Neighbour Died & I Don't Know What To Do Please Help

[john1979]

Hi all i just joined this site hoping that someone maybe able to help me out .. my neighboor died this morning and he has about 10 or more marine fish 1 of them is a clown fish like nemo .. i think it is marine as it has living rock it the tank

The fish tank is 5ft x 2ft x 2ft tank.. he has an RO tap under the sink and some H2 OCEAN aswell but i have no idear how much to add to 5 gallons of RO water or if i need to put anything else in the water??

PLEASE HELP AS THERE IS NOT MUCHWATER LEFT UNDER THE TANK kind regards john

 

[lewiss]

Hi John,

Welcome. No need to panic - you should have a refractometer, similar to this around
http/www.beersmith.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/refractometer.jpg
And hopefully you have something to mix it it in? And heat it. Normally you mix up saltwater by
1) put the RO water into the mixing container.
2) put a powerhead/water fan (to move the water around) and heater in.
3) add some salt, and measure with your refractometer to ensure the saltanity is about 1.023
4) leave for a day (but if your in a rush a few hours)

You can top up the tank with RO, but don't put loads and loads in.

Does that makes sense? If you can't find a refractometer estimate about 1kg per 30ltrs.

Ask if I've confused u!!

 

[HappyGeorge]

Where abouts are you mate, there may be someone close who could come round and point you in the right direction. If there is no intention of keeping it maybe you need to contact relatives or someone who can make a decision on getting rid of it. Then you can advertise the set up on aquarist classified website and on the classifieds on here, and dismantle it bit by bit, but the fish and live rock should go fairly quickly.
If you were close enough to me (I'm in North Kent) I could possibly help you out with the live rock and maybe some of the equipment as I am setting up at the moment, not looking for any favours you understand and prepared to pay the going price but may help us both out.

 

[john1979]

Thanks for the response. I have found one of those things but don't know how to use it. Can't see a reading when I look through it. Based on the measurements you said I will add the H2 Ocean to the RO water as the tub also states 1kg per 24 litres of water. The water thats left should last till morning so it will give the new water a chance to mix and warm up. He also has a digital gauge which measure PPH should I be using that.
Thanks again for your help

 

[john1979]

Where abouts are you mate, there may be someone close who could come round and point you in the right direction. If there is no intention of keeping it maybe you need to contact relatives or someone who can make a decision on getting rid of it. Then you can advertise the set up on aquarist classified website and on the classifieds on here, and dismantle it bit by bit, but the fish and live rock should go fairly quickly.
If you were close enough to me (I'm in North Kent) I could possibly help you out with the live rock and maybe some of the equipment as I am setting up at the moment, not looking for any favours you understand and prepared to pay the going price but may help us both out.

Thanks but I'm in Shropshire so quite a distance from you. His missus will decide what to do with it but she doesn't know what shes doing and can't face going home so I've been asked to look after them for now. Thanks anyway

 

[Donya]

Can't see a reading when I look through it.

I assume you're meaning the refractometer? With most small/portable models, you need a pretty bright light to aim it at to get the reading to show up. If you're already aiming it at a bright light then check to make sure the eyepiece is focused right for you and that it's calibrated (should be able to test with RO).

 

[sorgan]

Is the water that's running out salty?it Might it be an auto top up.

 

[simonas]

bearing in mind the tragic circumstances wouldn;t it make more sense to give the fish to a local store, let the widow deal with what she has to deal with without worrying about something as "trivial" in the grandscheme of things as the fish

 

[woody88]

bearing in mind the tragic circumstances wouldn;t it make more sense to give the fish to a local store, let the widow deal with what she has to deal with without worrying about something as "trivial" in the grandscheme of things as the fish

Well said! Exactly what i was thinking!

 

[john1979]

bearing in mind the tragic circumstances wouldn;t it make more sense to give the fish to a local store, let the widow deal with what she has to deal with without worrying about something as "trivial" in the grandscheme of things as the fish

Well said! Exactly what i was thinking!

I have been asked by the widow to take care of the fish until she feels able to make a decision about what to do with them. Like you said in the grand scheme of things it's not top of the list for her to sort out. I am only trying to do what she has asked me to do by looking after the fish as best I can. I don't think she'd be to impressed if, when returning home, she found I had given the fish away do you! I am looking for useful advice on how to care for them and frankly these comments aren't helpful.

 

[sorgan]

Like I mentioned before are you sure the water that is running out is salty?? As it may be top up water.

 

[john1979]

Like I mentioned before are you sure the water that is running out is salty?? As it may be top up water.

I did dip my finger in it and it didn't taste particularly salty but there are signs around the top of the water container that something has been added to it. Mixed the water and H2 Ocean powder together in the quantites recommended on the tub, left it overnight to air and had to connect it to the tank this morning as the other had run out. Fingers crossed I've done it right

 

[sorgan]

Right I would say keep an eye on the salinity of the tank.
Do this by adding a few drops of water to your refractometer and aiming it at a bright light, peer into the end see where the blue line goes to. It should be around the 1025 area.
If the number goes up to much then it was top up water and you will need to bring the salinity back down but we can deal with that if it happens

Btw welcome to the world of marine fish

 

[john1979]

Right I would say keep an eye on the salinity of the tank.
Do this by adding a few drops of water to your refractometer and aiming it at a bright light, peer into the end see where the blue line goes to. It should be around the 1025 area.
If the number goes up to much then it was top up water and you will need to bring the salinity back down but we can deal with that if it happens

Btw welcome to the world of marine fish

Thank you, will check when I get home tonight. Marine fish are incredibly beautiful and the tank fascinates me but not sure I could take it up as a hobby - far to stressful ;-)

 

[sorgan]

ah thats a cowards response TBH once your get into the swing of things its very easy and the times you spend wasting away the hours just gazing into your tank soon over take the stress involved in learning. maybe this is meant to be a push into what is a rewarding, live changing and often not cheap hobby

let us know what the S.G (specific gravity or the salinity) is when you get a chance.