Newbie Corner Feedback Thread

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13618198#post13618198 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
For those of you that hate it when you can't read an unformated post send the hate mail to Paul.

Don't worry Paul I fixed it.

I don't place ich in my tank just for fun. I'm testing my new miracle cure that involves dosing with boiled turnip juice.

Alan,

I know what you are driving at but fish can also carry the parasite's cysts in their intestine and it enters the tank via the fish's feces. That's why the full length Q-tank period is a good idea.

WaterKeeper
Sorry to be pedantic about this but I'm trying to understand what goes on in a QT tank. What I was getting at in my OP was that the parasite requires a host fish to live, so as long as there is a fish in the QT how do we know that the parasite has died. Does that make sense?
Okay - assuming the newly acquired fish has ich. We put it in a QT tank for 4 weeks. During that time the parasite drops of the fish and remains dormant on the bottom of the tank. After its dormant time it reappears and attaches itself to the fish again (sorry I'm not using all of the biological states of the parasite).
My basic question was - how do we know it's gone after 4 weeks or 4 months for that matter because all the time it has a host fish to support its life cycle?

 

[WaterKeeper]

That's a valid question. Actually, we don't know for sure that the fish is not carrying ich. However, during that four week quarantine we look for signs of infection. White spots, mucus films, reddening of the gills, agitated swim patterns, constant rubbing, labored breathing and loss of appetite. These are all signs that indicate a disease may be present and if we observe them we move the fish to a hospital tank and medicate it.

It is by no means foolproof but it is far better than placing the fish into the display tank's community upon its arrival. In over 95% of the cases we will see signs of illness in the QT and can stop it before it infects the general population.

 

[EnglishRebel]

WaterKeeper
Okay I misunderstood the QT tank purpose. I wrongly assumed that by QTing for 4 weeks we were assured that the fish did not have ich or any other disease. I now see that the QT tank is for observation to determine the need for medication (or other remedies) in case of a problem. Thanks for the clarification. It should have been obvious

 

[Blown76mav]

Hello all,

My name is Lonnie and this will be my first venture into saltwater. I've had small freshwater fishtanks for the kids until a bad batch of neon tetras wiped it out. After a week or so of deciding what to do I bought a 55g tank and stand for myself. Going to get theirs up and running again. Now I'm doing a lot of reading so I don't have a bunch of dead fish. I've spent the last three weeks or so reading all the posts for newbies. Man Waterkeeper (and others) has a lot of info thought my head was going to explode.

After reading all 14 pages of this post I decided to register and post myself. I have found a replacement for southdown sand and bought some of that (at least I think it will work). After reading this post I see I can get a RO/DI for a deal. I'm going to build my own sumptank using Melev's directions. I plan on using a Mag 7 as my pump and a Mag 5 for the closed loop system. I'm leaning towards a Aquac protien skimmer.

I'd like to start out with a DSB and LR with a Clown, Tang and shrimp. Gonna have a good cleanup crew, just the usual snails and such. Still need to figure out lighting.

Any thoughts or ideas are always welcome. Also if anyone is close by that would be great as I'm sure I'm going to need help at some point.

Lonnie

 

[WaterKeeper]

Bravo Lonnie
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

That is the type of first post that is dear to Waterkeeper's heart. You have all the bases covered after your arduous research (I think my old, New Tank Thread tops in at over 65 printed pages). At this point I have no addition comments. Your game plan is sound so all I can say is good luck in this fascinating hobby. Keep us updated on how it goes and feel free to ask if you have any problems or questions.

:thumbsup:

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13648921#post13648921 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EnglishRebel
WaterKeeper
Okay I misunderstood the QT tank purpose. I wrongly assumed that by QTing for 4 weeks we were assured that the fish did not have ich or any other disease. I now see that the QT tank is for observation to determine the need for medication (or other remedies) in case of a problem. Thanks for the clarification. It should have been obvious

4 weeks being the minimum--I like 6 weeks to be more sure

As you have probably read, being definitive for times for curing or a tank being ich free is very hard.
The norm of posts I have read or being proactive in say 6 weeks for a fishless tank to be rid of ich. So I always qt for 6 weeks.

One of respected marine biologists on here --states 11 weeks--but Waterkeeper has already said that depends on colder temps in the display tank.

BTW
another important function of a qt tank is to help get difficult feeders to eat--you can experiment with different types of food and provide nervous less agressive fish with a less stressful environment.

 

[WaterKeeper]

Thanks for catching that Scott. I missed Alan's reply as I was so amazed with Lonnies post.

 

[Paul B]

Welcome Lonnie.

