Kyle's RSM 250
- Thread starter kyley
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kyley
Active Member
Thanks, and I have been at or near 0 on nitrates for quite awhile now (but who knows what's happened while I've been out of town - already making me anxious for my next two-night trip!)...
What food do you feed your fish and how often? Some seem to recommend more than once a day, but I would have trouble finding time for that. I read an article about feeding, and it looks like the pellet / flake stuff should be the last thing to consider. I have some formula one gel food - would a match-stick head size piece of this food be sufficient once a day? Take care,
--Kyle
What food do you feed your fish and how often? Some seem to recommend more than once a day, but I would have trouble finding time for that. I read an article about feeding, and it looks like the pellet / flake stuff should be the last thing to consider. I have some formula one gel food - would a match-stick head size piece of this food be sufficient once a day? Take care,
--Kyle
redsea reefer
Well-Known Member
I don't feed any pellets or flakes just frozen food. Mysis, Bloodworms, Marine Fusion and Cyclops.
Nowellsy SNR
Active Member
Tanks looks great
reefhusker
Member
Kyle even though im a NewB here's what i do in my BC8 i am way overstocked with a sapphire damsel, TB Osc. clown, red banded goby, fire shrimp, cleaner shrimp, 7-8 snails and 5 hermits. I feed twice a week switching between Cyclopeeze flakes, prime reef flakes, and frozen mysis shrimp. I have ZERO algae just a little diatoms or something on the substrate and all is getting along great. One of the biggest things i have learned is not to overfeed. Take it for what its worth.
Don't worry about the border war, KU is tough, esp. at home. We played them tough for 3/4 at our house. BTW NU women in top 10!
Kyle - I really like this frozen Multi-Pak - so does the whole tank 
Aquarium Fish Food: San Francisco Bay Brand Frozen Saltwater Multi-Pack
Aquarium Fish Food: San Francisco Bay Brand Frozen Saltwater Multi-Pack
kyley
Active Member
Ah, a disappointing day I got home from my trip last night, and my wife hadn't been able to find "Minty" the Peppermint Shrimp for a couple days. I looked all over and went through the feeding routine (when he always comes out) and haven't been able to find him. No remains either, but I think it's gone. I've found one small crab and also some other little critter hiding in a rock that moves very fast - one of them could be the culprit? I need to set a crab trap and see if I can get it.
I also had a trochus snail die while I was gone (I saw it had fallen over and I turned it back over but it hadn't moved far from where I found it dead). A Nassarius had made a meal of it (there was pretty much nothing left). Having trouble finding one nerite and one cerith snail, but they could just be hiding out somewhere.
Anyway, my ammonia is registering a low reading now (between 0 and 0.25 ppm) - it had been 0 before. Could those two (or more) dead critters have caused the ammonia spike? And could that have caused my algae bloom? Not too concerned, just trying to understand what may be going on. The algae bloom isn't as bad as i thought once I got to see it myself. But with the ammonia reading, I'll now hold off on getting my first fish at least a couple days
I'm noticing some new algae growth (of course), and I'm curious if this is a type of corraline (it's pretty red) or if it's something bad like red cyano or something?
On a separate note, my glass is suddenly covered with what I believe are tiny copepods? They look like white dots unless looking very very close:
Last, my protein skimmer looked like this last night before I cleaned it (thick dry foam):
...but after cleaning, it looked like this later today (wet bubbles not even getting to the top of the neck - even with the air valve all the way open).
Why can't I get the bubbles up farther in the neck? Did I clean the skimmer neck too well or is there maybe not as much for the skimmer to take out of the tank now? Thanks,
--Kyle
I got home from my trip last night, and my wife hadn't been able to find "Minty" the Peppermint Shrimp for a couple days. I looked all over and went through the feeding routine (when he always comes out) and haven't been able to find him. No remains either, but I think it's gone. I've found one small crab and also some other little critter hiding in a rock that moves very fast - one of them could be the culprit? I need to set a crab trap and see if I can get it. I also had a trochus snail die while I was gone (I saw it had fallen over and I turned it back over but it hadn't moved far from where I found it dead). A Nassarius had made a meal of it (there was pretty much nothing left). Having trouble finding one nerite and one cerith snail, but they could just be hiding out somewhere.
Anyway, my ammonia is registering a low reading now (between 0 and 0.25 ppm) - it had been 0 before. Could those two (or more) dead critters have caused the ammonia spike? And could that have caused my algae bloom? Not too concerned, just trying to understand what may be going on. The algae bloom isn't as bad as i thought once I got to see it myself. But with the ammonia reading, I'll now hold off on getting my first fish at least a couple days
I'm noticing some new algae growth (of course), and I'm curious if this is a type of corraline (it's pretty red) or if it's something bad like red cyano or something?
On a separate note, my glass is suddenly covered with what I believe are tiny copepods? They look like white dots unless looking very very close:
Last, my protein skimmer looked like this last night before I cleaned it (thick dry foam):
...but after cleaning, it looked like this later today (wet bubbles not even getting to the top of the neck - even with the air valve all the way open).
