steelerfan's 30 Gallon Breeder Journal/Build

hi greech,

i forgot to get number of trates as he started talking about something else.

i think he meant warning level as starting to get high for a established tank.

my ph has been testing at 7.8 regularly when i do it.

his was a refracto, but i have the 1 you look through and this was a digital 1.

i finally noticed diatoms tonight. WOO-HOO!

someone local has been helping me and he is taking me up to the place where he gets his stuff and he said he trusts the guy much more than where i was today.

think i will still keep shrimp in another few weeks and then add small cleanup crew.

thanks again bud.

greech said:
What was the # on nitrates? Warning level for what?

Test "strips" are not known for their accuracy. The colormetric kits most use are hard enough to read and sometimes don't get down to the levels we need.

The ph of the water you brought in is not the same as what is in your tank by the time it gets to the LFS. pH fluctuates throughout the day. I wouldn't try and tweak H or anything else in the tank. Too early.

What did they use to test SG? Not aware of anything more accurate than a calibrated refractometer.

Still too soon for fish and feedings. Couple crabs and snails. IME, don't go with a lot of crabs. Even hermits can wreak havoc. Don't go heavy on the CUC either. You really don't need 20+ snails in there right away like some shops recommend.

It doesn't sound like a bad store. All I can say is that LFS are never perfect. As you learn more about the hobby and what certain animals are and what they need to thrive you will be a better judge of whether they just want your money or are giving you good advice. I definitely see my favorite LFS sell things to new people they probably shouldn't have yet. However, most of the time they will tell people that a particular fish gets big or is aggressive or that a coral needs a lot of light. The people wanted the fish despite this advice because it's pretty or cool. Bottom line they need to make money and you need to know what you are buying. Everyone wants the whole ocean in a box and it just doesn't work that way. Wow that was a RANT! :)

Oh and $17.99 is INSANE for LR. My LFS has some decent rock for $3.99/lb and the nicer porous rock is only $5.99.

If you live in a large area maybe make some post online and see others recommend any decent LFS in your area.
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sorry for quick response greech.

wife was yelling at me to get of the puter. i mean there is worse stuff i could be looking at on the computer than fish forums you would think :-)

i don't want any hermit crabs at all. i dont need to awake 1 moring to have had a hermit go postal on a fish.

i do want to get a porcelain crab though.

i may get like 10 or so small ceriths and i really do like the fighting conchs but not sure i could support it.

i will get from reff cleaners as i want a ball of cheato/pods too.

i guy on another forum actually lives about 20 minutes away from me and i did check out his 120 gallon reef a few weeks back.

he and i do plan on going to a LFS says that has really good livestock as he is picky about his fish.

yes, 18 bucks a pound for rock is stupid.

i was there in january and it was 15, so they went up again.

they did have really small cleaner shrimp as well as some small red stripe pistols so i may get that from them, but i think i am passing on fish.

thanks again for taking me under your wing bud.
 
Makes sense that your pH is fairly stable as you don't have much algae, etc.

Didn't even know they had digital refractometers. Have to look those up.

Porcelain crabs are very cool looking. Also partial to pom pom crabs but I really don't know much about either.

Glad you hooked up with someone local. Strength in numbers!

You will be able to have conchs but agree its a little early. They do a number on diatoms as do tigertail cucs (not ready for those either IMO).

Maybe get a couple of small mexican turbos or astrea snails for the rocks. The nassarius will pretty much stick to the sand. Ceriths are another option but smaller.

Glad to help where I can.
 
greech said:
Makes sense that your pH is fairly stable as you don't have much algae, etc.

Didn't even know they had digital refractometers. Have to look those up.

Porcelain crabs are very cool looking. Also partial to pom pom crabs but I really don't know much about either.

Glad you hooked up with someone local. Strength in numbers!

You will be able to have conchs but agree its a little early. They do a number on diatoms as do tigertail cucs (not ready for those either IMO).

