Newbie Problems

[drgnbttrfly]

Ok so while I have been doing salt for a bit now...I upgraded my 125 recently to Saltwater. It had been fresh.

I had a sump built and installed. And I am having issues.

Some of them thanks to great advice have been remedied and learned from but I wanted to share because I thought...I can't be the only one.

So...not really understanding the sump...I asked someone who I assumed could build a good one based on what he told me. He talked to me about stuff I didn't understand and it might as well have been french. For example...what the heck is a refugium? Why do I need one? How many compartments are in a sump? What does a skimmer really do? I had a fission nano on my little tank so you can imagine when I got my first Euro Reef going I was a little shocked at what it could pull.

Long story short. The sump is in and running for about a month and its starts to bow from the weight of the water on the sides and the "braces" on the top started to separate. The one on the front broke in half and came off and the one on the back came apart on one end and pulled away.

I emailed the guy who built it to have it repaired...nothing. I already had the tank empty and all the fish in quarantine because of an Ich breakout that was going to kill my tang. (she is fine and doing well).

Yesterday after talking with some folks at the meeting I actually took my tank all the way down drained it and removed it to take the sump out...because it doesn't come out the doors. Because it was bowing...well there was no telling how long it was going to hold.

When I have the money again...unless I can get this one repaired ...err rebuilt. I am going to have "Ace" build me one and probably a new stand and canopy.

So if your a newbie and you don't know get someone you trust.

Second thing...when someone is going to install sump and plumbing...KNOW what they are going to charge you upfront. Get someone who thinks your time is as important as theirs is. I waited three weeks past the date I was supposed to get mine.

I paid quite a bit for all of it to be installed. I was also quite surprised by the hiccups...this experienced person seemed to have.

If your not happy speak up. I didn't want to destroy my business relationship with this person because they are nice and are trying to provide for their family...but OMG. I really wish I had said something about the way it was plumbed etc.

Knowing what is available now even a month later after seeing it installed on my tank and now understanding a refugium overflow etc...I get what all of these things are and how they work together. I would not have let that overflow box near my tank. I spent a ton of money on things that were not needed because someone said I needed them and I thought ok...they know what they are talking about.

So if you need to know...do ASK questions here on MAAST. Ask questions about sumps and boxes and prices and plumbing and tank brands and stand sizes and what thickness of acrylic should my sump really be?

[drgnbttrfly]

So I mentioned I had to quarantine for ICH. OMG. What a nightmare. I never ever had a problem in my small tank. But I had two fish...some rock and a cleaner crew.

So learning about it I had seen ich on the fish at the store I buy fish at alot. Now just once...but I mentioned it thinking he would qt it right away...nope only one or two spots is no big deal he says.

:Timeout:

Ok...so I shouldn't have listened. Maybe that should have been a clue...So here I have the queen of ich in my tank and yep she's got it. She came right from the ocean. Did I qt her...Nope...she didn't have any spots when I got her and then...just a few spots is no big deal right?

So my 125 got so infected even my wrasse got it. All of my "invert safe" treatments failed miserably.

So I had to take all my babies out of my tank and do some drastic treatments. They are all ok. My tang doesn't have Ich in her eyes anymore...thank god. I have been doing bare bottom hospital tank and switching between two tanks every five days...plus the first day was a formalin treatment (not dip). Now I am using a 5 day treatment. I have not seen a spot since day one.

More on my quarantine lessons to come

[drgnbttrfly]

So this person who had a beautiful tank and tons of experience gave me some coral and zoas to dabble with. Now my ICH qt hit about the same time so they actually went into my 40 gallon tank with brand new halide light and all of my large rocks and invert.

What do I discover? Acoel Flat Worms (Red Planaria) AND Apitasia on the things I got from him.

Why didn't I qt? After really just having learned my lesson? Well he isn't a store and his tank is so pretty and well cared for he wouldn't have any parasites in his tank...they must be ok.

Anyone got any joe's juice I can borrow?

[Kristy]

Everybody's tank has some parasites and pests, even the beautiful ones. It's all about managing them so they don't get out of control.

If you don't get the joe's juice, you can also try using a syringe that you pierce way down into the aptasia and shoot it full of lime juice. Nice low cost way to kill them (and highly satisfying too). Everybody has their own method for nuking aptasia... ask around, read old threads, or experiment to see what works for you. The expensive stuff in the box from the LFS just seemed to make ours come back more strong, angry, and vengeful.

Best of luck to you. We've all got our newbie stories. The learning curve in this hobby is STEEP! Only way to get through it is to stick it out, ask questions, and read, read, read!

[ErikH]

Geez! No fun!

Many of us go through the newbie syndrome, just thank your stars that you are educated enough to have figured it all out. Keep plugging away, and remain diligent as the learning curve for those of us that are not biology majors is VERY steep. I think there is a point where we all realize that something if not everything regarding our setup is wrong.

[ErikH]

ha, I think we preach from the same book.

[barderer]

You should post who built your sump for you, since he does not appear to have a understanding of how to properly build one. It would be one thing if he messed up and then fixed it. But to not respond and back up your work is just low..

[Fish4life]

Even the biology majors struggle from time to time :)~ Lesson learned, QT QT QT QT and then QT.

