My aquariums

[bremort93]

The small one is my old 20 gallon that's been running about 8 months now the other one is my 55 gallon that's been running about 4 months now!
55 gallon has
1 yellow goby
2 azure damsels
2 scooter blennys
2 mandarins

I have some grape caulerpa and feather caulerpa which seems to be doing great...
I bought some red tang heaven from indo pacific which seemed to just die off and go away little by little.. I still have some healthy pieces any advice on my aquarium?

Only things I have been adding is stress coat with water changes, bacteria weekly, trace elements weekly, and pH buffer as needed.

 

[bremort93]

 

[bremort93]

 

[bremort93]

 

[melypr1985]

Why are you adding stress coat with each water change? Are you using it to dexoify tap water? If so, the stress coat wont get rid of everything in your tap that is detrimental to your tank in the long run. RO/DI is the way to go with marine aquariums.

 

[bremort93]

Yes I have city water so mainly to get chlorine out.. but ro/di?

 

[melypr1985]

Yes I have city water so mainly to get chlorine out.. but ro/di?

Reverse Osmosis deionized water. Its going to strip everything out of your dirty city water (i have dirty city water too) and make it pure H20. There are people here who can explain the whys and the whats of that better than I, but thats what it boils down to.

 

[domination2580]

I would look into at least ro water..(reverse osmosis) then I would suggest taking those freshwater filters out completely, and getting protein skimmer...they do much more IMO . I had one just like u and seemed to hold more unwanted bacteria and nitrates...so good rid of it and now have a protein skimmer. Works very well

 

[domination2580]

And also a vacuum for your sand....a thick and bed will hold ammonia pockets in the bottom and could release it into your tank and it could not be good...just a siphon house hooked up to like a big cylindrical tube...they are called sand vacuums Walmart sell them

 

[melypr1985]

That sand bed is only 2 to 3 inches deep and not deep enough to worry about those things provided you have a proper clean up crew. Nassarius snails are great for keeping the sand bed clean and stirred along with sand sifting gobies and conchs - in my experience.

 

[bremort93]

Reverse Osmosis deionized water. Its going to strip everything out of your dirty city water (i have dirty city water too) and make it pure H20. There are people here who can explain the whys and the whats of that better than I, but thats what it boils down to.

I have to buy the water or there's a chemical for that lol... if so do you know what it is?

 

[melypr1985]

I have to buy the water or there's a chemical for that lol... if so do you know what it is?

You need an RODI unit. You can get them almost anywhere like amazon, marine depot, ebay ect. You can purchase the RODI water at your local LFS or get the saltwater already made from them too. It's cheaper and less of a pain to just make your own at home. So you need the reef salt of course and a machine like this one...
http://theh2oguru.com/reefkeepers-rodi/the-typhoon-reefkeeping-rodi-5-stage-with-asov.html

 

[domination2580]

I have plenty of nassarious snails the size of quarters and I have a 3" need and they don't get to the bottom at all

 

[bremort93]

I would look into at least ro water..(reverse osmosis) then I would suggest taking those freshwater filters out completely, and getting protein skimmer...they do much more IMO . I had one just like u and seemed to hold more unwanted bacteria and nitrates...so good rid of it and now have a protein skimmer. Works very well

Will the protein skimmer replace all other filters? And the fluval filters said that it could be used for marine? What are the benefits with the protein simmer? I'm you said about nitrates the filter I have though has 5 stages and I've never had a problem with nitrates.. so far anyways

 

[domination2580]

Yes protein skimmer is the only thing you need beside activated carbon if you want to make the water Chrystal clear...it takes all the extra protein out of the water including excess food if caught in it...

 

[bremort93]

And also a vacuum for your sand....a thick and bed will hold ammonia pockets in the bottom and could release it into your tank and it could not be good...just a siphon house hooked up to like a big cylindrical tube...they are called sand vacuums Walmart sell them

And I'll be able to keep all the rocks in there while I vacuum? As far as nitrate air pockets .. I have worms in the sand and a couple 4 in bristle worms would this help with that problem? Would it be enough to compensate for the vacuuming?

 

[melypr1985]

Yes protein skimmer is the only thing you need beside activated carbon if you want to make the water Chrystal clear...it takes all the extra protein out of the water including excess food if caught in it...

Agreed. You can use the hang on back filter you have to run carbon or some other type of media if you wanted. You just need the protien skimmer and a power head or two.

 

[domination2580]

Yes just vacuum around all your rocks where you can...it's not expensive at all I think I paid like 10$ new.

 

[bremort93]

That sand bed is only 2 to 3 inches deep and not deep enough to worry about those things provided you have a proper clean up crew. Nassarius snails are great for keeping the sand bed clean and stirred along with sand sifting gobies and conchs - in my experience.

Yeah that sounds about right.. I do have nassarius snails and worms... been thinking about getting maybe a watchman or tiger goby for that reason but just haven't yet because I'm worried about the other 4 bottom dwellers I have.. do you know if those two mentioned gobies eat copepods, amphipods etc. Anything my mandarin would eat?

 

[domination2580]

The bristles won't really be in the sand....they hide in the rocks mainly so they can come out to get food