Help!!!

[vetteguy53081]

I never acclimated him. My dad got this tank from some lady… never replaced rock/sand/water, and just added fish, urchin, CUC. he gave it to me with salinity at 1.018 - 1.019 and the temp at 83-84 degrees Fahrenheit. I never acclimated tho like I’ve just been trying to maintain since I got it

Ouch
temp 77-79
salinity 1025
ph 8.1-8.3
ca 440
mag 1300
Nitrate < 10
Phosphate -<.04

Master these levels and make adjustments BEFORE adding any more livestock
Urchin needs at least 90 mins of acclimation and that temp is way too warm for it

 

[outhouse]

Oh okay I see. But with all the current issues this tank has, plus pump problems, shouldn’t I just move everything to the 10g so I can clean it??

NO you will ruin your tanks bio capacity and send it into a new cycle. Just put new water in, and get those nitrates down to save your friend. get salinity rite, and get temp down to 77 ish. vette guy is sharp on these, he will give you some good tips/advise

 

[SaltyShel]

aptasia no big deal, many ways to get rid of them. They never bothered me at all.

That’s not the only thing like there’s more problems with this tank than I could put in one post, it’s really bad. That’s why I want to start over. At this point, I’ve completely given up on trying to resuscitate this tank. But besides that… if I’m going to be starting over anyway, why shouldn’t I just move livestock to the 10g and then restart 16g and once it’s cycled, put livestock back in 16g?? Like I’m gonna spend more time & money trying to fix it, it’s really bad.
I’m more concerned right now though on saving my urchin … or trying to at least. So am I better of just moving him to a new tank with same salinity/temp or just doing a water change? Currently testing nitrates…

 

[SaltyShel]

Ouch
temp 77-79
salinity 1025
ph 8.1-8.3
ca 440
mag 1300
Nitrate < 10
Phosphate -<.04

Master these levels and make adjustments BEFORE adding any more livestock
Urchin needs at least 90 mins of acclimation and that temp is way too warm for it

Trust me I know… my dad gave me a tank that’s past it’s death bed and told me “water change biweekly, feed half cube of frozen fish food once weekly, and clean the filters every month or so” and this is all wrong. Like at this point I kinda feel like he just set me up for failure but whatever. I’m just trying to save the urchin right now and then will worry about the rest I guess

 

[outhouse]

why shouldn’t I just move livestock to the 10g

Is it cycled ? if so then yes transfer everything over. If it is not cycled you could lose everything

 

[vetteguy53081]

Trust me I know… my dad gave me a tank that’s past it’s death bed and told me “water change biweekly, feed half cube of frozen fish food once weekly, and clean the filters every month or so” and this is all wrong. Like at this point I kinda feel like he just set me up for failure but whatever. I’m just trying to save the urchin right now and then will worry about the rest I guess

Literally you cant save the urchin Unless you correct the levels.

 

[SaltyShel]

NO you will ruin your tanks bio capacity and send it into a new cycle. Just put new water in, and get those nitrates down to save your friend. get salinity rite, and get temp down to 77 ish. vette guy is sharp on these, he will give you some good tips/advise

Okay but what about the other stuff that’s wrong with it? I’ll do it and everything, I just don’t understand what I’m supposed to do with the pests and stuff like it’s not just the aiptasia or cyano, there’s so much crap going on with it :/ two ppl said bleach, but everyone else saying not to, and a couple say rip clean so I will go with majority and do water change.

 

[SaltyShel]

Is it cycled ? if so then yes transfer everything over. If it is not cycled you could lose everything

Well I think it’s cycled… I have a LR I bought from a LFS - he puts rock in a tub with flow and SW, let’s them sit with fish food. But idk how long they sit or how he knows which ones are or aren’t cycled. I put it in a bucket of SW and it sat a couple days, but then I just dumped the bucket in the 10g with rock. It’s a 10g tank & a 4lb LR and I have NEW media in a fluval filter which is also new

 

[SaltyShel]

Literally you cant save the urchin Unless you correct the levels.

Yeah I get that ok I’ll just do the water change first

 

[outhouse]

so you need clean water asap to save your buddy, a little chemi clean will clean up the red slime. Vibrant will help maintain water and algae issues. You just need to get your water straightened out by getting nitrates down and the rest is all easy with our help

 

[Just John]

Okay but what about the other stuff that’s wrong with it? I’ll do it and everything, I just don’t understand what I’m supposed to do with the pests and stuff like it’s not just the aiptasia or cyano, there’s so much crap going on with it :/ two ppl said bleach, but everyone else saying not to, and a couple say rip clean so I will go with majority and do water change.

If you have/can make water, do the change now and write back tomorrow for the other questions. The water needs to come first.

 

[outhouse]

Well I think it’s cycled… I have a LR I bought from a LFS - he puts rock in a tub with flow and SW, let’s them sit with fish food. But idk how long they sit or how he knows which ones are or aren’t cycled. I put it in a bucket of SW and it sat a couple days, but then I just dumped the bucket in the 10g with rock. It’s a 10g tank & a 4lb LR and I have NEW media in a fluval filter which is also new

probably not cycled yet, but water probably better then the 16 G. Problem is if you gamble your buddy moving him and its not cycled, it would not end well. The good water quality wont last and any amonia will kill your friend which would only take a few days. If the water smells earthy your OK. if it stinks you kill him

 

[Just John]

probably not cycled yet, but water probably better then the 16 G. Problem is if you gamble your buddy moving him and its not cycled, it would not end well. The good water quality wont last and any amonia will kill your friend which would only take a few days. If the water smells earthy your OK. if it stinks you kill him

Bottled bacteria could be used. Probably not the best diversity for long term, but will do the job.

 

[SaltyShel]

probably not cycled yet, but water probably better then the 16 G. Problem is if you gamble your buddy moving him and its not cycled, it would not end well. The good water quality wont last and any amonia will kill your friend which would only take a few days. If the water smells earthy your OK. if it stinks you kill him

I’ll smell it but idk I’m gonna do water change first… and idk what my nitrates are, I’ve always had someone test for me and this is the first time doing myself. I have no idea what this level is. It’s like SUPER yellow but matches none of them. I’ll send pic

 

[outhouse]

Bottled bacteria could be used. Probably not the best diversity for long term, but will do the job.

Yep but still a gamble, thats why I recommended using his nose. I had a tank cycle in 3 days once, using old used sand and rocks and sump and skimmer. Just new tank into an established system. You could smell that foul fishy smell until the 4rth day when that clean earthy smell came out.

 

[SaltyShel]

Bottled bacteria could be used. Probably not the best diversity for long term, but will do the job.

I do have bio spira

 

[SaltyShel]

Here’s the test. Maybe they’re lower than I thought? It’s a Nyos test kit. This is the best I can do. And if it’s not nitrates then idk what’s wrong with him

 

[outhouse]

I’ll smell it

thats just the 10g tank, to tell if its cycled

I’m gonna do water change first

16G tank YES

 

[SaltyShel]

Yep but still a gamble, thats why I recommended using his nose. I had a tank cycle in 3 days once, using old used sand and rocks and sump and skimmer. Just new tank into an established system. You could smell that foul fishy smell until the 4rth day when that clean earthy smell came out.

Yeah I have no idea the smell

 

[SaltyShel]

thats just the 10g tank, to tell if its cycled

16G tank YES

Ok I’m on it right now taking out water. How much do I take out?? I already put like 8-9 gallons in this 10g so can I take it out of the clean 10g to put it in the 16g? I literally just bought this 10g so this the first time putting water in it (and the LR of course)