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Tulip's Topic of Answeerss :)


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I'm not.

 

I'm gonna flame the #### out of her the next time she questions using tap or water changes.

:D

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Deleted User 3
Yeah, pretty much listen to everything Obie-wan-BENobie is saying.

 

This stuff isn't rocket science.

 

Things you will need to set up your tank:

 

1. Tank (you have)

2. 50w Heater (walmart)

3. Lights (idk what you have, get compact florescent)

4. Power head or filter

5. Power strip and light timer (walmart)

6. 10 pounds base or live rock and sand (LFS)

7. 10 Gallons of salt water (LFS)

8. 7 or 8 Gallons of either ro or distilled (do not use spring water) one gallon jugs from grocery store.

9. 1 cup clear vinegar, unflavored.

10. Clean towels and sponge

11. Five gallon bucket (Home Depot)

 

Step 1. Clean tank, bucket and all equipment(even new stuff like the heater) with a vinegar/water solution. For the tank and bucket add a gallon or so of tap water and a splash of vinegar, then scrub with the sponge/towels. After you are happy with it, dump out the solution and rinse it under the bath tub faucet for for a few minutes. If you can still smell vinegar, it needs to be rinsed more. Let the stuff dry and give it a final rinse with RO/distilled.

 

Step 2. Rinse sand. Add the sand to the bucket. Add water to the bucket until it covers the sand a good bit and then stir. Let it settle for a bit and dump the murky water out in the toilet/front yard being careful not to let the sand out. Don't dump it down a sink. Repeat this a couple of times.

 

Step 3 Add sand to tank. No more than 1 inch deep. Add rocks to tank. Aquascape how you see fit. Add saltwater to tank. Try to aim for the rocks, it will reduce the sandstorm. Add heater and powerhead or filter to tank. Add lights. Plug everything in being careful to use drip loops. If you don't know what a drip loop is, Google it, You don't want to burn your house down.

 

Step 4. Turn everything on and enjoy your own personal little sandstorm.

 

Step 5. Wait 6 weeks. (no really, at least wait 3-4 weeks) topping off when needed. (I'll discuss in a minute)

 

Step 6. Order a small clean up crew from Reef Cleaners. Yes, I'm telling you where to get it. Just order from them. You will be happy you did. The day you order, do a 20% water change. When you get it, do another 20% water change and then dump the CUC in the tank.

 

Step 7. From this point on, you will be doing 20% water changes every week.

 

Step 8. 2 weeks after you add the CUC, You can add the clowns or the cleaner shrimp. You choose.

 

Step 9. Wait 4 weeks and add the other, clowns or cleaner shrimp.

 

More tips:

 

1. When you first fill the tank, take a sharpie and mark the water level. When you top off, fill to that level.

 

2. Keep the tank and lights free of salt creep.

 

3. When you feed the fish/shrimp, feed by hand. Take a couple pieces of flake or mysis and pinch it between your index finger and thumb. Submerse it a bit in the tank and they will eat out of your hands. This will help control the nutrients going into the tank. Don't freak out when the shrimp jumps on your hand, it won't bite you. The clowns will.

 

4. Get some caulerpa prolifera and plant it in back of your LR. It is a great nutrient export. And it doesn't look to bad. Much better than the plastic plants you want to use, and it serves as a natural filter. You can do this when you add the CUC.

 

5. Remember those 1 gallon jugs you bought. Cut the top off of one so there is about a 3 inch hole in the top. Use this to ladle water out for water changes. It is about a gallon. To do a water change, Make sure the tank is topped up all the way, scoop out about 2 gallons, pour in 2 gallons of fresh-saltwater. You don't need to worry about matching temps.

 

6. Buy saltwater from your lfs. Its a pita to mix small amounts at home. buy distilled from your grocery store for top-offs. Do not use tap, Ever.

 

7. Even with screw in spiral cf lighting, you can keep some corals. After a couple of months, you can try gsp, mushrooms or colt coral. Not ideal, but you won't kill em.

 

8. Get whatever clowns you want. False, true, percs, ocellaris. It doesn't really matter. Just don't get any of the larger species. Don't fret over it. they are basically the same. Yes they are, don't argue with me.

