Fish Poop

newsalt · 01-12-2004, 07:45 PM

Is there anything out there that will consume fish poop? I added a Coral Beauty Angel yesterday and it sure does poop. Will the blue leg hermits I have handle it. Please don't say snails. I have had the worst luck with snails. The last a week and then die.

Thanks.

Tarasco · 01-12-2004, 07:50 PM

Hermits and snails will handle it (even if you didn't want me to say snails). What kind of snails are you getting? What kind of water parameters do you have? Snails are pretty sensitive to changes in specific gravity, and you don't have a real big tank, so that may be a possibility.

Also, if the rock that you have is cycled, that'll take care of a lot of the issue (fish waste) as well. You may be pushing the limits with the amount of fish that you have in that tank.

newsalt · 01-12-2004, 07:59 PM

Tarasco, thanks for your reply. I've had several kinds of snails: Margarita's, Astrea's, Nassarius', Bumble bee's, Ive tried them all. Like I said, they last a week and then die. My water params are:

Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 30 ppm
pH: 8-ish
Temp: 77-78 deg. F
Salinity: 1.022

I know my salinity is a bit low, I'm in the process of raising it to maybe 1.024. I can't seem to lower the Nitrates. I do 2 gal. water changes every other week but it still won't go down. I'm thinking that's my problem.

zy112 · 01-12-2004, 08:13 PM

i would bump water changes up to once a week, that would probably take care of the nitrates.

cheeks69 · 01-12-2004, 09:39 PM

Are you using tap water or ro/di?? One possibility is copper in your tank either from the water you're adding or from another source. I have had salinity fluctuations and never had a problem with the snails although the swings were not big but in any case I didn't notice a problem HTH

newsalt · 01-12-2004, 10:32 PM

I was using tap and adding drops of dechlorinator. For the past two weeks, I have been using RO that I buy at my LFS.

BoomerD · 01-12-2004, 10:55 PM

If your home has copper piping, it's possible to pick up a bit of copper from there. Shouldn't be much, but many inverts are susceptable to minute amounts of copper, also, check with whoever supplies your home water. City, county whoever) They are required to provide a copy of their annual water testing. One way t find out if there's any copper in your tank, is to get some Poly-Bio Marine Polyfilters. They will turn blue-green if there is any copper passing thru them. A good copper test kit will also show any copper contamination.

NaH2O · 01-12-2004, 11:05 PM

Nice post BoomerD

BoomerD · 01-12-2004, 11:05 PM

By the way, I meant to add this little bit:

OMG!!! Your fish POOP in your tank? Haven't you got them potty trained by now??? You must be so-oooo embarrased!

Curtswearing · 01-13-2004, 01:29 PM

LOL!!!

EdgeKrusher · 01-13-2004, 02:13 PM

Isn't a Coral Beauty a little big for a 15 gallon especially with the clowns in there? I have a 12 gallon nano, with two fish, and various corals and never had a nitrate problem.
Good thing you changed over to RO water. Do a couple of 50% water changes to get the old water out. Copper and inverts don't mix at all.

Peace

EK

newsalt · 01-13-2004, 02:38 PM

Well, it might be. So far so good. By the spring (March or April), I will be switching over to a 29g or 37g (haven't decided yet).

01-12-2004, 07:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
newsalt Torch coral Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 574 View Gallery Karma Komment	Fish Poop Is there anything out there that will consume fish poop? I added a Coral Beauty Angel yesterday and it sure does poop. Will the blue leg hermits I have handle it. Please don't say snails. I have had the worst luck with snails. The last a week and then die. Thanks. __________________ Equipment 120g Reef, (2) 250W XM 20K MH, (2) 110W T12 VHO Super Actinic, MRC MR2 Beckett Skimmer, 55g Sump, Iwaki Return Pump Setup August 2006

01-12-2004, 07:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tarasco Plate Coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 724 View Gallery Karma Komment	Hermits and snails will handle it (even if you didn't want me to say snails). What kind of snails are you getting? What kind of water parameters do you have? Snails are pretty sensitive to changes in specific gravity, and you don't have a real big tank, so that may be a possibility. Also, if the rock that you have is cycled, that'll take care of a lot of the issue (fish waste) as well. You may be pushing the limits with the amount of fish that you have in that tank. __________________ Mike "I saw what the governor makes. That's like four hands of blackjack." -- Charles Barkley on why he wasn't seriously considering becoming the Governor of Alabama

