Help with Fish, Coral, etc.

[Why-Me]

Just an FYI
If you ever need help don't be shy to #ReefSquad

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I like your thinking!

No livestock yet right? Just making sure, because if so big changes are not good. If not then go ahead and do 80% or greater water change with no issues.

You are using RODI water or tap water? Tap water can cause issues. Just double checking.

 

[Justin Teufel]

No livestock yet right? Just making sure, because if so big changes are not good. If not then go ahead and do 80% or greater water change with no issues.

You are using RODI water or tap water? Tap water can cause issues. Just double checking.

I do have one Cardinal Fish, and I was thinking of bringing him to my LFS to let him stay there for a bit until my cycle finishes up. What do I do since I have the one fish in there? Also, yes I only use RODI water. Tap water causes more algae break outs.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I do have one Cardinal Fish, and I was thinking of bringing him to my LFS to let him stay there for a bit until my cycle finishes up. What do I do since I have the one fish in there? Also, yes I only use RODI water. Tap water causes more algae break outs.

I am not familiar with a lot of fish, so I don't know how hardy that particular fish is. I do know that ammonia is toxic though.

That is a tough one. What I would do personally is dose seachem prime ASAP to bind ammonia. Then do water changes, but you have to be mindful not to change temp, salinity, or PH too quickly.

I would honestly defer to someone more knowledgeable than me at this point as I wouldn't want any harm to come to the fish. If you can work on getting it to a LFS that may be best. I would still try to dose Prime before then if possible.

 

[Instigate]

I do have one Cardinal Fish, and I was thinking of bringing him to my LFS to let him stay there for a bit until my cycle finishes up. What do I do since I have the one fish in there? Also, yes I only use RODI water. Tap water causes more algae break outs.

Definitely return the fish and inverts until your cycle is done.

 

[Justin Teufel]

its can take however long it wants. mine lasted two and half months.

What do you think of my recent comment, Musovski? What are some feedback and tips you can give me?

 

[Musovski]

I do have one Cardinal Fish, and I was thinking of bringing him to my LFS to let him stay there for a bit until my cycle finishes up. What do I do since I have the one fish in there? Also, yes I only use RODI water. Tap water causes more algae break outs.

best case scenario is return the fish to LFS or find a fellow reefer near by who is willing to house it til time is ready. However, a less humane way of this is using the fish through the cycle which i do not recommend.

 

[Instigate]

Marine fish are less susceptible to nitrite toxicity at lower levels because chloride (19,000ppm) in saltwater outcompetes nitrite for the same uptake. Now i understand that nitrite needs to hit something like 300+ppm to be toxic in saltwater but have read that people hit 10ppm of nitrite and fish and inverts got affected.

Tests in marine species, however, showed the toxicity to be much lower. None of the thirteen marine fish species for which I could find nitrite toxicity data had LC50 values below 100 ppm, and half had LC50 values of 1,000 - 3,000 ppm or more.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php#6

 

[Musovski]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php#6

ive read this a long time ago. I know of it, and keep it in mind when speaking of the cycle.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I think the most important thing is to get the fish out of toxic water ASAP.

Option 1: take to the LFS
Option 2: dose seachem prime (then option 1 or 3)
Option 3: water changes

The way I under stand it those are your 3 options. Option 3, I wouldn't be able to help with as I wouldn't feel comfortable doing large water changes myself with any livestock in the tank.

How soon can you do option 1 or 2?

 

[Philipgonzales3]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php#6

Not going to lie, some of this reading is over my head. I graduated college but was not a chemist lol. I've read articles that state it has to do with PH. This makes me wonder if a high PH freshwater tank is affected by nitrite. Just making conversation.

http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/wiki/Nitrite

 

[Justin Teufel]

I think the most important thing is to get the fish out of toxic water ASAP.

Option 1: take to the LFS
Option 2: dose seachem prime (then option 1 or 3)
Option 3: water changes

The way I under stand it those are your 3 options. Option 3, I wouldn't be able to help with as I wouldn't feel comfortable doing large water changes myself with any livestock in the tank.

How soon can you do option 1 or 2?

I can Prob bring the cardinal fish to my LFS tomorrow. I just did a little seachem prime dose in the tank just now.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I can Prob bring the cardinal fish to my LFS tomorrow. I just did a little seachem prime dose in the tank just now.

Ok, perfect. 1ml should be good. I would do 2ml just because. Supposedly it binds for 24-48 hours. I would get it over to the LFS then continue your cycle. Keep positing here or a new thread etc. I will try to keep an eye out but I'm sure someone else will help you too.

 

[Instigate]

Not going to lie, some of this reading is over my head. I graduated college but was not a chemist lol. I've read articles that state it has to do with PH. This makes me wonder if a high PH freshwater tank is affected by nitrite. Just making conversation.

http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/wiki/Nitrite

RHF articles are the best. When I first got into reef keeping I spent a lot of time reading his stuff. I never heard about pH affecting it.

 

[Justin Teufel]

Ok, perfect. 1ml should be good. I would do 2ml just because. Supposedly it binds for 24-48 hours. I would get it over to the LFS then continue your cycle. Keep positing here or a new thread etc. I will try to keep an eye out but I'm sure someone else will help you too.

Great thank you, I will definitely keep this thread open. I will keep in touch and let everyone know what’s goin on every step of the way!

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Great thank you, I will definitely keep this thread open. I will keep in touch and let everyone know what’s goin on every step of the way!

I'd also return the anemone for a while. The minimum tank age for one is at least 6 months. Not sure about the snail's. I'd keep them but then again I wouldn't care if they died lol. I have no idea how sensitive snail's are.

