Eienna's 50g Reef

Mike J. · Oct 1, 2013

Speaking from years of experience, a sand bed should be half inch or less or 4 inches or more. Anything in between will cause additional problems. Having had tanks with all different depths of sand I can state from experience that a deep sand bed is much better as far as less maintenance and less problem algae.

So, I'd recommend more sand - not less.

Eienna · Oct 1, 2013

Otay. :)

Eienna · Oct 2, 2013

My corals were looking stressed, so I checked my phosphate. Almost 2. EEP!! That's what I get for using some used sand & rock, I guess XP working on lowering it now.

Eienna · Oct 3, 2013

Well, I screwed up. TT.TT And my three babies are dead. It REALLY REALLY HURTS, and yes, I'm still having crying fits...but it will not be for nothing. This is what I learned, so perhaps those reading this might learn from my mistakes. I will not repeat them.

1. Do not dose lanthanum chloride (one product name being Phosphate RX) without extensive research.

2. Make dead sure your calculations are correct.

3. Do not dose two bacterial products at the same time.

4. When they say do not overdose, they MEAN do not overdose!!!

5. Do not dose multiple phosphate reducers at one time.

I know, a lot of mistakes all crammed together in one night. And it hurts extra that it's my fault they died. I loved them, especially Spike. So please learn from my mistakes!!!

On a side note, all of my invertebrates appear to have survived my ineptitude, and ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate are all testing 0 on my API kit. I also get to go to Deep Sea Creations to get a new fish (who is going into qt.) Silver lining? I think so.

Edit: At least three of my four frags appear to have survived, as well. The fourth was already having issues on and off since I got it, so there's a substantial chance that it's done for. We shall see.

Zero Nitrates · Oct 3, 2013

Sorry!

Eienna · Oct 3, 2013

Zero Nitrates said:
Sorry!

A chance to start again, I suppose.

Eienna · Oct 4, 2013

Well, a friend (actually, the landlord's wife - she wanted a tank for a long time) took me all the way to my favorite fish store and I got to take home a gorgeous little royal gramma and a large $10 browned-out coral frag that they said came from a customer, who called it a 'diploastrea' or somesuch. I'm looking that up next. I won't be upset if the coral doesn't make it, but I hope it does. The gramma should do okay - it's had a long day and doesn't want to eat yet, but its color and condition are really good considering I picked it up before the store got it out of the bag. :) Photos tomorrow, assuming I can get close enough to the fish - it's definitely hiding out right now.

Eienna · Oct 4, 2013

That is not to say my babies will ever be replaced. They were deeply loved and will be missed.
RIP Spike

RIP Nemo

RIP Lilac

NanaReefer · Oct 4, 2013

New fish already? Sure your parameters are stable? I'd be nervous after such a loss...I would have at least waited a couple of days just to be on the safe side......

Sent from my iPhone 4s via Tapatalk.

Eienna · Oct 4, 2013

NanaReefer said:
New fish already? Sure your parameters are stable? I'd be nervous after such a loss...I would have at least waited a couple of days just to be on the safe side......

Sent from my iPhone 4s via Tapatalk.

No worries. The new kid is in a separate QT tank.

Zero Nitrates · Oct 4, 2013

I love royal gramma's!

Mike J. · Oct 4, 2013

Eienna, one lesson I'm not sure you have identified: There is no substitute for patience and a natural biological filter. In the 24 years I've been keeping saltwater I have yet to introduce a miracle cure in a bottle to any of my tanks. I was going to say that it's easy to be patient when you're a poor reefer, but you'd think you can relate to that.

Tahoe61 · Oct 4, 2013

Mike J. said:
Eienna, one lesson I'm not sure you have identified: There is no substitute for patience and a natural biological filter. In the 24 years I've been keeping saltwater I have yet to introduce a miracle cure in a bottle to any of my tanks. I was going to say that it's easy to be patient when you're a poor reefer, but you'd think you can relate to that.

^ Yes.

Eienna being impulsive is a recipe for disaster in this hobby. Make one change at a time, make sure you have thoroughly researched the topic. Acquiring fish the same day the tank crashes is not a good idea regardless of whether that fish goes into a different tank.

Eienna · Oct 4, 2013

I imagine a month is plenty of time to be sure things are okay now.

I do get what you guys are saying, though. I'll slow down some. I also won't put myself in the position of upgrading tanks in the middle of a move to a new place. @.@

Mike J. · Oct 4, 2013

Here's an article that I suggest everyone read if you are new to saltwater aquariums. Or just as a refresher for the old salts. There is also what is called the "90 day rule". Without going into a long post about why, I'll just simply state that it takes time for certain types of bacteria to grow, some types longer than others.

If you actually followed the protocol that is in the article you wouldn't have to be using miracle cures or magic potions.

The Mature Aquarium

Eienna · Oct 4, 2013

Mike J. said:
Here's an article that I suggest everyone read if you are new to saltwater aquariums. Or just as a refresher for the old salts. There is also what is called the "90 day rule". Without going into a long post about why, I'll just simply state that it takes time for certain types of bacteria to grow, some types longer than others.

If you actually followed the protocol that is in the article you wouldn't have to be using miracle cures or magic potions.

The Mature Aquarium

I wish I had found that before I ever started. It would have saved me a lot of upset and worry and animals. >.< I really screwed up, didn't I?

I wish I had some face-to-face people to help me. I'm the only one I know personally who keeps aquariums at all, let alone reefs, and the one LFS I trust doesn't have time for long conversations.

Rob&Gab · Oct 4, 2013

oh no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the dragonet! and the clowns! i forgot that was there names.! soooo sorry to hear :(

Eienna · Oct 4, 2013

Rob&Gab said:
oh no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the dragonet! and the clowns! i forgot that was there names.! soooo sorry to hear :(

Yeah....I loved them...and they were doing so well...

Mike J. · Oct 4, 2013

No, Eienna, you didn't screw up. No more than most people anyway. We've all learned lessons the hard way in this hobby. There are so many animals that grow in new tanks to keep you occupied while waiting the 90 days. Enjoy what you have and be patient.

My last big tank was 7 months old before it got its first fish. But I had plenty to keep me busy because it started with three boxes of imported Vanuatu live rock. It was a year old before my first tang (another rule that's good to follow). It was two years old before getting giant clams and a sea star.

Eienna · Oct 4, 2013

Mike J. said:
No, Eienna, you didn't screw up. No more than most people anyway. We've all learned lessons the hard way in this hobby. There are so many animals that grow in new tanks to keep you occupied while waiting the 90 days. Enjoy what you have and be patient.

My last big tank was 7 months old before it got its first fish. But I had plenty to keep me busy because it started with three boxes of imported Vanuatu live rock. It was a year old before my first tang (another rule that's good to follow). It was two years old before getting giant clams and a sea star.

Perhaps I should get a couple chunks of lr to import some of those creatures you mentioned?