My New Marine Tank

[Jimyfloyd]

Right I bought:

1 cleaner shrimp that I have named Count Shrimpula (original!)
3 red legged hermits
6 turbo snails.

£47.50 for the lot...

Pics - apologies but the camera is old!









I tink i need some more hermits but i'll see how these guys get on.

As for the cleaner - do i need to feed him flakes or whatever until i get fish in the tank?

 

[ben1987]

He should eat a flake or two yeah, mine does. Red legged hermits are rite lazy though, you'll need a few. Make sure they have new shells to stop rioting.

 

[Truck]

last time i bought CUC i bought it off the net for a humble £20, how much would i be paying for a scarlet red hermit? and turbo snails? sorry for a bit of a hi jack but i was just wondering if the OP could help me?

 

[ben1987]

Off the net Snails are usually £1-£1.50 and hermits £2-2.50 depending on where and how many, £15 postage though. Shops are upto a fiver a hermit and £2.50 a snail

 

[Truck]

Off the net Snails are usually £1-£1.50 and hermits £2-2.50 depending on where and how many, £15 postage though. Shops are upto a fiver a hermit and £2.50 a snail

cheers ben

 

[ben1987]

That was probably a month or two ago though, havent been shopping for CUC in a while

 

[Jimyfloyd]

Well from Maidenhead aquatics i paid:

Cleaner : £16.50
3 hermits: £16.50
6 snails: £13

Not too bad and unless you buy loads then i don't think the net is much cheaper when you add the postage...plus i have to take a day off work to be in so i might as well go and see what i'm getting

 

[Jimyfloyd]

Well 2 of my snails died

They never seemed right and wouldn't come out of their shells really. The other 4 and the crabs and shrimp are all doing well though...

Should I call the LFS up and see if i can get replacements?

 

[SkiFletch]

You can try but as snails are sensitive shippers, some shops are reluctant to refund them

 

[Jimyfloyd]

Well I called up and they said to brign a sample of water along- if it tests ok then they'll replace the snails. Water tests fine from mine so should be ok.

In other news i bought some marine fish food and fed Count Shrimpula for the first time last ngiht - he was straight out and all over me and grabbed the food and wolfed it down! How cool!

 

[Jimyfloyd]

Another snail bites the dust

I thought I'd lost a 4th but after moving him he came back out of his shell and started moving about.

I'm checkign the water stats again tonight but all seems ok and the shrimp (who I'd assume the more sensitive) is doing fine...

Will post some pics of it tonight!

 

[Jimyfloyd]

As promised some more pics and water stats:

http/img17.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=dsc00116gmf.jpg

The Nitrate looks a little high 10-20 even though I've done 2 water changes!

The rest are all good or 0

Amonia: 0
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 10-20
pH: 8.2

Still unsure of the snails dying!

 

[SkiFletch]

Holy cyanobacteria batman!

What percentage water changes are you doing?
What is your input water source (RO, tap, other)?
What lighting is over your tank?

 

[Jimyfloyd]

Holy cyanobacteria batman!

What percentage water changes are you doing?
What is your input water source (RO, tap, other)?
What lighting is over your tank?

I'm doing about 10% changes but quite frequent (until i get the skimmer running at least)

Water is RO (brand new filter)

Lighting is T8 and is on from about 8am-10pm.

The remaining snails have done a good job of clearing the cyano but there are only 3 of them left and the crabs are lazy!

Recommendations please!?

 

[seffieuk]

I suspect you lr wasn't cured

cyno

Interesting piece I found on the internet

Because this type of algae does not attach well, it can be peeled off and removed by light siphoning, with larger floating pieces being removed with a net, or turkey baster.
Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ): Low water flow or movement throughout the aquarium produces carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), which algae consume.

slime algae "consume" nitrates, often when aquarists perform nitrate tests, the readings come up as normal. Don't be deceived. If you were to remove the algae temporarily, in all likelihood you will see a rise in the nitrate levels in the aquarium. It's like a catch 22. The nitrates have actually been there all along, but unreadable as the algae is feeding on it, therefore the nitrates "appear" to be in check. This applies to many other forms of algae as well!

Looks like you have very high nitrates which are being eaten by the cyno, thats why you are getting the reading which appears to be 10/20 when in reality it is much higer

Don't add anymore cuc - they will only die don't add anymore food, try to peel off what cyno you can, you don't have any bio balls or foam in do you - if you do, get them out. turn off your lights and increase the flow -what flow have you currently got? Are you using a protein skimmer ( just looked, you are not)? Have you got one, if so turn it on

Do much larger water changes

Seffie x