First pair of clownfish

[reef.geek]

Goodmorning everyone,

Yesterday I bought my first pair of clownfish,
I floated the bag for 45 minutes,
Took off the rubber band and added a few ounces of tank water every 5 minutes.
The clownfish seem to be doing well and they ate the first evening.
What concerns me is that when i woke up this morning to turn on their lights they were very pale and within less than 20sec they got their color back, is this normal? Also they seem to be hanging in the same spot for 24 hours now ( the corner bottom of my tank ) i have 1 female percula clownfish and 1 male black/white ocellaris.
The female seems to be more active than the male, the male seems to be shy and seems to be glass surfing? I am not sure if he wouldn’t be to weak for my water flow.
I tested my water and these are the results
Nitrate 10ppm ( i am currently adding a nitrate decrease)
Phosphate 0.03
Alkalinity 8.9 (it’s a bit high is there a way to lowere the alkalinity) i dont have any corals or anemone yet
Ph 7.7

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Yes fish normally get pale as they sleep, they will color up when the lights are back on.

Clownfish normally pick a spot they like and usually stick to that spot and rarely move after, its a clown thing.

What do you mean you are adding a 'nitrate decrease'? 10 nitrates is not bad at all, and a water change is the best way to lower nitrates. We frown on most bottled products in this hobby.

The alk is fine. Don't even really need to test alk for fish only tank.

I think your clowns look fine. I would just try to aim the powerhead towards the surface to get some more agitation. It looks like your main filtration is a hob filter, so surface agitation will be the main way to oxygenate the water. Perhaps even add another small powerhead on the opposite side.

 

[reef.geek]

Yes fish normally get pale as they sleep, they will color up when the lights are back on.

Clownfish normally pick a spot they like and usually stick to that spot and rarely move after, its a clown thing.

What do you mean you are adding a 'nitrate decrease'? 10 nitrates is not bad at all, and a water change is the best way to lower nitrates. We frown on most bottled products in this hobby.

The alk is fine. Don't even really need to test alk for fish only tank.

I think your clowns look fine. I would just try to aim the powerhead towards the surface to get some more agitation. It looks like your main filtration is a hob filter, so surface agitation will be the main way to oxygenate the water. Perhaps even add another small powerhead on the opposite side.

Hi
Thanks for youre reply,

So it’s normal that one of them keeps swimming towards the bottom of the tank and doesn’t move up at all? Could it be that the flow is to strong?

Completely my fault,
My nitrates were at 25ppm from what I understood is that 25ppm nitrates are not toxic, my LFS still adviced my to buy their NO3/PO4 remover, this seems to work i have been adding it for the past 3 days.

Perhaps my LFS is trying to sell me things that I don’t need, i did inform them that i will only add fish to my tank add the moment but they told me that the high alkalinity will kill the fish. I also know that in this hobby are a lot of different opinions. But i try to focus on advice i get from fellow reef keepers

I aimed my powerhead towards the surface i will add a picture for confirmation,
Yes i do indeed have a HOB filter, which is adding a lot of air bubbles to my tank that’s the reason why i had my powerhaud aimed towards the filter so that the flow reduces some of the air bubbles.

Are there any HOB filters that have a build-in protein skimmer?

 

[dedragon]

NO3/PO4 remover

dont use this unless you really need to, could mess up the populating microbiome. I would only use something like this if i was aa toxic levels. What is the name of the product as well?

Perhaps my LFS is trying to sell me things that I don’t need, i did inform them that i will only add fish to my tank add the moment but they told me that the high alkalinity will kill the fish.

Never heard of alk killing a fish, but out of curiosity what are your levels at?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Hi
Thanks for youre reply,

So it’s normal that one of them keeps swimming towards the bottom of the tank and doesn’t move up at all? Could it be that the flow is to strong?

Completely my fault,
My nitrates were at 25ppm from what I understood is that 25ppm nitrates are not toxic, my LFS still adviced my to buy their NO3/PO4 remover, this seems to work i have been adding it for the past 3 days.

Perhaps my LFS is trying to sell me things that I don’t need, i did inform them that i will only add fish to my tank add the moment but they told me that the high alkalinity will kill the fish. I also know that in this hobby are a lot of different opinions. But i try to focus on advice i get from fellow reef keepers

I aimed my powerhead towards the surface i will add a picture for confirmation,
Yes i do indeed have a HOB filter, which is adding a lot of air bubbles to my tank that’s the reason why i had my powerhaud aimed towards the filter so that the flow reduces some of the air bubbles.

Are there any HOB filters that have a build-in protein skimmer?

unless you tank is a whirlpool, your fish are fine and can swim. The ocean flow is much stronger than in any of our tanks.

Bottled remedies often have some sort of side effect. Even 25 nitrates is not an emergency and water change is better than bottled chemicals.

Unless you are adding alkalinity buffer, your alk will never be high enough to kill fish. No need to test alk unless you have corals in the tank.

I did see your powerhead, but if it was my tank, I would be more comfortable with more agitation. My 15 gallon softie tank (mushrooms and zoa) has 2 powerheads plus the hob filter.

Feel free to ask any other questions, good luck

 

[reef.geek]

dont use this unless you really need to, could mess up the populating microbiome. I would only use something like this if i was aa toxic levels. What is the name of the product as well?

Never heard of alk killing a fish, but out of curiosity what are your levels at?

It’s from Red Sea.
My alkalinity is between 9.4/8.9

 

[PharmrJohn]

dont use this unless you really need to, could mess up the populating microbiome. I would only use something like this if i was aa toxic levels. What is the name of the product as well?

Never heard of alk killing a fish, but out of curiosity what are your levels at?

