well i did it

[p00num3lli]

i just finished my sand swap...im letting the water clear up right now as i type. and i dont think my back can hurt anymore than it does.... over two hours of carrying 5 gallon buckets back and forth by my self..lol.i have a few questions though... my tank water is like super white. and if i sturr up the water morw white stuff comes up. so when the tank finally clears and if i disturb the water it will cloudy it up.. is this going to just be a temporary thing? and when can i add my fish? 1 regal tang and two percs. i am scared to death of loosing my regal i love that lil guy. and how long will it stay white? any help will be appreciated

[JimD]

First and foremost, do not add any fish until your ammonia reads zero, Im not sure what exactly you did but if you added sand from an existing, established tank, youre gonna have some die-off resulting in a cycle. Just monitor your perameters and good luck!

[p00num3lli]

ugghh... i switched out my origanal substrate because it was like 7ppm in size or w/e. way to big and collected to much stuff. it came with the tank. i have my fish in a 5 gallon bucket, i cant keep them in there for long, theve already been in there for 3 hours. the new sand is carrib sea aragonite live sand. its dry, but filled with billions of bacteria, i washed it and put it in like i was told.(after removing my origanal). so please, some one tell me should i keep my fish in the bucket or put them in the tank?

[p00num3lli]

all my lvls are the same, i just tested... i need to know if i should keep them in the bucket or put them in the tank.. please tell me. the water is still white

[p00num3lli]

well since none will tell me, im just going to put the fish in. ive already aclamated them

[BigKGlen]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First and foremost, do not add any fish until your ammonia reads zero, Im not sure what exactly you did but if you added sand from an existing, established tank, youre gonna have some die-off resulting in a cycle.

[p00num3lli]

my ammonia is zero, its all the same as before i did it. the sand came in a plasctic package, and came dry. i did exactly as te direction says

[Jonthefishguy]

You seem very impatient when it comes to your setup. I have followed not only this post but other pertaining to your aquarium. Keep in mind that people are not sitting by the computer waiting to respond to every single post as many of us do have a life. You are taking on approach to your aquarium a lot faster than you should and taking drastic steps that will possibly cost you a few fatalities. Just because you tested the ammonia and are reading ZERO does not mean anything. Ammonia takes a few days to start up again. I think you need to read a few books on how to setup and maintain an aquarium properly before you do anything else. Rushing into things and doing drastic changes such as changing the substrate out is not something that should be done lightly or without planning. Your question on what to do with your fish and not sure if it is safe to place them back in, shows just how misinformed you are and seriously need to step back, slow down, get more educated in this field, and wait for answers rather than giving people 30 minutes to answer your posts. By the way, if you added dry sand to the tank and wasnt established, and then added your fish back into your tank, expect as cycle as much of the good benificial bacteria went out with the substrate you removed and now has to build itself back up. Good Luck.

[p00num3lli]

im acually not impatient, my tank is over a year old with 3 fish and just 3 weeks ago my first coral.. some zooanthids... and i have been planning this sand swap for months(like 3 for exact). because it has to be done(my origanal substrate is huge, like 9-10 mm, and it traps to much debre. i just wanted an answer fast cause i needed t know before i went to bed.. aaaand there was like 50 veiws...:ph34r:.i do have books, 4 of them and there great.i like to ask questions even if ive been given the answer already, i like to make sure what im doing is right. we all have to start sometime. i have had my sand sitting next to my tank for a month, while i was reading up on sandbeds, trust me i do read. i just like to make sure:bigsmile:.

and thanks for the luck:)

ps: i have 30 gallons of freashwater next to my tank incase of a spike in trates ammonia, or trates.

[ErikH]

If the sand was dry, there should be no die off and the liverock should provide some biological filtration. If your levels start to spike, for whatever reason, water change your way out of it.

[p00num3lli]

i will, just also bought 160 gallons worth of sand salt:bigsmile:

[Ping]

If you can, test your water daily, as well as conduct daily water changes for about a week.

Try not to cause any further distubances in the tank. Let us know how things are progressing.

[p00num3lli]

it is dry sand, and i called and asked the company and they said i should not have any die off because it is dry. everything is fine coral/ fish wise. and my regal seems even brighter, along with my whole tank:)

but yea, ill let yall know how things go

[ErikH]

Good deal, I know people did not realize that you and I had some private discussions about this that some may have not have known about. I can say this, your tank will love you for what you have done, but you are still in the weeds. Get yourself a bangin skimmer, and then work in an Auto Top Off. The ATO will make it great since you won't need to top off your tank! If you don't have a billion already, get TIMERS. Timers are a reefkeepers best friend. :) You are so close!!! Congrats again, and keep taking it slow...

[p00num3lli]

lol i know, i only have timers for my lights. just glad i finally did it, and my tank looks so much brighter, im am saving up for a skimmer as we *type*:bigsmile:. that and about 20 more pounds of live rock:bigsmile:.

ok i tested my water this morning and it everything is fine exept ammonia, which is .50. i have never had ammonia over 0. so do i do a 10 gal water change ea week to keep levels down?

thanks

[ErikH]

Do a 20% water change and retest tonight. If it jumps back up to .5 by tonight, do another one.

[Kristy]

I agree with ScorpiNO... don't wait for weekly water changes, you want to do daily when you are having ammonia and you have fish in the system, this is very toxic to the fish. Just stay on top of it and you may get through this.

