Hello URS!

[aquadonkey]

Hi there folks - I thought I should introduce myself. I've been checking out the main RC for a couple months, but just discovered this local area.

My name is Lizz. I just moved to Rochester last September and started my first SW tank in October!

I'm pretty much an Extreme Newbie.


Okay - secondary posting:

Title (having a hard time deciding between these two):

What the h*** did I do?

-or-

I'm in way over my head

My plan sounded really well thought-out when I couldn't sleep last night, but putting it into fruition proved more complicated...

I have a couple problems with my tank (29g, 15g sump).
1) dinoflagellates 2) ich

So I decided to take the fish and the corals out and scrub the rocks. Sounds so simple....
Here are some pics of my living room - imagine me calling my husband to please please hurry to help me because I can't get the YWG out of the DT, and I'm afraid she's going to freeze to death (only 3 heaters - one in QT (with the clown pair), one in the coral bucket, and one keeping the WC water warm).

I feel terrible - my fish are all scared and disoriented and my corals are all ****ed.
I really really hope I don't loose anything due to this rash move.

PS - yes, those are cutting boards used as a lid for the QT tank....

 

[aww_419]

TO URS

 

[aww_419]

coral problem ---> were you having problems with the coral before you removed them?? What was your reason for removing them?

algae problem ---> are you running carbon or gfo? how much light and what type? DO you use tap water? RO water? RO/DI water?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/rhf/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rhf/index.php

ich problem ---> there are many different ideas on how to get rid of crypto. The way I did it was by quarantining for 8 weeks. first 3 weeks i dosed copper, 4th week I dosed marcyn II for any infections. and did 5 gallon water changes ever other day.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-10/sp/feature/index.php

 

[toddmh]

welcome aboard

 

[nwrogers]

Hi Lizz welcome to URS! The dinoflagellates should go away in time. Make sure to use good water aka RO/DI. Ich is a patience thing too. Make sure you have good clean water and that all of your live rock is completely cycled. Also make sure you are choosing fish that are appropriate for your tank. Don't overstock your tank or overfeed your fish. Also for corals make sure to start with easy corals first. They will be able to tolerate any growing pains and also help you gage your tanks ability to support more sensitive and expensive species. You should be able to get some good deals on the easy to keep corals from others in your area.

 

[aquadonkey]

Hi everyone - thanks for the advice and the welcome!

coral problem ---> were you having problems with the coral before you removed them?? What was your reason for removing them?
The dino was starting to cover some of the corals - not all, just a bit. I thought it might be better for them not to be in the DT while I'm messing around in there (pulling rocks out and scrubbing them - leaving the lights out)

algae problem ---> are you running carbon or gfo? how much light and what type? DO you use tap water? RO water? RO/DI water?
I had been running carbon, then changed my filter and was without it for about two weeks - last Thurs. I put in some chemipur

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/rhf/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rhf/index.php

ich problem ---> there are many different ideas on how to get rid of crypto. The way I did it was by quarantining for 8 weeks. first 3 weeks i dosed copper, 4th week I dosed marcyn II for any infections. and did 5 gallon water changes ever other day.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-10/sp/feature/index.php

I'll look into these different cures for ich. I starting treating in the QT today with Herbtana - we'll see how it goes.

Hi Lizz welcome to URS! The dinoflagellates should go away in time. Make sure to use good water aka RO/DI. Ich is a patience thing too. Make sure you have good clean water and that all of your live rock is completely cycled. Also make sure you are choosing fish that are appropriate for your tank. Don't overstock your tank or overfeed your fish. Also for corals make sure to start with easy corals first. They will be able to tolerate any growing pains and also help you gage your tanks ability to support more sensitive and expensive species. You should be able to get some good deals on the easy to keep corals from others in your area.

I'm pretty sure everything was completely cycled in my tank - I waited three months before adding any fish or corals. I did however, only just start using RO/DI water a couple weeks ago......
I hope my fish choices are okay so far! I have three fish - a YWG and a small pair of false percs.
You're right about the over-feeding - I think I was guilty of that.
I'm starting with easy corals - so far I have a some zoas, GSP, Xenia, and a fungia.

I guess right now I'm stuck in my plan of action. Everyone is in QT for now. I'll monitor progress and keep updating on this thread!
Thanks again for the replies and I look forward to meeting some of you at the next frag swap!
Lizz

 

[Flanders]

welcome to the URS!

this sounds about as frustrating as my first tank. at times, QT can do more harm than good IME. moving fish around when they're already stressed is not ideal. clowns are hardy and ich is hardly a death sentence. since I typed this I see you already have them in the QT, so take it for what it's worth. but for the future, sometimes you're better off leaving well enough alone.

I wouldn't worry about algae right now. your tank is fairly new and will go through algae cycles. this is normal. after the ich clears up, ease up on feedings and do some water changes.

also, I don't know what a YWG is.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

welcome

welcome

to the URS Forum on RC, Liz :wave:

 

[aquadonkey]

welcome to the URS!

this sounds about as frustrating as my first tank. at times, QT can do more harm than good IME. moving fish around when they're already stressed is not ideal. clowns are hardy and ich is hardly a death sentence. since I typed this I see you already have them in the QT, so take it for what it's worth. but for the future, sometimes you're better off leaving well enough alone.

I wouldn't worry about algae right now. your tank is fairly new and will go through algae cycles. this is normal. after the ich clears up, ease up on feedings and do some water changes.

also, I don't know what a YWG is.

I'm sure you're right about QT - that was stupid of me. But.... they're in there now, so I'll just treat as planned.
All three are eating and swimming around which makes me feel loads better!
Next time I'll try not to freak out so soon! :spin1:
And by YWG, I meant yellow watchman goby.
I had to take a lot of my rock work apart to get her out - it was about that time that I realized what an idiot I was......

to the URS Forum on RC, Liz :wave:

Thanks Gary!

 

[aww_419]

welcome to the URS!

moving fish around when they're already stressed is not ideal. clowns are hardy and ich is hardly a death sentence


also, I don't know what a YWG is.

After fighting with a bad case of ich I am firm on just letting things pan out in the future unless there are extreme circumstances, but I did loose two maroon clowns to ich so I wouldn't say it was stupid to QT them, perhaps not needed but better safe than sorry.