JBM Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 On 10/21/2018 at 5:18 PM, Wherrey said: Ammonia and Nitrites are reading 0 As they should be, and you really don't need to test for these two anymore. Ammonia turns into nitrites, which turns into nitrates. After the rise and fall of your ammonia and nitrites they should never again rise if you don't exceed your biofilter. So long as your salinity, temp and ph are the same (or within 1 or 2 degrees on temp) you can literally change 100% every day without harm. I wouldn't suggest it, as it's a huge waste of resources and time. But it can be done. 10% weekly is a guideline to water changes. Remember, we change water to keep nitrates down (under 5ppm is perfect) and keep trace elements like calcium up among others. This has its own variables. The best thing is, is to document your weekly tests. And adjust your water changes as needed. You might be able to do 20% every two weeks. Or like some others like myself. Have to change 25% a week (I'm a heavy feeder with a higher bioload, plus kids who want to sneak feed) or you might find that 5% a week is enough. Find your groove and stick to it. Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 35 minutes ago, JBM said: As they should be, and you really don't need to test for these two anymore. Ammonia turns into nitrites, which turns into nitrates. After the rise and fall of your ammonia and nitrites they should never again rise if you don't exceed your biofilter. So long as your salinity, temp and ph are the same (or within 1 or 2 degrees on temp) you can literally change 100% every day without harm. I wouldn't suggest it, as it's a huge waste of resources and time. But it can be done. 10% weekly is a guideline to water changes. Remember, we change water to keep nitrates down (under 5ppm is perfect) and keep trace elements like calcium up among others. This has its own variables. The best thing is, is to document your weekly tests. And adjust your water changes as needed. You might be able to do 20% every two weeks. Or like some others like myself. Have to change 25% a week (I'm a heavy feeder with a higher bioload, plus kids who want to sneak feed) or you might find that 5% a week is enough. Find your groove and stick to it. Im doing the 20% changes currently to bring my nitrates down they were reading around 80-100 as per the LFS I’ve managed to bring them down with 2 WC’s so far since I’ve had it. I try to feed light since I won’t be running a skimmer. I bought it off someone else and apparently they neglected it a bit... I transferred the same water,LR, and Sand. I did add approximately 4-5lb more LR myself too. Everything seems to be doing good until recently when I changed to the spin stream. Maybe the fish and corals need to get used to that? Quote Link to comment
banasophia Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 3 minutes ago, Wherrey said: Im doing the 20% changes currently to bring my nitrates down they were reading around 80-100 as per the LFS I’ve managed to bring them down with 2 WC’s so far since I’ve had it. I try to feed light since I won’t be running a skimmer. I bought it off someone else and apparently they neglected it a bit... I transferred the same water,LR, and Sand. I did add approximately 4-5lb more LR myself too. Everything seems to be doing good until recently when I changed to the spin stream. Maybe the fish and corals need to get used to that? Yes, if you just added the spin stream today (and a new pump?), I would just give everyone time to adjust to the new flow. I have the sicce 1.0 without the spinstream (no powerhead) in mine... I didn’t like the noise or the reduction in flow with the spinstream after trying it for maybe a week or two. Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 9 minutes ago, banasophia said: Yes, if you just added the spin stream today (and a new pump?), I would just give everyone time to adjust to the new flow. I have the sicce 1.0 without the spinstream (no powerhead) in mine... I didn’t like the noise or the reduction in flow with the spinstream after trying it for maybe a week or two. Hopefully... Yes I just added to sicce .5 today and the spinstream. I think I may be getting used to the noise we’ll see... I sleep right next to it on my nightstand. At work we tend to sleep with the fans and loud snorers so this little spinstream may not be too bad haha. How do you run your 1.0 direction wise? With or without the nozzle? Quote Link to comment
banasophia Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 8 minutes ago, Wherrey said: At work we tend to sleep with the fans and loud snorers so this little spinstream may not be too bad haha. How do you run your 1.0 direction wise? With or without the nozzle? Where do you work that you get to sleep? I basically aim it almost straight across the top so I get good surface agitation without kicking up the water so much that it hits the little clips that hold the lid (to prevent it from dripping over the side), and I also adjust the angle of the nozzle by turning and bending to create good movement of the tentacles on my torches and long tentacle plate. It gets bumped all the time when I do maintenance on the tank, so I adjust it whenever that happens. Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 9 hours ago, banasophia said: Where do you work that you get to sleep? I basically aim it almost straight across the top so I get good surface agitation without kicking up the water so much that it hits the little clips that hold the lid (to prevent it from dripping over the side), and I also adjust the angle of the nozzle by turning and bending to create good movement of the tentacles on my torches and long tentacle plate. It gets bumped all the time when I do maintenance on the tank, so I adjust it whenever that happens. I’m a professional sleeper, haha just kidding... I work for the Fire Department we do 24 hour shifts. Ill give this spin stream another day or so and see how they respond if not I’ll definitely put back the stock nozzle 1 Quote Link to comment
banasophia Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 3 minutes ago, Wherrey said: I’m a professional sleeper, haha just kidding... I work for the Fire Department we do 24 hour shifts. Ill give this spin stream another day or so and see how they respond if not I’ll definitely put back the stock nozzle Haha professional sleeper - I want that job!!! 😂😂😂 Very cool that you’re a firefighter!! Thank you for doing what you do. 🙂 👍 I think lots of people are successful using the spinstream, maybe your corals and fish will adjust and be happy. Quote Link to comment
