Monkeyfish
Active member
KH and pH are too low. KH should be 8-9 and pH should be around 8.2
Get the RO/DI. Can't go wrong with it and it'll prevent a lot of possible problems down the road.
125 tank new to saltwater
- Thread starter Figment
- Start date
KH and pH are too low. KH should be 8-9 and pH should be around 8.2
Get the RO/DI. Can't go wrong with it and it'll prevent a lot of possible problems down the road.
gsiegel
New member
Or go with a dwarf and a bellus angel. The Bellus is one of my favorite fish. I would also recommend the mimic tang. Mine is always grazing and is kind of funny to watch with his buck-like teeth. He reminds us of a redneck (no offense to any out there) so he is aptly named Larry the Cable Guy.
Monkeyfish
Active member
Yes and no. Alkalinity is what helps prevent changes in pH. The LR isn't going to have a significant impact on the pH unless it gets very low, at which point everything in the tank would probably be dead already. As for pH...
"The pH scale is logarithmic and as a result, each whole pH value below 7 is ten times more acidic than the next higher value. For example, pH 4 is ten times more acidic than pH 5 and 100 times (10 times 10) more acidic than pH 6. The same holds true for pH values above 7, each of which is ten times more alkaline (another way to say basic) than the next lower whole value. For example, pH 10 is ten times more alkaline than pH 9 and 100 times (10 times 10) more alkaline than pH 8."
From: http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/184ph.html
So, minor changes in alkalinity can affect pH which can have a major impact on marine life. This is more for corals than fish, but fish tend to do best when you have "reef quality" water chemistry. An exception to this is nitrates, which most fish dont seem to give a hoot about.
I too like the looks of the bellus angel. Very pretty. I especially like the female coloration. Unfortunately I like the Lamarck more....and the bellus is so much more expensive. LOL Though I would definitely look into keeping a pair if I get another 125+ gallon tank.
I really like the mimic too. I am thinking about keeping one with a white tailed bristletooth tang as well.
humaguy
Premium Member
remember to never use Prime in a qt that has been treated with Cupramine...
rssjsb
New member
Cupramine is a common (and very effective) copper-based medication for ich. Properly dosed, it is safe for many fish, but copper is essentially toxic. I understand that prime increases the toxicity of the copper, so that the levels you need to be effective against ich is not safe. I'm not a chemist so I can't explain why this is. Maybe someone around here can.
So how do you treat for ich in marine fish? I have read an increase in heat and ride it out method, but nothing else. I think that method was for corals.
If you use meds to treat for ich, how do you do water changes to get the meds out if it becomes toxic with Prime (I use Safe, but its basically the dry form of Prime)?
If you use meds to treat for ich, how do you do water changes to get the meds out if it becomes toxic with Prime (I use Safe, but its basically the dry form of Prime)?
rssjsb
New member
The increased temperature thing is a freshwater thing. Riding it out is also not really a great strategy because it's always present and the minute something untoward happens in your tank you could have an explosive outbreak of ich that can devastate your tank very quickly.
Most people use RO/DI systems to remove chlorine and other stuff from the tap for purposes of mixing change water. That eliminates the need to use Prime.
I uses chloroquine diphosphate in my QT for ich. It seems very effective and is non-toxic for fish. You can use Prime with CP if you need to.
Most people use chelated copper (Cupramine), which is probably the most reliably effective treatment if dosed properly. It can be toxic if you don't ramp it up slowly, though, and some fish are extra sensitive to it (e.g., angels). And, as stated above, you can't use prime or amquel or any other ammonia binding products with it.
The least toxic way to treat is probably the tank transfer method, but that requires you to have two or three QT tanks, which is a lot of equipment if you don't have a dedicated fish room.
People also use hyposalinity, but I think it's less effective than the other methods described above. Water conditioners can be used with this method.
Most people use RO/DI systems to remove chlorine and other stuff from the tap for purposes of mixing change water. That eliminates the need to use Prime.
I uses chloroquine diphosphate in my QT for ich. It seems very effective and is non-toxic for fish. You can use Prime with CP if you need to.
Most people use chelated copper (Cupramine), which is probably the most reliably effective treatment if dosed properly. It can be toxic if you don't ramp it up slowly, though, and some fish are extra sensitive to it (e.g., angels). And, as stated above, you can't use prime or amquel or any other ammonia binding products with it.
The least toxic way to treat is probably the tank transfer method, but that requires you to have two or three QT tanks, which is a lot of equipment if you don't have a dedicated fish room.
People also use hyposalinity, but I think it's less effective than the other methods described above. Water conditioners can be used with this method.
Monkeyfish
Active member
^ +1
gsiegel
New member
You have discussed in this thread possibly having multiple tanks and also working with a budget. My simple suggestion would be that while being cost-conscious maybe a good thing, do things more slowly and get what you truly want as opposed to looking back down the road wishing that you had done something else. Get the better equipment and lighting to begin with rather then look back later and want to replace what you have already done. If it also means getting the one more expensive fish that you really want as opposed to two, and also waiting longer to get another fish, I would do that. Make a list of your dream tank, lay out the costs, check on the compatibility and size suggestions for the fish, and work off of that.
Better off taking a longer time to accomplish what you truly want as opposed to making certain sacrifices along the way. Remember, this is a marathon and not a sprint.
Best of luck
Better off taking a longer time to accomplish what you truly want as opposed to making certain sacrifices along the way. Remember, this is a marathon and not a sprint.
Best of luck
RayL
New member
This is great advice that you should listen too. I wish I had joined this forum before I bought my tank. Would have been much different
