gena Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I pay .30/gallon for the water (6 TDS). I buy the big bucket of neomarine salt $66.39 plus shipping for 150g. Not sure what the salt breaks down to but $2.40 in water per week. Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 I pay .30/gallon for the water (6 TDS). I buy the big bucket of neomarine salt $66.39 plus shipping for 150g. Not sure what the salt breaks down to but $2.40 in water per week. Buying bulk is the way to go if you're going to mix, I just never did for some reason. I'm excited with the prospect of having my base water be guaranteed 0 TDS. Still need to test the premix Link to comment
Deckoz2302 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I buy the 160 gallon bucket when its on sale at petsmart for 34 bucks. You don't loose alot to evap because of your lid....I loose almost a gallon a day right now do to evap >.< Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 I buy the 160 gallon bucket when its on sale at petsmart for 34 bucks. You don't loose alot to evap because of your lid....I loose almost a gallon a day right now do to evap >.< My 56gal cichlid tank has an even better fitting glass top, and I lose a couple of cups out of it every few days. I dunno Link to comment
gena Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I never lost much to evap until I did the LED light mod. Now I lose about 2 cups a day. Still not bad. Link to comment
Deckoz2302 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 <---rimless display, rimless hob refugium, topless sump Link to comment
gena Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 <---rimless display, rimless hob refugium, topless sump That would explain it At two cups a day, I don't need an ATO...you sure do though! Link to comment
Deckoz2302 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Yea haha, I top off 2-3 times a day Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 <---rimless display, rimless hob refugium, topless sump That would explain it! I'd love to build a sump out of one of my many spare 10g AGAs (or even one of my 20s.....), but I need to find a stand that would hold it. Want the sump thoroughly out of sight. A skimmer, ATO, some 'groves and a buttload of chaeto... Yes please! Might even be able to build my pod population up enough to support a Mandarin.... /wishful thinking Link to comment
Deckoz2302 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 You could - may i suggest a fat wild caught one though. Me nor several others habe been having luck with ora's latest. They aren't pod hunters...or any food at all hunters it seems lol Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Figured I'd start testing the premixed salt water from the LFS. First test: Specific Gravity Stated: 1.023 Measured (with freshly calibrated refractometer): 1.019 Didn't even bother with other tests. Might just try their RO/DI and keep mixing it myself. Sigh. Link to comment
gena Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Good thing you tested it! How's the new firefish doing? Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Good thing you tested it! How's the new firefish doing? So far, so good. Is out about half of the time, hides the rest. Did eat a few hours ago, where as the other one didn't. My shrooms are still pissy, hoping they come out a bit more in the next few days. Link to comment
gena Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 So far, so good. Is out about half of the time, hides the rest. Did eat a few hours ago, where as the other one didn't. My shrooms are still pissy, hoping they come out a bit more in the next few days. I've had mine forever and a day now and it still hides most of the day As long as she comes out now and then, it ok with me! Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Bored, so I'm going to go ahead and test the 1.019 (actually 1.018 after triple-checking) premixed saltwater from the LFS (all tests are API, so while not pinpoint, should be close enough). SG: 1.018 PH: 8.3 Ammonia: 0ppm Nitrites: 0ppm Nitrates: 15ppm (really?! will re-test tomorrow, but I think it's ridiculous for "clean" water) Phosphates: 0ppm KH: ~375ppm Ca: ~360ppm Edit - rechecked Nitrates, 15ppm reading is correct. Ugh. Link to comment
Deckoz2302 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 theyre selling you theyre water change water lol Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Bored, so I'm going to go ahead and test the 1.019 premixed saltwater from the LFS (all tests are API, so while not pinpoint, should be close enough). PH: 8.3 Ammonia: 0ppm Nitrites: 0ppm Nitrates: 15ppm (really?! will re-test tomorrow, but I think it's ridiculous for "clean" water) Phosphates: 0ppm KH: ~375ppm Ca: ~360ppm Out of curiosity (and continued boredom) I decided to run the same tests on my tank water, which I changed with 4 gallons of my own mix yesterday afternoon It's been a while since I've tested anything beside SG, I usually only test if I suspect something is wrong. Results: SG: 1.024 PH: 8.2 Ammonia: 0ppm Nitrites: 0ppm Nitrates: 0ppm Phosphates: .25ppm KH: 197ppm Ca: 360ppm Not sure where the Phosphates are coming from, and I guess the Chemi-Pure Elite is getting old and not taking care of it. Now I need to decide whether I should give their (supposed) RO/DI a shot or just stick with distilled from Wal-Mart. I may mix up a batch with the LFS' "fresh" water and see how it tests. Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 theyre selling you theyre water change water lol Glad I'm suspicious by nature Link to comment
Deckoz2302 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I've been using walmart distilled with great success - what I do since I grab 10 gallons at a time. Is most of those come from the same batch - I stick a tds meter in each of the bottles and it normally ranges from 0-2tds. most of the time 0. If it reads above 0 i test that bottle. Also the level you wanna maintain sg 1.024-1.027(stay to the lower end of this unless you have corals/fish that do better with higher) nitrogen based tests - 0 phosphates - 0(this one is tricky to do unless you have a refugium/reactor w/ rowaphos) sea water is 7dkh but we wanna keep it around 9 calcium - the concentration when it is best utilized by corals is 385ppm, anything less and the corals will bring they're calcium structure building to a hault. don't go over 440-450 as calcium will cause precipitation out of the water and also high calcium(over 460) can have the same effect as low calcium Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 Thinking about trying a skimmer. I don't think I need one, but for some reason it sounds fun to give a whirl. Not sure which one I'll go with, have some research to do (maybe that's the fun part?). Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 2nd Firefish kicked this morning. Guess I'll try something else. Any suggestions for what would go with a B/W Occ and YWG? Link to comment
gena Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Oh no!!!!!! Bummer Some sort of blenny. I'd say a sixline but they get so mean after established (with new additions only). Um....possom wrasse. Probably a blenny is the best way to go. I might start looking into distilled water instead. Brad...if you are around here...how much do you pay per gallon at walmart? Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 Oh no!!!!!! Bummer Some sort of blenny. I'd say a sixline but they get so mean after established (with new additions only). Um....possom wrasse. Probably a blenny is the best way to go. I might start looking into distilled water instead. Brad...if you are around here...how much do you pay per gallon at walmart? I thought about a six line, but don't want to risk having conflicts. I have 8 African Cichlids for that A blenny might work, I'll have to see what's around. FWIW I've been paying something like $0.88/gallon for distilled at Wal-Mart. Link to comment
gena Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Oh....that's a significant increase from my .30/gallon. I remember seeing Arrowhead distilled at the market but it was like $1+ per gallon...no way! Link to comment
nevermore1701 Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 My new 'shrooms are just starting to puff back out, hopefully they'll be picture worthy in a few more days! Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.