Why can't I get the bubbles up farther in the neck? Did I clean the skimmer neck too well or is there maybe not as much for the skimmer to take out of the tank now? Thanks,
--Kyle
Nowellsy SNR
Active Member
Sorry double post
Nowellsy SNR
Active Member
After cleaning the skimmer you have to tinker with the air valve
You should start getting skimmate not long after cleaning
You should start getting skimmate not long after cleaning
Why can't I get the bubbles up farther in the neck? Did I clean the skimmer neck too well or is there maybe not as much for the skimmer to take out of the tank now? Thanks,
--Kyle[/QUOTE]
You cleaned the skimmer neck fine, does not need to be sparkly clean. Turn the air valve on the skimmer all the way off. Then check the level of water going into the rear compartment, you probably need to just tap down the the shutter until the water level gets to about 1-3 notches below the top on the "water level viewer" located on the side of the aquarium. Once the water level is at the proper level start to slowly turn on the air valve until the bubbles climb to half way up the neck of the skimmer then watch it for a minute.
This will get you close to where you need to be. The problem with this skimmer is it is ultra sensitive to the water level in the back chamber and due to constant water evaporation it requires almost daily tinkering.
Do not tinker with the water level unless you turn the air valve off, same with turning off and on the skimmer. if you mess with the water level while the air valve is wide open you will fill the skimmer cup with water and foam when the water rushes back in the rear chamber.
The skimmer on this unit is a pain. It has taken me a few weeks to understand the quirks.
Hope this helps.
--Kyle[/QUOTE]
You cleaned the skimmer neck fine, does not need to be sparkly clean. Turn the air valve on the skimmer all the way off. Then check the level of water going into the rear compartment, you probably need to just tap down the the shutter until the water level gets to about 1-3 notches below the top on the "water level viewer" located on the side of the aquarium. Once the water level is at the proper level start to slowly turn on the air valve until the bubbles climb to half way up the neck of the skimmer then watch it for a minute.
This will get you close to where you need to be. The problem with this skimmer is it is ultra sensitive to the water level in the back chamber and due to constant water evaporation it requires almost daily tinkering.
Do not tinker with the water level unless you turn the air valve off, same with turning off and on the skimmer. if you mess with the water level while the air valve is wide open you will fill the skimmer cup with water and foam when the water rushes back in the rear chamber.
The skimmer on this unit is a pain. It has taken me a few weeks to understand the quirks.
Hope this helps.
Conched post right on +1
I run the stock skimmer on a 130D and it does fine, but I have to keep the water level optimal for it to work well.
Maybe Minty will re-appear, when my shrimp sheds his shell, he disappears for a few days.
My guess crabs ate the snails & the snails finished of what the crab left.
1st guess on new algae - are you overfeeding? it's so so easy to do...
I run the stock skimmer on a 130D and it does fine, but I have to keep the water level optimal for it to work well.
Maybe Minty will re-appear, when my shrimp sheds his shell, he disappears for a few days.
My guess crabs ate the snails & the snails finished of what the crab left.
1st guess on new algae - are you overfeeding? it's so so easy to do...
kyley
Active Member
Hmm... On the skimmer, I keep the water level right at the 3rd line ("optimal") with my ATO. I wouldn't think that would be the issue, but last night my water level dropped as I added a few more CUC members and acclimated them (ATO was off during that time). This morning, the skimmer has a nice dry foam again like the 1st pic
The only snail I know died was a trochus - and I'm pretty sure it died b/c it was sick or something. I just miscounted on the nerites, so I might be missing a cerith and that's it...
On overfeeding, I've started being very careful - only giving 1-2 tiny tetra cyclop-eeze pellets to each shrimp by hand (so very little doesn't get eaten). Those are very small and I assume not enough, but I'm assuming they'll find the rest of their nutrition in the tank?
Whatever that algae is, it's pretty bright red - not a dark red / purple like most coralline I've seen, but maybe that's what it is (hoping). I have noticed some good purple coralline growth on some rocks! Thanks,
--Kyle
The only snail I know died was a trochus - and I'm pretty sure it died b/c it was sick or something. I just miscounted on the nerites, so I might be missing a cerith and that's it...
On overfeeding, I've started being very careful - only giving 1-2 tiny tetra cyclop-eeze pellets to each shrimp by hand (so very little doesn't get eaten). Those are very small and I assume not enough, but I'm assuming they'll find the rest of their nutrition in the tank?
Whatever that algae is, it's pretty bright red - not a dark red / purple like most coralline I've seen, but maybe that's what it is (hoping). I have noticed some good purple coralline growth on some rocks!
Thanks,--Kyle
Hard to imagine a dead peppermint and snail raising the ammonia that much in a 250 volume of water, especially with the CUC doing their job consuming the remains. What brand of test are you using for ammonia?
Shrimp often hide out after molting as their skin is soft and they're more prone to predation at thit time. It could be possible it's still in there, but as you said one of the crabs might have gotten it. If it's been days since last seen it's most likely a goner.
I used to get the bright red coralline type stuff and it was never a problem for me and either disappeared or turned pink after a while.
Shrimp often hide out after molting as their skin is soft and they're more prone to predation at thit time. It could be possible it's still in there, but as you said one of the crabs might have gotten it. If it's been days since last seen it's most likely a goner.
