My Tank - New Fish Suggestion Post Greenex Deaths

[Mike E 6453]

Well thanks to all the help I have started to eliminate the greenex from the tank and the blenny that remains seams to be doing good. He is eating and his bubble eye thing is gone. Strange, but it gone, so I"m gonna let the tank sit for a while and see what happens. But I would like to know from you experts out there what type of fish are good to get. And if anyone orders the fish online? It is often hard to find a fish that I want in Indianapolis. My tank is 30 gallons, temp is 76 degrees, nitrate is at 40 and nitrite is at .25. I don't have any more test strips for ph and amonia, but I just took the water to the pet store yesterday and they said the water is great. I have around 40 pounds of fiji live rock, a pepermint shrimp, emerald crab, and blenny if he survives, live sand and sand substrate. I am using a bio wheel filter that runs 200 GPH, protein skimmer that does 300 GPH, and a 200 GPH power head. I hope this is enough info to get some good advice on fish selection, now that I know that I can't get a tang. I have also started the reef tank with a power compact 130W, and I have 3 inverts, one is a mushroom, cabbage, and I don't remember what the other one is called. Let me know what you all think, Thanks.

Mike

PS Thanks for the warm welcome from all you experts, its nice to know I have a place to turn when I have a question.

[kwjones]

You probably shouldn't add anything to your tank until your nitrites are 0, and you'll probably have to wait longer because of the ick. Try searching for info about quarantine tanks. There should be some info on how long a quarantine cycle lasts. How long has your tank been up? It sounds like you're tank is still cycling or has had a spike. Your bio wheel filter could be the reason for your high nitrates. After your tank settles down again, try running without it and test your water again after a few water changes to see if there's a difference. Then again, your nitrates could be high because your biological filter is working on processing the nitrites, but my money is on the bio wheel.

You've got some pretty decent flow, but I don't think the skimmer number is right. The pump on my Aqua-c remora pro skimmer is rated for 300 gph, but when I looked at Aqua-c's website, the actual flow is only 110 gph because of the back pressure produced from trying to pump lots of water through a little hole, so I usally don't include it in my water flow calculations. Even not counting your skimmer you have a decent amount of water movement.

Hmm...tank stocking for a 30...
X number of gallons per fish doesn't quite hold true for saltwater, but if it makes you feel better, plan on 5 gallons for each inch of adult fish. It doesn't hold true for all fish, some need more due to their activity level, some need less.

If the tank was mine, which it isn't....
A clownfish would be cool, and they don't need an anemone to survive.
A six-line wrasse is a good one.
I like my royal gramma.
Blue green chromis are cool. Probably the least agressive of the damsels, and they're a schooling fish.

Spend a few days reading through the archive section. I post on a few other forums. The archive section on this forum is by far the best information I've read in the last year. I must have spent a few weeks reading through some of the archives before I actually registered.

Brush up on your cooking skills...they like to talk about food a lot here.

Kevin

Oh yeah...Welcome!

[Geoff]

a couple of things to help. remove the bio-wheel from the filter. these can cause your nitates to increase. you should also start using the filter a little differently than you are used to. only put the media in there for a day once a week, preferably right after a water change. this makes it a great way to export detritus that is stirred up by the water change, that was not siphoned off. if you leave the filter media in the fitler for extended periods of time it can then leach out most of what it had collected.

what actually filter the tank is the skimmer and the LR in the tank. the bacteria in the LR handle the nitrogen cycle and the skimmer removes dissolved organic material. the mechanical filter is more a problem than a help. keep it on the tank as added water flow though, just run it naked.

G~

[Mrs Smith]

Originally posted by Mike E 6453
It is often hard to find a fish that I want in Indianapolis.

PS Thanks for the warm welcome from all you experts, its nice to know I have a place to turn when I have a question.

Two words:
Premium Aquatics.
5350 Barker Lane - Indianapolis, IN 46236
317-895-9005 (Voice) - 317-895-9395 (24 Hour FAX)

www.premiumaquatics.com

Danielle

PS. And we've been there... throw all your questions out - that's what we're here for.

[tdwyatt]

well HECK!

Danielle beat me to it.

Just as an aside, before you get any more specimens (fish or corals), I would invest in some good test kits like the Salifert kits for nitrates, calcium, and alk if you don't already have these. They are indispensable in the management of your system, and will give you a better idea of where your system is in terms of the nitrogen issue. Go with Geoff's suggestions on the biowheel, start using fresh carbon once a month, think of cranking the skimmer up a bit, do some water changes, and use a good ammonia and/or nitrITE test to monitor your nitrogen cycle standing. The Ick cycle will be done within 30 days without any new hosts, so start thinking in terms of 30 to 40 days from now as your first specimen introduction (I am assuming that the blenny is the only fish left...) Problem is in a 30 gal tank, specimen selection will be limited to about 2 more inches of fish as an adult. Much more and your bioload begins to affect the health of your corals and nuisance algal blooms become likely.

Welcome to The Reef Tank, I think you'll find that we all share in your triumphs and will equally despair in any losses.


btw, talapia filets steamed over a bed of white onions, mushrooms, red, yellow and green peppers, garlic, cilantro, white wine and pine nuts... YUM!

[kwjones]

LMAO...I knew food would pop up eventually.

Salmon steaks brushed with butter and squeezed lemon juice, grilled over oak coals. Remove from grill, lightly brush with butter again and a little freshly chopped dill. Serve with basmati rice, summer squash, and a glass of chardonay.

[Goofy]

Now i'm hungry.