Planning A Marine Aquarium

[MBOU]

That said, API Nitrate tests seem to be really dodgy, often reading for Nitrates when they aren't there other than that, make sure whatever the RO is in that you're testing doesn't have old water or dirt or anything that produces nitrates..

 

[garycooper34]

Hi Everyone,
 
Like I say, using the nitrate test from my freshwater kit as the bottles have the same part numbers, it comes up at 5 following a pwc, so I'm pretty sure this one is reading correct especially as the current invertebrates from the donor rock in the tank are thriving!
 
Certainly, if the freshwater was drastically under-reading, all of my tropicals wouldn't be very healthy, so I feel I can rely on that more. I will get a tds meter just to confirm, but I'm pretty sure on what the outcome will be and where the evidence stacks up.
 
I will try and get some other brand nitrate test just to be sure. Any recommendations on brand?

 

[CezzaXV]

Salifert are a well respected brand (as your API test kits run out, I would personally recommend replacing them with Salifert). The no.2 is a powder rather than a solution (in the API kit, the powder is mixed in a solution and tends to solidify, hence the inaccurate readings) and s very accurate. It measures all the way down to 0.2ppm!

 

[garycooper34]

So,
 
The days have arrived.
 
I have had a hermit crab since day 1 after all that was hiding in the rock. Last week 2 crabs went in, a cleaner shrimp and 2 turbo snails.
 
This evening, the percula clown pair and 2 banded pipefish went in however, by 9.30pm one of the pipefish had died.
 
 
Water is:
Temp: 26C
Salinity: 1.021
pH: 8.2
Calcium: 440
dKH: 10
Phosphate: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0 (both tests after a good few uses and shakes seem to be agreeing now. Water test 1 = 0, test 2 = 5)
Ammonia: 0
 
Invertebrates are doing very well and no issues there, so nitrate cannot be an issue.
 
 
So, any other factors or just stress due to the move?

 

[Chad]

How did you acclimate the fish?

 

[garycooper34]

Hi Yes.
 
Similar to drip method over 1.5h.
 
I found the other pipefish dead this morning as well.

 

[garycooper34]

PS in the bag they were still and not moving and when in the tank, they immediately went to lay on the bottom, pretty much remained in those positions then died.

 

[BigTuna]

you ordered the pipefish online?  Not sure if I am following correctly.  They really should only be considered in a mature tank, regardless. 
 
So you did a drip method directly into the bag for a 1.5 hours? 

 

[Chad]

Though I will acclimate something like sea stars for that long I find fish don't need it and it can often stress them out. We've discussed this issue at length on here and I'm of the mind that for most fish, especially those purchased from the Internet, a quick acclimation is better than a long. Fish don't need that long either way.

 

[BigTuna]

While I do agree with you tcamos, his salinity is at 1.021.  Could require a much longer acclimation if the fish arrived in 1.025 water, right?  I just can't imagine dripping into a bag for 1.5 hours, though. 

 

[Donya]

Some marine fish are more sensitive than others (I don't know about pipes specifically), but 1.021 to 1.025 is not usually a "big" jump for fish, although it would be for inverts. As tcamos said, the dripping is really from the inverts side of thing. In fact, many sw fish (not all, of course - and again I don't know about pipes here) can also survive a full fw dip controlling for temp and pH, so fish are clearly better able to handle sg changes that would flat out kill the vast majority of sw inverts. 
 
In this case, since they were already acting oddly in the bag, it sounds to me more like the pipes were sick in some way upon arrival or harmed somehow in transit (maybe overheated/too cold, etc.).

 

[Chad]

Right, that's not a big jump. I put fish that are 1.018 into my 1.026 reef tank with about 15 minutes acclamation time. Just did with a beautiful fairy wrasse.

 

[BigTuna]

I am guilty of long drips then.  Good to know that I can shorten that up by quite a bit. 

 

[Chad]

Just with fish though. Inverts still require it. Especially sea stars.

 

[stanleo]

Really? I know we are getting off topic but does that include crabs and shrimp? I just got an emerald crab a month ago and only acclimated for 15 min and its doing fine. Should I have done it for longer?