Help Please

Craig Manoukian

Craig Manoukian

Well-Known Member
Debby,

Don't dispair, you are in the same boat as most of us when we started. With a 6 month old tank, you have stocked too quickly and it sounds like your tank is in a state of constant flux and your bioload is exceeding your filtration capacity. Your tank you have biofiltration room for about 10" of adult fish ( 1" of adult fish per 5 gallons).

In addition, nitrites and high nitrates are very toxic to invertabrates. The sea apple and your anemone could seriously fowl your tank. Adding either of those animals is usually done after a year of stabilizing and maturing.

Welcome and hang in there. Just remember "Go Slow and Let It Grow", eh?
 
framerguy

framerguy

Well-Known Member
Create a free account at Photobucket.com, and upload your pictures there. Then below the picture there will be a spot that says "IMG CODE", left click on that and it will say "image copied". Come here (it helps to have both sites open and one is minimized), right click where you want to paste the pic and hit "paste". It's that easy.
 
naperenterprise

naperenterprise

Active Member
Give it time Debby, don't give up.
Being new to this just seek some advise from the folks here at RS before you buy any thing.

Doing the water changes as recomended will bring you back up to speed.

Like any hobby, there is a learning curve.

You'll get there...so hang in there with us ;)

Debby said:
Just wanted to say thankyou for all the advise. Asked the pet store if i could trade sea apple or see if they couls sell it for me of course they said no so any way. My tank sure looks empty with only two fish left. my sally lightfoot died last nite.Mayby this just wasnt meant for me............

Debby
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naperenterprise

naperenterprise

Active Member
I agree, take the sea apple and just give it to them, ask to speak with the manager and tell them they just lost a customer...

You'll loose your money but make a great point...

LPS's suck sometimes... Its just a darn shame

framerguy said:
Debby, please don't give up. This can be the most rewarding hobby you will ever have! I 100% agree on ditching the LFS. The fact that they even sold you the animal says that. There are several online sites that are excellent. When you are ready for more critters we'll steer you in the right direction. The 10 gallon quarantine tank is a great idea til you can find a home for the apple. Plus, you'll have a quarantine tank for later. Hang in there, take a deep breath and think how beautiful your tank will be when it matures!
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Debby

Debby

Member
ok lets see if it worked.
03-15-08_0924.jpg
 
TangMang232

TangMang232

Member
rlcline76 said:
Wow!
That is one colorful tank. I would not give up on that!
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very much agreed. If my tank looked like that i would be a happy camper lol

Im sorry to hear about all the losses that have occurred in your system. As mentioned we have all been through it lol.
 
kathywithbirds

kathywithbirds

Well-Known Member
Hi Debby

could you post a little history of the tank? How long did you cycle? When exactly did you add your critters?

And try getting some PH fix stuff, sold at stores. You add it to water that you're replacing so it might help get that PH down.

Just hang in there. Post EVERY LITTLE DETAIL no matter how dumb or inconsequential you think it is -- it might be important. There's soem people here who have been doing this since the stone age (not my words!! :D) and who have degrees in this stuff and just generaly know what they're doing. You'll get the help you need.
 
Debby

Debby

Member
what is a skeleton. Had it in the sand at one time it keep getting a film on it so moved it closer to light.I set tank up in sept 07 let it cycle 6 weeks with sand and rock. damsil was the first thing i added then a clown and the sea apple have added somthing every week since then.added tang lasted 1 week died.cleaner shrimp die. angel fish- sand gobie-cleaner fish-sallylightfoot have died,pet store here just keep telling me short lived fish.I bought a new light to put on thinking mayby that would help 240.00 brouht it home fan does not work that has been two weeks they say the have piece ordered.ask for another light they say they have to order it to.because the one they sold me was used that really made me mad but what can i do. and will not refund money,They will trade it out in fish imagine that lol.
 
rlcline76

rlcline76

Active Member
Check online for those ordered parts, I often find that it is much cheaper. Tell those bozos to cancel. It's your money!
Your LFS...short lived, indeed. Here is the issue, and it has nothing to do with a lifespan...they don't care they are in it for the money. So what if things are dying in the tank if you are willing to keep dropping the cash.
 
framerguy

framerguy

Well-Known Member
pet store here just keep telling me short lived fish.
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That makes me flaming mad!:flaming: and it's complete BS:bs:

Do not give them one more penny.

Kathy, not sure which one you mean. I think that's a Favites up high and right. If that's the one you mean I think it can go pretty much anywhere and it does look like some skeleton is visible but hard to tell.

If you can afford to do it naper had a good suggestion about just returning the apple. Really, you can't afford Not to do it. I have had several monetary lessons in this hobby:surrender:Make SURE they know they have lost a customer. It's easier for us to tell you to do it than for you to actually do it though, I have trouble with confrontation also.

I agree about your colorful tank, it's way worth saving! simply beautiful!

Let's get the water situation taken care of before talking about adding critters fast OR slow. It WILL smooth out with maintenance and maturity. Remember this slogan "the solution to pollution is dilution", waterchanges baby! and lot's of them!!! Best of luck Debby...
 
rlcline76

rlcline76

Active Member
Absolutely!
And really, no confrontation necessary. You do not have to say a word. Walk in with the sea apple, put it on the counter, give the finger and walk out.
I see you are in Abilene. You might want to look into the Reef Club over in Lubbock or maybe even Dallas. I am in El Paso, and we draw people in from 3 hour drive every which direction. It isn't always easy for everyone to make a meet, but you would be surprised! It'll help you connect better with other hobbyists in the area, give you the skinny on what businesses are more user friendly, etc.
 
BoomerD

BoomerD

Well-Known Member
Debby said:
Just wanted to say thankyou for all the advise. Asked the pet store if i could trade sea apple or see if they couls sell it for me of course they said no so any way. My tank sure looks empty with only two fish left. my sally lightfoot died last nite.Mayby this just wasnt meant for me............

Debby
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Find a new fish store.

Sea Apples, while beautiful, have the ability to kill your entire tank. They're certainly not recommended for beginners, nor is the anemone. Both require pristine waters, a well matured tank, and (sorry to put it this way) a knowledgeable hobbyist to care for them.

While keeping a saltwater tank is certainly more difficult than keeping a tank full of goldfish, it's not all THAT hard, especially if the hobbyist is willing to invest some time in learning what and how to do it properly, plus put in the time required for maintenance.
 
framerguy

framerguy

Well-Known Member
The skeleton is just what it sounds like. It's the calcerous structure that gives the fleshy part a rigid surface to adhere to, sort of like our own.
 
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