Tegski
New Member
Hey guys,
Not exactly new to the hobby. I ran a 125g FOWLR salt tank in Colorado 11 years ago as a teenager. I never did coral, just your typical Nemo cast, cleanup crew, and a condy anemone.
Fast forward a decade and I decided my wallet was a little heavy so I got a Biocube 32.
Now for the questions and issues:
1. I made the mistake of believe 10 years invented a new world of tech and chems. I allowed a LFS to sell me on the "instant cycle" stuff thats so shiney and new and never worked 10 years ago. I didnt expect an instant cycle, just a shortened cycle.
2. After a week of "instant cycle" I went back to the lfs and let them talk me into...wait for it...a handful of zoas, a hammer coral, and a Duncan. Plus a lightening maroon and an ocellaris to pair. (Yea, after research i am appalled at the LFS's advice on that) The clowns mostly get along but this isn't going to last so we are coming up with options.
For the questions:
We are 4 weeks into a tenuous cycle that we have almost gotten dealt with. My corals are legit thriving, zoas adding polyps, hammer and Duncan are growing pleasantly, etc. Fish are good.
I then inherited a lightning clown from a buddy. This guy shows up very under the weather, and my current maroon wasn't having it, so he sort of went on a rampage and went at the new guy. So we have it in a QT tank that i sprung for after I realized how stupid I was for trusting my buddy to be a good fish keeper. Due to the stress, and the aggression of the other clown, i think its fins are rotting out. My lfs says its not "fin rot" just rotting fins.......um okay.....and also says don't medicate because of all the changes it has been through (makes sense). He says, just get my DT water parameters stable and if the fish takes a turn, do the humane thing. (Yea, this guy is in a QT, but the LFS doesn't stop to listen so he gives bad advice)
So here's my question: my DT parameters are finished with the nitrite cycle, my nitrate spiked to 40ppm and then has lowered to about 20ppm and checking it daily. In my previous experience, doing small water changes is helpful for the fish to reduce stress and...idk...a toxic environment. LFS says no water changes at all. Am I doing the wrong thing by doing these 10% water changes to help dilute some of the nitrite previously and now the nitrate? Adding in Seachem stability daily to help the bioload and the bacteria establish.
Thoughts on that and any advice on the poor guy with the not Fin Rot rotting fins?
Not exactly new to the hobby. I ran a 125g FOWLR salt tank in Colorado 11 years ago as a teenager. I never did coral, just your typical Nemo cast, cleanup crew, and a condy anemone.
Fast forward a decade and I decided my wallet was a little heavy so I got a Biocube 32.
Now for the questions and issues:
1. I made the mistake of believe 10 years invented a new world of tech and chems. I allowed a LFS to sell me on the "instant cycle" stuff thats so shiney and new and never worked 10 years ago. I didnt expect an instant cycle, just a shortened cycle.
2. After a week of "instant cycle" I went back to the lfs and let them talk me into...wait for it...a handful of zoas, a hammer coral, and a Duncan. Plus a lightening maroon and an ocellaris to pair. (Yea, after research i am appalled at the LFS's advice on that) The clowns mostly get along but this isn't going to last so we are coming up with options.
For the questions:
We are 4 weeks into a tenuous cycle that we have almost gotten dealt with. My corals are legit thriving, zoas adding polyps, hammer and Duncan are growing pleasantly, etc. Fish are good.
I then inherited a lightning clown from a buddy. This guy shows up very under the weather, and my current maroon wasn't having it, so he sort of went on a rampage and went at the new guy. So we have it in a QT tank that i sprung for after I realized how stupid I was for trusting my buddy to be a good fish keeper. Due to the stress, and the aggression of the other clown, i think its fins are rotting out. My lfs says its not "fin rot" just rotting fins.......um okay.....and also says don't medicate because of all the changes it has been through (makes sense). He says, just get my DT water parameters stable and if the fish takes a turn, do the humane thing. (Yea, this guy is in a QT, but the LFS doesn't stop to listen so he gives bad advice)
So here's my question: my DT parameters are finished with the nitrite cycle, my nitrate spiked to 40ppm and then has lowered to about 20ppm and checking it daily. In my previous experience, doing small water changes is helpful for the fish to reduce stress and...idk...a toxic environment. LFS says no water changes at all. Am I doing the wrong thing by doing these 10% water changes to help dilute some of the nitrite previously and now the nitrate? Adding in Seachem stability daily to help the bioload and the bacteria establish.
Thoughts on that and any advice on the poor guy with the not Fin Rot rotting fins?
