Is This a Bad Cycle...?

[JSB]

That's what M@ry Ruth thinks too. She says you look at coral and watch fish.

I always knew I liked her.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Oh, definitely. I'll be getting all of the other test kits & supplements very soon.

Hold your horses there, Emily.

There is no reason to switch your salt mix at this point. If you intend to keep softies primarily like you mentioned earlier, you don't have to run out and get a calcium test kit or some other test kit just yet. I do recommend that you get an alkalinity test kit, though, since alkalinity seems to be the parameters that tend to swing the most in many people's tanks. A high CO2 level in a modern air-tight house alone can depress alkalinity quite a bit in a small tank. On the other hand, lots of soft corals do not use much calcium. Some soft corals, such as leathers and dendronephthya, have spicules that are made of calcium carbonate and therefore take up some more calcium than those without them. Regular water changes should provide them with enough calcium.

When you get a calcium test kit, I recommend that you pay a little extra and get a good one instead of inaccurate cheap ones.

Supplement wise, you can use baking soda for alkalinity supplement. For calcium, I can share some Peladow to get you started, which is pure calcium chloride.

I won't bother with a magnesium test kit or a magnesium supplement, yet, either, especially if you are going to do regular water changes. If you have a hard time maintaining a good calcium level, I'd suspect a low magnesium, but that should not be a problem in a softies tank.

I know it's fun to buy reef related stuff and try them out. However, you can buy more fish and coral by saving money by not spending a lot on unnecessary supplements and test kits IMHO. There are a lot of unnecessary stuff for sale out there...

 

[JSB]

Hold your horses there, Emily.

There is no reason to switch your salt mix at this point. If you intend to keep softies primarily like you mentioned earlier, you don't have to run out and get a calcium test kit or some other test kit just yet. I do recommend that you get an alkalinity test kit, though, since alkalinity seems to be the parameters that tend to swing the most in many people's tanks. A high CO2 level in a modern air-tight house alone can depress alkalinity quite a bit in a small tank. On the other hand, lots of soft corals do not use much calcium. Some soft corals, such as leathers and dendronephthya, have spicules that are made of calcium carbonate and therefore take up some more calcium than those without them. Regular water changes should provide them with enough calcium.

When you get a calcium test kit, I recommend that you pay a little extra and get a good one instead of inaccurate cheap ones.

Supplement wise, you can use baking soda for alkalinity supplement. For calcium, I can share some Peladow to get you started, which is pure calcium chloride.

I won't bother with a magnesium test kit or a magnesium supplement, yet, either, especially if you are going to do regular water changes. If you have a hard time maintaining a good calcium level, I'd suspect a low magnesium, but that should not be a problem in a softies tank.

I know it's fun to buy reef related stuff and try them out. However, you can buy more fish and coral by saving money by not spending a lot on unnecessary supplements and test kits IMHO. There are a lot of unnecessary stuff for sale out there...

^+1

 

[EmilyXLC]

Wow, I had no idea! I thought having all of that stuff was absolutely necessary. That is GOOD to know!

 

[EmilyXLC]

So, parameters permitting, do you guys think I'd be good to put some Zoas in this weekend? : )

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I think so. I am gone this Saturday, but we can get together Sunday afternoon if you'd like.

 

[Kbra]

So, parameters permitting, do you guys think I'd be good to put some Zoas in this weekend? : )

Yuuup

 

[EmilyXLC]

I think so. I am gone this Saturday, but we can get together Sunday afternoon if you'd like.

That sounds terrific, Tomoko! I am so excited.

 

[markkazdad]

I have very mixed feelings about reefs2go. Although I liked their customer service at first and the fact that they have good deals and a 14 day guarantee, here is my experience:

- 1st order: 3 chromis, flame angel, a mandarin and some coral ($10 zoas just to add to the order).
When I got the shipping (next morning around 9:30AM), the mandarin, 1 chromis and the flame angel were all dead. I called them and they promptly gave me a coupon, but i would have to pay for shipping again. Needless to say, with this first order it was like my chromis cost me $26, instead of $2, because of the added shipping.

-2nd order: 1 chromis, flame, mandarin and some other additional coral (also, a couple of good deal on zoas and mushrooms)
Once again, my flame angel was DOA the next morning and never made it to the tank and the extra chromis was bullied by the other 2 (I thought this could happen).

They claim that the DOA average for their shipped fish is less than 5%, so either I am just THAT lucky or there is something wrong there. Either way, the great deal they had on fish ended up costing more out of my pocket than going to a local store. Just my experience..

Is it industry standard practice to make customers pay for shipping again on DOA replacements?

 

[JSB]

Is it industry standard practice to make customers pay for shipping again on DOA replacements?

It has been my experience that the general practice is to credit/refund the price of the animal only. Even if it was the only thing shipped. Some may do it differently, but I haven't had a lot of DOAs. Actually in this last attempt at reef keeping, I have only had a brain and a firefish die, and both after a week or two. But Vivid and Live Aquaria did the same thing by refunding my money on the animal only.

 

[nhago]

It has been my experience that the general practice is to credit/refund the price of the animal only. Even if it was the only thing shipped. Some may do it differently, but I haven't had a lot of DOAs. Actually in this last attempt at reef keeping, I have only had a brain and a firefish die, and both after a week or two. But Vivid and Live Aquaria did the same thing by refunding my money on the animal only.

My biggest grief about my situation is that r2g's policy is to only give customers store credit and no refunds. I am fine with the price I have paid in shipping. I just don't want to try again after 2 failed attempts!!

 

[JSB]

My biggest grief about my situation is that r2g's policy is to only give customers store credit and no refunds. I am fine with the price I have paid in shipping. I just don't want to try again after 2 failed attempts!!

Oh, I completely concur. I wasn't take taking the side of the vendor, just explaining to markazdad what the general practice was, as he is somewhat new to the hobby. If I get a couple of DOAs from anywhere, I am going elsewhere, unless there are significant extenuating circumstances. Repeated failures are a sign of process breakdown somewhere.

 

[nhago]

Oh, I completely concur. I wasn't take taking the side of the vendor, just explaining to markazdad what the general practice was, as he is somewhat new to the hobby. If I get a couple of DOAs from anywhere, I am going elsewhere, unless there are significant extenuating circumstances. Repeated failures are a sign of process breakdown somewhere.

Amen!!

 

[H@rry]

Repeated failures are a sign of process breakdown somewhere.

:amen: That applies to far more than livestock shipping.

 

[markkazdad]

We'll see if the algae is there later.

It looks like the emerald crab took care of every last bubble algae (there were at least a dozen scattered throughout the tank). Now, do I need to feed him something, or will he just live off excess flake food, frozen baby brine shrimp, etc. from when I feed the damsel?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I would not feed any CUC if you are feeding fish. The job of the clean up crew is to clean up after the fish. Don't overfeed your fish no matter how much your fish tell you that you should. They are born beggers.

 

[EmilyXLC]

I would not feed any CUC if you are feeding fish. The job of the clean up crew is to clean up after the fish. Don't overfeed your fish no matter how much your fish tell you that you should. They are born beggers.

This is the single greatest thing I've ever read, LOL!