Tank arrival....and so it begins
- Thread starter Pallaz
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Pallaz
Member
Did my first testing today. I checked Ammonia and Nitrates. Still have Ammonia and my Nitrates level is still high. I forgot to take a picture. I will do more testing in a few days, it has only been 13 days, but I wanted to try out the test kits for the first time. Meanwhile I will listen to my water flow and pretend I am near a river flow.
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Pallaz
Member
Well did my testing at home and it came back great. Took a water sample down to my local shop and they confirmed my tests. I would like to introduce to you my first fishies. Picked up a pair of Clown fish, 5 crabs, 5 snails, and a Yellow Tail Damsel. Also picked up a frag of 4 Zoa‘s and placed them way down on the sand bed. Everything seems great with the fish after 2 days. The Zoa‘s are open and doing great too. Running my lights from 9:30 am to 9:30 PM. Very Pleased to have something to look at. I will test my parameters tomorrow and Thursdays. I will be waiting for awhile to add another fish, My husband has taken over naming the fish……. Joker & Harley, and Mystique. He is desperate to find a nice green fish to be Hulk. Any suggestions for reef safe tank?
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Pallaz
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Well, that was eventful to say the least. It was not an easy task. It took me way too long to accomplish. First issue, had to go pick up water. 25 gallons. I really wanted to get salt water already mixed but that did not happen. So I bought a bucket of Red Sea Salt, bought a pump to circulate the water around in the container, bought a hose and a sand/gravel suction. Off I go home. Soon after getting home I realized that I did not have a container large enough to mix all the water. Then I realized I had only one 5/gal bucket to use when getting the water out =(.
At this point I started making a SUPPLIES NEEDED list: Brute trash can, wheels to put the Brute can on.
Ok lets start mixing salt water with what I got. 13 Gallons in one container and 5 gallons in another container, 5 gallons in another small container. Start making mix, put the pump jin the big container to circulate it. WOW! That water is cold. Ok need a heater. Me remembering I had bought an extra heater when starting up the tank, I smiled and went to get it. I was very pleased I did not have to go back to the store to get one. Hmmmmm got the temp up in the main and now moving the heater over to the other smaller container, then the other after that. Then back into the big one again uggghhhh. At least I got it done.
Ok time to get some water out of the tank. Well the sand/gravel suction I got was too big and cumbersome to work well. I got water out though, one 5/gal bucket at a time. Carried them all the way to our washroom sink to dump. Spilling and sloshing about. Grrrrr.
Ok time to add to the SUPPLIES NEEDED list: one hose to drain water all the way outside. Also, have my suction tube cut to smaller size.
In the home stretch now, put new water back in the tank. I attached my hose to the pump so I could pump it up and in. Well it’s a new hose and all coiled up. It is very stuff and does not stretch out well. It is actually lifting the pump out of the water as I raise the end of the hose to the top of the tank. Then I realized I have to hold the hose and plug it in at the same time. I got this….. well, I don’t got this haha. I sprayed water onto the floor. SUPPLIES NEEDED: a clamp to hold the hose at the top.
All in all Mission Accomplished. I got new water in the tank. I know I am making this harder that it needs to be or I just don’t know the secrets to nice water changes yet. Can you enlighten me with your tips please. It has to be easier.
FYI I am pretty sure I was sweating at the end.
At this point I started making a SUPPLIES NEEDED list: Brute trash can, wheels to put the Brute can on.
Ok lets start mixing salt water with what I got. 13 Gallons in one container and 5 gallons in another container, 5 gallons in another small container. Start making mix, put the pump jin the big container to circulate it. WOW! That water is cold. Ok need a heater. Me remembering I had bought an extra heater when starting up the tank, I smiled and went to get it. I was very pleased I did not have to go back to the store to get one. Hmmmmm got the temp up in the main and now moving the heater over to the other smaller container, then the other after that. Then back into the big one again uggghhhh. At least I got it done.
Ok time to get some water out of the tank. Well the sand/gravel suction I got was too big and cumbersome to work well. I got water out though, one 5/gal bucket at a time. Carried them all the way to our washroom sink to dump. Spilling and sloshing about. Grrrrr.
Ok time to add to the SUPPLIES NEEDED list: one hose to drain water all the way outside. Also, have my suction tube cut to smaller size.
In the home stretch now, put new water back in the tank. I attached my hose to the pump so I could pump it up and in. Well it’s a new hose and all coiled up. It is very stuff and does not stretch out well. It is actually lifting the pump out of the water as I raise the end of the hose to the top of the tank. Then I realized I have to hold the hose and plug it in at the same time. I got this….. well, I don’t got this haha. I sprayed water onto the floor. SUPPLIES NEEDED: a clamp to hold the hose at the top.
All in all Mission Accomplished. I got new water in the tank. I know I am making this harder that it needs to be or I just don’t know the secrets to nice water changes yet. Can you enlighten me with your tips please. It has to be easier.
FYI I am pretty sure I was sweating at the end.
Noah_Reefing
Active member
i did a water change saturday, its just a 10g tank so i literally can just siphon to a 2.5 gal jug and pour it out the window & then take 2 jugs of distilled water, add salt, pour it all back in, & yay
Pallaz
Member
Well things seems to be progressing well. I checked all my parameters today and they were great. Salinity 1.026, Nitrate between 5-8 (water change day in 2 days), PH 8.1, I will check Phophates, realized I just forgot. I have since added a few new small frags to see how they do. Overall they seem to be doing great. I do have some of that beginner tank brown on the sand, so I picked up a few more snails. Running the lights with acclimation mode on to help with that too.
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