clownmama Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 So yeah, I want to start putting some more corals in my tank, since I have enough (or more than enough) fish already. I will be buying a Metal Halide this weekend (250 W), so I am wondering, since the tank has been running for 1 1/2 years, and the water is in good condition, and I do weekly weather changes of about 5 gallons, is good lighting the only thing they really need, or are their supplements, etc that they need, and what needs to be tested besides, the basics (like calcium, hardness, alkalinity, etc.) I use RO water for my top offs and changes. Oh, and would this light be good for 'nems also, I'd like to try them as well if it will work. And should I leave my 50/50 light on as well as the metal halide, or will the MH totally overpower it. I like it because it is acetinic, I read somewhere that is necessary for a certain biological process. My water parameters are as follows (what I am testing now) pH is 8.2 to 8.3 Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 Nitrates 0 Specific gravity is very stable at 1.023 Thanks, Candra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewT Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 If your keeping corals youll need to raise your salinity. my salinity was about the same as yours and was told to raise it up. I keep mine at 1.026 i think thats where you want it for a full reef. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooks Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 If you're putting them in your 29g, I'd be careful doing that with any sort of angel in there. Metal Halides are the one of the best, if not the best on the market., and for a 29g, depending on which you get, they would be amazing. From what I read on your introduction, your tank is a bit over-crowded, so you'd want to be careful of what you're actually putting in there. Also, your salinity needs to be at 1.0265. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clownmama Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 If you're putting them in your 29g, I'd be careful doing that with any sort of angel in there.Metal Halides are the one of the best, if not the best on the market., and for a 29g, depending on which you get, they would be amazing. From what I read on your introduction, your tank is a bit over-crowded, so you'd want to be careful of what you're actually putting in there. Also, your salinity needs to be at 1.0265. Good luck. My angel doesn't nip, I keep it pretty well fed (thank goodness for a good cleanup crew), and like I said, I plan on removing 2 fish when my other tank cycles, about 2 more weeks, that would bring me down to four in there, and two are smaller, I also plan on removing the foxface when he gets bigger or upgrading to a bigger tank in a month or two. I know I need to raise the salinity gradually, what is the best way to do that, mix some water that is a little bit more concentrated and add it as I need to top off? Candra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooks Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 . I know I need to raise the salinity gradually, what is the best way to do that, mix some water that is a little bit more concentrated and add it as I need to top off?Candra Instead of adding freshwater to your top-off, add saltwater at a salinity of 1.030. Depending on your evaporation rate, it should rise gradually. Do not try to rush this process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clownmama Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 Instead of adding freshwater to your top-off, add saltwater at a salinity of 1.030. Depending on your evaporation rate, it should rise gradually. Do not try to rush this process. I read no more than .001 per day? So if it is 1.023 today get it to 1.024 tomorrow, or should I do it even slower, like maybe over the course of a week? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooks Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 It all depends on your evaporation rate. I had the same problem at one time, but yes, essentially you're trying to get it .001 per day. If you don't have very strong lighting, I'm guessing it'll take around 6 days. As long as you're not rushing to get it higher, you're fine. Honestly, 1.023 isn't THAT bad, but it should be around 1.0265. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clownmama Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 It all depends on your evaporation rate. I had the same problem at one time, but yes, essentially you're trying to get it .001 per day. If you don't have very strong lighting, I'm guessing it'll take around 6 days.As long as you're not rushing to get it higher, you're fine. Honestly, 1.023 isn't THAT bad, but it should be around 1.0265. I add about a gallon of water every other day, so it's not too bad, I just put a lid on it, so I am hoping I'll see a difference with evap there. Maybe I should remove the lid while I up the gravity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clownmama Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 and I will be okay with 4 fishies in there right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I would get the foxface out as soon as you can for his sake. That is a big fish for that size tank. Even if he is still small he will have the mentality of a big fish and not like being confined. I am curious how you know your angel doesn't nip if you don't have corals yet, or did I miss something? Just be prepared to have him start nipping especially on anything new put into his realm. Not saying its a guarantee but just a good possibility. I would try to leave some type of actinic light on your tank to supplement your MH. You will like having the blue added to the spectrum as will the corals. It also gives you the ability to do a sunrise/sunset effect on the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clownmama Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 I would get the foxface out as soon as you can for his sake. That is a big fish for that size tank. Even if he is still small he will have the mentality of a big fish and not like being confined.I am curious how you know your angel doesn't nip if you don't have corals yet, or did I miss something? Just be prepared to have him start nipping especially on anything new put into his realm. Not saying its a guarantee but just a good possibility. I would try to leave some type of actinic light on your tank to supplement your MH. You will like having the blue added to the spectrum as will the corals. It also gives you the ability to do a sunrise/sunset effect on the tank. I do have some corals (mushroom, some yellow star polyp, some small frags of digita that are doing okay, but would be much happier under better light, as well as better color.) that do not require as intense lighting as most, but decided to upgrade lighting so I can put some in that require more intense lighting, since I can't add any more fish, and I love all the colors I can get in there too with the options of other corals. I mean, I am getting this light this weekend, so it won't be much longer. And as far as the foxface goes, I am planning on getting a larger tank soon, as soon as I can afford it (maybe for my birthday at the beginning of April), and as soon as I do the research and am confident the move won't harm them I will be doing so. Also, he is much happier in my tank then he was in the tank at petco, maybe not as happy as he could be, but much happier! Candra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I wasn't trying to flame you for having him. I just wanted to state that they need a bigger tank so others don't make the same mistake. I hope I didn't give you the wrong impression. As for Petco, I think we all need to boycott buying any saltwater livestock from them. The conditions they keep them in are deplorable and they give terrible advice to people that don't know any better. Maybe if everyone in the industry quit buying from them they would quit carrying SW livestock. I read on RC that someone asked just to see what answer they would get, how many yellow tangs could they keep in a 10 g. The person working there told them 20! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clownmama Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 Oh I know you weren't trying to flame me, I just wanted to let you know what I plan on doing. As far as petco goes the new one in Harker Heights has a very well informed aquatics specialist, who has acutally kept saltwater fish before, and she is very knowledgeable, unfortunatly this is not the case in most stores. I did do the research before I purchased him, or rescued him rather in my opinion, and understand fully what it requires Candra I wasn't trying to flame you for having him. I just wanted to state that they need a bigger tank so others don't make the same mistake. I hope I didn't give you the wrong impression.As for Petco, I think we all need to boycott buying any saltwater livestock from them. The conditions they keep them in are deplorable and they give terrible advice to people that don't know any better. Maybe if everyone in the industry quit buying from them they would quit carrying SW livestock. I read on RC that someone asked just to see what answer they would get, how many yellow tangs could they keep in a 10 g. The person working there told them 20! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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