Helen's RSM130
- Thread starter miro
- Start date
miro
Active Member
haha! 
The situation at the moment can be described by this
Thing is that where i live there are no LFS´s, not even nearby with couple hours drive (all are located around the bigger cities - by all i mean like 5). So my option is to buy some from someone local that has a saltwater tank (are a few, have asked - no one has anything extra), order online with express shipping that is 130$ (i´d rather spend that on livestock!) or try ordering through the petstores around here, since their supplier does do saltwater (im still waiting for prices/answers).
Also the first sunday of every month is shopping day in the clubs coral-bank, so waiting for that also, as they have quite a good collection, awesomely low prices & are located here
But i guess im mainly doing research of which way is the best to handle this, im in no hurry (lying)
So yeah.. its pretty much a snoozefest
I did get a good deal on 2 nicely used tunze nanostream 6045
*edit*
Im traveling to the capital in couple weeks, with work, i was thinking of doing some shopping there and bringing something back with me, but its with plane so i´ve no idea what would be left in the luggage once i get back, fish & snail slush with a coral on top
The situation at the moment can be described by this
Thing is that where i live there are no LFS´s, not even nearby with couple hours drive (all are located around the bigger cities - by all i mean like 5). So my option is to buy some from someone local that has a saltwater tank (are a few, have asked - no one has anything extra), order online with express shipping that is 130$ (i´d rather spend that on livestock!) or try ordering through the petstores around here, since their supplier does do saltwater (im still waiting for prices/answers).
Also the first sunday of every month is shopping day in the clubs coral-bank, so waiting for that also, as they have quite a good collection, awesomely low prices & are located here
But i guess im mainly doing research of which way is the best to handle this, im in no hurry (lying
)So yeah.. its pretty much a snoozefest
I did get a good deal on 2 nicely used tunze nanostream 6045
*edit*
Im traveling to the capital in couple weeks, with work, i was thinking of doing some shopping there and bringing something back with me, but its with plane so i´ve no idea what would be left in the luggage once i get back, fish & snail slush with a coral on top
Last edited:
miro
Active Member
Tested the water again after a little "break" from testing, everythings looking good and on 0, nitra is still hanging between 5-10.
I´ve noticed the algae starting to grow properly finally (glass+sand), and i take its a good sign and to be expected!
Q: Since it will take a bit before i get some livestock in it, i was wondering if im supposed to be "feeding" the tank while i wait? The shrimp kas been removed for a week now and i havent done any tank feeding before.
I´ve noticed the algae starting to grow properly finally (glass+sand), and i take its a good sign and to be expected!
Q: Since it will take a bit before i get some livestock in it, i was wondering if im supposed to be "feeding" the tank while i wait? The shrimp kas been removed for a week now and i havent done any tank feeding before.
Delareef123
Well-Known Member
Helen that sounds like good ns ew. I have yet to see any real Caroline algae which is probably normal. Let me ease your mind by saying you will eventually be bothered by some outbreak or another. The hardest thing to do is to not panic. I remember i had a bad hair algea out break and the tank looked horrible. I kept having nightmares about my fish yelling at me right before they died!
It all fixed itself with a little of my help. But honestly the stupid episode turned me off of the tank simply because i panic and made it a bigger issue than it really turned out to be.
Knowing that it will happen and can be fixed is what is keeping me at ease now. It's part of the hobby. So no fretting when (not if) stuff gets weird. Post it here and you'll have support.
How is the cycle coming? Have you ordered anything from the internet or LFS?
It all fixed itself with a little of my help. But honestly the stupid episode turned me off of the tank simply because i panic and made it a bigger issue than it really turned out to be.
Knowing that it will happen and can be fixed is what is keeping me at ease now. It's part of the hobby. So no fretting when (not if) stuff gets weird. Post it here and you'll have support.
How is the cycle coming? Have you ordered anything from the internet or LFS?
Delareef123
Well-Known Member
Never mind my last question. Didn't see you latest post. I would not feed anything.
Delareef123
Well-Known Member
You could try to bring it on board and tell the airline that you plan on having really really fresh sushi on the plane!!! 
