I bought a thing and I see some things in tank

[bph]

Yes, I am a total noob. I went to BRK last Tuesday and we bought a cleaner gobie (blue and black) and a wavy coral thingy (pulsating xenias?). The xenias is pink and has a lot of arms. At the end of the arms are fingers that open and close. Well, they used to open and close. Now they just wave around (with the water current). He is in some heavy current at times (I have a canister filter that fills up with water and ejects it into the tank at a cycle of about 2 minutes per. Should I move him? Why did he stop pulsating? He was in a heavy current at BRK when we purchased him.

 

And the other things we have discovered in our tank. On the glass are these little (tiny tiny tiny) white (actually, kind of clear) ovals with a lot of legs on them. We don't have many of them, but just started noticing them. What are they?

 

I just ran some tests and have the following results:

 

pH 8.6 (this too high? how do I lower it if it is?)

Nitrite 0

Ammonia 0

HydroMeter 1.028 (yes, kind of high, will add pure RO water (without salt) on my next water change

Calcium was around 460ish, test is a little subjective as it relies on you telling when it changes from purple to blue)

I don't have a Nitrate test yet.

 

Tank is about 8 months old. 26 gallon with 35 lbs of live rock and about 2-3" of live sand.

My light is a Orbit brand 30" 2-Lamp 65watt 24 hour lightning system; one 65 watt sunpaq dual actinic [420NM + 460NM] and one 65 watt sunpaq dual daylight [6,700K + 10,000K], two lunar lights

BakPak protein skimmer.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Brian & Kristen

Edited December 10, 2007 by bph

[luceneck]

Those tiny dots with legs are probably copepods. Check this page, I think they are the second one on the top list http://melevsreef.com/id/pods.html . Copepods are a good thing.

 

In terms of the xenia I really don't know, sorry.

['Ric]

...

I don't have a Nitrate test yet.

...

Brian & Kristen

 

I hope you plan to get one soon. Nitrates are the end product of the ammonia->nitrite->nitrate process. They tend to accumulate and creep up on you until your tank is really balanced. You won't know until you test for them. I have a Salifert test that I can recommend because it's a lot more accurate than the test strips I used to use.

 

 

Cheers.

'Ric

[zotzer]

I have read that xenia can be very sensitive to pH. That may be why they are acting funny. Only way to tell is to get your parameters in line and see if things improve. I now have about three types of xenia. Some are much more sensitive to flow than others, but two of the three I have will adapt to it over time.

 

Let us know what happens.

Tracy

[gastone]

IMO your parameters look fine. The SG is a bit disconcerting though. 1.028 is a tad high, however the swing arm is probably not the best way to go. Not that a hobbyist refractometer is ideal either, but they do seem to work fairly well. You can pick one up for under $40 (here's one for $20: http://cgi.ebay.com/Salinity-Refractometer...1QQcmdZViewItem )

 

Gotta love Hong Kong.

 

As for the xenia, it can be hit or miss. For some people it thrives, for other it just wastes away. This goes for both new and experienced hobbyists alike. Mine pulses in lower flow. If it ends up in front of a powerhead I find that the flow is too much and pushes the stalks over. This doesn't inhibit growth at all, just limits the pulsing action.

 

I would recommend that you try some mushrooms as well. They are pretty bulletproof and tolerable of different water conditions.

 

FWIW a few years ago I had stopped checking my SG. It had crept up to 1.031. All corals, fish, anemones and clams were doing just fine. They can be quite adaptable, but stability is key.

 

GL

 

Garrett.

[bph]

Everyone,

 

Thanks for the replies! I have ordered a Nitrate test.

 

I have read that xenia can be very sensitive to pH. That may be why they are acting funny. Only way to tell is to get your parameters in line and see if things improve.

 

What is the best way to realign my parameters? I understand putting in less salty or fresh water would lower my salinity, but how do you affect the pH reading?

 

I would recommend that you try some mushrooms as well. They are pretty bulletproof and tolerable of different water conditions.

 

Are there any particular mushrooms that you would recommend?

 

Thanks again!

[jason the filter freak]

 

What is the best way to realign my parameters? I understand putting in less salty or fresh water would lower my salinity, but how do you affect the pH reading?

 

Slow water changes of decresed salinity should solve both

 

Are there any particular mushrooms that you would recommend?

