Kinda's Large Tank Adventure (LTA)

[Jakesaw]

8 hours ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Quebec.

 

Still doesn't know what is a RO/DI is but I'll look into it.

IT's basically a mechanical ( carbon & RO membrane ) + DI filtration process that gives you PURE H20  with Zero Total Dissolved solids

 

 

It's the equivalent of Distilled water.  If you are in the hobby for any amount of time, the filter pays for itself in water savings alone.  Plus convenience of lugging gallons of water from store to car to home. 

 

 

You mix RO/DI water with salt to fill your aquarium with.

[Kindanewtothis]

Update: just did some water tests. I'm new to testing.

 

Nitrit: <0.1

Nitrat:<5

Phosphate: <0.25

 

They were out of ammonia test at my lfs.

 

Is my tank cycled?

[seabass]

19 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Is my tank cycled?

When you have already added livestock, it's a bit surprising that you don't know.

 

21 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

They were out of amonia test at my lfs.

Ammonia is the key parameter when determining if your nitrogen cycle (or biofilter) has been established.  So without that information, we couldn't say for sure.  However, if your fish aren't exhibiting signs of stress, there's a good chance that your tank has enough of a biofilter to process the ammonia being produced.

[Kindanewtothis]

My lfs told me to cycle my tank with hermit crabs and clownfish so that's what I did.

[Kindanewtothis]

I also bought distilled water

[seabass]

On 4/24/2021 at 5:14 AM, Kindanewtothis said:

I used live rocks that were in a tank for over 15 years.

Assuming this, your tank should be ready for livestock.  However, we usually make sure before adding livestock.  I think it's probably fine.

[Tired]

Your LFS gave you bad advice. Fish-in cycling is inhumane and not any more effective than any other method. Assuming this is the same place that sold you an anemone for a new tank, stop taking any of their advice. 

 

Your tank should be cycled, since you used very mature rock. If it wasn't cycled, your fish would be in distress, and the anemone wouldn't be open. 

 

You want more nutrients than that. Nitrates shouldn't go under 5ppm, phosphates shouldn't go under 0.03ppm, otherwise photosynthetic organisms (like corals and anemones) will slowly starve. Make sure you're feeding the clownfish a good amount of healthy, nutritious food (not brine shrimp) every day. 

 

You should mix up some new saltwater with your distilled water, saving some of the distilled water for topoffs, and do some water changes. Once you've replaced most of your current water with the new, good water, stop doing water changes until your nutrients are higher. 

[Kindanewtothis]

I was told here not to feed the anemone daily and it's kinda hard to feed the clowns without feeding the anemone at all but I guess just a couple mysis isn't too bad.

[seabass]

36 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

I was told here not to feed the anemone daily

Maybe by your LFS.  Sounds like they are wrong more than they are right.  Stop listening to them.  On the other hand, this is what we have recommended:

On 4/29/2021 at 11:39 AM, seabass said:

I would feed thawed frozen mysis shrimp (which are more nutritious than brine shrimp) twice a week, or other thawed frozen fish food.

On 4/29/2021 at 11:57 AM, Tired said:

Don't feed anemones daily, they need time between meals to digest.

On 4/29/2021 at 12:34 PM, jservedio said:

I wouldn't even go twice a week at this point - I'd go once every other week for at least a few months with mysis or blender mush and then start upping to once a week.

 

36 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

it's kinda hard to feed the clowns without feeding the anemone at all but I guess just a couple misis isn't too bad.

Yeah, we assume they'll get some stray food.

On 4/29/2021 at 1:46 PM, seabass said:

Typically, they are getting some stray fish food throughout the week (not to mention the clownfish poo).

[Tired]

Don't feed the anemone large meals daily, just the clownfish. Give the food directly to the clownfish, they need it. If a few stray bits wind up in the anemone, that shouldn't hurt it. But you're supposed to feed anemones maybe once a week, maybe less, and you absolutely can't feed clownfish once a week or less. 

[Kindanewtothis]

Ok thanks, I was feeding the clowns once every two days and the anemone twice a week.

