Setting UP A Tank At My School!!!

cmcoker

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The heater is an issue, I use a Finnex temperature controller on my tank, it's about $40 and has its on temp sensor. You plug your heater in to it and it will switch it on and off. It will also beep to alert you if the temperature is out of the set range.
Personally, I would like to see some nitrates before saying your tank is ready for a fish... Then you know ammonia has been present in the tank and gone through the whole process.
I'd keep ghost feeding. do you have any livestock in the already? Like corals, snails, etc?
If nothing is in but rock and sand you can do a digestion test by adding pure ammonia.
If there is anything alive in there just keep up the feedings and testing until you see some nitrates pop up, with everything else at zero.
 
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Baby Ray

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The heater is an issue, I use a Finnex temperature controller on my tank, it's about $40 and has its on temp sensor. You plug your heater in to it and it will switch it on and off. It will also beep to alert you if the temperature is out of the set range.
Personally, I would like to see some nitrates before saying your tank is ready for a fish... Then you know ammonia has been present in the tank and gone through the whole process.
I'd keep ghost feeding. do you have any livestock in the already? Like corals, snails, etc?
If nothing is in but rock and sand you can do a digestion test by adding pure ammonia.
If there is anything alive in there just keep up the feedings and testing until you see some nitrates pop up, with everything else at zero.
I will look into one of the temp controllers. Thank you. I think it has one of those built in but it just isn't working. It is a 100 watt Jager Eheim heater.
I already have snails and hermits in the tank because I have a good amount of hair algae growing already so I wanted somethings to help keep that down. I will keep ghost feeding. Thanks!!
Do you think the temp killed the fish and shrimp though.
 

cmcoker

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I will look into one of the temp controllers. Thank you. I think it has one of those built in but it just isn't working. It is a 100 watt Jager Eheim heater.
I already have snails and hermits in the tank because I have a good amount of hair algae growing already so I wanted somethings to help keep that down. I will keep ghost feeding. Thanks!!
Do you think the temp killed the fish and shrimp though.
Anything is possible, they were already stressed from transport so a huge temperature jump would certainly not help.
Have you watched the video on how to calibrate those heaters? Also they have a 3 year warranty so I would contact the company about it malfunctioning. Do the calibration (they are going to tell you to do that also). But they should replace it, I'd still put a controller on it. Let me check my email and I'll pm you their contact info, they replaced my heater earlier this year..
 
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Baby Ray

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Anything is possible, they were already stressed from transport so a huge temperature jump would certainly not help.
Have you watched the video on how to calibrate those heaters? Also they have a 3 year warranty so I would contact the company about it malfunctioning. Do the calibration (they are going to tell you to do that also). But they should replace it, I'd still put a controller on it. Let me check my email and I'll pm you their contact info, they replaced my heater earlier this year..
Thank you!!!
 

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Iv never kept my tank so hot but I'd guess it's the shock of the temperature of ur parameters all look fun and that would be my guess his temperature.
 
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Baby Ray

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I can't get my nitrates to go up no matter how much I ghost feed!! But I don't have any nitrated either. The algae in the tank has taken off though so I have a feeling that the algae is taking up all the nitrates. I also have cheato in my sump that is growing too. I am almost positive that the tank is ready for fish. Tell me what you guys think. I am heading up to my LFS tomorrow so I will probably get a fish and maybe some corals for the tank. Again, I want your opinions on weather you think my tank is ready or not.
 
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Baby Ray

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By the way, I fixed the heater problem :D!! I just had to re-set it and everything is ok now. It is at a steady 77-78 degrees :D
Oh, and I am going to pick up the skimmer tomorrow too. I will try to remember to post pics of that and any livestock I might get
 

cmcoker

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I can't get my nitrates to go up no matter how much I ghost feed!! But I don't have any nitrated either. The algae in the tank has taken off though so I have a feeling that the algae is taking up all the nitrates. I also have cheato in my sump that is growing too. I am almost positive that the tank is ready for fish. Tell me what you guys think. I am heading up to my LFS tomorrow so I will probably get a fish and maybe some corals for the tank. Again, I want your opinions on weather you think my tank is ready or not.
I think if your getting no ammonia at this point you can add a fish, Yay!
Just be sure and continue to monitor just ammonia just in case.
 
