Week 5

[Amandry7]

Parameters at 0 ( ammonia, nitrates & nitrites) PH at 8.2 as of last night and Saturday
... When my wife saw that the parameters were at the point where I have for so long said we needed to wait to get any life stock she went ahead and got life stock...on Saturday...she got a CUC of 5 turbo snails, 5 hermits crabs, and 5 smaller white shell crabs she also got a bristle starfish and a emerald crab. So last night I got a power head and a skimmer...the skimmer I could not figure out nothing but small bubbles came out in my display tank while it was on. The power head is working great. So questions, the life stock seems to be feeding from the algae but should I hurry and get another source of food for them? Ive had a turbos snail that came with one of the live rocks that i bought about 2 weeks ago and had done good but now he has more life stock to fight for food. My water has been evaporating pretty fast so I guess that has help with the params, as I add water is it the same as a water change? The skimmer I go is used, so have no reference o how to hook up properly to prevent all those bubbles... Thanks in advance for ur advice, all comments are welcome...looking to learn as much as I can...

 

[Amandry7]

Just turned on a skimmer why am I getting all those bubbles? Sand? Salt?

 

[Squidly]

Adding evaporated water isn't the same as a water change. Make sure to top off lost water off with distilled fresh water because salt stays in the tank. What kind of skimmer are you using? Iv never had any rampaging bubbles with my skimmer in use (then again I have the biocube oceanic skimmer which apparently doesnt work very well). Overall, tank looks good congrats on starting the cleanup crew!

 

[Animal-Chin]

Ya thats some serious microbubbles. What kind of skimmer is it? Isnit in a sump or doues it hang off the back? I'd say its not dialed in, look in the collection cup, is it making foam?

 

[Amandry7]

Thanks, just having the cuc has me stoked....I have been adding salted water to the tank to top off... This morning common sense set in and I use un-salted fresh water... Got the skimmer from a friend, not sure of type but It mas on a 60 gallon tank mine is a 55

 

[Amandry7]

suction cups has bubble and DT is looking much clearer...

 

[Animal-Chin]

if you've been adding salted when y ou get evaporation you're salinity would be going up, have you checked it today? You may want to suck some saltwater our and add fresh to get your salinity right if it's now messed up...

 

[Animal-Chin]

oh and your skimmer looks like it's working right, you want to see that frothy foam that you've got going on, thats what the gunk attaches too. Looks like you're on your way now...