Lights Out for Fish & more Questions

[Irishman360]

My fish tank is located in my kitchen near my cabinets. When my tank lights go out at 8 PM we usually have 1-2 lights on since my kitchen is connected to the living room as well. Should I have something covering the sides of my tank so they don't get confused about when its actually time to go to sleep? We usually have all lights off around 10 PM when we go to bed our selves.

The other question I have is about mixing salt water. Say I have around 5 gallons of salt water left in my can before I need to make more. What are everyone's thoughts about using all the water or just topping it off and mixing more salt in to bring the SG up to where I need it? Is there a pro or con doing it one way or another?

Last question would have to be about clams. I have been doing some reading in the clam forum but can't find anything really solid about acclimation, dipping, QT clams etc. They do have one post there but all of the sites aren't registered anymore. I also asked one of my LFS about it and got mixed opinions on what I did read here. Trying to see if someone can give me a link or point me in the right direction.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I think If you have a lot of light coming into the tank after your "tank lights" are off they will stay awake till it becomes dark. Same thing goes for middle of the night if the lights are turned on in the kitchen you could wake the fish.

As for the salt, I use a 30g brute can for my mixing. I ALWAYS have leftover saltwater in the can. I use two circulation pumps in my mixing can to mix salt. So whatever is left I keep it flowing with just one. All I do when it's time to make more is add fresh RO/DI and add more salt till I get to my target level.

 

[Irishman360]

I think If you have a lot of light coming into the tank after your "tank lights" are off they will stay awake till it becomes dark. Same thing goes for middle of the night if the lights are turned on in the kitchen you could wake the fish.

As for the salt, I use a 30g brute can for my mixing. I ALWAYS have leftover saltwater in the can. I use two circulation pumps in my mixing can to mix salt. So whatever is left I keep it flowing with just one. All I do when it's time to make more is add fresh RO/DI and add more salt till I get to my target level.

I pretty much have the same thing for the salt water. I was just curious if its better to use all the water in the brute and make a new batch or just do the top off method.

I am thinking about making a curtain for the tank that surrounds all sides that are exposed to the lights so they aren't up that long.

 

[Irishman360]

Bump

 

[Dmorty217]

In the wild fish will experience 12hrs of light a day in the summer months so the fact that lights are on the tank until 10pm isn't s problem. Brute trash cans are the best to use for saltwater mixing since the have wheels that can be put on the brute for easy moving. Acclimating clams is just like acclimating fish. As far as QTing goes that's a individuals choice to do or not. If it were me I would QT the clam by itself for 72 days because I'm ultra paranoid about introducing ich into my system.

 

[Irishman360]

In the wild fish will experience 12hrs of light a day in the summer months so the fact that lights are on the tank until 10pm isn't s problem. Brute trash cans are the best to use for saltwater mixing since the have wheels that can be put on the brute for easy moving. Acclimating clams is just like acclimating fish. As far as QTing goes that's a individuals choice to do or not. If it were me I would QT the clam by itself for 72 days because I'm ultra paranoid about introducing ich into my system.

I do the same as well on using brute cans. However my question is about re-filling the brute can with more salt water. Talking about the pros & cons of using it all compared to just making more and adding to it

 

[kmbyrnes]

fF I have leftover water, I just use it in the next batch. Been doing that for over 2 years without issue.

 

[Indymann99]

I fill my Brute Mix tank directly from the RODI system, add salt, and then use as needed. I almost never use all the SW mix. I typically add more RODI and salt after every WC (I like to have ~30g of mixed SW on hand for emergency).

I do have the mix tank pump on a timer to run 20min every 4hrs.

Been doing this for 9yrs.

 

[Mouse]

I have the lighting period set to end shortly after 11pm, Then again I don't thing anything in our tanks cares about the time so.....
Seems to me that as long as you have a normal routine in the household, they will deal with it

 

[Coelli]

My tank is in the living room and gets ambient light after the tank lights go out at 10PM. Occasionally the anthias will stay out a little longer but eventually settles down. Everyone else tucks in when the main lights go out.