[ErikH]

Oh yeah, keep an eye on their breathing patterns, as ammonia will cause labored breathing. .5 is not an instant killer, but over time .5 can be.

[p00num3lli]

ok, i will. and kristy thanks for the *you might get through this*:lauging:

ill let yall know tomorrow morning what the levels are

and o yea, ive read that it is acually good to have your ammonia at 1? because thats were it is at sea? idk just read that somewhere.

[SoLiD]

Off topic (sorry):


You seem very impatient when it comes to your setup. I have followed not only this post but other pertaining to your aquarium. Keep in mind that people are not sitting by the computer waiting to respond to every single post as many of us do have a life. You are taking on approach to your aquarium a lot faster than you should and taking drastic steps that will possibly cost you a few fatalities.

John, I'm not trying to offend you but sometimes you come off a bit abrasive on some of your posts. We are all friends here first before anything, that's what makes this club so awesome. Give the Kid a chance; he's only 15 years old. I for one, personally have called him (Jesse is his name) long distance on several occasions to help him come to a better understanding in this hobby. He's a good kid with tons of energy and questions. Now that I have a brand new baby it's a little harder to call him. I'm sure you remember how excited you used to be when you were that young. :bighug: :)

If that wasn't your intent, I apologize, John. I hope your not mad. :)

Back On Topic:

I'd wait atleast a week before adding fish to the tank. And yes, yes, yes, Monitor for Ammonia. Ammonia is not good unless you are trying to cycle your tank. That is the worst thing you can have in your reef aquarium other than copper. Ammonia is the start of the bacteria cycle. If ammonia is in your water then test for it until it is completely gone. Next test for Nitrites. After that reads 0 (ZERO) add your livestock (Fish & Corals).

Good Luck, Jesse.

-David aka SoLiD

[Kristy]

Sorry if that sounded wrong... I meant you might get through this without any harm or losses, etc. as long as you stay on top of it. I know you are very fond of your fish and would not want to see anything like that.

I've never heard or read that it is good to have a little ammonia.

[ErikH]

1ppm is a killer. .1-.4 the ammonia is present, but not necessarily toxic enough to be considered a rampant fish killer. At .5, for a consistent amount of time will kill fish, and it is apparent first in their breathing patterns. You are going to have to keep doing water changes as this is the only way to get it out of your system.

[ErikH]

David, I too have been helping this youngster along to enjoying his aquarium! :) Good to know someone else is passionate about helping this guy. Ace answered my call while he was awaiting his youngest at the hospital. That meant the absolute world to me, and continues to be my inspiration in helping others here. This site is amazing because it does show that there is some good left in people. Everyone is eager to help each other, and very passionate about doing so. It's always nice to see...

[DrMark]

Some more encouraging positive posts. Good. I agree. It seems rare to find younger people with that energy and passion (223 posts and joined in April!). It should be encouraged.

[p00num3lli]

:bigsmile:kristy, i was just kidding lol:bigsmile:

i know what u meant:)

and yea, i have many questions. i absolutly love marine organisms.

hmm about the ammonia.. it might have been nitrate that can be kept at 1? idk i read it months ago:bigsmile:

i did a 5 gal water change this morning, and am about to test.

i will do another 5 gal change in the morning.
ill tell yall the levels after while

[ErikH]

check that ammonia... You may be needing to do a 20g change to be safe.

[SoLiD]

:) Good to know someone else is passionate about helping this guy. Ace answered my call while he was awaiting his youngest at the hospital. That meant the absolute world to me, and continues to be my inspiration in helping others here. This site is amazing because it does show that there is some good left in people. Everyone is eager to help each other, and very passionate about doing so. It's always nice to see...

As My Dad instilled in me long ago:

"Son,
Respect Begets Respect;
Kindness Begets Kindness..."

I will always remember his words.

That's why I help out when I can. Whether you're a Web Member, Charter Member, or On The Board of Directors, We are all part of the Same Club, which in essence, that makes Everyone Here an Elite Member!!! :bighug:

Do good things and good things will happen to you. - Joe Dirt

-David

[p00num3lli]

ok guys, tested water. was .50 this morning, its now somewhere from .25 to 0!!!:bigsmile:. ok so that water change helped. i had some dust and junk about half and inch tall at the bottom of my *built in refugium*. so when i did the waterchange i sucked all that out. i will do a 10 gallon water change in the morning and hope that all goes well.

how long will these spikes keep happening? cuz my mom does not like paying 99 cents for ea gallon of water..:bigsmile:

[Jonthefishguy]

Looks like it is time to get a job to support the habit.

[p00num3lli]

i do, mowing laws...weedeatin....house cleaning...feedin animals... lol anything for a bit of money toward my skimmer:bigsmile:

[p00num3lli]

ok, did another 5 gal change this morning. ammonia 0:bigsmile: nitrites 0:bigsmile:

[crabman]

ok, did another 5 gal change this morning. ammonia 0:bigsmile: nitrites 0:bigsmile:
:applause: sweet! :applause:

[ErikH]

Ok now test again over the next couple of days. If the levels read zero, you should be able to only test once a week for now.

[p00num3lli]

Ok now test again over the next couple of days. If the levels read zero, you should be able to only test once a week for now.

eye eye captin, will do:thumbs_up: