With the big tank, I mean.
We used a bit of Marine Bio-Spira to give it a kickstart; I've used that in FW tanks before when I made the mistake of, "Well, it's already got a UGF and I don't feel much like buying a different type of filtration for it right now" and the UGF, as has always happened to me in the past, didn't quite work out right.
Bio-Spira got the
biological filtration back up and running, so to speak, within 48 hours.
So, right, anyway...used that in the big tank.
I've been taking daily readings of nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, pH, and water hardness.
Generally everything was good except high nitrates and VERY high nitrites.
Even the blue devils (******, they survived because I can't be mean enough to let 'em die, oh no, I had to go and FIX the problem with a 30% water change because I felt sorry for them) started showing signs of pretty severe stress. Then again, with nitrites at 10+ppm, you would too.
That was before Bio-Spira.
It's been about five days or so since we added it, and to be honest I thought it wasn't doing any good; levels went down but not by much.
This week, we also added in about 1/4lb of Gracilaria (which, of course, stops me from getting tangs most likely! They'll eat it all!).
I'll admit, I've been lazy about taking readings the past few days as I"ve been busy (going to Madison tomorrow to sell some reptiles...and stop off at a couple of aquatics stores just because I'm already there!) but I took my readings again just this afternoon.
Nitrates: less than 20; the chart goes 0, 20, 40, 80, 200 and the color that appears looks to be a bit lighter than 20 but a tad darker than 0, so it's probably around 10 or so.
Nitrites: ZZZZEEEEERRROOOO!
WOO!!
Everything else reads well as well; no ammonia, pH at 8.3, salinity at 1.023, calcium is a touch low, but that can be easily fixed.
I think I'm back in business with the big tank again.
The only things left in the small tank are the starfish and a few snails (I think I saw a hermit crab in there as well).
I don't know why I'm so leery about moving the starfish back; the
green hairy mushroom has been in there for three days and is doing all right.
Eh, maybe I'll move the starfish this evening; it's eating right now anyway.
I'll most likely keep the 10 gallon up as either a QT or a nano-with-cheap-fish/QT tank as it's doing very well as well. It just doesn't have the best lighting. Standarad 18000k full spectrum fluroescent.
Tch, of course, now I've got those ****ed damsels in there and won't ever be able to get them out.
Just as well though, at least they're pretty fish and the maroon clown is a nasty piece of work herself. She owns that tank, and keeps the devils in line.
Plus, she'll grow larger and so will most of the damsels (I think my two blue devil girls are at full size right now though).
... L
Keep us posted.
