aqua_carmen
New member
I was wondering how everyone does water changes and just using it reference as to the way im doing it.
How do you do your water changes!?!?
- Thread starter aqua_carmen
- Start date
aqua_carmen
New member
I am just comparing steps as to the way i am doing it because my tangs keep dying and i have to get to the bottom of this problem. I am taking all precotions into concideration. I was wondering where you store your water or are you using RO/DI? Can i get away with tap water and using AmQuel plus buffer?
acroporas
New member
Though I highly recomend using RO water, in the long run it is not very expensive and it does help, I think it is very unlikely that your tang problem deaths are related to water change methodology.
Tell me more about your tang problem. What are they dieing of? Are they eating well and fat? (their belly should be the widest part of their body when you look at them face on)
What is your alkalinity? Nitrates? Salinity?
Tell me more about your tang problem. What are they dieing of? Are they eating well and fat? (their belly should be the widest part of their body when you look at them face on)
What is your alkalinity? Nitrates? Salinity?
aqua_carmen
New member
My salt is at 1.024
pH 8.3
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
and I do not have the test kit for alk
pH 8.3
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
and I do not have the test kit for alk
aqua_carmen
New member
nope the tangs all ate a great amount of food and seemed very comfortable, but in the morning i would find them dead eaten up by the hermits
soldier1911
Premium Member
What test kit are you using?
aqua_carmen
New member
Doc Wellfish Saltwater Master liquid test kit
acroporas
New member
Also, how long do they last before they die?
Well, you definately need an Alkalinity test kit (as well as a calcium test kit, though calcium is not likely the problem with your tangs). Akalinity is probably the most important thing to test for. Also, you can quit testing Nitrite; it is a waste of time, assuming you have live rock, and it has finished curing you'll never find Nitrites in your tank. pH is another one that you don't really need to test, because if you alkality is fine, you pH will be too (unfortunately it does not work the other way around)
Well, you definately need an Alkalinity test kit (as well as a calcium test kit, though calcium is not likely the problem with your tangs). Akalinity is probably the most important thing to test for. Also, you can quit testing Nitrite; it is a waste of time, assuming you have live rock, and it has finished curing you'll never find Nitrites in your tank. pH is another one that you don't really need to test, because if you alkality is fine, you pH will be too (unfortunately it does not work the other way around)
soldier1911
Premium Member
Also, how long do they last before they die?
Well, you definately need an Alkalinity test kit (as well as a calcium test kit, though calcium is not likely the problem with your tangs). Akalinity is probably the most important thing to test for. Also, you can quit testing Nitrite; it is a waste of time, assuming you have live rock, and it has finished curing you'll never find Nitrites in your tank. pH is another one that you don't really need to test, because if you alkality is fine, you pH will be too (unfortunately it does not work the other way around)
__________________
I totally agree with acroporas.
Well, you definately need an Alkalinity test kit (as well as a calcium test kit, though calcium is not likely the problem with your tangs). Akalinity is probably the most important thing to test for. Also, you can quit testing Nitrite; it is a waste of time, assuming you have live rock, and it has finished curing you'll never find Nitrites in your tank. pH is another one that you don't really need to test, because if you alkality is fine, you pH will be too (unfortunately it does not work the other way around)
__________________
I totally agree with acroporas.
aqua_carmen
New member
The tangs last 1-2 weeks max...They do not seem to sturggle but one night i noticed a powder brown tang swimimg kind of fast across the tank and in the morning it was dead.
cubber
Member
Do you quarantine your fish before you add them to your main tank? Are they showing signs of ich, breathing heavy, or are they stressed? 1-2 weeks is a bit of a short time, usually you would quarantine your fish for at least 2 weeks because things tend to turn up in that range of time. How are your other fish?
aqua_carmen
New member
Everything else is doing great! I have a tomato clown now for 7 months, and a butterfly for 4 months, I just bought a purple basslet and he seems to be doing greta too, He's been in the tank for a week from today.
aqua_carmen
New member
The way that I quarantine my fish is put the bag with the fish in the water for 15-20 mins the open the bag and let a hose slowly drip water into itfor another 20 mins then I put the bag in the tank without getting the FS water in my tank and net the fish into the tank.
MC Lighting
New member
thats not quarantine thaats aclimation 2 entirely different things...
aqua_carmen
New member
I dont quarantine them. Does that make a difference?
MC Lighting
New member
the whole quarantine things seems to be highly debated on here but I am personally going to go down the "will quaratine" method as I know how much toruble I have gotten myself into with Fresh water and do not intend to go through it with salt water so I would say you should qt any fish going into the tank and corals for that matter as well, anything that can bring in pests should be qt'd for the better of the system.
aqua_carmen
New member
How do you find the best way to quarantine?
MC Lighting
New member
I am leaving that for the experts to answer as I am just a newb but most would say a seperate tank that is minimal but a heater and powerhead is the general idea then leave the new critter in there for a few weeks to a month depending on whether you notice anything negative happening...
aqua_carmen
New member
ahh ic. Yah I might turn my 15 gallon backup into a QT tank. Thanks for your opinion!