 

 

Any mushrooms which you find attractive, they're super simple.

 

Where are you located? You should add it to your profile

Edited December 11, 2007 by jason the filter freak

[bph]

I live in Dale City. I have ammended my profile. Thanks again for your reply!!

[lanman]

Everyone,

 

Thanks for the replies! I have ordered a Nitrate test.

What is the best way to realign my parameters? I understand putting in less salty or fresh water would lower my salinity, but how do you affect the pH reading?

Are there any particular mushrooms that you would recommend?

 

Thanks again!

 

Not sure how new you are to the hobby, or how much good information you got. Are you 'topping off' the evaporation with FRESH water, as opposed to salt water? Once you think about it, it seems only reasonable and logical - but I can tell you that I didn't think of it in my first tank until my salinity hit about 1.030. Probably seemed to the guys at the fish store that EVERYONE knows that...

 

bob

[bph]

Good point. Didn't think about it and yes, I have been topping of with salt water. I had two jugs of salt and one jug of fresh just for that purpose, but then failed to think about what I was doing when I started just adding more salt water into it.

 

Not sure how new you are to the hobby, or how much good information you got. Are you 'topping off' the evaporation with FRESH water, as opposed to salt water? Once you think about it, it seems only reasonable and logical - but I can tell you that I didn't think of it in my first tank until my salinity hit about 1.030. Probably seemed to the guys at the fish store that EVERYONE knows that...

 

bob

[lanman]

Good point. Didn't think about it and yes, I have been topping of with salt water. I had two jugs of salt and one jug of fresh just for that purpose, but then failed to think about what I was doing when I started just adding more salt water into it.

 

It's one of those 'doh!' things...

 

Once I realized what was happening, It only made sense.

 

bob

[bph]

It's one of those 'doh!' things...

 

Once I realized what was happening, It only made sense.

 

bob

 

So I moved the xenia to the bottom of the tank, and a little bit out of the direct current, but he still just seems to flop about. Certainly not as perky as he was when I first got him at BRK... :(

 

Nitrate test hasn't arrived yet, so still waiting to test those numbers.

[bph]

Hello all,

 

I got my nitrate test today and did a reading. It looked to be between 10-25ppm (again, this is pretty subjective... wife was thinking it was closer to the 25 reading). It is a Salifert test. I tried looking on the side (the low range test) and it was the same color as 100ppm, which you then divide by 10, but since this was the top of the scale, I am not sure how accurate that is

 

Is there anyone else out there with this test that might be able to give me a hint on how to read this thing properly?

 

Thanks again,

Brian and Kristen

 

P.S. It seems as if those copepods have disappeared.

Edited December 19, 2007 by bph

[Gman91]

check your iodine level, xenia will usually only pulse when the iodine levels in the water are at a respectable level.

[Brian Ward]

Hello all,

 

I got my nitrate test today and did a reading. It looked to be between 10-25ppm (again, this is pretty subjective... wife was thinking it was closer to the 25 reading). It is a Salifert test. I tried looking on the side (the low range test) and it was the same color as 100ppm, which you then divide by 10, but since this was the top of the scale, I am not sure how accurate that is

 

Is there anyone else out there with this test that might be able to give me a hint on how to read this thing properly?

 

Thanks again,

Brian and Kristen

 

P.S. It seems as if those copepods have disappeared.

 

The water quantity is probably different for the low vs high range test. I use the instant ocean tests and the nitrite has a low and high range but i don't remember the nitrate having that. if you've maxed out the low range test then you'll go to the high range test (typically same amount of chemical, less water) usually the color is closer to one color than the other. make sure you are holding the colored liquid against a white background - if you still have difficulty make sure you are looking at it under a bright true white light so you don't get yellow discoloration. we'll assume you're at 25ppm nitrate. that's too high for most corals to thrive though xenia generally grows like a weed so I dont think this is your problem. do some water changes, make sure not to lower your sg or pH too quickly. neither is horribly high so do water changes with 1.026 water and you'll be fine. as for the copepods, your gobie may have eaten them. if you have any other fish in the tank they also may have eaten them. no big deal, they typically breed pretty quickly and unless you have something that feasts on them constantly (mandarin, 6-line, or other dragonette or wrasse) the population probably won't disappear.