It begins... 345-gallon Starphire in-wall system

[Me No Nemo]

Barry, sorry to hear about your fish. This is what I do to offset problems with my fish since I don't use copper:
A UV should help. I also use Ozone.
Do freshwater dips with the water in a 5 gallon dip bucket being the same temp, PH as the water they are coming from. Aerate and add about 3 drops of Formalin (some recommend more, but this has worked for me) and enough methyl blue to color the water a rich blue. Leave fish in 1-5 minutes, depending on how they tolerate the freshwater. Move them into a second bucket made with the saltwater from your tank, but made the same way otherwise as above. You can leave them in there for an hour or so. ALL fish that come into my tanks go through this process and my tanks remain ich free, although I still highly recommend quarantine! This process should help get some of that off the fish and give them a head start for hypo. HTH, Marcye

 

[jnarowe]

That's agressive! The LFS around here just float the bags and dump them in...

 

[mrcrab]

Jonathan,

Marcye is the best. Runs a top notch operation. Her goal with both livestock and corals is disease and pest free.

 

[mrcrab]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9499759#post9499759 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Me No Nemo
Barry, sorry to hear about your fish. This is what I do to offset problems with my fish since I don't use copper:
A UV should help. I also use Ozone.
Do freshwater dips with the water in a 5 gallon dip bucket being the same temp, PH as the water they are coming from. Aerate and add about 3 drops of Formalin (some recommend more, but this has worked for me) and enough methyl blue to color the water a rich blue. Leave fish in 1-5 minutes, depending on how they tolerate the freshwater. Move them into a second bucket made with the saltwater from your tank, but made the same way otherwise as above. You can leave them in there for an hour or so. ALL fish that come into my tanks go through this process and my tanks remain ich free, although I still highly recommend quarantine! This process should help get some of that off the fish and give them a head start for hypo. HTH, Marcye

Thanks for the tips Marcye and thanks for yesterday, great trip. I'll be in tomorrow for the clam. I was already doing a 5 min FW dip before going into QT. I'll pick up some Formalin and methyl blue tomorrow.

 

[erics3000]

Is the matt your talking about M Kantz?

 

[mrcrab]

Yes, I believe that's his last name.

 

[mflamb]

mrcrab, were you at Marcye's after the ORA tour. I was there picking up my RO/DI, and met some of the ORCA folks. I would like to come over and see your system sometime.

 

[mrcrab]

No, I'm in Ormond and we met them there. You're more than welcome to come over and visit. I'll probably host a meeting towards the end of the year once I get everything sorted out.
PM me and I'll send my phone number.

 

[0p3n Brain]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9453970#post9453970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mrcrab
...

Just got home and check water parameters:

Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.8 not sure why so high
NO3: 15mg/l
NO2: N/A
PO4: 0 mg/l
Ca: 300 low no flow from reactor will clean tomorrow
ALK: 3 meq/l

mrcrab:
Did you figure out the pH issue? Was it really 8.8 or was it the test kit?

-Jim

 

[swimboy123]

This whole thread is freakin' awesome!

 

[mrcrab]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9565973#post9565973 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 0p3n Brain
mrcrab:
Did you figure out the pH issue? Was it really 8.8 or was it the test kit?

-Jim

Hey Jim,

Sorry for the lack of response, I'm in the middle of remodeling the house.

Must have been the test kit but my PH is running slightly high 8.4-8.54. Ich seems to have abated although I lost $100's in fish in the process. The only one's left are a purple tang, the chromis and a threadfin cardinal.

I still need to get them out of the display and into QT for sixty days while the display goes fallow before I start adding anymore piscine livestock. I'm hoping to have that accomplished by the end of this week.

 

[mrcrab]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9632375#post9632375 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by swimboy123
This whole thread is freakin' awesome!

Thanks swimboy, glad you're enjoying it.

 

[purpletang26]

sorry about the loses, let your tank sit and run for a few months and let everything calm down before you add any more fish. your bioload is probably very weak right now. Give it some time i waited a few months.

 

[King Nine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9636690#post9636690 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by purpletang26
sorry about the loses, let your tank sit and run for a few months and let everything calm down before you add any more fish. your bioload is probably very weak right now. Give it some time i waited a few months.

You have a 857 gallon tank? Do you have pics too?

 

[Jamokie01]

Just throwing this out there, has anyone suggested that the portland cement you used may be messing with your PH? I dunno if you cured it at all but cement will definitly leech stuff into your water and mess with your PH, as well as overall water quality.

 

[erics3000]

Mrcrab hope your fish are doing fine?

I finally made it to an orca meeting in March before I left town. I am now a member. I cant wait to you have your meet. I have a couple questions for you.

I was thinking about picking up a tank form glass cages. I am cutting a room in hale and making an in wall. I am kinda of limited on widht and decided to go with a 96l 30w 24h. It is a little shallower ut I want to see if I can just run T5's. I dont want to have to crazy an electric bill. Any ideas on that guys?

I was going to first go with acrylic and then decided on glass. I just got a price from glass cages for 1400 glass with 2 overflows one at each end. Saphire for front and back panel. I can meet them in Orlando the end of next month. Do you have any info on the guy who built your tank? Any thought acrylic versus glass?

Thanks again everyone for taking time to help the rookies.

 

[mrcrab]

Hey erics3000, glad you finally made it to a meeting. I couldn't make it last month but will be there on Saturday. I'll talk to the boss before then...I'm thinking I'll host the August or September meeting.

Unfortunately the guy that made my tank has retired, so can't help you there. 24" is a good height the 30" is a bit much the way I have mine in. You'll have much better access. T-5's will not be a problem and even at 30" you could get away with them but no deeper and you'd have to be careful with coral placement. Glass or acrylic is a personal choice acrylic is much lighter but scratches much too easy for my taste. I had the same problem deciding, but settled on glass.

$1400 is not a bad price for that, I paid $2300 for mine.

 

[mrcrab]

 

[erics3000]

Done... I am going to order it. I just need to think about returns. How do you feel about having the bottom drilled? Is that asking for trouble?

I fly in Saturday evening but after about 16 hours travel and 3 flights I think I am goning relax. I'll catch you next month.

One more question since your a local. Do you know anywhere around here to get acrylic? I am trying to get some 1/2 and wanted to try something besides hd and LW.

Any new PICS??
Thanks again.

 

[mrcrab]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9812485#post9812485 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by erics3000
Done... I am going to order it. I just need to think about returns. How do you feel about having the bottom drilled? Is that asking for trouble?

I fly in Saturday evening but after about 16 hours travel and 3 flights I think I am goning relax. I'll catch you next month.

One more question since your a local. Do you know anywhere around here to get acrylic? I am trying to get some 1/2 and wanted to try something besides hd and LW.

Any new PICS??
Thanks again.

I didn't drill my tank at all, I'm running 4 X vortechs and returns off 2 X seaswirls.

There's a place in Daytona called Piedmont Plastics:
http://www.piedmontplastics.com/default.asp