I used to get the bright red coralline type stuff and it was never a problem for me and either disappeared or turned pink after a while.
redsea reefer
Well-Known Member
Hard to imagine a dead peppermint and snail raising the ammonia that much in a 250 volume of water, especially with the CUC doing their job consuming the remains. What brand of test are you using for ammonia?
Shrimp often hide out after molting as their skin is soft and they're more prone to predation at thit time. It could be possible it's still in there, but as you said one of the crabs might have gotten it. If it's been days since last seen it's most likely a goner.
I used to get the bright red coralline type stuff and it was never a problem for me and either disappeared or turned pink after a while.
+1 with Terry....I still have some of that red coralline, I used to even have blue and yellow but it disappeared after the first year...
kyley
Active Member
Okay cool, thanks guys. Hoping it is just coralline. Have you seen any of it start as dots like that? It's growing in a lot of areas of the tank, including on some of the sand rubble too.
Regarding the ammonia, it's barely above 0. I have the Red Sea and API tests. I first ran the API one and it read 0 (after the specified 5 minutes passed). Then I ran the Red Sea one and after the specified 15 minutes passed, it was slightly green - so above 0 but not quite the green of the first reading of 0.25. Then I looked at the same API test tube again - and after more time had passed, it read 0.25 as well (but is that even valid?).
Terry, by "that much" - is just below the lowest reading on the chart really "that much"? Does it take quite a bit to even start registering a reading? I'd just assumed even the smallest die offs could trigger ammonia spikes in a new tank - which is why I'm trying to take it pretty slow. My corals still seem to be thriving and expanding. Just trying to learn how this works... Thanks,
--Kyle
Regarding the ammonia, it's barely above 0. I have the Red Sea and API tests. I first ran the API one and it read 0 (after the specified 5 minutes passed). Then I ran the Red Sea one and after the specified 15 minutes passed, it was slightly green - so above 0 but not quite the green of the first reading of 0.25. Then I looked at the same API test tube again - and after more time had passed, it read 0.25 as well (but is that even valid?).
Terry, by "that much" - is just below the lowest reading on the chart really "that much"? Does it take quite a bit to even start registering a reading? I'd just assumed even the smallest die offs could trigger ammonia spikes in a new tank - which is why I'm trying to take it pretty slow. My corals still seem to be thriving and expanding. Just trying to learn how this works... Thanks,
--Kyle
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I'd trust the API more than the Red Sea. The times they give on the test should be followed. Letting a test run much past those times can give faulty readings (otherwise they'd have no time listed). Yes - I guess it's possible to get that tiny bit of ammonia from the shrimp/snail die-off. Better safe than sorry I guess.
I used to get small patches of the bright red coralline (or whatever it is), but not the little dots all over. Looks like the same color though.
I used to get small patches of the bright red coralline (or whatever it is), but not the little dots all over. Looks like the same color though.
kyley
Active Member
OMG!! I just found my coolest hitchhiker yet! And a big mystery solved as well! I can't believe 6 weeks in and I'm still finding new, relatively large, hitchhikers... I first saw this critter about 4-5 days ago, but just as a flash of movement. Today, it was actually coming out a bit where I could see it and even get some pics. This is definitely a very shy critter. And it is... ...a pistol shrimp of some sort!
Oh, and I said "a mystery solved" because I'd been hearing a loud snap that sounded like glass hitting glass (thought it was my glass thermometers hitting the tank glass until I took them out a few days ago). I couldn't figure out what it was - now I know! Here it is:
There are at least two of them (saw two at the same time)! Sorry the pics aren't the best. They're usually in one spot for about 1/2 a second
They look like a "Tiger" pistol shrimp, but the pictures at LiveAquaria and other places all show them with stripes on the claw and this one is green with a whitish tip. It looks most like the one here (2nd pic) and here.
At any rate, I'm excited b/c this is a beneficial critter and I thought I had a bad crab or perhaps something worse as fast as it was moving (I do still have a bad crab to contend with). I'd considered a shrimp goby, now I have a shrimp to go with it... However, these guys never come out of this rock.
BTW, might get my first fist today too! Ocellaris clown. TTYL,
--Kyle
Oh, and I said "a mystery solved" because I'd been hearing a loud snap that sounded like glass hitting glass (thought it was my glass thermometers hitting the tank glass until I took them out a few days ago). I couldn't figure out what it was - now I know! Here it is:
There are at least two of them (saw two at the same time)! Sorry the pics aren't the best. They're usually in one spot for about 1/2 a second
They look like a "Tiger" pistol shrimp, but the pictures at LiveAquaria and other places all show them with stripes on the claw and this one is green with a whitish tip. It looks most like the one here (2nd pic) and here.
At any rate, I'm excited b/c this is a beneficial critter and I thought I had a bad crab or perhaps something worse as fast as it was moving (I do still have a bad crab to contend with).
I'd considered a shrimp goby, now I have a shrimp to go with it... However, these guys never come out of this rock.BTW, might get my first fist today too! Ocellaris clown. TTYL,
--Kyle