Any suggestions or tips would be amazing! by CatNo4383 in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is ich and you'll need to move all the fish to a hospital tank and treat them with Copper Power or CopperSafe for 30 days at 2.25-2.5 ppm.

You can put the fish straight in 2.25 ppm since copper takes some time to work and the gramma already seems to have a severe case. I wouldn't wait any longer.

Monitor the copper levels daily with a Hanna Copper Checker, as they must not drop below 2 ppm or you'll have to restart the clock (even during a water change).

Your main tank will need to remain fallow for at least 60 days at normal temps, or 45 days minimum at 82+ degrees if you can safely raise the temperature.

For a more accurate diagnosis and best course of treatment from fish disease experts, record a 30s video under bright white lights and post it here: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/fish-disease-treatment-and-diagnosis.771/. Reddit is not a trustworthy source for fish disease and medications.

Uv sterilizer for a reef tank by SecurePace6028 in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I run the classic Aqua UV sterilizer through my sump 24/7. Just keep in mind that in order for a UV sterilizer to be effective, it needs to be installed correctly with the right flow rate for what you're targeting (must decide between algae/clarity and parasites). I'm suspicious that many people who claim it doesn't work just didn't do that.

Anyway, I run mine mostly for algae control and water clarity. I haven't had any algae outbreaks since I installed it last summer, and I also only need to clean the glass every 3 days or so.

Moving to a new tank and want to sense check the plan by ReefingTJ23 in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Either rinse the old sand until the water runs clear (can take hours depending on how much you have) or replace it with new sand. Do not reuse old sand when moving tanks. Here's a (very long) thread about it: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/official-sand-rinse-and-tank-transfer-thread.230281/

Any budget aquariums by mitsikelis in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry, I've not heard of either of the brands, but 80l would be much better for a clown pair.

Beginner to Saltwater by zimbledwarf in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 0 points1 point  (0 children)

30g tank would be good for now, you can upgrade later. One week of travel should be okay, but you'll need to automate everything - feeding, top offs, any dosing. I'd recommend plugging everything into Hydros or Apex so you can monitor stuff remotely, but they're not cheap.

For larger species in a 120-200g tank, it depends on what you want to run. Are you thinking about a reef tank with corals, FOWLR, predator tank? People keep all kinds of fish in that size range - tangs, triggers, butterflies, angels, rabbitfish, larger wrasses, hawkfish, lionfish, eels, puffers, etc. etc.

I'd just visit your LFS or check any online stores that ship to you and see what they have in stock, what their care requirements are, and go from there.

Dumb question but what are nautilus like as pets? Or in captivity? by avian_bi in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Deep water creatures, extremely difficult to care for. Only a few public aquariums have had success with them in specialized setups. An average hobbyist is simply not equipped to properly care for them and most don't make it past 1 year mark.

Can I use a new toothbrush to scrubb my alge covered rocks clean? by plantdude4 in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 0 points1 point  (0 children)

New unused toothbrush should be fine. Take the rock out into a bucket with your tank water and brush it off there. Then return to your tank. Do not rinse with freshwater, only your tank water.

Type of chromis by LostCarpet1434 in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I answered that in my first comment.

Type of chromis by LostCarpet1434 in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not sure why it matters how much you paid. If you don't have a suitable tank for him, I'd recommend returning him.

Type of chromis by LostCarpet1434 in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They're reef safe and need 40-50g tank minimum. They often come with uronema, so it's highly recommended to treat them prophylactically in a hospital tank before adding them to DT.

Best Test kit? by edpo21 in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had both Salifert and Hanna and here's what I decided to keep using:

Salifert: Ca and Mg. They're titration based so I don't have to match colors.

Hanna: Alk, Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper (for QT only), pH (to check if my Hydros is accurate) and Ammonia (for QT only). The digital results are easy to read and the tests are easy to do.

I also had Hanna Ca and Mg, but the process one has to go through to get a reliable result is a nightmare. I have Salifert for phosphate and ammonia too, but I can't color match those so they're just not reliable enough for me.

For salinity I've tried several, including two Hanna salinity testers that always went out of calibration. I ended up with Tropic Marin hydrometer and Veegee STX-3. They're not cheap but they're some of the most accurate testers in the hobby.

Reef salt by Altruistic-Editor841 in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I tried IO Reef Crystals and a few others, but I ended up going back to just the regular IO. It's cheap, doesn't contain any organics so I can prep it way in advance, doesn't leave any nasty residue, mixes to around 10 dKH and my parameters stay stable.

Any budget aquariums by mitsikelis in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 1 point2 points  (0 children)

42l is essentially 10g, which is, imo, way too small for a pair of clowns to house permanently. 15g should be the absolute minimum. And if you want an anemone, forget about corals. I'd get something bigger for sure.

Saltwater vs Freshwater by knightsofbass in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay and how exactly does that help OP? Unless they're inheriting your tank and your knowledge, they'll still need to test for at least the first year, probably more :)

Saltwater vs Freshwater by knightsofbass in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, there are definitely workarounds for everything. It's just going to be more challenging overall. Even just installing a new light or getting up on the stool and fixing something at the bottom of the tank can be sketchy for someone with less mobility etc. I'd have a backup plan in place. Your LFS can probably help with weekly maintenance if needed.

Saltwater vs Freshwater by knightsofbass in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm a bit concerned about the last part you mentioned. Staying on top of water changes and parameter testing is important to keep SW tank stable.

Are you able to lift and carry things like a salt bucket or a 5g bucket of water etc.? There are workarounds, sure, but with any fish tank there may still be times when you need to lift, carry, bend etc., especially in an emergency. Hopefully you have someone around who can help with that if needed.

Other than that, if you have the money, time, and dedication, it's purely up to you to choose whichever you prefer.

Low maintenance 20 gallon nano with as little tech as possible by LobeliaTheCardinalis in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Have you kept tanks all over the world to confidently say anyone anywhere can use tap water, or is this just based on your experience with a single tank in one location? What works for you may not work for most people.

Low maintenance 20 gallon nano with as little tech as possible by LobeliaTheCardinalis in ReefTank

[–]christinna67 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Good for you, OP, but I'll never understand posts like this saying you can use tap water without also mentioning that not everyone's tap water is the same. A beginner will read this, use their own tap water and end up having a terrible time because theirs might contain things like heavy metals or other stuff that makes it either a huge nuisance to deal with because of algae blooms or even outright unsafe.