 

9. The shrimp will molt, you will think it is a dead shrimp. It's not. It's his old skeleton.

 

10. Do a friggin 2 gallon water change every week. You will notice I didn't add testing supplies or a hydrometer to the list. You really won't need them. Keep 5 gallons of salt water on hand and do a large water change if snails start kicking off.

 

11. Whatever that weird behavior your clown is doing, its normal, please don't make a thread about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This #### took me a long time to type, at least read it.

 

Thank you! Im going to print this off. :) Also, why do I need a light timer? I would just shut it off when i went to bed and on when i wake up? Or is there a certain time i need to do it, and i have an extra power strip, i'm going to need it LOL. Thank you for typing it up, I did read it. Very useful. Also, my LFS doesn't have any saltwater mix. MY LFS is LAME lol. they charge a crapload for everything, practically doubling what it costs them. Why do I have to buy a clean up crew? I dont need all those snails do I? I just want a couple snails & my cleaner shrimp. =\ & AHH no fishies biting me no no no! lol. Too scary. I might switch to a pelleted type food, so theres less issues. Do you need a special light for the plant? Also do I add the distilled from the store to the tank or do i mix it with salt in a bucket first and then add?

 

lol @ the last one... they are CLOWN fish afterall :P

 

I'm not.

 

I'm gonna flame the #### out of her the next time she questions using tap or water changes.

 

Right because that's nice... trying to get all the info i can get and you're going to do that.. hmm.

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herranton
Thank you! Im going to print this off. :) Also, why do I need a light timer? I would just shut it off when i went to bed and on when i wake up? (You don't, I did it manually for 2 years. The clowns appreciate the schedule though. either way works, not the end of the world) Or is there a certain time i need to do it, and i have an extra power strip, i'm going to need it LOL. Thank you for typing it up, I did read it. Very useful. Also, my LFS doesn't have any saltwater mix. MY LFS is LAME lol. they charge a crapload for everything, practically doubling what it costs them. Why do I have to buy a clean up crew? (clowns are dirty fish, you will have a lot of algae and #### from them, the CUC will keep it in check) I dont need all those snails do I? I just want a couple snails & my cleaner shrimp. =\ & AHH no fishies biting me no no no! lol. Too scary. I might switch to a pelleted type food, so theres less issues. (pellets are fine, but I always appreciated the relationship that I had with my clowns/shrimp. I could touch them and my shrimp would sit on my hand when it was in the tank. You will get used to a nibble from the clowns here and there. They just want to show you that they are boss in their tank) Do you need a special light for the plant? (Any florescent will work) Also do I add the distilled from the store to the tank or do i mix it with salt in a bucket first and then add? (Never mix saltwater in the tank, always in the bucket. Make sure you mix it in a room that is above 65 degrees. Try to mix at least 24 hours prior to using it, but 2 hours is fine in an emergency. The mixing water will need constant circulation, you can get a cheap power head from marine depot for like $8 don't bother with a heater unless your room is exceptionally cold)

 

lol @ the last one... they are CLOWN fish afterall :P

 

 

 

Right because that's nice... trying to get all the info i can get and you're going to do that.. hmm.

(I'm teasing, Welcome to NR)

 

Look, I'm Bob Fenner

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1/2 cup per gallon for pretty much every commercial salt will only get you 1.020 sg. Everything else +1 :)

 

eh, i guess I do add a little bit more than that to get that to that salty sweet spot.

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herranton

Oh yeah, If you are mixing your own salt, you will need a hydrometer/refractometer. I am largely in the refractometers suck camp. I only use hydrometers. There is an endless debate on this. Get whatever you choose, its up to you.

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TeflonTomDosh

Sad fact, if this was a "tulipguy" as the OP, there'd be about 1/25th of all this "helpful" advice.

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Deleted User 3
Sad fact, if this was a "tulipguy" as the OP, there'd be about 1/25th of all this "helpful" advice.

 

Lol. My womanly charms getting you down TeflonTomDash? After all us 'women' always need instructions, so some say. lol.

