

well I don't think this is true since I seen the snails moving around and then have 2-3 hermits crawl all over them, flip them around and then eat out the shell...

Maybe they were weak I don't know. Could my water quality kill the snails? Everything else has been living just fine and my tests are still good....

[thincat]

Originally Posted by jason1985

yea that's what I do.. I do the top off with fresh water as it's a known fact that salt doesn't evaporate...

My Salinity test was a little high so I did a 5 gallon change and just added fresh water. This brought my salinity down where it should be.

You would be surprised at how many people don't know that. As we give general information we now and then throw in the obvious. It's easier then saying "I told you so".

[jason1985]

Ok so We learn new things everyday. I figured my heater would maintaing the tempurate of the water at about 77. The water felt as if it was very very warm so I went and bought a stick on thermometer and there we have it 82 F water temp...

The right temp to keep a reef tank is what 75F?


I understand that my lighting produces some heat but I didn't think the temp would climb that high... The aquarium is not infront of a window or any other source of heat and my place is rather cool.

Any suggestions?

I'm still with my Clown, Banggai Cardinal and 15 hermits walking around with Snail Shells.

I feed a cube of mysis shrimp every night

[thincat]

82 is still Okay. Do you have any small fans blowing air over the top of your AQ. This will lower the temp. ~2-3 degrees. The only problem with the fans is that you will get alot more evaporation so you might need an ATO unit.

[angelinafay]

make sure you do your homework on your fish, you need to introduce some fish at the same time as others are too aggressive for some. also think about color variations, some fish may fight with others, be careful wich creatures you put in your tank, some may eat any trace of corals your tank might start. good luck!

[jason1985]

i turned down the heater some and trying to slowly bring the temp down to at least 80....

I lost one of my Cichlids tonight in my 30 gallon :S... The water temp over there is 78

[thincat]

African or South American Cichlid? 78 does not seem that high or that cold for that matter?

[jason1985]

African Cichlid. I haven't had any problem before. Probably should have mentioned that the fins were eaten by another fish. It's because both were yellow labs and one decided to attach the other.

78 should be okay for African cichlids.



This morning my Salt tank was sitting at 84 with the heater turned off and the lights off..

[Sharkbait430]

Originally Posted by jason1985

my next purchases will be 1 or 2 shrimp gobies a maybe dwarf blue tang and pipefish

I heard to stay away from pipefish because they are really hard to keep. IMO

[Sharkbait430]

Originally Posted by severum mama

Aw, that's too bad.

That is the reason HN1 and I don't have any hermits.

I dont like hermits because they do that!! I love my 3 snails!!

[jason1985]

Yea! My next fish will be some sort of goby and maybe a shrimp. We'll see what I find this weekend...

[Sharkbait430]

If youre going to go with shrimp, i would go with peppermints, skunk cleaners, or sexy shrimp - all very cool!

One of my skunk cleaners loves to hop onto my hand and try to clean it as best as he can everytime my hand is in the tank. its hilarious

[jason1985]

I will try and find a Shunk Cleaner

[InfernoST]

I guess I've been lucky, my turbos & nassarius are co existing with my hermits and emerald crabs. Maybe it also has to do with the size of the tank.

[jason1985]

not sure but I haven't seen my Emerald Crabs in so long... At one point I seen two of them and a little baby.

I think I might have to remove a few Snail Shells. They are laying all over the tank bed

[InfernoST]

Originally Posted by jason1985

not sure but I haven't seen my Emerald Crabs in so long... At one point I seen two of them and a little baby.

I think I might have to remove a few Snail Shells. They are laying all over the tank bed

Mine manage to get under and inside all of the crevices in the rock work. Mine are more active when the lights go out. Try turning out the tank lights and go back an hour later you may find them running around. I find them to also be pretty fast.

[jason1985]

The last time I seen the big guy he was hanging upside down inside one of the rocks.

can these emerald crabs breath outside of water?

[thincat]

"I figured my heater would maintaing the tempurate of the water at about 77. The water felt as if it was very very warm so I went and bought a stick on thermometer and there we have it 82 F water temp..."
Your heater will just keep your water temp. from going below 77 not prevent it from getting any hotter then that.

[jason1985]

Well I turned off the heater yesterday and when I woke up this morning the temp was still over 80