Without maintaining the colony of bacteria that forms the Nitrogen cycle you have the potential to starting a mini cycle once something is finally introduced. How bad that mini cycle is will depend on how healthy the bacteria colony is at the time of introduction. A starving colony will reduce in size until it reaches equalibrium with the supply of ammonia. The colony may then be too small to process all of the ammonia being created by the newly introduced livestock, which would result in a mini cycle while the colony ramps up it's population again to meet the new supply from the livestock.
You've gone to the trouble of building up a strong colony with the shrimp. Now the colony is established it's easy to maintain it's health and strength.
I'd feed.
You've gone to the trouble of building up a strong colony with the shrimp. Now the colony is established it's easy to maintain it's health and strength.
I'd feed.
Delareef123
Well-Known Member
Drew has a perfectly sound response. Makes sense to me. Helen back to the grocery for that single shrimp. I am pretty sure they wont roll thier eyes at you this time.
Delareef123
Well-Known Member
Thanks whip. Drew is dead on. I was cracking myself up thinking how Helen could totally play it off by bringing chop sticks, Wasabi and a sushi roller. Off to have a cocktail and relax watching the aquarium. You guys are great! Cheers 
miro
Active Member
Hahaha! In fact i have never gotten around trying sushi!
I bought a bit more than one shrimp, fed the rest to my cats/dogs
Dela you mean i should get another shrimp in it? Wont that be a bit much?
I do have flake food, and i thought i could use those? Just a tiny bit at a time
I bought a bit more than one shrimp, fed the rest to my cats/dogs
Dela you mean i should get another shrimp in it? Wont that be a bit much?
I do have flake food, and i thought i could use those? Just a tiny bit at a time
Given it'll be a while before you're able to get any livestock to put in there, it'll be ok. I'd take it out a few days before you expect to introduce any livestock just to let the tank settle down along with a WC. Just keep an eye on it via testing to make sure it doesn't do anything unexpectedly and you shouldn't have any issues. If you were about to put something in there, then yeah I'd go the flakes etc, but given your circumstances the shrimp is the easier option atm.
miro
Active Member
So a tiny cuc (3snails+2hermits) and 2 clowns are arriving on wednesday! 
I havent added the shrimp but have been feeding the tank with flakes. Tests are still good, algae is growing but the tank hasnt had the shrimp in it for almost a couple weeks now, so will i be ok or will the new arrivals go belly-up right away?!
Also im aware of the hermits possibly being meanies and stealing shells, so im gonna be prepared with offering them plenty of some awesome-pimped-out-shells!
I havent added the shrimp but have been feeding the tank with flakes. Tests are still good, algae is growing but the tank hasnt had the shrimp in it for almost a couple weeks now, so will i be ok or will the new arrivals go belly-up right away?!
Also im aware of the hermits possibly being meanies and stealing shells, so im gonna be prepared with offering them plenty of some awesome-pimped-out-shells!
Delareef123
Well-Known Member
Helen you should be just fine. I've been told to not drip acclimate the CUC just adjust then to you tank temp then add. That's what i have done and had no issues. Youwill want to drip acclimate your clowns. Very exciting news can't wait to see your new friends. And yes hermits can fight for shells so good call there.
miro
Active Member
Ok, dont even know where to strart, been a long week!
Tank was ok and everything was and had been running smoothly for a long time.
I was prepping and stressing with work during the weekend, to go to a gigantic convention (I had planned to sneak off quickly to visit some petshops but didnt have time). Got back late on tuesday so i didnt really look at the tank that much but i was able to break my hydrometer/tempstick.
On wed at work i remembered that my order will be arriving like SOON and realizing that i had forgotten to read up about acclimating so did some googling quickly and got the call that the order had arrived and i need to pick up asap.
The bags had been traveling for 3 days!! So i rushed home cos i didnt want anyone else to die (some snails arrived dead).
I just went with the float method, temp float and then adding water with a cup – yes even with the fish cos i failed to prepare properly!
I started opening the bags after 20mins of floating for temp, but at the same time stressing with work & calls, when i saw some of my bags almost tilting over
Got a call that i had to be back asap in the office, so i couldnt finish the process properly (couldnt measure my salinity nor the bags!)
So i just winged itEveryone into the tank and me rushing off to work
Later in the evening when i finally got time to look at the tank again i see that the water level was rather low, so i also check the skimmer – found that full of water and not doing anything.
