New to all this

[trble81]

I just checked...our canister filter (cascade) is rated at 115 gallons per hour and it came with a "custom flow kit" of sorts which included a pole with holes in it that we set up that it would hit the glass and have water flow around the tank back to the filter intake. Our protein skimmer is right next to the out-put so all that happy oxygenated water gets pushed around the tank. As my wife said, we were looking at power heads but we were told that it would be unnecessary for our size tank, especially because we were only doing a fish only, live rock tank.

[trble81]

So I walk down this morning and notice that my protein skimmer isn't working as it should. We have a visi-jet skimmer and by "not working" I mean there are no bubbles in the tube and air is not mixing in the flow chamber thing. Water is still moving through the unit. Any ideas?

[TROLL]

I think your airtube might be clogged or the valve is closed- try adjust the valve again, sometime I have to readjust valves repeatly.

[dhoch]

First thing to check is as troll said the airline tube... is it blocked (sometimes blowing through it can free any blockage).

 

Dave

[trble81]

We will have to check on the airline when we get home from work today. We thought that it might be clogged and that was causing the problem. We didn't have it open very far because it was just blowing a lot of micro bubbles into the tank before we got the rest of our LR in the tank. I guess it is doing what it is supposed to now and we should turn it up.

~Heather

[trble81]

An update:

I guess our protein skimmer just needed to be turned off for a bit. When I got home from work I plugged it back in and adjusted the air intake and it started working just fine. So, I guess it just needed more air to be let in to it. At least now we know for next time what to look at first. Thanks for the advice!

~Heather

[Sugar Magnolia]

Micro bubbles are pretty normal in new equipment. My skimmer will also produce micro bubbles when I take it, or my canister filter apart for cleaning.

[trble81]

OK so another question for everyone. We are starting to put together what fish we would like to put in the tank (when we are able to). I know that we should look at clowns, blennies, gobies and damsels. Are there any other suggestions on types to look for? (keep in mind it is a 35g hex tank) Also, are there any good web sites for finding pictures of different fish? It's one thing to say we can keep a goby, but to be able to see what the different type gobies there are would be great.

Thanks,

Heather

[jason the filter freak]

I don't buy from but often use www.saltwaterfish.com to scope out fish, there are also a number of good books out there. Pay very close attention to which fish require mature tanks, and steer clear of them. Also don't sleep on your inverts; hermits, crabs, shrimp, snails, some sea stars, sea hares, there's lots out there, do your research pretty well, and cross check what one lfs tells you against a book, a web site tells you against an lfs, what a book tells you against a website... and so on

 

 

Hmmm this thread is starting to go the way of bemmers 500 gal tank thread, in terms of lenght

[trble81]

...there's lots out there, do your research pretty well, and cross check what one lfs tells you against a book, a web site tells you against an lfs, what a book tells you against a website... and so on

We are trying to do the research, just hoping for ideas on good resorces to use. Feel free to be specific . Remember, we don't know very much.

Thanks,

Heather

[TROLL]

I use liveaquaria.com for all fact sheets on fishes plus compability chart. Used to be flyingfishexpress.com.

 

They doesn't always have all info but cover pretty much of common fishes you find in store.

[steveoutlaw]

OK so another question for everyone. We are starting to put together what fish we would like to put in the tank (when we are able to). I know that we should look at clowns, blennies, gobies and damsels. Are there any other suggestions on types to look for? (keep in mind it is a 35g hex tank) Also, are there any good web sites for finding pictures of different fish? It's one thing to say we can keep a goby, but to be able to see what the different type gobies there are would be great.

Thanks,

Heather

 

 

Hey Heather - Tank is looking good so far. Here is a link to live aquaria's website. This is their section for Nano fish. I'm not saying you should buy the fish from here but they have pics and information of a lot of fish that are good for small tanks.

 

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=2124

Edited January 19, 2007 by steveoutlaw

[trble81]

Mike and I would live to throw out a big "THANK YOU" to steveoutlaw for the terrific LR he sold to us this afternoon. We are happy to report that it made the trip from VA to MD with no accidents and we even have a few of the polyps opening up to test our water. We would also like to pose a question. We seem to have a very small (ie: smaller than a dime) starfish that made the trip with the LR. THis little hitchhiker is beige in color and has six arms. Is there anyway that anyone would know what type of starfish that is? Or, do we need to feed it anything? It is the only real living thing in the tank right now. Any insight would be welcomed.

 

Thanks,

Heather

 

Yeah, so we came home today and looked at the tank and were all like, "ooh, there's the starfish again...hello little squishy!!" And then we were all like, "hey there's another one...and look.....there's another one..."

 

We may not have any fish just yet but we've got a starfish farm going on in here. I'd take pictures and add it to the gallery but I've got this feeling that I would have a snowball's chance in H-E-double hocky sticks that I'd be able to get a picture that actually looked like what I wanted it to.