Curelessjr

Thank you all for the responses even though the outcome wasn't ideal!

I'm picking up a sponge filter today to add to the tank just incase the oxygen levels aren't sufficient. While I'll continue to test ammonia, I'm going to do daily 10% water changes and adding prime to the system when refilling rather than just waiting to see ammonia increasing. Then a larger water change if ammonia reaches a higher level. 

Hoping this alleviates all problems moving forward.

54 minutes ago, The ReefBox said:

I am gonna go out on a limb and say it was likely an ammonia thing or hill issue    I don’t fully trust the ammonia badges if you have a test kit. Give that a check 

Even with using Prime?

Well I found the gramma this morning caught in a small eddy with its mouth fully opened and its gills flared out.

So he unfortunately didn't make it through the night. 

1 minute ago, islandVib3s said:

Sounds like you are going the right direction, however if they're all on the same tank the count starts from the last fish you introduced, but im no professional by any means. I add a bubbler to my med/qt tank. Also keep a eye on that ammonia forsure. Either way good luck, I recently lost a tiny engineer goby in observation, it came in super skinny and would eat anything live,flakes,pellets.  I was sad but I was refunded so its ok.

Yes, I restarted my timer when my clowns were introduced. I'm just crossing my fingers I won't need to reset again if the Gramma dies.

I may pick up a bubbler. What I did tonight just in case it was a gas exchange issue was half submerge my powerhead for a little bit to get the bubbles flowing. 

29 minutes ago, Lifer said:

Are you medicating with anything or just doing an observation period?

I wouldn't move anything to the DT, as you'll risk contamination if it's a disease.

Any other visual/behavioral signs from the Gramma or any other fish (skin/fin condition, scratching/flashing, eating/feeding)?

Check out the Humble Fish site for QT and disease info, if you haven't already:

https://humble.fish/

Good luck!

• Eating - Everyone has appeared to eat pretty well, nothing I was concerned about. The Gramma was actually the best eater out of the bunch, hasn't done much of that since this all began.
• Skin and fin - Everyone looks ok. The Springeri which is normally blue with black stripes is still black from the trip home, which is normal when they get stressed, but the blue has been slowly returning. Nothing on the Gramma looks wrong.

The gramma just came out of the little log I put it in and its attempting to make its way around the tank. It just skimmed along the bottom on its side then did a full loop of the tank upside down; it just swam behind the HOB. 

No medication, just observation. I didn't trust myself with meds to use them properly. 

I used the Humble Fish and the BRS QT series to build my QT tank.

The picture I attached is the Humble QT tank example that I mirrored. Mine is basically a spitting image. Only major difference is because my clowns were so small I put them in an isolation tank in the QT.

This is my first salt water tank. I'm currently running a 30 Gallon quarantine tank for all of my new fish. I have a 25 gallon Waterbox peninsula.

• Two clowns (3 days in QT)
• Royal Gramma (10 days in QT)
• Springeri Damsel (10 days in QT)
• Bluespotted Watchman Goby (10 days in QT)

Everything was going well minus the Royal Gramma chasing the Springeri. But I remedied this by rearranging the PVC pipe to break line of sight. 

However, this morning, I couldn't find my Gramma. Looked all over and eventually found it behind my hang on filter upside down. I gently pushed it out and it slowly righted itself and swam around "normal" for a bit then began hiding under the PVC, which it totally normal, then it moved to the corner of the tank and on it's side. At this point I quickly sanitized a little ceramic log thing from an old tank, carefully corralled the Gramma into it and put it in the corner. So it's dark, one way in and out, and more "secure" than just under the PVC. Everyone else seems fine. 

