Back and Feeling Salty

[tomm10]

Well, I'm back again. I let the tank sit for about 8 weeks after the fish die off. I wanted to be pretty sure that anything that killed the inhabitants the last time died off without hosts.
I did a few water changes but since there was no real bioload, I didn't do a ton of them. I did keep throwing in a cube of frozen brine shrimp every week to try and keep the bacteria colony fed. This seems to have worked since I kept testing ) for Ammonia and Nitrites. My nitrates were high shortly after the die off but an algae bloom has taken care of that one.
My ph is still high. Its hard for me to tell with the color card but it looks like its between 8.4 and 8.8. Its very odd since I'm not adding anything to the tank. My only thought is that a low bioload, a bunch of liverock and RO water have led to this. Now that I have some fish in the tank again, we'll see if creeps down again.
I picked up a pair of Ocellaris Clowns today along with 2 peppermint shrimp and 3 hermit crabs. I loaded all these guys at once today. However, future additions will do their time in the 10g Q-tank I just set up. I'm not going through a big die off again.
I've thrown the filter material for the Q-tank into the main tank in the hopes that bacteria will make it a nice home. Any thoughts how how long that will take?

[joephys]

Since there was already an establish colony, it shouldn't take a more than a few days. The only thing I would be worried about is that you suddenly increased your bioload from very little, to 2 fish. Doesn't seem like much, but it is in a SW tank. Hopefully those shrimp will make it through it okay.

[Emg]

Here's some great information on reef water parameters that might help you out Tomm.

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Here's a small sampling from the section on PH....

Likewise, one of the problems at higher pH (anywhere above 8.2, but progressively more problematic with each incremental rise) is the abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate, resulting in a drop in calcium and alkalinity, and the clogging of heaters and pump impellers. If you push the pH to 8.4 or higher (as often happens when using limewater), make sure that both the calcium and alkalinity levels are suitably maintained (that is, neither too low, inhibiting biological calcification, nor too high, causing excessive abiotic precipitation on equipment).

[tomm10]

After having the fish in the tank for about three days now, all appear to be doing well my ph is getting back to normal. Its now down to 8.2 which is what my LFS keeps their tanks at. Ammonia and Nitrites are at zero and nitrates are close (hard to tell exactly with the color tests sometimes).
My LFS had suggested that have fish in the tank would bring the ph back down and it appears they were right since I haven't changed anything else.
Joephys, thanks for the advice. If my main tank parameters stay so positive through the weekend I may make the move to put the Qtank to use and move the filter material over.

[Severum]

Welcome to AB

[Emg]

Congrats Tomm ! Now for the fun !

[tomm10]

Thanks guys.

Now, while the tank is way to young, I'm too new, and lack a lot of equipment (lights, skimmer, etc.) to turn this tank into a reef, I would like to at some point. With that in mind, what are your suggestions for stocking additions?

I have no intentions of jamming this tank full of fish but I do think a couple more would do. I'd just like to make sure that whatever I add would do well in a reef.

FWIW, new guys will definitely be doing a good 4 weeks in my qtank. Once bitten...

[Emg]

I don't have a whole lot of expensive equipment in my reefs Tomm.....no skimmer or expensive lights...just power compacts......the most important thing in a reef is water movement. You just have to pick coral that will do well in lower light. Most of the soft corals are good for that...mushrooms, leathers, zoas.....

Have you checked into whether or not there's a reefclub in your area ? It would be worth looking into. They're a great way to meet other folks in the hobby and also folks you can trade equiptment and stock with is always a great benefit as well. One way to keep the cost down !

[joephys]

Just to make sure, is this still a 29 gallon tank, right?

Clown fish are good, and very hardy.

Wrasses that stay small are good. I have had a six line wrasse and they are great little fish that will dart in and out of the rocks all the time. Lots of fun to watch. Just be careful with the wrasses, the larger ones aren't reef safe.

dwarf angels can be good depending on the type.

I like a small school of chromis.

[Emg]

If you want shrimp in the tank, I wouldn't get a wrasse. My six line ate my peppermints on me.........

[joephys]

Are you sure it ate them? They should be fine with shrimp. Mine never at my peppermints. Maybe your shrimp were small? My shrimp were about the same size as the fish.

[Emg]

They were smaller than the fish, but not that small. I caught him pecking at them and within a week they were gone.

[joephys]

Huh, strange. Everything I have heard and read has been that they are reef safe. Guess all fish are different.

[Emg]

I think when they classify a fish as "reef safe" they mean that it won't bother your coral......I don't think it means they won't eat your inverts.

[joephys]

I know of fish that aren't reef safe but don't bother corals

[Emg]

right........just because a fish tries to eat your coral doesn't mean it will go after your inverts.......I just don't think that "reef safe" necessarily means "invert safe"........and since the thing ate my shrimp, I would have to say....no, it doesn't....

[joephys]

I was saying the opposite. A fish like a puffer or a trigger won't bother a coral, but will eat shrimps and snails. They won't touch a coral, but they are considered to be not reef safe. I think a 'reef safe' fish is a fish that will not eat any sessile or motile inverts.

[tomm10]

I've got some more photos of the tank now. I now have the two ocellaris clowns, two peppermint shrimp, three hermit crabs, and an emerald crab. All inhabitants are doing well and my levels are all good with the possible exception of ph. Its now dropping. I'm down to 7.8 when it started at 8.4 before putting the fish back in. I'm going to keep an eye on it to see if it evens out. Any suggestions for a buffer to get it back to around 8.2 if it does even out at 7.8?

I picked up two bangaai cardinals last weekend who are now chilling out in the Qtank. So far so good but they've only been there since Saturday. Here are the shots of the tank.

The Tank


The Clowns


More Clowns


I'll try for more shots of the crab and shrimp. The earlier photos didn't turn out so clear.

[joephys]

What is your kH? You want it around 10 degrees or so.

The tank looks good, I'm glad everything made it ok.

I would add some asteria and cerith snails to help keep things clean.

[Emg]

Looks nice Tomm !