 

OKay so obv there is a debate going on...

hydrometer

Refractometer...

OR @ um.. petco they have this temp & hydrometer concoction, which someone said is very accurate.. suppose I use this..

 

Opinions? Hydro is cheaper. I've used a refractometer in school to measure specific gravity of urine (GROSS, i do not recommend. lol) and it is fairly accurate, except the upkeep of the machine plus the drops and everything is costly.. so i'm leaning to the hydrometer/the petco concoction.

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TeflonTomDosh
Lol. My womanly charms getting you down TeflonTomDash? After all us 'women' always need instructions, so some say. lol.

 

OKay so obv there is a debate going on...

hydrometer

Refractometer...

OR @ um.. petco they have this temp & hydrometer concoction, which someone said is very accurate.. suppose I use this..

 

Opinions? Hydro is cheaper. I've used a refractometer in school to measure specific gravity of urine (GROSS, i do not recommend. lol) and it is fairly accurate, except the upkeep of the machine plus the drops and everything is costly.. so i'm leaning to the hydrometer/the petco concoction.

Nah doesn't have me down, lol. Just funny....I had a refractometer originalIy and now I use a hydro, never had any problems. keep my salinity @ .023-.024

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Deleted User 3
Nah doesn't have me down, lol. Just funny....I had a refractometer originalIy and now I use a hydro, never had any problems. keep my salinity @ .023-.024

Ahh okay. I think im going to go that route!

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PinkDamsel

You’ve gotten some good advice here. I’ll just add a couple of notes to what has already been said.

 

BEFORE Step 1 in Herranton’s list (which is a great list, BTW):

 

  • Do a leak test of the tank. Just fill w. water & leave it a couple of days to make sure it isn’t leaking.
  • If you want to paint the back, do it now before you’ve added stuff. It isn’t necessary, but many people prefer the look; most use Krylon Fusion spray paint.

Are you clear on the difference between a Water Change (WC) and top-off?

 

You top off w. distilled – not saltwater – because water evaporates but not salt, causing salinity to rise. Adding distilled dilutes it back down.

 

You WC (remove water and replace w. new saltwater) for 2 key reasons:

  1. To replenish minerals that get used up, as has been said already; but even more important
  2. To export poisons. Your fish will defecate & urinate in the water. Uneaten food will degrade. These wastes create ammonia which is very deadly and if it is allowed to build up will kill your livestock. The bacteria that has established on the live rock during your initial cycle converts ammonia to nitrite then to nitrate, which is less poisonous, but you still shouldn’t have too much. This process is called the Nitrogen Cycle.

The only way to get rid of the nitrate in a small tank is the WC. If you don’t WC your fish will eventually be swimming in a toilet of their own waste.

 

A related point: the reason for all the waiting before adding livestock and not adding too much at once is so the bacteria has a chance to build up to handle the load. And make no mistake, once you have livestock, any ammonia in your tank is an EMERGENCY.

 

I hope this explains the necessity of water changes.

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Miss Nano
Sad fact, if this was a "tulipguy" as the OP, there'd be about 1/25th of all this "helpful" advice.

 

 

More likely, it's just that everyone knows that girls are dumb and can't read and comprehend more than a twitter message at one time. :)

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herranton
girls are dumb

+1

 

Also, I just noticed that you are going to put some tacky decorations in the tank. That is all fine and good, but realize that there is a possibility that they can leach harmful stuff from the paint. Saltwater is harder on those decorations than freshwater is and they can start to degrade pretty quick. Check out this pic of Patrick in my picojar. I have no idea what that ish is. probably some bacteria or fungus feeding on the paint.

(Edit - Alto, feel free to chime in to tell me what that stuff is. Not that I can do anything about it)

 

IMG_0329.jpg

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Deleted User 3
You’ve gotten some good advice here. I’ll just add a couple of notes to what has already been said.

 

BEFORE Step 1 in Herranton’s list (which is a great list, BTW):

 

  • Do a leak test of the tank. Just fill w. water & leave it a couple of days to make sure it isn’t leaking.
  • If you want to paint the back, do it now before you’ve added stuff. It isn’t necessary, but many people prefer the look; most use Krylon Fusion spray paint.

