Saltwater Aquarium N00b Needs Help

[nonstophoops]

Most of your bacteria is in your filtration, rocks, and sand.

Large h2o changes tend to create big swings in h2o parameters that can be harmful to your inhabitants.

However, I look at it this way.

You are overloaded on chemicals that will eventually kill your animals. You need to get those levels down pronto. You are also replacing your substrate, taking out a lot of your bacteria the way it is. I would say that with these circumstances a 50% h2o change would be okay. None of your animals are going to complain about h2o quality getting better at this point.,

Like to see some pictures of the tank eventually, glad that we sort of have this on the right track now. (Hopefully.)

Look out for your new anemone's. They might be aptasia which will spread like crazy and can sting other inhabitants.

Not cool.

+1 This was my main concern, changing the parameters too much and removing too much bacteria.

I suppose you could do what you are going to do, but only fill the tank to 3/4ths after putting in the new rock and sand. Then wait a few days and fill it the rest of the way. I don't know how much that will really help, but it may take some of the strain off you livestock.

 

[FLESHY]

He could also add some of his old clean tank water back...I just...dont do that.

I will if I am doing a large change or move, but usually when I am going to do that I wotn do h2o changes up until the point of the move. That way when I lose most of my h2o its like a big water change, which, at that point is usually necessary in my book.

 

[Wiggles92]

What if we just add the 27.5 gallons or so of clean saltwater to the existing 27.5 gallons of saltwater currently in there? He got another heater and an HOB filter to account for the extra amount of water that's going to be added when he fills it up all the way. We're going to replace the filter pad(s) in the new filter with Purigen bags to help with the water parameters.

We didn't add the new live rock yet; it's currently sitting in clean saltwater that's at the same specific gravity as the water in the aquarium. Will it be fine to add the water that it's in now to the aquarium?

I'll take out the new anemone; I'm pretty sure that it is an aiptasia based on the pictures that I have found of them. The other one definitely isn't one of those, so it should be fine, right?

I'll take some pictures once we get all this done.

 

[Wiggles92]

I just got back from a different LFS; we got 10 lbs. of dead rock (all they had), 30 lbs. of aragonite (only came in 15 lbs. increments), and more Instant Ocean. They didn't have Purigen, so that will most likely have to be ordered online along with the protein skimmer and lighting system.

 

[Wiggles92]

We just finished filling the aquarium up all the way and adding everything back in. I made sure to remove the aiptasia anemones from the one new live rock that they were on; I made sure to get all parts of the anemones. I'm hoping that everything adjusts to the new setup well.

I'll take some pictures when the water clears up more.

 

[nonstophoops]

We just finished filling the aquarium up all the way and adding everything back in. I made sure to remove the aiptasia anemones from the one new live rock that they were on; I made sure to get all parts of the anemones. I'm hoping that everything adjusts to the new setup well.

I'll take some pictures when the water clears up more.

Sounds like everything is going well.

I would not add the water from the live rock, just toss it.

You may or may not be ok aiptasia wise, Even if you pull them off they may spread if conditions allow it.

 

[Wiggles92]

Sounds like everything is going well.

I would not add the water from the live rock, just toss it.

You may or may not be ok aiptasia wise, Even if you pull them off they may spread if conditions allow it.

Should we see about getting something that will eat the aiptasia but not the other anemone?

 

[Wiggles92]

Here are some pictures that I took of the aquarium:

Full Tank Shot

Live Rock "Reef"

Algae-Covered Live Rock

Odd-Looking Thing

False Percula Clownfish Pair and Three Stripe Damselfish

Urchin

Sea Star, Shrimp, Florida Conch, False Percula Clownfish Pair, and Blue Damselfish

Mosquitofish

Any idea as to what species the urchin and shrimp are? Any idea what the odd-looking thing is?

I also made an underwater video of the aquarium, so I'll post that once it's finished uploading to YouTube.

 

[nonstophoops]

The urchin is a pencil urchin. Can't really see the shrimp.

That tank water is really really cloudy. You should probably do a water change without stirring up the substrate to much to help with that issue.

The "odd looking thing" is not aiptasia, not sure what it is.

 

[Wiggles92]

The urchin is a pencil urchin. Can't really see the shrimp.

That tank water is really really cloudy. You should probably do a water change without stirring up the substrate to much to help with that issue.

The "odd looking thing" is not aiptasia, not sure what it is.

The shrimp is between the sea star and Florida conch in the second to last picture.

I realize that the water is really cloudy; I'm pretty sure that it hasn't completely settled from all of the changes that we made last night (replacement of substrate, addition of new live rock, addition of dead rock, and filling the aquarium up all the way). The plan is for my dad to do a water change (no more than 25%) in four to seven days; hopefully that will help with both clarity and water parameters.

I know that thing isn't aiptasia; I took all of those off of the one live rock before it went in there. I'm hoping that I got them all, but I think my dad is going to get a true peppermint shrimp soon just to be safe.