WessWackos
New member
I use a cheap tank thermometer (stuck to the side) with an inline heater.
I use a Coralife Deep six hydrometer to test the salinity...
How would I know if I have metals in the rocks?
Frustrated and about to give up
- Thread starter WessWackos
- Start date
I use a cheap tank thermometer (stuck to the side) with an inline heater.
I use a Coralife Deep six hydrometer to test the salinity...
How would I know if I have metals in the rocks?
WessWackos
New member
I shut the tank down because everything died. I'm trying to figure out if it is even worth starting back up.
I bought the rock off craigslist...it isn't "live rock" but I was told that it wouldn't harm anything.
I WAS Maintaining with weekly and then bi-monthly water changes in hopes to get the tank established so as to not have to change water so often (3mon---6 mon)
I was buying my fish from a local specialty salt-water fish store here in PA.
ericarenee
New member
The Reason i ask about the rock work is because that one rock in the back looks like something i have seen locally and its full of iron.. The pieces i have seen actually have rust on them ..
Also the image of your tank shows it not running...
I seen the Canister filter.... Do you tear it down and clean it completely at least once a month . you may need to do it bi weekly. Canister filters should only be used for things like carbon and mechanical media ... Your bio filtration is the sand bed and live rock ..
you could order a triton test also check for stray voltage in the water ...
WessWackos
New member
The rock is "texas holy rock", and I was told that would be safe for my tank.
The tank is filtered but I shut off the two thrusters to save electric since it doesn't have any fish in it.
I did NOT tear down the canister at least once a month, no. Are you saying that I don't NEED a filter with that ocean sand?
aznflyfisherman
New member
I would remove that odd looking or fake rock. Do a 50% water change. And let the tank run for a few weeks n get a yellow tail damsel since its cheap n less aggessive of the damsel. also if your using a sump i would get rid of the canister, or atleast remove the bioballs if it was me. By the way how big is your fish tank?
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WessWackos
New member
Which "odd looking rock" are you referring to? The little one in the back corner on the left?
I do NOT have a sump...the only filter I have is the canister filter.
I'll do a water change and let her run.
WessWackos
New member
WessWackos
New member
aznflyfisherman
New member
Remove your fake rock in the middle? Where in PA r you im in nepa area.
VirginiaMarine
New member
A friend bought some rock off of eBay. After he set up his tank, his PH was through the roof. We finally decided it was the rock. It just needed to be heavily rinsed which he did not do. He gave me a piece and it produces tons of white water rinse after rinse. You can get some bad rock if you aren't careful.
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VirginiaMarine
New member
Hydrometers are okay but not the most accurate. I used one for years but they can stick and the temperature of the water can affect the accuracy. I mix salt in a bucket then put a heater and pump in it. I always test again later. There are some decent and affordable refractometers. I just moved up to a digital refractometer. Check your thermometer with another to verify accuracy.
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WessWackos
New member
I removed the small chunk in the middle...is that what you meant? Or do you mean the tall dark piece?
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WessWackos
New member
I removed the small chunk in the middle...is that what you meant? Or do you mean the tall dark piece?
I'm from Telford, PA...30 min. North of Philly.
I'm from Telford, PA...30 min. North of Philly.
Tanks can be very low maintenance if you dedicate enough research to the hobby.
While you're doing some research, I recommend adding an ammonia source to the tank and start a cycle. Give the tank some time to establish a bacteria population since it's been fallow for so long.
I HIGHLY recommend looking into adding a sump. I used to have a canister filter and all it does is trap junk in it. If you don't clean it out often enough, then it can build up ammonia and kill livestock.
Good luck
While you're doing some research, I recommend adding an ammonia source to the tank and start a cycle. Give the tank some time to establish a bacteria population since it's been fallow for so long.
I HIGHLY recommend looking into adding a sump. I used to have a canister filter and all it does is trap junk in it. If you don't clean it out often enough, then it can build up ammonia and kill livestock.
