My Adventure with F.W.

mls3371971 · 04-23-2012, 05:25 AM

And so it begins. I have decided to change my aquarium. I have a s.w tank and decided since I can't afford to keep up with the it the best thing to do would be to let it go. So I took all of my fish, corals, and invertebrae back to my lfs. I decided I wasn't going to get rid of my live rock since I paid so much for it might as well figure out how to use it. So I found the bleaching method. I did that. Rock turned out great and for a week now I have had it running. I have 2 filtration units and 2 heaters that keep it a constant 78* and black sand and black eco-comp. for the substrate.

mls3371971 · 04-23-2012, 05:27 AM

I checked my Ammonia level Sunday night and I was right at 3ppms. I am going to check it again on Tuesday. That will be officially 1 week from when the Ammonia began. I am hoping to see Nitrites starting. Keeping fingers crossed. I have been checking to see what plants and animals I would like to put in it, I have pretty much decided on an angel tank. We shall see what happens in the next few weeks as we get closer to the end of the cycle.

Ladayen · 04-23-2012, 09:11 AM

I wouldn't use the live rock. It raises the PH and hardness of your water, which is something the angels wont like.

**emc7** · 04-23-2012, 09:20 AM

It would work for african lake cichlids, but I agree you don't want it in with fish from South America. I know it does you no good to tell you what you should've done. But live rock is so much more valuable than dead rock, you should've sold it and bought new decor.

mls3371971 · 04-23-2012, 04:31 PM

noone would buy it. trust me I tried for the last year I have tried to sell everything in my tank and even the tank, the LFS told me they would take is as donation but wouldn't buy it so I kept it anyway. My ph is 7.3 but its in the ammonia phase so I am not worried about that. It will be alright... Trust me....

mls3371971 · 04-23-2012, 07:38 PM

Ok so I am sitting here rethinking my tank decor...Emc and Ladayan thanks...now I am thinking I want to do a driftwood...so I am trying to think of some wood that I can use that would look cool

mls3371971 · 04-25-2012, 07:16 PM

Ok. Week number 2 has commenced. I now have .25 ammonia, and I have nitrites showing..Yeah me...I went ahead and check PH and its at 7.4 which is perfect....I am getting there. Next week I should have nitrates popping and then I can do water change put some plants in and get me some angels going...yeah tank. your doing fine....

giggitygiggity · 04-27-2012, 12:18 PM

I hate when LFS say they only take stuff as a donation. They just take your donation and sell it to rip someone else off.

Fish stores are like mechanics and car dealers. Ripoffs.

**emc7** · 04-27-2012, 01:37 PM

supply and demand. Fish stores are about the only place where people will just give them inventory. Mine will give store credit for some things, but takes free jewels, convicts and big mbuna and then turns around and sells them (big mbuna go for $30). But as long as they can get it for free, why pay? Only taking free stuff bothers me less than selling you stuff that will outgrow your tank in the first place. That's like they are using customers as "grow out" tanks.

mls3371971 · 04-27-2012, 04:40 PM

True that Emc...I have been trying to end my s.w tank for a long while and it took me a while to get them to say they would give me half my purchase back. I mean really... I ended up giving them my corals back and well I think I got ripped on those, but its ok. I needed it to end ya know...So I don't miss the tank or the maintenance. Kinda miss my clownfish but glad its over... I keep checking my ph and its still at 7.4 and my ammonia was at .25 last time I checked and my nitrites were at .28 last night, I am thinking Tuesday the nitrates would show up and then the cycle will be complete...

mls3371971 · 04-28-2012, 01:09 PM

My son and I went out to the lake and we found some really cool pieces of driftwood, the lake is low here so we were able to get it...Got it cleaned up and ready to enter the tank... I am kinda excited. Wish I could add plants and fish today...Next week is coming though...

**Obsidian** · 04-29-2012, 10:20 AM

You might want to bleach the wood for a few minutes. Nothing major just 5-10 minutes in a bleach solution which would kill any heebie jeebies. I have done this. I bleached it then I soaked it out in regular water a couple of times, then let it dry completely and put it in the tank. Took about a day. I let it dry overnight and put it in the tank in the AM.

Certainly you don't have to do that, it's just a preference of mine since I never know what diseases might be in a lake.

mls3371971 · 04-29-2012, 11:51 AM

Too True Obsidian, I soaked it but I used a vinegar solution and then let it sit in the bathtub I refilled it a couple of times and when the water stayed clear I put it in the tank...Looks pretty good I must say, I can't wait til I get some plants I used zips to anchor it to the rocks. It will be hidden when I add some plants.