Jump to content
SaltCritters.com

2 week cycle test results.. good or bad?


darkdancer333

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 157
  • Created
  • Last Reply
darkdancer333

this is where i put mine.. I just moved the filter over to slot 2 I guess I could put the pad on top but think I want to use the charcoal until the skimmer goes full tilt

Link to comment

good plan, and then see if your happy with the skimmer you could take the pad out total, up to you, again though, the skimmer may take a few days to really kick in. :)

 

EDIT - sorry i meant the charcoal not the pad LOL, bloody head's at it again :)

Link to comment
darkdancer333

good plan, and then see if your happy with the skimmer you could take the pad out total, up to you, again though, the skimmer may take a few days to really kick in. :)

 

EDIT - sorry i meant the charcoal not the pad LOL, bloody head's at it again :)

I did lay a pad on top like the video.. I had to take my Jaeger heater back because it was too large. Compartment 3 to accomodate the water level for the skimmer I had to go small heater. Its a 50 watt about 6inches made by marineland. I just hope 50watt is enough. My Jaeger was 75.

Perhaps I wasn't getting proper filtration because my water level was too high.

Link to comment

Should be fine on the heater, as its a pretty enclosed tank, try it if it fails just nip it back to the shop.

 

Maybe the water level had a play on things, does it slow the waterflow then at all when its high, if there's no flow deficit then I doubt it was that, but again could of been.

 

I think you've done the right thing here, ditched the bio balls, 100% you've got a skimmer thats sing and clap material right there :) , and maybe in time the need for charcoal and pads and the likes may be redundant too. I am really happy for you, really, and i'm more than happy to have helped, again I always look at nature now on this tank, ask myself does it have this or that, and then act based on that alone, the rest is a balancing act to be honest, the right amount of fish to your natural filter (rock / sand ect), a decent clean up crew to battle it all as a team, and lastly and just as important, time given by you, thats how I judge it all now, and i'm happy in all ways, if i can pass a bit on, bonus, thanks again :) anything else, shout :)

Link to comment
darkdancer333

Should be fine on the heater, as its a pretty enclosed tank, try it if it fails just nip it back to the shop.

 

Maybe the water level had a play on things, does it slow the waterflow then at all when its high, if there's no flow deficit then I doubt it was that, but again could of been.

 

I think you've done the right thing here, ditched the bio balls, 100% you've got a skimmer thats sing and clap material right there :) , and maybe in time the need for charcoal and pads and the likes may be redundant too. I am really happy for you, really, and i'm more than happy to have helped, again I always look at nature now on this tank, ask myself does it have this or that, and then act based on that alone, the rest is a balancing act to be honest, the right amount of fish to your natural filter (rock / sand ect), a decent clean up crew to battle it all as a team, and lastly and just as important, time given by you, thats how I judge it all now, and i'm happy in all ways, if i can pass a bit on, bonus, thanks again :) anything else, shout :)

thx for all the help I am on the right track now. Things have change much in the last 25 years. I had 60 salt water tank but was fish only..

Now to see if the snails survive. they been in one spot all day:(

Link to comment

ah jeez, still, they are sometimes very dormant, like I said on the other post you made, a cleaner shrimp once your levels have settled, that would be a good move too, any losses its quickly tidying them up, ive had a few dead snails and like i say, it was on them and cleaned the shells out, great little charactered things, and super useful :)

Link to comment
darkdancer333

ah jeez, still, they are sometimes very dormant, like I said on the other post you made, a cleaner shrimp once your levels have settled, that would be a good move too, any losses its quickly tidying them up, ive had a few dead snails and like i say, it was on them and cleaned the shells out, great little charactered things, and super useful :)

i'll jusr ride it out nowthe 4 hermits seem ok 2 big an 2 little lol one of the samll havent seen today he likes to hide.

if snails die ill wait for the cycle to finish

Link to comment
darkdancer333

ah jeez, still, they are sometimes very dormant, like I said on the other post you made, a cleaner shrimp once your levels have settled, that would be a good move too, any losses its quickly tidying them up, ive had a few dead snails and like i say, it was on them and cleaned the shells out, great little charactered things, and super useful :)

hi

 

my nitrite dropped to 0 but nitrate still about 5-10 ammonia is 0

I noticed 1 small hermit cant find. shell an all gone unless in the rocks an the s snails still havent moved. Not sure how long before can declare dead:) I know the smell but wasnt sure if that would hurt the tank