Are you clear on the difference between a Water Change (WC) and top-off?

 

You top off w. distilled – not saltwater – because water evaporates but not salt, causing salinity to rise. Adding distilled dilutes it back down.

 

You WC (remove water and replace w. new saltwater) for 2 key reasons:

  1. To replenish minerals that get used up, as has been said already; but even more important
  2. To export poisons. Your fish will defecate & urinate in the water. Uneaten food will degrade. These wastes create ammonia which is very deadly and if it is allowed to build up will kill your livestock. The bacteria that has established on the live rock during your initial cycle converts ammonia to nitrite then to nitrate, which is less poisonous, but you still shouldn’t have too much. This process is called the Nitrogen Cycle.

The only way to get rid of the nitrate in a small tank is the WC. If you don’t WC your fish will eventually be swimming in a toilet of their own waste.

 

A related point: the reason for all the waiting before adding livestock and not adding too much at once is so the bacteria has a chance to build up to handle the load. And make no mistake, once you have livestock, any ammonia in your tank is an EMERGENCY.

 

I hope this explains the necessity of water changes.

 

Thanks!

 

More likely, it's just that everyone knows that girls are dumb and can't read and comprehend more than a twitter message at one time. :)

 

Lol. I don't know how to take this.

 

+1

 

Also, I just noticed that you are going to put some tacky decorations in the tank. That is all fine and good, but realize that there is a possibility that they can leach harmful stuff from the paint. Saltwater is harder on those decorations than freshwater is and they can start to degrade pretty quick. Check out this pic of Patrick in my picojar. I have no idea what that ish is. probably some bacteria or fungus feeding on the paint.

(Edit - Alto, feel free to chime in to tell me what that stuff is. Not that I can do anything about it)

 

IMG_0329.jpg

 

Tacky decorations, lol nice. What i have in the tank now if you saw the pic (just two things) are optional, I just wanted something in there for now until i get my rock & sand.

 

It looks like some sort of stringy filmy bacteria sort of. The betta tank @ my moms has this on the spongebob. I don't know forsure what it is either. Maybe it's the spongebob themed guys.

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herranton
Maybe it's the spongebob themed guys.

Its an evil plot to get the recipe for the crabby patties! ! !

 

SB_plankton.jpg

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Deleted User 3
Its an evil plot to get the recipe for the crabby patties! ! !

 

SB_plankton.jpg

 

hahahahhaha. I love spongebob. I got my sister shes 6, a betta for Christmas, in a bigger fish bowl, all his decor are spongebob, it's awesome. :D I wish i could put some spongebob things in my future tank :(

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Deleted User 3
hahahahhaha. I love spongebob. I got my sister shes 6, a betta for Christmas, in a bigger fish bowl, all his decor are spongebob, it's awesome. :D I wish i could put some spongebob things in my future tank :(

 

ps, researching your slimy problem, lol. Could it be white algae? I'll look some more :)

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jedimasterben
Not necessarily pics pics, but pics ;)

:lol:

 

 

People on [H]ardForum's general chat go nuts if you even mention a girl, and every post after that pretty much is

 

"pics"

 

"where are pics"

 

"pics or gtfo"

 

"seriously, no pics yet?"

 

lol

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herranton
ps, researching your slimy problem, lol. Could it be white algae? I'll look some more :)

Don't worry about it. I cant do anything about it anyway. They are sealed containers and I will only open it when everything is dead, which will hopefully be years from now. Whatever happens before then is up to the tank jar. I take no role in it except for providing a constant temp and light every day.

 

In the lounge,

 

"pos da boobs"

 

"pos da boobs"

 

 

:)

 

Good job guys, you scared her away.

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Deleted User 3
Yep, and she hasn't even given any pics. :lol:

 

What kind of pics are you expecting ? lol. I forgot, is this a dating website, or a fish website... :mellow:

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TeflonTomDosh
What kind of pics are you expecting ? lol. I forgot, is this a dating website, or a fish website... :mellow:

I don't know, but 15'll getcha 20!

Michael-Jackson-10631.jpg

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