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molloy
11/25/2004, 09:56 AM
I've had my 1st shipment for about 4 weeks and 2nd shipment for 2 weeks. 35 gallon package in a 36 gallon tank.

I followed ammonia, nitrite and nitrate for a while, but once the ammonia dropped and everything else looked good, I started to trust it too much. Everything looks great and 2 damsels and 2 clowns are happy happy. I've only done 1 water change when the ammonia was at it's highest, but it was still in the safe range.

I just got a lawnmower blenny and a pajama cardinal Tuesday night. The pajama cardinal didn't look teriffic, but I've gotten a few cichlids that I rescused from the shelter (LFS) and they are very happy.

In the last week, my anemone started walking around (unhappy) then totally letting go and floating around, shrinking up, getting hugh, shrinking again.... At one point, the base became so long that I was wondering if it was going to split. This morning, the anemone was about 3/4" by 3/4" in a ball. No tentales visible. It looked like it ate itself. I looked for all the fish and found the cardinal on the bottom dead.

Tested the ammonia - almost nothing. Tested Nitrate and it maxed out the chart. Ut oh! Changed 10 gallons of water and got the nitrates to about 80.

I totally started to trust the rock too much. Really dumb mistake. We're not in fresh water world anymore Toto. I haven't tested my FW for a year. Guess I'll be testing the SW from now on!

-Brendan

rspar
11/25/2004, 10:06 AM
Too quick certainly for the anemone they need a well established tank 6-12 mos.

geminiluna
11/25/2004, 10:47 AM
rspar - maybe the anemone came with the TBS package. When I got my TBS package, they threw in surprise - a very cool condy anemone - for me. I was thrilled (even though I now know they're fairly run-of-the-mill). That sucker was a total pig and ate everything I gave it. Unfortunately, as a newbie, I didn't know to cover my impellers and it became chop suey in my tank. Depending on the type of anemone, molloy might be able to get away with it. Just keep those water changes going through the cycle!

july865
11/25/2004, 11:25 AM
IMO, i think you have a large load. plus i think that the addition of fish was not a wise idea at such an early stage. someone on here said. "the only thing that happens quickly in a SW tank, is death."

(quote)--I've only done 1 water change when the ammonia was at it's highest, but it was still in the safe range....
IMO there is no safe range for ammonia. people will argue about that. but if you make it a "mind-set" that there is no safe range, you will be better-off..

molloy
11/25/2004, 12:36 PM
rspar,
Condi anemone came with the rock like geminiluna said.

july865,
Notice I said that I changed the water even though the amonia was in the safe range? 2 clowns are 3/4" long. 2 damsels were in the tank before the rock. What are you basing the large load on?

My point is that I thought things would stay the same. Big mistake. What has been happening quickly?

I was actually a week off. First half 5 weeks ago and 2nd half 3 weeks ago.

-Brendan

dwculp
11/25/2004, 02:37 PM
Something is not right, are you feeding to much, do you have a protein skimmer, do you do regular water changes?

A nitrate level of +100ppm before the water change indicates that you may be feeding to much or not exporting nutrients at a good enough rate via water changes and skimming.

molloy
11/25/2004, 07:39 PM
My screw up was not changing the water and thinking that once everything was set it would stay set. Something may have died off or maybe I am feeding too much. 5 weeks and today was the 2nd water change. Yes to the protein skimmer. It works very well.

I know my mistake and wanted to share my experience in case someone else thinks everything is fine like I did. With my freshwater tank, once everything settled in and all levels were good, they stayed that way. With this rock, there is so much life that something can die without you ever even knowing it was in there and completely mess up your water.

Ammonia - 0
PH 8.3
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - Probably closer to 160 than 80 on this color chart - even after todays water change.

How can I drop the nitrates? I changed 25% of the water today and put in Prime to detoxify the nitrates. Water change every other day or what?

Thanks

nyoneway
11/26/2004, 01:15 AM
I got the TBS package as well and they gave me a "condy" anemone as a surprise. The TBS LS and the 2 tiger cuke that's in the package do not get along. The "sand" or more accurately describe as various sized pebbles give the tiger cuke a hard time trying to eat it.

So today I gave away my 2 cukes and the condy anemone because I know it's not suitable for my system.

I have yet to test for nitrate tho. I think the new RO/DI I installed this week and the chaeto in the fuge is helping things along. Just to be safe, I will clean off my tank tomorrow and do another water change.

Brendan, will you be at work tomorrow?