Link to comment

my nitrite dropped to 0 but nitrate still about 5-10 ammonia is 0

It is not that unusual for nano tanks to not support enough denitrifying bacteria to get rid of nitrate. So for these tanks, we use water changes to lower it. While your tank's nitrate level is actually fine where it's at, doing a water change will lower it. A 10% water change (with new saltwater which has 0ppm nitrate) will lower the level from 5-10pppm to 4.5-9ppm. This change would be so small as to not register on a test kit, so larger changes are more effective in lowering the level.

 

Not sure how long before can declare dead:) I know the smell but wasnt sure if that would hurt the tank

If you are unsure, just take the snail out of the water and smell it. A dead snail will stink (and you shouldn't put it back in your tank). Sure, it would eventually break down, but leaving rotting flesh in your tank isn't that great for the water quality.

Link to comment

I will go with Sea on the smell the snail bit if your concerned, as you have no cleaner shrimp (I think) it would be best to yes take him out if he's gone, it would probably add to the cycle but none the less rotting stuff's isn't to good if let too long doing it, in a little tank especially, be safe, smell it, and bring him out if he's gone.

 

As for water changes of any size, I would still apose one now, i'm not saying don't do them at all obviously, your tank now even over the short time since you've originally posted is maturing nicely, you can see it in the tests, nitrate has even dropped since your opening post, everything is going dandy (good), and if its maturing, so is your water, there is absolutely no need to change any yet, just check on that little snail :) a few more days, see if the nitrate dips more, if it stabilises over a few, really, that level is not alarm bell material :)

Link to comment

If anything now, concentrate on how you'll keep levels at optimum, are you going to add anything as results of your tests come in month to month / week to week, after you add livestocks and maybe corals ?

 

Also your next elimination is going to be phosphates, maybe after you've started adding livestocks, ok agreed nitrates and phosphates are algaes best buddies, but if you neutralise one (phos is marginally easier), you really have gotten close to winning the battle, and it really is not that hard :)

Link to comment

In general, when you look into the tank now, how would you describe it, describe it all, your rockwork, sand, water clarity, anything and what is moving, can you see any algae of any colour that wasn't there at the start ?

 

Its important that you can do this, examine the tank, and get a feeling for it, generally a good honest visual from yourself is important to, if it looks good (and you test for proof) it is good :)

Link to comment
darkdancer333

In general, when you look into the tank now, how would you describe it, describe it all, your rockwork, sand, water clarity, anything and what is moving, can you see any algae of any colour that wasn't there at the start ?

 

Its important that you can do this, examine the tank, and get a feeling for it, generally a good honest visual from yourself is important to, if it looks good (and you test for proof) it is good :)

With the skimmer water looks great. I cleaned some of the rock with a toothbrush. Diatoms were really thick lol. I noticed with the skimmer there is some aeration bubbles very tiny but noticeable. The 3rd compartment is half full water this may also contribute to the aeration but not sure..

 

Maybe this weekend I plan on a coral or 2. I would like to test with more snails first.. It will be three weeks..There must be several amphipods in the tank now because when I pulled the rocks out to clean I saw several skin shells..

 

If anything now, concentrate on how you'll keep levels at optimum, are you going to add anything as results of your tests come in month to month / week to week, after you add livestocks and maybe corals ?

 

Also your next elimination is going to be phosphates, maybe after you've started adding livestocks, ok agreed nitrates and phosphates are algaes best buddies, but if you neutralise one (phos is marginally easier), you really have gotten close to winning the battle, and it really is not that hard :)

Ph another test kit this one I don't have lol

CA, KH, MG, Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrite.. Any others I need..

