I'm seeing a lot of posts that indicate way-way-way too much haste in setup. Even goldfish can't survive long without proper preparation.
BUY EQUIPMENT FIRST. Sure, we all have eyes for the 'shiny'. But fish die if you put them into tanks without enough circulation, with water that burns their gills, and without the period of setup that allows the tank to process their waste.
Once you have a tank where life has taken hold right up through the invertebrate level, you're on track for ONE basic, hardy QUARANTINED fish---so that the waste processing can grow to accommodate TWO fishes. Be kind. Take the steps in proper order, for as long as needs be, with the right gear, and build your tank for the fish you hope to have.
A lot of biochemical processes start up when you put a fish into a tank, and you need tests to tell what's going on, and whether your fish's gills and skin are being bathed in acidic water, or whether the oxygen level is that of a bank vault on the third day, or whether he is inhaling water that should be in a toilet. YOu can't tell these things visually. THAT's why you test nitrate (s/b nearly undetectable for a reef, low as humanly achievable for a fish-only, but 20ish is ok)-- ammonia--should be 0; salinity---1.024 for reef; alkalinity ca. 8.3 (generally covers the ph problem: use dkh buffer); a skimmer to remove amino acids; and a constant water turnover that means business.
If you have questions about providing any of these, ask. We're happy to help.
BUY EQUIPMENT FIRST. Sure, we all have eyes for the 'shiny'. But fish die if you put them into tanks without enough circulation, with water that burns their gills, and without the period of setup that allows the tank to process their waste.
Once you have a tank where life has taken hold right up through the invertebrate level, you're on track for ONE basic, hardy QUARANTINED fish---so that the waste processing can grow to accommodate TWO fishes. Be kind. Take the steps in proper order, for as long as needs be, with the right gear, and build your tank for the fish you hope to have.
A lot of biochemical processes start up when you put a fish into a tank, and you need tests to tell what's going on, and whether your fish's gills and skin are being bathed in acidic water, or whether the oxygen level is that of a bank vault on the third day, or whether he is inhaling water that should be in a toilet. YOu can't tell these things visually. THAT's why you test nitrate (s/b nearly undetectable for a reef, low as humanly achievable for a fish-only, but 20ish is ok)-- ammonia--should be 0; salinity---1.024 for reef; alkalinity ca. 8.3 (generally covers the ph problem: use dkh buffer); a skimmer to remove amino acids; and a constant water turnover that means business.
If you have questions about providing any of these, ask. We're happy to help.