Back in the day (40 odd years ago), an ALK between 15 and 18 was usual and customary (I recently saw acceptable parameters from that era in an OLD article). Fifteen years ago, I used to keep my ALK between 15 and 18 (I'd hike it to 18 and let it go down to 15, then dilute some baking soda in tank water and administer slowly to the tank). Rinse and repeat. Never had an issue with either fish or corals. Now, I wouldn't do this again, as beliefs have changed, but I'm gonna keep my ALK in the next build in a range of 10.to 12.

 

[dedragon]

your alk is perfect, i wouldnt trust that employee again

 

[reef.geek]

unless you tank is a whirlpool, your fish are fine and can swim. The ocean flow is much stronger than in any of our tanks.

Bottled remedies often have some sort of side effect. Even 25 nitrates is not an emergency and water change is better than bottled chemicals.

Unless you are adding alkalinity buffer, your alk will never be high enough to kill fish. No need to test alk unless you have corals in the tank.

I did see your powerhead, but if it was my tank, I would be more comfortable with more agitation. My 15 gallon softie tank (mushrooms and zoa) has 2 powerheads plus the hob filter.

Feel free to ask any other questions, good luck

Makes sense!
Any recommendations for wireless powerheads?

I will stop adding the nitrate remover unless it’s an emergency.
I was wondering if i could add a cleaner shrimp and or any other fish that will accompany my tank. It seems empty or maybe an anemone that is great for beginners.

Thank you for your help i appreciate it a lot

 

[reef.geek]

Back in the day (40 odd years ago), an ALK between 15 and 18 was usual and customary (I recently saw acceptable parameters from that era in an OLD article). Fifteen years ago, I used to keep my ALK between 15 and 18 (I'd hike it to 18 and let it go down to 15, then dilute some baking soda in tank water and administer slowly to the tank). Rinse and repeat. Never had an issue with either fish or corals. Now, I wouldn't do this again, as beliefs have changed, but I'm gonna keep my ALK in the next build in a range of 10.to 12.

Does this also count for corals and anemone?

 

[reef.geek]

your alk is perfect, i wouldnt trust that employee again

So ive been told before lol

 

[PharmrJohn]

Does this also count for corals and anemone?

I had my anemone and corals at an ALK of 15 to 18.

Here's a pic of a section of my old 90.....

 

[dedragon]

It seems empty or maybe an anemone that is great for beginners.

I wouldnt do the anemone for at least 6 months. Tanks need biological stability which takes time to establish.
I would wait a week for the clownfish to settle first but then you should be fine to add a fish or 2

Does this also count for corals and anemone?

corals and anemones usually prefer stable parameters to fluctuating ones in range. You will be fine anywhere from about 7 to 12 dkh (the usual range) I would just use your salt mix as reference as it usually helps. You could start dosing all for reef after you have a couple of corals to keep alk up (and cal and traces). No need to start dosing yet though

 

[PharmrJohn]

Those old numbers are completely unnecessary IMO. I generally kept my Ca in the high 300's back then along with a pH of about 7.8. That probably saved me from precipitation. As stated, an anemone needs a stable, mature tank. I put mine in at about the one year mark if memory serves. My Sea Apple went in around the 2 year mark.

 

[dedragon]

I had my anemone and corals at an ALK of 15 to 18.

Here's a pic of a section of my old 90.....

And at the time probably could cost you around $60-70 for all the fish in the picture. Inflation aint no joke but the prices of fish nowadays definitely is. You know what year this was?

 

[dedragon]

Those old numbers are completely unnecessary IMO. I generally kept my Ca in the high 300's back then along with a pH of about 7.8. That probably saved me from precipitation. As stated, an anemone needs a stable, mature tank. I put mine in at about the one year mark if memory serves. My Sea Apple went in around the 2 year mark.

Stability over chasing numbers is always the way

 

[PharmrJohn]

Stability over chasing numbers is always the way

Agreed. Aim for a straight and steady range. I started out the hobby chasing numbers. It worked fine, but was a pain in the butt. Working the range not only did my tank well, it did ME well!

 

[robottaway]

Throw some nice meaty food other side of tank and I bet they will abandon their holding pattern and go feed

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I was wondering if i could add a cleaner shrimp and or any other fish that will accompany my tank.

Of course, lots of beautiful shrimps to choose from, cleaners, fire shrimp, bumble bee shrimp, sexy shrimp, etc.... I prefer sexy shrimp and bumble shrimp cause they like to be kept in groups.

Can even get some of the safer crabs like hermit crabs or pom pom crabs, etc...

Add some snails as algae starts to grow in the tank.

For fish I would wait a month, let the tank get established to handle this new bioload since you just added your first fish

 

[Spare time]

Hi
Thanks for youre reply,

So it’s normal that one of them keeps swimming towards the bottom of the tank and doesn’t move up at all? Could it be that the flow is to strong?

Completely my fault,
My nitrates were at 25ppm from what I understood is that 25ppm nitrates are not toxic, my LFS still adviced my to buy their NO3/PO4 remover, this seems to work i have been adding it for the past 3 days.

Perhaps my LFS is trying to sell me things that I don’t need, i did inform them that i will only add fish to my tank add the moment but they told me that the high alkalinity will kill the fish. I also know that in this hobby are a lot of different opinions. But i try to focus on advice i get from fellow reef keepers

I aimed my powerhead towards the surface i will add a picture for confirmation,
Yes i do indeed have a HOB filter, which is adding a lot of air bubbles to my tank that’s the reason why i had my powerhaud aimed towards the filter so that the flow reduces some of the air bubbles.

Are there any HOB filters that have a build-in protein skimmer?

What is the no3/po4 remover. If it is nopox or similar carbon dosing, STOP. You HAVE to have a skimmer for those.