[DrMark]

Can learn from all these things.
Will always learn lessons hard way and spend too much money early in this hobby (been there).
mark

[drgnbttrfly]

Its no fun if you can't go OMG what was I thinking?

As far as my sump builder. I am going to physically take it to him and give him a chance to make it right before I go posting it on the internet. I think it may have been a newbie mistake on his part too. Hence...the delays etc.

Just wanted to share my experiences so my friend isn't the only one saving money by not repeating my expensive wallet bleeding mistakes. :rofl:

So if you have any ...hey I am an idiot etc...stories please share. We may save some other newbie pain and suffering.

[BIGBIRD123]

barderer (http://www.maast.org/forums/member.php?u=7895), I looked at your tank pix, some really nice stuff. Tell me, do you still have the Sea Apple? Do you know what that will do to your tank if it stresses or dies?

Just a little heads-up...

steve

[drgnbttrfly]

So when I bought my Hippo Tang which we knew we wanted before the tank ever had water in it...there was also a wrasse in the incoming shipment.

Yes a cleaner wrasse. I had heard how these fish "clean" and keep tangs free of parasites when they stress. I had read enough about my new tang to expect her to freak out from the transfer even with a prolonged acclimation.

I ask a few questions and I buy them both.

So I get the Wrasse in the tank. Always after I get a fish or find a hitcher etc I want to know everything I can about feeding these animals.

So after spending a few hours on the internet...I feel awful.

I figured out that not only is this fish going to probably slowly starve to death because it can't find the kind of parasites it needs. I also found that it is really needed on the reefs to keep fish clean of sea lice etc.

So here I am destroying the ocean all by myself. I made myself a part of something I didn't want to be a part of.

I was smart enough to only buy bubble tip anemones because I am not taking anyones home since they can be split and tank raised. (Had my first baby this morning).

So why didn't I read up on this. Oh he will be fine and the wrasse can keep you parasite free...all you need is a cleaner wrasse...I hear these things echo in my ears. Mostly coming from people with too little experience or who are looking to make a buck.

When I had my Ich breakout...which my wrasse didn't prevent...he got it too. He did clean my yellow and hippo tang daily. But ich is internal. How does he get that? He doesn't. My wrasse really seems to like emerald entree. He is still fat and seems healthy even in the qt tank.

I hope I didn't make a mistake to cost him his life.

[ErikH]

They will eat frozen food as well, I would worry less. :) EVERY fish plays it's on part no matter how minute that may be.

[drgnbttrfly]

Yeah...I am not like freaking about it...just sharing. I read about everything and have a mental list of like to haves ahead of time so impulse buys are no longer impulsive.

My wrasse I was told would slowly starve to death. He doesn't eat alot of the foods I feed. I feed frozen and flake and pellet and nori. I have seen him actively eating only the nori and emerald entree (a frozen selection mostly for herbivores) So far he hasn't lost weight.


So really I would never for example buy a Moorish Idol...though my hubby thought it would be cool. Why? I don't want a fish whose chances of long term survival are slim to none.

[Bill S]

Just commenting on your above post on pests... I tell EVERYONE that gets anything from me - whether corals, macroalgae, or rock: I have pests. I have some aptasia (my CBB keeps it down to nothing in my big tank, and it's now gone in my 55), bristle worms, flatworms, briopsis, and asterinia stars.

So, my advice is ALWAYS: dip every coral, pick thru the macro. Just ASSUME you are getting pests. Most of us have SOME, we just try and keep them in check.

[drgnbttrfly]

Wish I had understood that before I infected my tanks and my fish...had to learn the hard way right?

I hope that this thread can teach a new person what mistakes not to repeat if they can help it. :D

[pagan.n.damaged]

Hey, any luck with the sump?? I'll go with you if you want to do it on a Saturday I'm still having a bad week ask the hubby he'll vouch for me and we'll at least get you some of the cash back.

I'm gonna order fish in 3 to 5 weeks (think a month is a long enough cycle or do I need to go longer??) I've gotta pick up my test kits which I'm buying from F&S since petsmart won't price match them for me, and I know I need more rock before they get here. Also I need to make a trip to RCA to find out about a cooling fan because my light keeps over heating my tank it was 89.6 when i got home from work today. Also I'm gonna have to find a skimmer for my little 12.5 there is just to much crud in the tank. So if your up for a trip to Austin the 16th or 17th I'll pay for gas. So much to do and so little brain power to remember it all with.

Any suggestions on skimmers and cooling fans?

Dani

[stoneroller]

I have a 8" clip-on fan from WM pointed straight down on the water surface, keeps my tank under 80. Leads to a lot of evaporation and the need for an auto topoff to maintain water levels.

PS. There was a good thread a while back on "Why didn't I think of that" or something similar to that.

[bimmerzs]

That's a bummer dude...good luck.

[roscozman]

We are just about to upgrade from a 55gal to a 125gal. I sure am glad I am reading alot, but I still need to do a lot of research. The good thing is we are buying his sump that he currently has on the 125gal and all the plumming.

[copperband]

that sucks about your sump and the ich outbreak. when i had my 29 gallon i use to get ich and i tried cleaner shrimp and it didnt do anything lucky for me petsmart sells a reefsafe ich treatment that works pretty well, when i upgraded to my current 55 gallon reeftank i was lucky when i got my new cleaner shrimp cuz now whenever my fish get ich they usually only have it for a day or two.