I'm gonna hate putting fish in here! (you'll see why at the end)
I've had some problems (Panic attacks) since picking up my rock and sand on Wednesday.
Initially, I had good readings on ammonia, (0.4) then it jumped up on Thanksgiving. I changed out about 30%, but didn't see a change in the reading on my test kit. Today, I bought the Salifert ammonia test kit, and THAT test says everything is okay.
I bought a new pump/circulation setup, because I did buy the tank and system used,and had determined I was not getting enough flow. (The guy had burned out one pump, and substituted a weaker one in it's place) I had stopped initially to buy a power head from my LFS , but with the evaluation of all three of the guys who work there, we came to the conclusion that I was simply not turning over enough water.
So, there I am learning (seat of the pants) how to plumb an external pump that will turn over the tank 8 or 10 times an hour.
(Hell, Richard's live rock is worth it!)
Well, I had to quit and run the old pump until the plumbing supply opens again tomorrow, but that gave me a chance to sit in front of the tank.
I turned off all the lights in the area, and waited ten minutes. I have one of those super powerful LED flashlights, and put the RED cap from a spice jar in front of it to act as a red filter.
I'm sitting there watching a bristle worm stretch out and hunt, when all of a sudden a SHRIMP comes swimming by!
I expected crabs, and I reluctantly accepted that I might get a mantis shrimp in the package, but an actual REAL shrimp!
Now how am I supposed to put my fish into this tank, and put this little fellow in mortal danger?
(We bonded VERY quickly, as you can see)
I'm gonna have to keep my old tank set up as a refuge for all the neat things that are presently floating around a tank that is "cycling".
(I also had the family "Ohing and Ahing at the incredibly camoflauged sea cucumber I spotted.)
All kidding aside, turn all the lights off, and put a red filter on a flashlight, and go exploring. What a KICK!!!
Thanks, Richard.
I've had some problems (Panic attacks) since picking up my rock and sand on Wednesday.
Initially, I had good readings on ammonia, (0.4) then it jumped up on Thanksgiving. I changed out about 30%, but didn't see a change in the reading on my test kit. Today, I bought the Salifert ammonia test kit, and THAT test says everything is okay.
I bought a new pump/circulation setup, because I did buy the tank and system used,and had determined I was not getting enough flow. (The guy had burned out one pump, and substituted a weaker one in it's place) I had stopped initially to buy a power head from my LFS , but with the evaluation of all three of the guys who work there, we came to the conclusion that I was simply not turning over enough water.
So, there I am learning (seat of the pants) how to plumb an external pump that will turn over the tank 8 or 10 times an hour.
(Hell, Richard's live rock is worth it!)
Well, I had to quit and run the old pump until the plumbing supply opens again tomorrow, but that gave me a chance to sit in front of the tank.
I turned off all the lights in the area, and waited ten minutes. I have one of those super powerful LED flashlights, and put the RED cap from a spice jar in front of it to act as a red filter.
I'm sitting there watching a bristle worm stretch out and hunt, when all of a sudden a SHRIMP comes swimming by!
I expected crabs, and I reluctantly accepted that I might get a mantis shrimp in the package, but an actual REAL shrimp!
Now how am I supposed to put my fish into this tank, and put this little fellow in mortal danger?
(We bonded VERY quickly, as you can see)
I'm gonna have to keep my old tank set up as a refuge for all the neat things that are presently floating around a tank that is "cycling".
(I also had the family "Ohing and Ahing at the incredibly camoflauged sea cucumber I spotted.)
All kidding aside, turn all the lights off, and put a red filter on a flashlight, and go exploring. What a KICK!!!
Thanks, Richard.
they also ran out of DT's phytoplankton 
