AquaTricia 40 gal FOWLR

[AquaTricia]

I did give consideration to the bacteria and little critters that I want in the sandbed. I was concerned with the leftovers from the diatom bloom which still gave the sand a gold look and the heavy feeding I was doing (and have stopped) to get the fish to come out and play. It only took a couple of hours for the water to get clear again, so I guess they are all right, even though I haven't seen both of them at one time since early afternoon.

 

[Sniperhank]

You did have that awful diatom bloom that almost looked like dinos. My memory is slowly coming around, I swear.
Either way, it may look AWFUL, but it will vanish on its own. Just wait that one out.
Just remember, everything in this hobby comes about from going slow. You are on the right track.

 

[PB_Smith]

Don't stir a sandbed. One of the reasons comes from the bacteria that grow in there that you want live in oxygen free zones...stir it and bring oxygen in means dead or no bacteria growth. That and there are other things that live in the sandbed that you want in there that you'll end up sucking out.
As for the cloudy tank, as long as it isn't long lasting things will be just fine and it shouldn't worry you.

in order to get the anoxic zones you mention, the sand bed has to be about 4"-6" inches in depth.

stirring the sand bed only causes issues if it isn't done regularly.

 

[AquaTricia]

Yes, Sniperhank, the diatoms WERE awful, but are resolving faster than I had expected. After the vacuum, the sand is white again, but we'll see if it remains that way. Thank you for what you said about my being on the right track. The important thing is to prevent aquarium deaths, keep everything healthy and enjoy the hobby, no matter what you have to do to accomplish that. My sandbed is not deep, maybe 1 and 1/2 inches, and is new. I would never have considered vacuuming if it were older or deeper. It was my understanding that I could remove dead diatoms, poop and old food before it began to affect water quality.

 

[AquaTricia]

Fish came out this morning when I put food in, but just stuck their heads out of the rock. Not sure if they ate much.


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[Sniperhank]

Sounds like they are just adjusting to their new home. It might take time, but sounds OK.

 

[AquaTricia]

They will only eat frozen foods. When I feed flakes or pellets, they don't come out at all. Should I feed only frozen for now? Would it pollute the tank too much?

 

[Sniperhank]

Flakes and pellets will pollute a tank much easier than frozen foods. Frozens you can rinse off.

 

[AquaTricia]

I got some frozen food that said it had no gel to hold it together. (Or something like that). Do they still need to be rinsed?

 

[Sniperhank]

What I do it use some tank water that I pull from the sump to thaw out a cube. The water they are packed in is basically all liquid phosphates. So, if you use a strainer you can prevent that awfulness from going into your tank by straining out that water.

 

[markodeniro]

That's a good tip I might start doing this from now on


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[AquaTricia]

Cool! I do use water from the tank to thaw, and, until I got this "gel free" food, I always ran the cube under the tap to rinse it before putting it into a cup of tank water to melt. The strainer is a good idea. I will try to find a small one. Tonight was frozen Mysis, chopped up. One Chromis is free swimming, but didn't appear to eat. I don't see the other.

 

[AquaTricia]

Found both Chromis, but neither ate much, if at all. I also found something else...nitrites! Am warming water for a 10% water change and will do a thorough cleaning of the skimmer. Four more gallons of water are coming to room temp so I can heat them easier tomorrow morning, if another change is necessary, which it probably will be. Also mixing five more gallons up now. I do have a couple of reserve gallons I use for the reef tank with a higher S.G. That I can adjust for use in the FOWLR. Hate to use up all my water. Should have prepared better.


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[AquaTricia]

Lost another Chromis this morning. Was swimming around with the other one, and 10 minutes later, I found him in the corner of the tank very dead. Not breathing. Nothing. What could kill one so fast? The water in the tank is kinda cloudy this morning (bacteria bloom?). Changed 10% water last night. Crystal clear when I went to bed. I take care of my parents so I had to get out here and didn't get time to test water other than temp 76.4 and salinity 1.024. Anyone have any ideas? I am heartbroken. ??


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[Sniperhank]

Run some activated carbon. It'll clear it up.

 

[AquaTricia]

Forgive my usual ignorance, but what exactly is activated carbon? I have carbon sheets I used to use in the reef tank before I started with Chemi-Pure Elite. And, where would I put it? I don't have a filter, so to speak, just the skimmer, an Aqua C Remora S. Could I put it in the return from that?

 

[Sniperhank]

Yeah, put it in the return. That'll work.

 

[AquaTricia]

Would a carbon pad be ok? And what do you think would be the reason for the sudden death?

 

[AquaTricia]

Got home. Put carbon pad in skimmer overflow. Nitrites at 4, nitrates at 50. Ph 8.1 temp 76.4, salinity 1.025. Tank cloudy. Remaining fish is hovering under skimmer overflow box. Shrimp is running around thru rocks. Fed fish. He did not eat. Any ideas, anyone? Why the sudden death of this morning's fish and the day long slow death of the other? Ammonia and nitrites were zero for days before I put the fish and shrimp in. What am I doing wrong?


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[Sniperhank]

The cloud is most likely a bacterial bloom. The nitrites on the other hand are why your fish aren't eating and dying.