Daniel91 Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 The spinstream noise should disappear once the “engine” has been “oiled” - or atleast that’s what a lot of people report back. Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 2 hours ago, banasophia said: Haha professional sleeper - I want that job!!! 😂😂😂 Very cool that you’re a firefighter!! Thank you for doing what you do. 🙂 👍 I think lots of people are successful using the spinstream, maybe your corals and fish will adjust and be happy. That’s the dream job 😆 No no thank you 😊 So I checked my pH this morning and it was at 7.2 😲 I went ahead a dosed seachems marine buffer 8.3 and was able to bring it up to the 8.3 I’m possibly thinking this may have been causing the stress? I have no idea how it could have dropped like that Salinity is 1.025 Amm 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 20 Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 1 hour ago, Daniel91 said: The spinstream noise should disappear once the “engine” has been “oiled” - or atleast that’s what a lot of people report back. I sure hope so. I’ve read the same thing. Maybe some give up before it’s “oiled up” properly Quote Link to comment
Lula_Mae Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 58 minutes ago, Wherrey said: That’s the dream job 😆 No no thank you 😊 So I checked my pH this morning and it was at 7.2 😲 I went ahead a dosed seachems marine buffer 8.3 and was able to bring it up to the 8.3 I’m possibly thinking this may have been causing the stress? I have no idea how it could have dropped like that Salinity is 1.025 Amm 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 20 I'd caution you to be careful about chasing numbers. It's possible the pH may have been part of the issue, but do you know what your pH was at the same time say, a week ago? pH fluctuates throughout the day and should always be tested around the same time. Chasing numbers (like adding things to bring numbers up or down, especially quickly) will cause swings in parameters, and it's more important for numbers to be stable even if not exactly the "right" or "best" numbers than to continually fluctuate from attempts to correct it. Most marine life can survive at subobtimal parameters for a time, certainly long enough to try correcting things without using a bunch of additives. I still think they're just adjusting to the flow, if nothing else that could have possible contaminants was introduced. Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 1 hour ago, Lula_Mae said: I'd caution you to be careful about chasing numbers. It's possible the pH may have been part of the issue, but do you know what your pH was at the same time say, a week ago? pH fluctuates throughout the day and should always be tested around the same time. Chasing numbers (like adding things to bring numbers up or down, especially quickly) will cause swings in parameters, and it's more important for numbers to be stable even if not exactly the "right" or "best" numbers than to continually fluctuate from attempts to correct it. Most marine life can survive at subobtimal parameters for a time, certainly long enough to try correcting things without using a bunch of additives. I still think they're just adjusting to the flow, if nothing else that could have possible contaminants was introduced. I have noticed minimal changes but nothing as drastic like going down to 7.2 ill be keeping a close eye on things... Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share Posted October 26, 2018 I think my clownfish is dying 😞 he’s just hanging down on the substrate breathing hard... all my parameters are within range idk what to do for him 😕 I took off the spin stream I don’t feel it was producing enough surface agitation... Quote Link to comment
FlytheWMark Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 How long have you had him? What paramaters did you measure? Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share Posted October 26, 2018 2 minutes ago, Mark L. said: How long have you had him? What paramaters did you measure? He’s been with me about 2 weeks they we’re doing fine until I put the spinstream and the sicce pump. The female just hangs out in the back in one of the caves Amm was 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate is around 20 pH is 8.2 Salinity 1.025 temp 78 degrees Quote Link to comment
Porkpie5000 Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 On 10/25/2018 at 12:14 PM, Wherrey said: I sure hope so. I’ve read the same thing. Maybe some give up before it’s “oiled up” properly Mine quieted down quite a bit but still isn't silent. Quote Link to comment
FlytheWMark Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 1 minute ago, Wherrey said: He’s been with me about 2 weeks Amm was 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate is around 20 pH is 8.2 Salinity 1.025 temp 78 degrees Nothing abnormal there. I've had clowns for years and they are hearty suckers. What are you feeding and how often? Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share Posted October 26, 2018 5 minutes ago, Mark L. said: Nothing abnormal there. I've had clowns for years and they are hearty suckers. What are you feeding and how often? I feed frozen brine shrimp and flakes daily. Quote Link to comment
FlytheWMark Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 Just now, Wherrey said: I feed frozen brine shrimp and flakes daily. Do they fight or pick at each other at all? Could be stressed out if so. Interested to see what others think... Quote Link to comment
JBM Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 1 minute ago, Wherrey said: I feed frozen brine shrimp and flakes daily. Imo thats way too much. And it's aiding in your high nitrates. Every other day, and alternate which food you give 1 Quote Link to comment
banasophia Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 Oh no poor little guy. Glad you took off the spinstream to provide more surface agitation. Are you using an ATO? If yes, check your reservoir... mind got something funky growing inside at one point. Quote Link to comment
FlytheWMark Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 Just now, JBM said: Imo thats way too much. And it's aiding in your high nitrates. Every other day, and alternate which food you give Yeah I used to feed mine every 2-3 days (sometimes only twice a week if I was lazy). That is definitely the source of your nitrates. Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share Posted October 26, 2018 1 minute ago, Mark L. said: Do they fight or pick at each other at all? Could be stressed out if so. Interested to see what others think... Well not when eating they both share. Right now I did notice the other clown was like nudging him and grabbed ahold of his caudal fin, his pectoral fin looks like it’s been nipped at lightly as well 😕 Quote Link to comment
banasophia Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 Hmmm... I feed my fish twice a day... certainly that could contribute to high nitrates but I wouldn’t think that is the source of the problem for the fish right now. Quote Link to comment
Wherrey Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share Posted October 26, 2018 My nitrates were a lot higher when I first got it they were near 100 I’ve been able to bring it down. All this unusual behavior started after I installed the pump and spinstream. Before that they were swimming everywhere and he was even being submissive to the female Quote Link to comment
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