1 week old and having fun already

[skipm]

Do you have any agitation of the water surface? You may not be getting good oxygen exchange which takes place only at the waters surface. If your return has a nozzle of some kind that can be aimer point it towards the waters surface enough so that you can see some surface agitation. You could also add another powerhead or an airstone to do the same thing. I would also double check to make sure the test kit is accurate and the instructions are being followed correctly, some test kits are fairly hard to read and it can make a big difference if the directions aren't followed 100%.

 

[m000240]

I moved the nozzle to point at the surface, I'll test again in a few hours. I just ordered a new Salifert test kit from marinedepot.com. It should be here next week, so I'll see if it was the test kit.

 

[reefman23]

Good call with the Salifert test kits... they are great. Aggitating the surface will help alot with the oxygen exchange too.

Jesse

 

[skipm]

I really like the Salifert kits myself, they seem to be the easiest to read alot of the time (especially the pH).

 

[m000240]

I also ordered a pH meter, so hopefully I'll know what my pH is beyond any doubt.

I was thinking of getting the fission nano skimmer as well, any thoughts?
Right now for filtration I have one sponge holding up a bag of carbon in the first chamber and LR rubble in the second chamber.

Also, I was reading and noticed that some people are having to "fish" inhabitants out of the back chambers, is there anyway to prevent that? If I have to modify the tank, I'll like to do it early before its all set the way I like it.

 

[skipm]

I had the problem with one of my fish "going over the wall", I simply laid a ruler acrossed the top of the wall so it was balanced and hung over about 3/4" over on each side which was enough to keep the fish in the main tank.
I have been hearing really mixed reviews on the Fission skimmer, I have one that I was planning on retroing into a hang on filter but haven't had the need yet.
You don't really need the sponge to hold the carbon up, just let it rest on the bottom of the chamber, this way you can remove the sponge easily at least once a week for rinsing to keep it from becoming a nitrate factory.

 

[m000240]

What about crawlers? i.e. snails, crabs, shrimp?

 

[skipm]

I didn't have any trouble with them going over the wall, just one of the fish.

 

[m000240]

Ok, so after a day of the nozzle being pointed at the surface of the water my pH is now a solid 8.0, maybe 8.3 on the test scale. Also I have noticed more of a drop in water level due to evaporation, and my temps are now hovering around 80, instead of 82. Looks like that was a great move, thanks for the recommendation.

Also last night I found a crab that had been hiding the rock. He is small about the size of a dime, and very hairy. He is a light brown in color, I'll try to post the pics I got when I get home from work.

 

[idog]

Sounds like a gorilla crab!

Get rid of it!!!!

 

[m000240]

What is a gorilla crab? why are they bad?

 

[idog]

Predatory crabs that will attack your fish when it matures. REally tough to catch too. you will have to trap it, or take out the rock with its lair and isolate it.

Big claws = bad news.

Many people don't know they've got one until their fish start getting injured, or disappear.

 

[m000240]

Yeah, that sounds like him. I haven't actually seen all of him, just a glimpse of a leg or two. My wife actually found him because of the stuff he flung up while eating. I'm thinking I'll just take the rock out with him in, its the rock with the bubble algea anyways.