19 Gallon Nano Diary - New Corals And Fish Etc

[SkiFletch]

Consider adding carbon to your filtration for the smell. Putting saran wrap over the tank wouldn't work as it would seal your tank from oxygen and it would slowly die.

As for the water changes, mix it up in another bucket, and drop in a heater to get the temp close to your tank. The idea is to minimize temp shock to the organisms, not to help the salt dissolve. And mixing brands is just fine

 

[QuotheRaven]

Will carbon get rid of the smell much?? Also I do not have destilled water but the Tap water has No copper at all.... I think I will just have to do a 20% water change with tap water and get the right temperature as I have 0 money and get $100 in about 2 weeks...I have probably enough salt for a 10% change every 3 days...

 

[QuotheRaven]

There was a weird skin like thing on parts of the water and when I took it out I have never smelt a worse smell in my life and I have a strong stomach... I think a 7 gallon tank will be put under the house and it can cure under there as this smell is unbearable...argh

 

[QuotheRaven]

Ok I now have my 4 bits of LR in a 7 gallon with no subtrate... Discovered much of the smell was from one piece of LR which about a good 1/3rd of it was BLACK and it was a dead sponge attached to it which I had to break off and it smelt awful... alot of dead Bristle worms aswell... I have also run out of salt so I need to borrow money to get some...

Advice to those thinking of starting a nano... buy cured LR or cure it away from the house the smell is vomit inducing...

Also on a side note not marine related for some reason my upside down catfishes are getting a weird flesh eating disease where parts turns whitish.. I have had one euthanised and now 2 weeks later another has it badly.. No diseases introduced and it says there is ammonia However the tanks cycled and I have had cories lay eggs in 2 out of the past 4 days...Friday and Sunday... But my 75 gallon apparently has 4.0ppm of ammonia with many fish showing 0 sign of being unwell...the only one was a featherfin flicked of the sand once the light went out....I think maybe my tests are dead or dying and are reading it wrong as I know how a fish will act in 4.0 Ppm of ammonia and it certainly doesn't involve swimming happily with fins up

 

[littleme1969]

Yes I'm going down the cured live rock front.
For anyone interested Ive found a great supplier in the UK Best quality and cheapest price too. They also do rubble so you dont have to break up any lumps for filters etc which is ace. Check them out..
http/www.live-rock.co.uk/index.htm
Thewy have some really good coments, and you can also ring for advise etc. Just perfect

 

[Musho3210]

why are you changing water when cycling? I dont see a need for it..... (besides smell) A high die off leads to more bacteria being produced so when you get your fish you hopefully wont get a spike at all... But if the smell is just really bad i can see where your going.

Get the biggest bucket of salt you can get, more economical.

 

[QuotheRaven]

I have read water changes speed up the curing process...

Oh and I went to a aquarium the other day to buy some more salt. 25 gallon's worth for only $30 compared to $27 for ten gallons worth WOOHOO

They had a wobbegong shark for sale... a yellow spotted moray eel and a six lined soap fish aswell as mandarin fish quite nice

So when should I do a water change when curing LR?

 

[SkiFletch]

So when should I do a water change when curing LR?

When the smell becomes unbearable or when the ammonia/nitrite is 0 and nitrates have stopped climbing.

 

[QuotheRaven]

I have been busy so no real updates but the smell is bad but getting better... the water doesn't look flash... Also once the rocks cured whats the safest way to transport it with zero die off

 

[QuotheRaven]

Ok now Im a little concerned I think my LR is DEAD....parts have gone white/grey and the smell has gone from putrid to little smell whatsoever...any help would be appreciated

 

[Danno]

(image taken from liveaquaria.com)

Sounds normal to me.

 

[QuotheRaven]

Oh ok...I just read somewhere that LR when it's "useless" goes white/grey...but that could be me being paranoid

 

[QuotheRaven]

Smell gone and the water is quite clear Not many updates as it's curing and not alot happening... Oh well... I GOT BROADBAND

 

[QuotheRaven]

No more news still curing I need to lower the the salinity as it's a tad high but I am so busy...and my darn Kribensis ( which were accidently inbred) JUST BRED now I have about 20 krib fry being protected through the tank and none eaten my Severum ( Dick Pound) has no interest in them...I HATE KRIBENSIS now there are about 30 of them in my tank...20 fry

 

[QuotheRaven]

Ok real issue now... The rocks have been "curing" since I got them but they are now greyish green except one piece which looks better...it's been a long time....The powerhead is a internal filter which does the right water rate but has no filter media... the salinity is a little higher than the hydrometre wants...issue is whats wrong? and can the rock be saved...please try and answer without pictures...the temp is about 26-28....please help? is the rock a lost cause?