[seabass]

1 hour ago, Kindanewtothis said:

I was told here not to feed the anemone daily

Sorry KindANewToThis; I didn't read this correctly, I saw it as, "I was told to feed the anemone daily".  But I see you were just worried that your anemone was eating too often.

 

19 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Ok thanks, I was feeding the clowns once every two days and the anemone twice a week.

Feed the clownfish once a day.  Don't worry if the anemone gets some of it.  Just don't target feed the anemone that frequently.  Twice a week should be alright if you feed lightly.  A little once a week is probably a good amount (it is photosynthetic, and you have decent lights now; plus it's hosting clownfish).

[Kindanewtothis]

So, I'll do a small water change to add distilled water with salt.

 

Now, will I get rocks thrown at me if I add something in the tank?

[seabass]

1 hour ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Now, will I get rocks thrown at me if I add something in the tank?

I don't know anybody who would recommend adding additional livestock at this point (except maybe more snails).

 

1 hour ago, Kindanewtothis said:

So, I'll do a small water change to add distilled water with salt.

Mix the salt in the water to match the specific gravity that is in your display tank (which should be somewhere between 1.024 and 1.026).

[Kindanewtothis]

Yup, it's at 1.025

[Kindanewtothis]

So I'm waiting for things to be stable for a while?

[seabass]

I'd suggest a month.  Try to enjoy what you have now.

[Tired]

Do you only have a little bit of distilled water? If so, save it for topping off. You really need to have access to enough distilled water to do all your water changes with it, and top off. 

[Kindanewtothis]

1 minute ago, Tired said:

Do you only have a little bit of distilled water? If so, save it for topping off. You really need to have access to enough distilled water to do all your water changes with it, and top off. 

I'll only use distilled water for topping off and water changes. The tank is only 30 gallons. It cost 1.69 $ for 4L.

[Tired]

You'll probably want to get a TDS meter and check that the distilled water doesn't have anything in it. Sometimes there can be contamination. Contaminated distilled water is better than tap (unless there's copper in it, copper is lethal to invertebrates), but you really want completely pure water.

 

You may find it cheaper in the long run to buy an RODI filter and make your own water. 

[Kindanewtothis]

12 hours ago, seabass said:

I'd suggest a month.  Try to enjoy what you have now.

Got it. I'm thinking about adding (not now) a royal gramma, but will the clowns accept it or do they own the place too much. Or maybe they won't care since they got the anemone?

[seabass]

It's hard to predict just how each fish will react.  I'd guess that they all would get along.  I suspect the royal gramma might hide at first, then gain confidence.  But I thought you had your heart set on a flame angel.

 

13 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

Or maybe they won't care since they got the anemone?

That could be the case; however, they might also aggressively try to defend it.

[Kindanewtothis]

12 minutes ago, seabass said:

But I thought you had your heart set on a flame angel.

Yeah I'm still thinking about it. The thing is that if I get a flame angel, I don't think I could add anything else. But if I choose a royal gramma, I could add some cardinal fish also eventually or some other small fish. I suppose a royal gramma and a flame angel would be too much with the clowns?

[seabass]

20 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

I suppose a royal gramma and a flame angel would be too much with the clowns?

That's my take on it.  I'd try to keep the bio-load smaller.  Plus, clownfish and angelfish can get fairly aggressive.

 

21 minutes ago, Kindanewtothis said:

I don't think I could add anything else. But if I choose a royal gramma, I could add some cardinal fish also eventually or some other small fish.

Maybe a couple of small fish in addition to the two clownfish.  But keep in mind that your anemone will eventually take up a significant portion of existing tank and rocks.

[Kindanewtothis]

7 hours ago, seabass said:

 Plus, clownfish and angelfish can get fairly aggressive.

 

 

Do you mean that the clownfish and the angelfish could fight or that that any other peaceful fish will have a hard time between these aggressive fish? I don't know if you understand what I'm trying to say? 

 

Also, the anemone is on the extreme right side of the aquarium. It doesn't look like it will move soon, its foot is in a hole in a rock. Most of the time it's fully open. I'm thinking about adding (not now) some easy coral on the left side. Would mushrooms type be a good choice? I read that they are hardy and easy.

 

I'm asking right now because I want to get information on what I'm gonna get before adding it this time...