01-12-2004, 07:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
newsalt Torch coral Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 574 View Gallery Karma Komment	Tarasco, thanks for your reply. I've had several kinds of snails: Margarita's, Astrea's, Nassarius', Bumble bee's, Ive tried them all. Like I said, they last a week and then die. My water params are: Ammonia: 0 ppm Nitrite: 0 ppm Nitrate: 30 ppm pH: 8-ish Temp: 77-78 deg. F Salinity: 1.022 I know my salinity is a bit low, I'm in the process of raising it to maybe 1.024. I can't seem to lower the Nitrates. I do 2 gal. water changes every other week but it still won't go down. I'm thinking that's my problem. __________________ Equipment 120g Reef, (2) 250W XM 20K MH, (2) 110W T12 VHO Super Actinic, MRC MR2 Beckett Skimmer, 55g Sump, Iwaki Return Pump Setup August 2006

01-12-2004, 08:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
zy112 Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: IN Posts: 981 View Gallery Karma Komment	i would bump water changes up to once a week, that would probably take care of the nitrates. __________________ Zach

01-12-2004, 09:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 6,526 View Gallery Karma Komment	Are you using tap water or ro/di?? One possibility is copper in your tank either from the water you're adding or from another source. I have had salinity fluctuations and never had a problem with the snails although the swings were not big but in any case I didn't notice a problem HTH __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

01-12-2004, 10:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
newsalt Torch coral Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 574 View Gallery Karma Komment	I was using tap and adding drops of dechlorinator. For the past two weeks, I have been using RO that I buy at my LFS. __________________ Equipment 120g Reef, (2) 250W XM 20K MH, (2) 110W T12 VHO Super Actinic, MRC MR2 Beckett Skimmer, 55g Sump, Iwaki Return Pump Setup August 2006

01-12-2004, 10:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,223 View Gallery Karma Komment	If your home has copper piping, it's possible to pick up a bit of copper from there. Shouldn't be much, but many inverts are susceptable to minute amounts of copper, also, check with whoever supplies your home water. City, county whoever) They are required to provide a copy of their annual water testing. One way t find out if there's any copper in your tank, is to get some Poly-Bio Marine Polyfilters. They will turn blue-green if there is any copper passing thru them. A good copper test kit will also show any copper contamination. Last edited by BoomerD : 01-12-2004 at 11:04 PM.

01-12-2004, 11:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
NaH2O Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 1,928 View Gallery Karma Komment	Nice post BoomerD __________________ ~Nikki~

01-12-2004, 11:05 PM	#9 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,223 View Gallery Karma Komment	By the way, I meant to add this little bit: OMG!!! Your fish POOP in your tank? Haven't you got them potty trained by now??? You must be so-oooo embarrased!

01-13-2004, 01:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
Curtswearing Golden Moray Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 2,596 View Gallery Karma Komment	LOL!!! __________________ In memory of Fluffy, please pause before hitting enter---being nice is free. Click for ReefKeeping FAQ'S Click for Product Reviews Click for Photo ID Gallery http://curtcpapfs.com/downloads/1Curt.jpg

01-13-2004, 02:13 PM	#11 (permalink)
EdgeKrusher Plate Coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Eden Prairie, MN Posts: 716 View Gallery Karma Komment	Isn't a Coral Beauty a little big for a 15 gallon especially with the clowns in there? I have a 12 gallon nano, with two fish, and various corals and never had a nitrate problem. Good thing you changed over to RO water. Do a couple of 50% water changes to get the old water out. Copper and inverts don't mix at all. Peace EK __________________ ((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º> ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸>< ((((º>¸¸.·´¯`·.¸. `·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º>¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.

01-13-2004, 02:38 PM	#12 (permalink)
newsalt Torch coral Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 574 View Gallery Karma Komment	Well, it might be. So far so good. By the spring (March or April), I will be switching over to a 29g or 37g (haven't decided yet). __________________ Equipment 120g Reef, (2) 250W XM 20K MH, (2) 110W T12 VHO Super Actinic, MRC MR2 Beckett Skimmer, 55g Sump, Iwaki Return Pump Setup August 2006

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)