me again

[Dalmatia]

Up your salinity, it's fine, but why not better?

 

[Tmar]

Slowly! Everything I do, will be done slowly! (Just reminding myself) :)

 

[Eienna]

Glad to hear things are going well! n.n

 

[Tmar]

I am hoping they are. I mean Bert(ha) & Ernie are still alive and active and things seem good. I did a small 10% water change yesterday even tho the tests showed wasn't necessary. I forgot to "rinse" my filter media in the water I took out but will certainly remember to do so next time! I know the diatoms are a sign of a healthy tank, and at first they looked ok as just a light smattering.... now, however they are orangey brown, quite thick, starting to cover my glass and just all around concerning me. I am afraid that perhaps I don't have enough flow in my tank and I seriously cannot afford to buy another thing :( So, my plan is to give it two weeks (till my next pay) and see where it is then. Will post some pics later when I get home from work :)

 

[Eienna]

Should be okay. Just siphon some of it out. Cyano (red slime, though it can come in other colors) is highly unlikely at this stage IMO.

 

[jtucker022187]

I have gotten cyano early before, took over my tank. I ended just Breaking down the while thing and just started over. But I had nothing.

 

[Dylan J.]

Nothing a scrub pad and Turkey baster can't fix. Just want to make sure if these are diatom or dinoflagilates? Diatoms are just feed off extra nutrients while dinoflagilates feed off the lights. Just make sure u scrub the glass and blast the rocks with the baster to clear off sand

 

[Dylan J.]

So many people get discouraged with in the first 5-6months because of algae. Just do daily maintenance and soon this algae phases should pass. Just hang in there :)

 

[Tmar]

Yup, hoping it is JUST the diatom/algae phase and it truly will pass. I am going tonight after work to get some CuC and hopefully that will start getting it cleaned up :)
Thank goodness it's Friday at any rate, I am really looking forward to spending the weekend just relaxing and puttering with my fish tanks and spending time with my dogs!

 

[Dylan J.]

There u go. Haha can't go wrong with that :)

 

[Tmar]

Ok, so the update is that I had to gradually increase my sg to 1.024 to properly acclimate my new "clean up crew" or half of it anyway.
Got a couple of snails (astrea x 3) + 2 peppermint shrimp. I put some empty shells in for the 2 blue legged hermit crabs. Now it is again, hurry up and wait!
temp is a steady 78F
ammonia 0 (12 hours after CuC add)
nitrites 0 (12 hours after CuC add)
nitrates 2ish (12 hours after CuC add)
In a week or so, I will add another couple of snails (probably cerith), couple more blue legged hermit crabs and maybe a conch (more expensive, will see about money).

 

[Eienna]

Go, cleaner-uppers!! XD

 

[Tmar]

I sure hope they get right on it.. and I hope I got enough. It seems that some of the "empty" shells she gave me for the hermit crabs might have had residents in them. Seems to be more critters in there than I paid for!

 

[jtucker022187]

That's good news lol

 

[Tmar]

Perhaps they felt bad for me when I showed her the pics of the "diatom bloom"! lol
I count: 6 blue legged hermit crabs, 1 red legged crab, 2 peppermint shrimp and about 8 snails. I also have spotted the original snail I had in there too, the one that must have come on my live rock. He disappeared for about 3 days, but he is back. :)

 

[jtucker022187]

Most of my snails I don't see until the lights are dimmed or off. I early see anything during the day.

 

[Dylan J.]

Looking good. Maybe look into getting a sandsifting starfish to clean your sand :) this is part of the cycling is all :) it will clear up soon

 

[NanaReefer]

Looking good. Maybe look into getting a sandsifting starfish to clean your sand :) this is part of the cycling is all :) it will clear up soon

Never put a SSS into a 10g tank! It would starve to death :(

 

[jtucker022187]

Never put a SSS into a 10g tank! It would starve to death :(

+1 on that

 

[Dylan J.]

I have had one in my 20long for about 2years before I upgraded to my 40b and still have him