New fish

[Jade.a.deacon]

Brought clown fish yesterday, but food I fed all floated to bottom should I take it out before nitrates rise or will they eat it? Can I do a water change or should I leave it until they settled in more ? Many thanks x

 

[Palting]

The clown fish probably won't eat it. My clowns won't eat food off the substrate. If it's not a lot of food, I would leave it. Your CUC will take care of it. I would not feed the fish for a day or 2, give it a chance to acclimate. They, try small pinch of food. If he does not eat, wait another day, try a different kind of food. And so on. He should start eating within a week. If he still does not eat after 1 week, then worry.

 

[Secret Asian Man]

You can also try adding some garlic extreme to your food to entice the fish. Or try some frozen brine shrimp.

 

[55g]

Tank conditions and guests are important to diagnosing issues... Please specify what food you fed it; what else is in the tank, tank size, etc... I typically shut return and circulating pump (power heads) down during feeding. Once the floating food is eaten, I turn the circulating pump back on to get the remaining food off the bottom and it's usually gobbled up; then the return pump is turned back on. If conditions are in spec, I've never seen a clown that won't eat. Water quality, temp etc. may come into play. What are your tank readings?

 

[Jade.a.deacon]

So my fish I brought yesterday keep swimming to the top? They seem fine apart from that.
Salinity 1.024/25
Ph 8.2
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrate no2 0.25ppm
Nitrate no3 10ppm
No3 was fine before I put fish in (little high at 5.0ppm) but now adding fish and added food yesterday that now just sitting on the floor if tank. Shall I do 20/30% water change? Done one two days ago but shall I now to get rid of food? Or will it stress fish out? Wonder if that's what's making fish swim to top?
Many thanks.

 

[glb]

You have some nitrite from the looks of it (.25?), so adding the fish might have overloaded your biological filter a little bit. Do you have any beneficial bacteria you could add? You can do water changes but by all means keep an eye on the nitrites. As far as your fish, what kind is it? My clownfish do all sorts of crazy things.

 

[glb]

Also your clean up crew should eat the uneaten food.

 

[glb]

Also, what is the temp? If the water is too warm, the o2 levels could be down in the tank. But again, it could be nothing.

 

[Jade.a.deacon]

The temp is 25c and not too sure forgot the name of them haha, still learning! Can I ask another question?
I just did a 10% water change as nitrates were raising, I first turned the tank off (everything) then get some cold water from tap and add decolorinater (people have mixed views on this) then add boiled water to get temp up. I then added a cup of salt to bucket of water about 10lts as have 98lt tank. Checked salinity of tank water to the salinity of bucket to make sure they match, here's the problem tank was about 1.024 and now I took water out its gone up too 1.026, the bucket water was 1.024 which was the tanks salinity at the start, why Did the salt go up? I used a tank cleaner pump thing to get water out which should have also got out salt with it right? We'll once I added bucket water tank is still 1.026 why did it raise? Please help!

 

[glb]

The temp is 25c and not too sure forgot the name of them haha, still learning! Can I ask another question?
I just did a 10% water change as nitrates were raising, I first turned the tank off (everything) then get some cold water from tap and add decolorinater (people have mixed views on this) then add boiled water to get temp up. I then added a cup of salt to bucket of water about 10lts as have 98lt tank. Checked salinity of tank water to the salinity of bucket to make sure they match, here's the problem tank was about 1.024 and now I took water out its gone up too 1.026, the bucket water was 1.024 which was the tanks salinity at the start, why Did the salt go up? I used a tank cleaner pump thing to get water out which should have also got out salt with it right? We'll once I added bucket water tank is still 1.026 why did it raise? Please help!

It's possible you had some evaporation that wasn't topped off with freshwater so when you changed the saltwater, the salinity went up. When saltwater evaporates, the salt stays in the tank so you have to add freshwater. It's not a big deal. You will have to add freshwater everyday to keep the salinity where you want it.

 

[Jade.a.deacon]

I only left it a day or two though could the salinity really go up that much ?

 

[glb]

I only left it a day or two though could the salinity really go up that much ?

I'm not sure but again it's possible. I'd topoff every day and see if that helps. That being said, your numbers aren't that bad. Both 1.024 and 1.026 are ok for reef tanks. But your right to want to keep it stable. Good luck!

 

[Jade.a.deacon]

Thank you I'll need it I think! Haha can I ask how you do your water changes step by step? Many thanks! X

 

[Palting]

I only left it a day or two though could the salinity really go up that much ?

Yes it can depending on the evaporation rate. Having said that, are you using a swing arm hydrometer? Microbubbles can cause your readings to be off. Make sure to give the hydrometer several firm taps to dislodge all the bubbles.

Thank you I'll need it I think! Haha can I ask how you do your water changes step by step? Many thanks! X

I do 10% or 20 gallons water change in my 200 gallon system.

1. Draw 20 gallons from my RODI reservoir into a 22 gallon mixing bin bin.
2. Place heater and pump/powerheads into the bin and turn them on.
3. Measure out salt. I use a trowel, and 10 trowelfulls usually gets it to 1.026. Sprinkle the salt to avoid clumping.
4. Let it mix for 3 hours. Some say overnight, but I just do it for 3 hours or so.
5. Final check for salinity and temp.
6. Turn all pumps and powerheads in the main tank off.
7. Drain 20 gallons from DT. There is a small sticker at the edge of the tank to mark exactly where 20 gallon draw would be.
8. Shut off powerheads and pump from mixing bin. Switch pump output from mixing bin to sump.
9. Turn on return pump.
10. Turn on pump in mixing bin to deliver the new water to the sump.
11. Turn on powerheads in the DT.
12 Stare at the tank for what seems like minutes, but is actually a few hours. LOL!!

 

[Jade.a.deacon]

Hahaha, thank you! See mine is only a 20 gallon so it can be done from my room from a bucket! Haha, you must have a stunning fish tank do you have any pictures? I stair at my tank for about 10/20 mins a day but that's because so far I have live rock, tons if brown algae and two clown fish, not every entertain to watch for hours ATM, next step clean up crew! Would you mind telling me what's in your tank? :--) thank you!

 

[Palting]

Hahaha, thank you! See mine is only a 20 gallon so it can be done from my room from a bucket! Haha, you must have a stunning fish tank do you have any pictures? I stair at my tank for about 10/20 mins a day but that's because so far I have live rock, tons if brown algae and two clown fish, not every entertain to watch for hours ATM, next step clean up crew! Would you mind telling me what's in your tank? :--) thank you!

Just click on my name in the left panel, then go "Visit Homepage". Happy Reefing!!

 

[Kano]

If you bought tank bred clowns they are typically fed pellets and only pellets. The one I had wouldn't touch mysis shrimp for a day or two until he decided to try it himself. I added pellets and he immediately went for it. Keep an eye on the nitrite because it's a lot more toxic to the fish than the nitrate. Neither is good but nitrite is worse.
1. buy RO water from the LFS.
2. Add slightly under 2 cups of salt per 5 gallons of water I plan on changing. (15-50 depending on which tank and how the parameters are)
3. Put into 32 gallon rubbermaid container or 55g water drum.
4. Add pump and mix for at least a hour but mostly overnight.
5. Check salinity of tank and mixed water to see if they match at 1.025 or 1.026. (add more salt if needed and wait ~30 minutes before checking to see if it's where I want it)
6. Check temp. of the water I'm adding and then pull out the same amount from display and add it back in with water change water.
7. Wait 1-2 weeks and do it again.