Recent content by lisa888

I really think you should try a new test kit and your nitrate is not as high as you think. I went through the nitrate problem and ended up calling API. They explained to me that if you use the bottles without shaking you are using the liquid without any of the active ingredient that gets stuck...

I know I may get scolded by saying this, but I used the IO natural nitrate reducer and my nitrates went from about 50 to 0 after a few weeks. It's cheaper than buying all the salt for huge water changes, and it has stayed 0 without adding any more of it. I think its about $10 on Foster&Smith...

You need to get a new test kit. I also use API. I called their customer service and was told that if you don't do it correctly from the very first time you got the bottles, when you finally use it correctly the chemical that reacts to the nitrate will be way too high and give you a really high...

Thanks for the advice and link. Yes, we have a few good LFS here, and a few not so good ones like everywhere. lol

Do you think it will be enough air if I just put a screen in the back area so I can keep the glass cover? There's about 3" x 48" space back there. Someone else from Northern CA :) Are you in the bay area?

I just read that you should not have a tight-fitting lid that completely covers your tank because you won't get enough oxygen/gas exchange to the tank. Is this true? I thought I should cover it completely so fish can't jump out. I have a glass cover and then I cut the plastic strips to fit...

I have a 55 gal also and I've been purchasing live rock a little at a time from my LFS. No problems as long as the rock has been in their tank a few weeks. I also bring a bucket and they put some water in there for me so nothing dies on the way home. On one rock I bought, a few days later an...

If you're doing fish only you can do 1.020. If you plan to have snails and other invertebrates they need to have 1.023-1.026. Don't forget to measure it/make adjustments only after you are at your targeted temperature (about 76 degrees) because it can go up after the temp goes up.

Thanks everyone. ccCapt, I will go with your advice, you seem very knowledgeable on the subject and it makes sense to me. Like everything in this hobby, so many different opinions on every topic. I read somewhere else that you should use calibration fluid, but the directions say to use...

I just received a refractometer I ordered online. It says to calibrate with distilled water, so I did that. Then I tested it with some 1.026 calibration fluid that I have (bought with another refractometer from a different vendor that had spots in the prism and I sent back). I thought it...

Thanks, I will try that. I have a bigger problem to worry about now, because a piece of rock I got a few days ago has a large aiptasia on it. When I first saw it I thought it was cool and then realized it's the bad anenome. It's only on one piece right now and I've only had it a few days, so...

I guess that must have been a really stupid question. I will try to get rid of it.

I added some live rock from the LFS a few weeks ago, and one rock had a lot of green algae when I got it - I think it's known as "hair algae" according to what I've been reading. I thought it looked nice in my tank, as it's a very bright green and I thought only brown algae was bad. Now I've...

I have the 56w t5 lighting and my LFS guy said mushrooms would live, but I'm curious what others will say about this. I also heard that if you have lower light you can leave the lights on longer each day to make sure they get enough, say 14 hours instead of 12.

Hey everyone, just wanted to get a quick opinion about my (updated) stocking plan. I already have the 3 chromis (getting along well now) and royal gramma (love this fish). 3 blue-green chromis 1 royal gramma 1 starry blenny 2 black/white clowns 1 coral beauty If I have the blenny, should I...