Some potential sources of issue for the Gramma:

• Did a 50% water change on Friday
• Accidently overfed frozen food on Saturday

Current parameters:

• Salt - 1.025
• Alk - 7.6 dKH
• Phosphate ULR - .54
• Ammonia - <.02 ppm (I have a one of those hang in tank Ammonia Alert things, my quarantine is next to my work desk, so I can monitor it for 8 to 9 hours a day)

Steps I've taken to attempt to "fix" the tank or save the Gramma:

• Added some Seachem Prime to detoxify any toxic ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
• Did a quick 3 gallon water change to clean the overfed frozen food and the newly added Prime.
• Added less water back in to allow the hang on filter to agitate the water more incase it's an oxygen issue.
• Added more Prime incase the water change spiked my PH re-toxifying ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

This is my first go around with a tank. I was fairly confident going into this, but now all my confidence is completely gone. I've debated taking the fish from my QT to the display tank since it's been cycled and running for almost 3 months now. But I now have zero confidence in my display tank setup even though on paper all the numbers are good.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

5 minutes ago, 503Reefer said:

I’ve been enjoying the AI Prime! What light are you using?

Same light. Love it, just have no idea what parameters are good. 

1 hour ago, islandVib3s said:

Depends on preference, some pple like blue over white. White usually puts out more par,I measured my a80 kessil. Also Depends on stock and corals, some sps like a little more white. I prefer the lil more blue look. Also you can dry measure the difference with photone app,I think you can also measure in tank but there's a process that they tell you to get accurate readings.

Thank you for the app suggestion! Gave it a try and unfortunately it says it's not calibrated for my phone. 

I just posted about lighting parameters for a Peninsula mini 25; my tank has been running for a little over a month now and my lighting is all out of whack. 

How has your lighting been going?

I've had my Waterbox Peninsula 25 running for a little over a month now with an Ai Prime HD.

When I first started the tank, I set my lighting schedule/parameters to the BRS video on light settings. However, I never felt confident that I had done it correct, it seemed to just be white with very little blue. So I just went and downloaded some of the preset/signature light settings from Ai to see what it looked like and it was significantly different (basically daylight vs. a deep blue).

I'm at a total loss on how to choose light parameters for my tank. Any tips or tricks? Even better, anyone have a Peninsula 25 with a prime willing to share their lighting parameters?

I've been searching in vein for a AI Nero 3 for my tank and it is backordered everywhere. 

Does anyone have a cheap powerhead that could get me by until I can get my hands on the Nero 3? Or even better, do you have a Nero 3 you'd be willing to part with?

Quick update, I just picked up a used Waterbox Peninsula 25.

Now I just need to start gathering all the other equipment. Thank you all for your help!

10 minutes ago, jtichenor said:

Welcome!

If you are only doing fish, you don't have to keep your parameters (Alk, Calcium, ph, temp, salt, etc) super stable. Just keep an eye on temp and do bi-weekly (20%), or weekly (10%) water changes on a small tank.

In my ideal world, I'd be doing it all. I think my plan is to start small with something like a waterbox peninsula 25 with a clown pair, maybe a blenny, and some shrimp or snails. I would love a bubble tip for my clowns but that's probably a little advanced for me to start with. 

As for water changes, it seems like there is some kind of automated system for everything imaginable, is there a system available to do water changes?

I see the advantages and disadvantages to going small vs large. 

I have a space next to my desk for a 20 to 25 gallon waterbox type tank and stand. And then I have space for a larger tank, how much space I'm not sure yet. 

So theoretically I could do both. And with that in mind I may start small to figure everything out and then add a larger tank. I have so many more questions. 

1 hour ago, islandVib3s said:

Yes ,smaller tanks leave smaller water delusion for mistakes. I did start with a 29ga but 40b I would highly recommend. 

Would you go the AIO route?

Hi all,

I've been lurking on the forum for a bit, but decided to finally jump in.

I'm a total newbie to salt. I've had freshwater in the past. But between being in school and in an apartment for years, having any kind of tank wasn't feasible. We are finally in a house and I want to get into this.

The big question, where should I even start? I was looking at a 15 to 25 gallon waterbox with a few fish, but, I believe smaller tanks are more difficult to maintain parameters. At the same time I don't want to drop the cash for a huge setup to only mess things up or become frustrated.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.