Link to comment

OK, I test all you do aswell ... aswell as Strontium and Iodine, strontium is like an extra vitamin if you like for corals / helps growth ect, and Iodine for my xenia and it helps the likes of my crabs and cleaner shrimp to shed skin. (the strontium kit of salifert's is the most finnicky test kit, so be warned, it also tests calcium beforehand, so 2 in 1)

 

Also I test, but seems to just stay level, potassium as its a large ingredient in salt mix, pretty pointless exercise at the moment :)

 

Oh, yes, and phosphate :)

 

Obviously if your not keeping such "creatures" as me, then maybe you could drop this, but research well into both if you need to and be happy to add and test. I can tell you again, on strontium, my tank strips it each month from reco. 8-9 to zero, so now I bi-weekly test and add if needed, if its using it, I certainly add it, as water changes alone would never balance it back up, and my tank shines that little bit more when I add it, its no wonder drug if you get me, part of the big picture again though :)

 

 

Spotted anemone shrimp, some info for you :)http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+525+700&pcatid=700 seems happy with anemone's ect.

Link to comment
darkdancer333

OK, I test all you do aswell ... aswell as Strontium and Iodine, strontium is like an extra vitamin if you like for corals / helps growth ect, and Iodine for my xenia and it helps the likes of my crabs and cleaner shrimp to shed skin. (the strontium kit of salifert's is the most finnicky test kit, so be warned, it also tests calcium beforehand, so 2 in 1)

 

Also I test, but seems to just stay level, potassium as its a large ingredient in salt mix, pretty pointless exercise at the moment :)

 

Oh, yes, and phosphate :)

 

Obviously if your not keeping such "creatures" as me, then maybe you could drop this, but research well into both if you need to and be happy to add and test. I can tell you again, on strontium, my tank strips it each month from reco. 8-9 to zero, so now I bi-weekly test and add if needed, if its using it, I certainly add it, as water changes alone would never balance it back up, and my tank shines that little bit more when I add it, its no wonder drug if you get me, part of the big picture again though :)

 

 

Spotted anemone shrimp, some info for you :)http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+525+700&pcatid=700 seems happy with anemone's ect.

The gal at the reef store with the good tank I talked about earlier she had several if these in the tank with 1 mandarin gobyand 2 clown fish plus a ton of coral.

Also back to my 2 snail issues tomorrow be 3 days no movement ??

Link to comment

Ok, me being me, i've missed a load here, bloody heads at it again :)

 

you mentioned little air bubbles, I take it you mean outside of the skimmer, micro bubbles, maybe into other partitions behind in the compartments ? If so, your skimmer is very new, with them all, all of them, allow a good few days to settle in and bacteria's to grow on it all, my monster took probably 3 days before I could start to tune it in as it were, if its your case, don't worry, its normal ... for now :)

 

On the "gal" in the store with several of the shrimps, I think you said while i'm typing, that its a good reputable store, if its near, go check in with here again ... hang on, got a video i'm listening to and trying not to laugh ... thats better :) ok, just ask her about them, check them out yourself, how they react, behave ect, and see what she thinks, or maybe how they should be homed properly, I have no clue on these, but they do look sweet don't they :)

 

Now, while i'm with you and sort of awake, another visit to neurology earlier, got up at 8am and went to bed at 4 last night LOL, now its 2:10am again :)

 

The snails, ok, i'm guessing its about 9pm'ish there (guessing your USA?), me, i'd wait till tomorrow, its getting on in the day, and just in case you need time ... i'd wait, tomorrow (unless you want to do it now), do the "smell" test, lift one out, remember "off smell" is strong, if they dont, whilst out, only for a short time say 30 seconds, look close, any movement at all ?

 

Now if they dont smell, but they dont move for that short time, i'd place back in and just watch periodically over a few days, if you see the gal down the shop, maybe mention to her too, you'll understand, its a tad awkward to explain it typing :)

 

Do let us know though, I've been emailing a local shop here too, the one i mentioned with the guy who maintains too, my next 2 fish are a Melanarus wrasse and cleaner, I think im coming close now, he's gone quiet so im hoping he's getting me a price :) Ive added 2 other wrasse, so its best to leave them to settle in for a few weeks, hopefully all will be good :)

Link to comment
darkdancer333

Ok, me being me, i've missed a load here, bloody heads at it again :)

 

you mentioned little air bubbles, I take it you mean outside of the skimmer, micro bubbles, maybe into other partitions behind in the compartments ? If so, your skimmer is very new, with them all, all of them, allow a good few days to settle in and bacteria's to grow on it all, my monster took probably 3 days before I could start to tune it in as it were, if its your case, don't worry, its normal ... for now :)

 