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Baby Ray

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I think if your getting no ammonia at this point you can add a fish, Yay!
Just be sure and continue to monitor just ammonia just in case.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much. And don't worry about me testing ammonia. I will be doing it religiously for the next couple of days :p
I think I am going to get another fire fish and a cleaner shrimp with some corals. Ill keep everyone updated
 

cmcoker

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YAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much. And don't worry about me testing ammonia. I will be doing it religiously for the next couple of days [emoji14]
I think I am going to get another fire fish and a cleaner shrimp with some corals. Ill keep everyone updated
One other thing to check and I don't remember if we talked about it in this thread, but check the specific gravity of the lfs water to make sure it's close to the school tanks specific gravity. If it's too great of a difference it can cause osmotic shock, with both fish and shrimp. It is easier on the fish to go through a drop than a sudden increase.
Many stores use 1.019 to 1.020. If you're running 1.026 on the school tank that's a huge jump to the fish. With that kind variance I'd personally use a separate tank to bring them up 0.002 daily until it matches. At the least do an extended drip acclimation. Hopefully the lfs runs close. You could call and ask them before the trip so you can make a plan.
 
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Baby Ray

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One other thing to check and I don't remember if we talked about it in this thread, but check the specific gravity of the lfs water to make sure it's close to the school tanks specific gravity. If it's too great of a difference it can cause osmotic shock, with both fish and shrimp. It is easier on the fish to go through a drop than a sudden increase.
Many stores use 1.019 to 1.020. If you're running 1.026 on the school tank that's a huge jump to the fish. With that kind variance I'd personally use a separate tank to bring them up 0.002 daily until it matches. At the least do an extended drip acclimation. Hopefully the lfs runs close. You could call and ask them before the trip so you can make a plan.
My LFS I got the shrimp and fish from keep there salinity at .024 and the schools tank salinity is .025 or .024. I am head of the game on this one and I already checked :p
Thank you for all of your advise.
 
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Baby Ray

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I tested the water again this morning and everything is still 0!!! :D
 

cmcoker

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My LFS I got the shrimp and fish from keep there salinity at .024 and the schools tank salinity is .025 or .024. I am head of the game on this one and I already checked [emoji14]
Thank you for all of your advise.
Excellent! Hope they have a nice healthy specimen for you!
 
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Baby Ray

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Well, my LFS didn't have a fire goby but I got a yasha shrimp goby pair instead. I also got a cleaner shrimp and an ORA toadstool. I can't wait to add them to the tank. I hope they make it!!
 
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Baby Ray

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I have seen the yasha goby come out a couple times but not very often. I still haven;t seen him eat anything :( I know they can be very reclusive in the beginning. I just hope he starts to become more social. He seas very active at the LFS so I think he will get better.
The shrimp and the goby didn't get separated which is good :D They have also bug out a lot of tunnels. I hope he becomes more active over time
 

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I have seen the yasha goby come out a couple times but not very often. I still haven;t seen him eat anything :( I know they can be very reclusive in the beginning. I just hope he starts to become more social. He seas very active at the LFS so I think he will get better.
The shrimp and the goby didn't get separated which is good :D They have also bug out a lot of tunnels. I hope he becomes more active over time
Is there any coral yet? My stonogobiops nematodes came out more after there was a bunch of xenia and Kenya tree above their burrow... Like he had more cover so was more comfortable
 
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Baby Ray

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Is there any coral yet? My stonogobiops nematodes came out more after there was a bunch of xenia and Kenya tree above their burrow... Like he had more cover so was more comfortable
There is a small ORA toadstool which is doing great!! The yasha goby actually made his burrow right under it :p
 

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There is a small ORA toadstool which is doing great!! The yasha goby actually made his burrow right under it :p
Good! He'll probably start coming out more as he settles. I've had 2 of the stonogobiops nematodes. 1st was more shy, eventually came out more but would startle easily.
The current one is very brazen, spends most of his day hovering a few inches or more above the burrow but won't hardly let the shrimp come out [emoji1]
 

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