Good luck
Maintenance isn't hard with the right equipment and hardy fish. Bioballs are not the best, nor are canisters, but with a fish-only, tolerable (just high nitrate)---checklist.
use rodi---tapwater may contain things like arsenic that piles up with evaporation
maintain your salinity steady at 1.024 (or 1.019 for fish-only)
maintain your alkalinity at 8.3 or thereabouts. 7.9-9.
maintain your temperature at 79.
that's about it. The main thing is---keep things from changing.
re metals in your tank, fast way to tell is with PolyFilter---snip a bit of the pad and float it in your water flow for a week. If it turns red, it's iron, blue, it's copper, etc. It also REMOVES what it detects, so it's a 2-fer.
Read that setting up sticky.
And if you're not going to qt, get all the fish you are going to get at once and don't add more fish later.
use rodi---tapwater may contain things like arsenic that piles up with evaporation
maintain your salinity steady at 1.024 (or 1.019 for fish-only)
maintain your alkalinity at 8.3 or thereabouts. 7.9-9.
maintain your temperature at 79.
that's about it. The main thing is---keep things from changing.
re metals in your tank, fast way to tell is with PolyFilter---snip a bit of the pad and float it in your water flow for a week. If it turns red, it's iron, blue, it's copper, etc. It also REMOVES what it detects, so it's a 2-fer.
Read that setting up sticky.
And if you're not going to qt, get all the fish you are going to get at once and don't add more fish later.
ericarenee
New member
That sandstone looking Rock is the one i would be suspect of... Not that i have any idea of your issues
dt204
New member
Is it possible the tank never cycled, and every new addition caused enough ammonia to kill it?
Get a small cheap thermometer. If your water is too warm it can stress out the new fish, which can compound problems.
The live rock you got is most likely dead now if the bacteria on it has had nothing to feed on for an extended period of time.
Where is your sand from? Depending on the source, it could have nasties in it.
Do you use RO/DI? Which salt mix?
Keep trying, you'll get it
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Get a small cheap thermometer. If your water is too warm it can stress out the new fish, which can compound problems.
The live rock you got is most likely dead now if the bacteria on it has had nothing to feed on for an extended period of time.
Where is your sand from? Depending on the source, it could have nasties in it.
Do you use RO/DI? Which salt mix?
Keep trying, you'll get it
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crazycolt42
New member
Just how many fish did you have in there when things were going wrong? You cannot stock nearly as many fish in a saltwater tank as you can a freshwater cichlid tank especially with a canister filter which provides no aeration. You say all your parameters were perfect, but I would bet you were way over stocked for the amount of dissolved O2 in your tank. Based on your questions, I agree with sk8r, do some research and get the right set-up going. You have what looks to be a very nice looking tank. I would at the very least make sure you have serious surface agitation or invest in a wet-dry if you are going to do a fish only tank. I do not think texas holy rock is the right rock to use in a saltwater tank either. You need to know what your putting in there - especially with saltwater. Invest in some dry caribsea rock or something. It will look better too. It sounds like you had green chromis at first that did well and are very hardy, but once you added others you either added to many or they could not tolerate the possible swings in water chemistry or lack of O2. I'm not sure what size tank you have, but I have heard as a very rough estimate of about one fish/10g of water with saltwater. I just switched over from African cichlids to saltwater and the idea with this hobby is to enjoy it. If it is frustrating you to no end, go with freshwater man. There are some very cool African cichlids set-ups you could do in that tank. Good luck, and hang it there!
WessWackos
New member
What is "rodi"?
I can figure the rest out.
I can figure out "Polyfilter"
Does QT require setting up a whole other tank?
Where do you guys buy your fish? Online? If so, what is your favorite online site?
WessWackos
New member
Thanks for your thoughts...
I would LOVE some specific suggestions on SETUP.
I had two fish and never added more than 3 more at a time.....the most I ever had (55 gallon) was 5 fish.
Wet/dry?...what is that?
I can pull the Holey Rock...just thought it looked cool and others use it successfully.
55 gallon tank----with canister and 2 thrusters to aggitate (but is that enough?)
I'm VERY OPEN you suggestions: Sounds like I need a substrate filter at the very least to start.