You were phantom feeding every day? Just trying to wrap my head around what happened. If so I think likely your ammonia was just greater than what the benifical bacteria could process. I believe benifical bacteria can be smothered by ammonia but not 100% sure.

But yeah as soon as you get nitrite down and stop phantom feeding, your nitrite and ammonia have to fall. Nitrite may not be as important but I would wait until both ammonia and nitrite hit 0, and then stay there for 24 hours after a phantom feeding to call it cycled. Others may have more complex explanations, but I'd keep it to just that.

 

[Justin Teufel]

I'd also return the anemone for a while. The minimum tank age for one is at least 6 months. Not sure about the snail's. I'd keep them but then again I wouldn't care if they died lol. I have no idea how sensitive snail's are.

You were phantom feeding every day? Just trying to wrap my head around what happened. If so I think likely your ammonia was just greater than what the benifical bacteria could process. I believe benifical bacteria can be smothered by ammonia but not 100% sure.

But yeah as soon as you get nitrite down and stop phantom feeding, your nitrite and ammonia have to fall. Nitrite may not be as important but I would wait until both ammonia and nitrite hit 0, and then stay there for 24 hours after a phantom feeding to call it cycled. Others may have more complex explanations, but I'd keep it to just that.

I am going to bring that other fish back to the LFS to hold him, and then do an 8G water change. Also the anemone that I have is a pest. It is a aiptasia anemone. I hear you could spray lemon juice on the nem and it will die slowly but surely. Doing want to raise up ph that much though.

 

[BestMomEver]

I'd also return the anemone for a while. The minimum tank age for one is at least 6 months. Not sure about the snail's. I'd keep them but then again I wouldn't care if they died lol. I have no idea how sensitive snail's are.

You were phantom feeding every day? Just trying to wrap my head around what happened. If so I think likely your ammonia was just greater than what the benifical bacteria could process. I believe benifical bacteria can be smothered by ammonia but not 100% sure.

But yeah as soon as you get nitrite down and stop phantom feeding, your nitrite and ammonia have to fall. Nitrite may not be as important but I would wait until both ammonia and nitrite hit 0, and then stay there for 24 hours after a phantom feeding to call it cycled. Others may have more complex explanations, but I'd keep it to just that.

Aptasia is a nuisance anemone that comes on live rock. While you’re at the LFS, see if they have some AptasiaX. That will take care of it. If you can, take all the livestock back and ask them to hold it for you. While there, ask if they have test kits other than API. They are notoriously inaccurate. I recommend Red Sea or Salifert. When you get home, shut off the lights and let the tank finish the cycle. By turning off the lights, you’ll put a dent in the algae. If what’s on your sand is red, it’s Cyanobacteria and will likely resolve itself. To help identify the algae, go to reefcleaners.org and read their info. If you can get the livestock out, you don’t need to do a water change. Just let it finish. Test periodically. Keep us updated! This is a great time to collect up any supplies you might need. Bulk Reef Supply has a great video series called “52 weeks of reefing.” You can find it on their website or YouTube. Feel free to ask any questions you have....

And welcome to the reef!

 

[Justin Teufel]

Aptasia is a nuisance anemone that comes on live rock. While you’re at the LFS, see if they have some AptasiaX. That will take care of it. If you can, take all the livestock back and ask them to hold it for you. While there, ask if they have test kits other than API. They are notoriously inaccurate. I recommend Red Sea or Salifert. When you get home, shut off the lights and let the tank finish the cycle. By turning off the lights, you’ll put a dent in the algae. If what’s on your sand is red, it’s Cyanobacteria and will likely resolve itself. To help identify the algae, go to reefcleaners.org and read their info. If you can get the livestock out, you don’t need to do a water change. Just let it finish. Test periodically. Keep us updated! This is a great time to collect up any supplies you might need. Bulk Reef Supply has a great video series called “52 weeks of reefing.” You can find it on their website or YouTube. Feel free to ask any questions you have....

And welcome to the reef!

Thank you! I am bringing my livestock to my LFS to see if they can hold em for me. I will definitely look at AptasiaX. If I keep my light off, will the algae start to die off? I would like tat very much lol. The algae that’s on my sand is green.

Also, here is my Parameters:

Ammonia: 1 ppm
Nitrite: 5 ppm
Nitrate: 40 ppm

How would you go about doing this cycle so far?

 

[BestMomEver]

Thank you! I am bringing my livestock to my LFS to see if they can hold em for me. I will definitely look at AptasiaX. If I keep my light off, will the algae start to die off? I would like tat very much lol. The algae that’s on my sand is green.

Also, here is my Parameters:

Ammonia: 1 ppm
Nitrite: 5 ppm
Nitrate: 40 ppm

How would you go about doing this cycle so far?

The algae should start to die off. Keep in mind though that it’s all part of the “uglies” that EVERY tank goes through. As long as your water movement is good, your lights are the correct spectrum, and you don’t over feed, it will resolve itself. Patience is your friend. I have one tank that looked ok for the most part when it was new and one, that four months later, still looks awful. Each tankis different.

I’m concerned about your LFS if they told you that adding livestock at this stage of the cycle is ok. If so, please find a different store. In the past, people would dump a hardy fish in a new tank to cycle it, but those days are gone. With all the additives and new technology out there today it’s not necessary. Work on finding someone in the local club. Very often you can get a name from one of the LFSs out there.

Here’s the link to the BRS video series....

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/video-category/52-weeks-of-reefing/

It will help... a lot!