Maybe get a couple of small mexican turbos or astrea snails for the rocks. The nassarius will pretty much stick to the sand. Ceriths are another option but smaller.

Glad to help where I can.
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plus i read somewhere that the acididy with the cycling lowersit but it should come up as tank finishes, plus having could surface agitation and movement hoping i am good.

i hear the porcelain are prety peaceful and not big and are cool to watch.

i will never get a cuke. i hear if they die they can nuke whole tank.

i know ordering from reefcleaners they send you way more than you ask for so i may order a 10 gallon cleanup crew and a ball of cheato from them in another month.

the shrimps are decaying now pretty good and i think i am just gonna let them do their thing.

question about acclimating.

wanted to get a cleaner and a pistol but the LFS keeps their ph at 8.4 and sg at 1.023.

with mine being so off and me reading bad things about drip, what route would you go to get them in the tank?
 
You referring to the drip thread that Sk8r started over on RC? That really doesn't apply to buying stock locally that can be in your DT/QT within a short period of time. I would drip acclimate shrimps, snails, crabs.

FWIW, my LFS gets shrimps in all the time and all they do is float the bags and add water every ~15 minutes. They seem to do fine.

I have had my cuc for almost a year. Best cleaner I have.
 
greech said:
You referring to the drip thread that Sk8r started over on RC? That really doesn't apply to buying stock locally that can be in your DT/QT within a short period of time. I would drip acclimate shrimps, snails, crabs.

FWIW, my LFS gets shrimps in all the time and all they do is float the bags and add water every ~15 minutes. They seem to do fine.

I have had my cuc for almost a year. Best cleaner I have.
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that would be the thread greech.

since i don't want tank water from the lfs in my store, you think pouring back into bucket with shrimp and then adding a bit of my water every 15 minutes for an hour, then just taking shrimp out and putting into tank would be ok?

those cucs are big though and i have a lot of rock. wouldn't want him starving.
 
Yes, I think that would be perfectly fine. If your house is cold you might want to set the bucket on some towels and wrap one around the bottom to keep the temp up in the bucket. If you us a 5 gallon+ bucket you may have to prop up one side to give the shrimp enough water. A 1/2 bag of water you LFS will give you to bring the shrimp home in doesn't usually cover the bottom of a standard bucket.

Really not trying to sell you on the cucs but getting under rocks is what the tigertails do best. They make a burrow along/under the rock and latch one end of themselves to it and eat/rest under the rock during the day come out at night. Kind of like a windshield wiper across the sand.
 
greech said:
Yes, I think that would be perfectly fine. If your house is cold you might want to set the bucket on some towels and wrap one around the bottom to keep the temp up in the bucket. If you us a 5 gallon+ bucket you may have to prop up one side to give the shrimp enough water. A 1/2 bag of water you LFS will give you to bring the shrimp home in doesn't usually cover the bottom of a standard bucket.

Really not trying to sell you on the cucs but getting under rocks is what the tigertails do best. They make a burrow along/under the rock and latch one end of themselves to it and eat/rest under the rock during the day come out at night. Kind of like a windshield wiper across the sand.
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thanks for the advise on acclimation.

will definately keep the cuc in mind down the road then.

thanks again.

any more thoughts on a fish to your tank?
 
Saw a 12-line wrasse at my LFS and almost pulled the trigger but it was $54 and decided I didn't like it that much. They also has a black leopard wrasse but it was sold. It was very active and not shy which are good signs with these guys after shipping. Definitely thinking wrasse, just haven't found it yet.
 
greech said:
Saw a 12-line wrasse at my LFS and almost pulled the trigger but it was $54 and decided I didn't like it that much. They also has a black leopard wrasse but it was sold. It was very active and not shy which are good signs with these guys after shipping. Definitely thinking wrasse, just haven't found it yet.
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you think you will have to find a way to cover up the back end of your tank?

i hear they are jumpers.
 
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