22 gallon hex journal

Jun 29, 2008
490
0
0
PA
#41
Good ideas.

I usually have my LFS check my water right before I am ready to buy a fish so at least I know that my test results are 'correct' and the tank should be 'safe' for the new fish.
 

noob23

Large Fish
Dec 17, 2007
268
0
0
SoCal
#42
Yep, thats exactly what ive been doing. They test the water at the beginning, and if its good, she shows me what i can get. I almost wasn't able to get a fish last friday, but after the quick dip test strip showed around 1ppm, she performed another test that yielded a more accurate, lower result. After that, I walked out with a six-line wrasse, and some aipasia control.
I also want to ask something else: How many more small reef fish can i safely add in my tank? I want it to be a reef tank, but i also want it to thrive, and be full of activity. I know nitrates melt corals, thats why i am looking into a refugium.
 

noob23

Large Fish
Dec 17, 2007
268
0
0
SoCal
#44
Bad News!!!

Wow, not a good day for my tank at all. Came home today and i discovered my firefish dead. Seemed very very weird because he was great yesterday, it was very unexpected. Sure he seemed a little bullied by the clowns, but he looked great, he had his little cave to hide in, and most important, he ate well.
So the light goes off tonight, and i saw something i couldn't believe. My six-line wrasse goes to his normal little hiding/sleeping spot in the rocks, and with my own two eyes, that damn bristle worm came out and stabbed him. He fully stung my poor wrasse!! :mad:!!!!! Im sure this little @&@^@$ got my firefish too, as it seemed very ironic where the six-line got shanked, was the exact same place my firefish used to hang out too. As of right now, the six-line is still alive, but he doesn't look good at all. Ill check tomorrow morning and see if hes okay. I doubt hes gonna make it. Ill keep updates posted.
 

Chris_A

Large Fish
Oct 14, 2008
615
0
0
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
#45
That is VERY strange. To my knowledge bristleworms should only go after dead fish. I've even seen HUGE ones in the same tank as small bottom dwelling gobies without any problem. If you hadn't posted a pic earlier I'd say it probably wasn't a bristleworm.

Either way, I'd say trap him. Just put a big chunck of raw shrimp in a glass (or other container) that is sitting on it's side. Try to get it as close to his hide as possible. Best bet would be when you turn off the lights and take it out first thing in the morning, caught or not. Just try again the next night if he doesn't take the bait.

Chris
 

noob23

Large Fish
Dec 17, 2007
268
0
0
SoCal
#49
updated pics

Heres those updated pics i promised......



Had these polyps simply labeled as frags, what are they?




Xenia




FTS


I also started dosing kent marine zoo plex, and marine snow once about every three days.
 

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noob23

Large Fish
Dec 17, 2007
268
0
0
SoCal
#52
Those are some nice zoas.. if you don't mind how much did you pay for em?
Not at all, they were $19.99.

The first pic is zoanthids or palythoas.

I wouldn't bother with the Marine Snow or Zoaplex, as the corals you have don't really show a feeding response. Adding them will basically just increase the nitrates/pollution in the tank.
Really? They just asked me if i had food for the corals, and sold me those. Sorry lotus, if you don't mind, could you explain how there "not showing a feeding response". I do plan on adding more corals, maybe a small green brain soon, will there be a need for them eventually? I really like the zooplex though because my six-line wrasse really eats those things.
 

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Lotus

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
Aug 26, 2003
15,115
13
38
Southern California
home.earthlink.net
#53
There are some corals that will eat particles like Marine Snow and zoaplankton, and some that won't. Zoas really don't need feeding, and xenia and GSPs will not eat out of the water column at all.

For LPS corals like brains, you're better off spot feeding mysis shrimp than using broadcast feeding.
 

noob23

Large Fish
Dec 17, 2007
268
0
0
SoCal
#54
Thanks Lotus, i decreased the dosage from the recommended every other day, to once every 3/4 days (every Wednesday, and either Saturday or Sunday). I did this because i read that the marine snow will promote Coraline algae growth, which i like very much. I am also going to keep up the zooplex because my six-line wrasse really enjoys them, and i have some sponges that came with my rock also. Does that sound okay?

Aside from that, how do you think tank looks so far?
 

Lorna

Elite Fish
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#55
Marine snow won't promote coraline growth. Coraline is promoted with the addition of calcium.....which if you are dilligent in water changes your salt mix will provide in the correct quantities. Marine snow and zooplex will only contribute to high nitrates......the six line will eat what ever you feed the tank.....if you want to treat him get him some mysis..... :)
 

noob23

Large Fish
Dec 17, 2007
268
0
0
SoCal
#56
Thanks Lorna, hearing from the saltwater guru is refreshing (Lotus, Chris_A, you're up there too :)). Ill stop the dosing, and id like to go back to the lfs and find out why they insisted on buying them. I tested for calcium and it was good, also did a small water change, so calcium should be plentiful. Finally i asked the lfs exactly what they tested for and heres what i got: Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, and total alkilinity. Works out great for me, the only thing they leave out is salt level and calcuim, which i test myself. Goin after the bristle worm tonight, ill update those results ASAP.
 

noob23

Large Fish
Dec 17, 2007
268
0
0
SoCal
#58
Help!

Ok, weve got some problems. My six-line wrasse and my smaller clown died a few weeks ago, so i got another six-line, along with a royal gramma basslet. When i brought the wrasse home, he was great. He was active, and he ate good. By basslet hid and whenever he came out, he was chased by the clown back into his spot. Next day i woke up, and the basslet was crab food, and the six-line had ich all over him. I panicked and did a water change after i discovered that nitrates were starting to barely read again (it was time for one anyway). Next morning he was dead. Why, why, why? Keep in mind a few things, the temp. is constant, all of my corals are perfect, my one clown is in perfect health, and i had been doing water tests a few times a week, and everything came out perfect. So if my water is perfect, and the temp. stays constant (about 78.4 in the morning, and 79.5 in the evening), why did almost all my fish die??

I have come up with a conclusion that im hoping will solve the problem. Judging by my one clown being quite a bully, my water being fine, i think maybe they died from stress. As you can see in my picture, i really dont have a lot of good hiding places, as that center cave is quite open. Maybe my clown harassed them enough to kill them? Does this sound logical? To solve this problem, i have reworked the rock in my tank, and added another 6lbs to create more places. Do you think this will solve my problem?
 

Lorna

Elite Fish
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#59
You have a relatively small tank and having a clown in there first might be the issue. Clowns are members of the damsel family and can be very territorial and may very well harrass any additions especially given the size of your tank.....then adding another fairly aggressive fish (6 line) and a very docile shy fish (royal gramma) you may have overstressed the situation which can lead to bullying by the clown, added stress may cause ich but not that quickly unless it was already in the tank.....in which case your clown should have it too.....these added fish may have caused an ammonia spike also as you have a small tank and the added bioload would also add stressors...... I would try to rearrange the rock work when you add any new fish and add them slowly so the tank has time to adjust to the addition......by changing around the rock work you sort of throw off the existing clown whose territory is changed somewhat and may not be so interested in harrassing a new tank mate while trying to stake out new territory....other than that you would need to remove the clown add some less aggressive fish then after all were there then reintroduce the clown....as the last fish.