Mixing up some salt and new water (i remembered the amount from before and the salinity was ok with that), tank full, skimmer fixed, filters added to the media(yes even that wasnt done before) and well crossing my fingers and hoping that salinity is ok as i still cant measure it
Its day 2 and all in all is OK - everyone is still alive!
Helmut the hermit with his new shell that he swapped quite fast!
So atm its 2 hermits, 1 babylon snail, 1 nerita snail and 2 clowns.
Everyone seems happy and ok.
1 clown has a darker shade, the other one is bright orange.
I thought that the babylon would be burrowing around, in and out but it just digs itself under the sand, puts out an antenna and thats it Hermits are fun, they were actually going for the same shell, both rolling it and trying to stick their butts in it
Need to order in more cuc tho.
I think it went well even tho i do feel a bit bad and dumb cos im normally more organized and take better care of my pets
Tank was ok and everything was and had been running smoothly for a long time.
I was prepping and stressing with work during the weekend, to go to a gigantic convention (I had planned to sneak off quickly to visit some petshops but didnt have time). Got back late on tuesday so i didnt really look at the tank that much but i was able to break my hydrometer/tempstick.
On wed at work i remembered that my order will be arriving like SOON and realizing that i had forgotten to read up about acclimating so did some googling quickly and got the call that the order had arrived and i need to pick up asap.
The bags had been traveling for 3 days!! So i rushed home cos i didnt want anyone else to die (some snails arrived dead).
I just went with the float method, temp float and then adding water with a cup – yes even with the fish cos i failed to prepare properly!
I started opening the bags after 20mins of floating for temp, but at the same time stressing with work & calls, when i saw some of my bags almost tilting over
Got a call that i had to be back asap in the office, so i couldnt finish the process properly (couldnt measure my salinity nor the bags!)
So i just winged it
Everyone into the tank and me rushing off to work Later in the evening when i finally got time to look at the tank again i see that the water level was rather low, so i also check the skimmer – found that full of water and not doing anything.
Mixing up some salt and new water (i remembered the amount from before and the salinity was ok with that), tank full, skimmer fixed, filters added to the media(yes even that wasnt done before) and well crossing my fingers and hoping that salinity is ok as i still cant measure it
Its day 2 and all in all is OK - everyone is still alive!
Helmut the hermit with his new shell that he swapped quite fast!
So atm its 2 hermits, 1 babylon snail, 1 nerita snail and 2 clowns.
Everyone seems happy and ok.
1 clown has a darker shade, the other one is bright orange.
I thought that the babylon would be burrowing around, in and out but it just digs itself under the sand, puts out an antenna and thats it
Hermits are fun, they were actually going for the same shell, both rolling it and trying to stick their butts in it Need to order in more cuc tho.
I think it went well even tho i do feel a bit bad and dumb cos im normally more organized and take better care of my pets
Delareef123
Well-Known Member
Awesome Helen. Your new guys look great. It must be nice to have life in the tank now.
Also, fresh water (RO) should be used for top off when the tank water is low. Saltwater should be used when doing a water change.
Congratulations!!!
Also, fresh water (RO) should be used for top off when the tank water is low. Saltwater should be used when doing a water change.
Congratulations!!!
miro
Active Member
oh? Thought it was supposed to be the same water salinity
Wish i had more free time to focus on this and learn more
But ye its nice to finally have someone in there, even tho im worried out of my mind at the moment since i cant check the salinity, the new one is in the mail (no shops here had it)
I did test the water for everything else and those came out good.
Wish i had more free time to focus on this and learn more
But ye its nice to finally have someone in there, even tho im worried out of my mind at the moment since i cant check the salinity, the new one is in the mail (no shops here had it)
I did test the water for everything else and those came out good.
Delareef123
Well-Known Member
I would not worry much helen. It would've taken alot of evaporation to have raised the level to harmful when you added the saltwater.
So here is the simple rule to remember. Water evaporates not the salt. So you "top off" with fresh water because the salitinty never went away.
Saltwater of the same salinity is only used when doing a water change. This is when you are removing the salt with the water.
Love the clowns!
No worries. Relax and enjoy your new creatures.
So here is the simple rule to remember. Water evaporates not the salt. So you "top off" with fresh water because the salitinty never went away.
Saltwater of the same salinity is only used when doing a water change. This is when you are removing the salt with the water.
Love the clowns!
No worries. Relax and enjoy your new creatures.