 

[CHOPRJOHN]

Noob here: I have 2 questions. 1st whats the purpose of CO2 in a reef tank? 2nd whats a good skimmer for a 75gal. reef?..Thanx...Johnnie ><)))9>

 

[WaterKeeper]

CO₂ is a product of respiration. You, or your fish, exhale CO₂ with every breath. During the day the sun allows algae to use CO₂ as food. That is, through photosynthesis they use the carbon to form simple sugars. At night they use the sugar as fuel and to build new tissue. In doing so they also release CO₂ back inot the water. This is what causes a diurnal pH shift in the aquarium.

CO₂ is also used for calcium reactors. It forms acidic carbonic acid in water and that can dissolve limestone. By bubbling a stream of CO₂ through a column packed with limestone some dissolves. This provides both calcium and alkalinity for the tank.

As an aquarist we need to control the amount of CO₂ in our tanks. Too much lowers pH and reduces the water's oxygen content. Good gas exchange is therefore a must. Aeration will strip CO₂ from the tank and help keep it under control.

Hope that helps.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13650548#post13650548 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
CO₂ is a product of respiration. You, or your fish, exhale CO₂ with every breath. During the day the sun allows algae to use CO₂ as food. That is, through photosynthesis they use the carbon to form simple sugars. At night they use the sugar as fuel and to build new tissue. In doing so they also release CO₂ back inot the water. This is what causes a diurnal pH shift in the aquarium.

CO₂ is also used for calcium reactors. It forms acidic carbonic acid in water and that can dissolve limestone. By bubbling a stream of CO₂ through a column packed with limestone some dissolves. This provides both calcium and alkalinity for the tank.

As an aquarist we need to control the amount of CO₂ in our tanks. Too much lowers pH and reduces the water's oxygen content. Good gas exchange is therefore a must. Aeration will strip CO₂ from the tank and help keep it under control.

Hope that helps.

waterkeeper is right on the mark--but then he is waterkeeper

to further add to methods of aeration in the tank:

big time--keep the surface of your tank uncovered(eg glass covers ect) and keep the surface turbulent

flow--20-40 times the vol of your tank in gph

protein skimmers---ensure a good deal of oxygen exchange

refugiumus---as mentioned above--the algae use carbon dioxide and replace it with oxygen through photosynthesis
the algae also uses phosphates and nitrates for your tank--making a refugium IMO a great asset to any system.

If you come to a situation with low pH or the pH lowering then approach from an increase in carbon dioxide in and around your tank. Checking the above or even opening a window in the fish tank can make a difference in the pH.
It is not a good idea to use buffers to raise pH---they tend to also raise the alkalinity level also with boran---not a good thing.

I can explain further if you want

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13649320#post13649320 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
Thanks for catching that Scott. I missed Alan's reply as I was so amazed with Lonnies post.

right --you miss something on here---that's like PaulB stating he doesn't like seafood anymore:lol:

 

[Paul B]

Sea what?

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13651364#post13651364 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul B
Sea what?

and we've got the salad to go with it:

 

[Paul B]

Now thats a meal

 

[WaterKeeper]

I prefer the blue rings myself. Helps with my toxic humor.

 

[EnglishRebel]

to further add to methods of aeration in the tank: big time--keep the surface of your tank uncovered(eg glass covers ect) and keep the surface turbulent flow--20-40 times the vol of your tank in gph

As it's sometimes impossible to flow 20-40 times the tank volume through the sump and refugium via the return pump, what's a good ratio of return pump GPH to in-tank circulators GPH?
I am contemplating a 250 gallon so 40 times that is (let me get my abacus out - or is it incubus I never can remember :lol: :lol: ) around 170 GPM.

 

[WaterKeeper]

I tend to have a someone lower range, on the order of 10-20X but much depends on what you place in your tank. Some corals like the real high flow but others perfer a more modest pace. I'd therefore suggest figuring 20X flow. Rounding off, about 80 gals. per minute should be fine

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13655165#post13655165 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EnglishRebel
As it's sometimes impossible to flow 20-40 times the tank volume through the sump and refugium via the return pump, what's a good ratio of return pump GPH to in-tank circulators GPH?
I am contemplating a 250 gallon so 40 times that is (let me get my abacus out - or is it incubus I never can remember :lol: :lol: ) around 170 GPM.

IMO there is a little confusion here

The ideal range of flow through your tank is 20-40 times its vol in gph and that is for lps and softies. SPs corals have even greater flows then that

but

the flow through your sump should only be 5-10 times the volume of your water column in gph
Ideally it should match the flow rate of your protein skimmer. That ensures that unskimmed water is not being returned to the display tank.

BTW if you don't have a closed loop in the 250 then two of the new Koralia 8's each deliver a turbulant flow of 3200 gph each and at 160 bucks a piece --that's a deal.

 

[WaterKeeper]

Happy Halloween!