On the "gal" in the store with several of the shrimps, I think you said while i'm typing, that its a good reputable store, if its near, go check in with here again ... hang on, got a video i'm listening to and trying not to laugh ... thats better :) ok, just ask her about them, check them out yourself, how they react, behave ect, and see what she thinks, or maybe how they should be homed properly, I have no clue on these, but they do look sweet don't they :)

 

Now, while i'm with you and sort of awake, another visit to neurology earlier, got up at 8am and went to bed at 4 last night LOL, now its 2:10am again :)

 

The snails, ok, i'm guessing its about 9pm'ish there (guessing your USA?), me, i'd wait till tomorrow, its getting on in the day, and just in case you need time ... i'd wait, tomorrow (unless you want to do it now), do the "smell" test, lift one out, remember "off smell" is strong, if they dont, whilst out, only for a short time say 30 seconds, look close, any movement at all ?

 

Now if they dont smell, but they dont move for that short time, i'd place back in and just watch periodically over a few days, if you see the gal down the shop, maybe mention to her too, you'll understand, its a tad awkward to explain it typing :)

 

Do let us know though, I've been emailing a local shop here too, the one i mentioned with the guy who maintains too, my next 2 fish are a Melanarus wrasse and cleaner, I think im coming close now, he's gone quiet so im hoping he's getting me a price :) Ive added 2 other wrasse, so its best to leave them to settle in for a few weeks, hopefully all will be good :)

small aeration bubbles by pump outlet. The snails is an odd thing 4 snails and 2 snails each from different store. They were cleaning the diatoms like crazy then they stopped. This is the second set and I got them Saturday. By Saturday night they were dormant and some Sunday morning I wake up an see a hermit knock one off the ledge lol He never did turn over..

Link to comment

Yup I must admit, my algae hermits keep badgering my snails, knocking them about and fighting with them, luckily my nassarius types are swift at burying so they do ok in the escape, my glass cleaning types, cerith ect, they tend to get "got" by the hermits, I haven't seen one dead yet, so i'm thinking they're playing with them :)

 

It is somewhat annoying to see it though, I have here an acrylic thin tube, about the thickness of airline, and about 1.5 foot long, 2 sections linked to one with airline of you get me, I keep it on the tank top for two jobs, one I have on the top of it too a section of airline and I use it for blowing off the rocks and sandbed, as its only thin, it makes for a tidy but strong if i need it current to use, I just blow down it in various strengths :)

 

The second job for it, is to gently knock out of harms way, the little hermits when they decide to play up together or on snail attack, the hermits fold in, and i can just gently roll them out of the way, they scoot off the other direction when they come out again :)

Link to comment

... Jeez, my hermits are reasonably big now, and they have learnt to climb right up onto the powerhead now, right up the silicone tank seal, and across onto it, wondered why my powerhead is vibrating whilst I type, its that thing sitting on it with its shell on it :)

Link to comment

ok, does the skimmer when you say blowing micro bubbles out, does it look like a leak, maybe on a connection ? if its just a general flow out of the bottom of the skimmer, as it normally would flow outward, thats normal, if not have a think on how you can seal it up to stop it, may just be a manufacture flaw ect, leave it a while though, see if it all settles :)

Link to comment
darkdancer333

ok, does the skimmer when you say blowing micro bubbles out, does it look like a leak, maybe on a connection ? if its just a general flow out of the bottom of the skimmer, as it normally would flow outward, thats normal, if not have a think on how you can seal it up to stop it, may just be a manufacture flaw ect, leave it a while though, see if it all settles :)

Not the skimmer, it's the power head nozzle. tank seems to clear up so much faster since I lowered the water level in compartment 3

 

Thats funn y to hear that hermits are obnoxious LOL

Link to comment

I see sorry, ok is the powerhead one that does air too ? or was it just to high up drawing it in :) it must be something in the flow allowance when you say it clears faster, either way its all good :) anyway, must scoot off myself, 3am now, must sleep :) anything else or other news type away, i'll be back later oki :) see ya :)

Link to comment
darkdancer333

I see sorry, ok is the powerhead one that does air too ? or was it just to high up drawing it in :) it must be something in the flow allowance when you say it clears faster, either way its all good :) anyway, must scoot off myself, 3am now, must sleep :) anything else or other news type away, i'll be back later oki :) see ya :)

night an thx again

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...