We Have Creatures

strout

Superstar Fish
Dec 21, 2008
1,009
0
0
#1
This is the third time I have typed this, I keep getting booted off AOL, just when I am almost finished, so I better hurry. Took a water sample to the fish guy today, lol, he said I must have read my test strips upside down yesterday. The numbers were all good except for my nitrite numbers, they were high and he told me to do a 40 gallon water change to help with that. The amonia leavels were at 0. So he let me come home with 10 little crads of some sort, they are small and are in a small shell, also I came home with 10snails, they are kinda large , and the iceing on the cake, we came home with Fred, a shrimp, ( got to love those grand kids, everything has to have a name after finding Nemo) Fred is white with red bands around him. More snails and crabs to come next week. Thats about all for now.
 

Lorna

Elite Fish
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#3
High nitrites is the second stage of the cycle. You probably should have waited until these also came down to zero to add anything....but you have so a water change may be in order to reduce the nitrite. My worry here is that the cycle includes the nitrites being consumed by bacteria and if you remove some you will reduce their food source....

Then again the high nitrites in your tank may also prove deadly for your critters you just added especially the shrimp and crabs....snails are pretty resilient for the most part.
 

strout

Superstar Fish
Dec 21, 2008
1,009
0
0
#4
I kinda thought the same thing, but my LFS man gave me the go ahead, I told him I wasn't in any hurry, but he said it would be alright as long as I did a water change. I did the water change ths afternoon about 50 gallons. I hate to admit this, but here it goes, lol , ( Iwasn't LOL when I did this ) I made a mistake when I put the salt in my containers. The salt container says to use 1/2 cup for each gallon of water, I have found that this is to much, I have figured out that I need to use 3/4 of 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water. But I had to take my dog to the vet for her yearly check up so I was in a hurry (not to good) and instead of using 3/4 of a 1/2 cup I used 3/4 of a cup. At least I figured out my mistake before I put the water in the tank, so a job that should have taken me 20 min. turned into a 3 hour job. I did get me a pump to get the fresh salt water out of my container and into the tank, BEST $40.00 I have ever spent. The people I ordered my lights from messed up the order, I should have had everything this past Monday now it will be next tuesday, but I have my doubts about that. I think they still have the order messed up and I don't think I will get my ballist in, we will see. Its not a big deal though, its not like I am going to be putting corals in my tank in the next month or two, although my LFS man said in about 6 or 7 weeks I might be able to put in a few soft corals, and I dont need the big lights for them, we will see.
 

Lorna

Elite Fish
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
#5
I think we have all made some water mixing mistakes. I mix my water in a rubbermaid trash can and let a power head run overnight to thoroughly mix and oxygenate the water, heat it to the same temp, then I test the alk and buffer it.....it is always on the low side. Then I again measure the sg......at 1.026.......and then change the water....

ahhhh I need a pump to pump the water from the container to the tank....I have used a buckey for 4 years......funny I have a mag 3 in the container for the mixing I just need to fix up some hose to it....
 

Lotus

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
Aug 26, 2003
15,115
13
38
Southern California
home.earthlink.net
#6
Yes, it's fairly easy to make a mistake when making up saltwater. I've done it several times. I usually start mine a few days before the water change, so I have time to test it and adjust it. A pump with a hose makes it so much easier.
 

quaddity

Large Fish
Feb 25, 2007
641
0
0
Mesa, AZ
www.myspace.com
#7
I think we have all made some water mixing mistakes. I mix my water in a rubbermaid trash can and let a power head run overnight to thoroughly mix and oxygenate the water, heat it to the same temp, then I test the alk and buffer it.....it is always on the low side. Then I again measure the sg......at 1.026.......and then change the water....

ahhhh I need a pump to pump the water from the container to the tank....I have used a buckey for 4 years......funny I have a mag 3 in the container for the mixing I just need to fix up some hose to it....
Same here haha. I pour it in from the bucket. Would be so much easier to hook a hose up to the power head that's already mixing it and let it pump in. I mix a day or two ahead of time and let the power heads run the whole time. I do about 9 gallons a week in my 90.