New Hermits are Sh**ting Everywhere!

[msparklym13]

My astrea snails leave the worst in my tank. They look like incense ashes.

Is that what that is??? Holy moly I have been wondering... I thought it was just debris I was missing! I have incense ashes too!

[Clown79]

No questions are dumb. How would we learn anything if we didn't question it.

 

I say fire away and ask as much as possible:)

 

I would advise using ro/di, ro, or distilled water.

I often don't recommend getting the water from grocery store dispensing machines or the LFS. You have no idea the maintenance routine or filter changes.

Better to get it via a water depot, buy it jugged, or your own ro/di if its possible.

 

When you remove water you need to replace it with salt water mixed to the matched salinity. If the water is evaporated you replace it with fresh ro/di, ro, or distilled.

 

I have a marked spot in my tank, its a good idea to have one. My heater has a red ring so when my water evaporates, i top up to the red ring every morning.

Until you are familiar with your tank, test the salinity before&after top up so it stays stable.

 

As for turkey baster. Just blows the rocks off lightly before the waterchange. This helps any trapped food, poop, debris get into the water flow, then when you vacuum the sand and syphon water, this crap gets removed which will prevent high nutrient levels.

[SideCar_Falcon619]

No questions are dumb. How would we learn anything if we didn't question it.

 

I say fire away and ask as much as possible:)

 

I would advise using ro/di, ro, or distilled water.

I often don't recommend getting the water from grocery store dispensing machines or the LFS. You have no idea the maintenance routine or filter changes.

Better to get it via a water depot, buy it jugged, or your own ro/di if its possible.

 

When you remove water you need to replace it with salt water mixed to the matched salinity. If the water is evaporated you replace it with fresh ro/di, ro, or distilled.

 

I have a marked spot in my tank, its a good idea to have one. My heater has a red ring so when my water evaporates, i top up to the red ring every morning.

Until you are familiar with your tank, test the salinity before&after top up so it stays stable.

 

As for turkey baster. Just blows the rocks off lightly before the waterchange. This helps any trapped food, poop, debris get into the water flow, then when you vacuum the sand and syphon water, this crap gets removed which will prevent high nutrient levels.

I really appreciate that! and you have been soooo helpful cause I have a million questions lol Thank yoU!

 

I saw on youtube a guy that filters his sand when he does water changes.

So he takes the siphon and sucks the water out from the sand, but he doesn't take sand out just sucks it up in the siphon so small stuff goes out with the water. I like that Idea for also keeping the sand mixed up and clean.

how do you feel about that?

 

Also how do you feel about the packaged sea water they sell for adding during water changes?

 

I Guess I need to buy a salinity test now... Just a typical API test for that?

[Newstead]

Get a refractometer for salinity checks ... $30 or so on Amazon. I stir and siphon a portion of my sand each week before a water change. You'll be amazed at what comes out!

[Clown79]

You're welcome. Thats what we all are here for, to learn and help.

 

The video you watched is vacuuming the sand. I do it ever water change. I lightly go over the sand with the vacuum on an angle. You can keep your finger hovered over the hose where the water comes out, when the vacuum sucks to much sand, place a finger over the hose hole and the sand will drop back down.

 

The only time vacuuming isn't good- a tank thats matured without it being done from the start or deep sand beds(4" or more)

 

I highly recommend a refractometer as well. Hydrometers are cheaper but not reliable- all it takes is 1 bubble sitting on the arm to cause reading issues. The reliable hydrometers are glass and used by scientists.

 

As for the pre made water, there are ppl who use it. I would look into various ones, find out the numbers they provide.

 

I switched salts because standard was low, the crystals I went to are still too low and now I'm dosing. I often suggest ppl test their newly mixed water to see what levels they are getting in calcium, alk, and mag.

 

I myself have not used the premade water as its cheaper for me to buy bulk water packages and salt.