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Saltwater Aquarium/Questions Answered by Expert Glenn Fritz
| Subject | Date Asked |
| algae, clown fish | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: hey glenn! tanks doin good. now that i am down 2 a royal gramma who is doing real well and 2 1" ... A: Hey Nick, Without pictures its hard to be precise in identifications. The black spot on your clown ... | |
| pico tank | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: ! several days ago i set up a tiny pico tank, im not quite sure the size but it is maybe a little ... A: Clown Gobies reach around 2 inches to 2 and a half inches. The rule of thumb for any marine system ... | |
| pico tank | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: ! several days ago i set up a tiny pico tank, im not quite sure the size but it is maybe a little ... A: Well, the bad news is that no, the gobies will not survive long in a tank that size. These are fish ... | |
| Blue-Dot Jawfish | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: I own a Blue-Dot Jawfish, and lately he has been acting extremely strange. He used to be the best ... A: Sorry to hear you're still having troubles. You are correct in the assumption that biting the ... | |
| Salt water ponds and Aquriums | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: and whether it would be sustainable to do so. And how hard would it be ? and if you know of anyone ... A: The only company I know would be Aqua-Farms out of Hawaii. You could do a google search on companies ... | |
| Salt water ponds and Aquriums | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: and whether it would be sustainable to do so. And how hard would it be ? and if you know of anyone ... A: It's possible and has been done many many times. Environment is everything for a pond of any kind. A ... | |
| Blue-Dot Jawfish | 5/17/2010 |
| Q: I own a Blue-Dot Jawfish, and lately he has been acting extremely strange. He used to be the best ... A: Hey Chris, The damage caused by a brittle star would be more annoyance and discomfort than anything ... | |
| duster | 5/16/2010 |
| Q: my feather duster only comes out when light is out 14 gallon nano cube 15 lbs live rock/sand A: Im assuming your question is why the feather duster only comes out at night? There could be a number ... | |
| deaths | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: .this is strange, but i am a beginner at salt water aquariums. i have one small fish in a 10 gal ... A: Hey James, Stress is the number 1 killer of our fish in marine aquaria. Inadequate acclimation time, ... | |
| Unidentified Growth on Live Rock | 5/9/2010 |
| Q: I have a 70 gal. tank that's been set up for over four years. It contains healthy zoanthids, ... A: Hey Joe, You dont mention inhabitants in your system. Im pretty positive that is a poriferan. A ... | |
| skunk cleaner shrimp | 5/8/2010 |
| Q: My tank is two months old. 100 gallons. Just now going through brown algea stage. For four weeks ... A: If all you found is the shell, the exoskeleton... your lil guy has most likely molted and is ... | |
| Ray tank | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: What are the minimum dimensions and/or gallons for a ray tank, and what species of ray can safely ... A: Thats a extremely broad question. The size of the tank depends on the species. The set up depends on ... | |
| maroon clownfish | 5/5/2010 |
| Q: my maroon clownfish has been in my tank for two days now.. i know i am probably just worrying to ... A: Hey Braden, If this is the only deviation in behavior, it is, most likely, just the simple fact that ... | |
| Help identifying!!! | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: I recently setup a saltwater tank and added live cured rock. I noticed a small tear drop shaped ... A: Without a picture I'm a little handicapped giving you a positive i.d.. But from your description it ... | |
| llive rock | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: I have a 6 month old establish marine aquarium. How can I add more live rock to it? I have plenty of ... A: Depending on the species in population and required swim/movement space required you can add quite a ... | |
| Raising Japanese Shore Crabs in class | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: What are the requirements for raising Japanese shore crabs in the classroom? I want to keep them ... A: I'm assuming that you are interested in housing Hemigrapsus Sanguineus/Asian Shore Crab/Japanese ... | |
| Shrimp | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: Quick question regarding shrimp. I bought three Skunk Cleaner shrimp about a week ago. After about ... A: Hey Robert, The 2 missing cleaner shrimp have probably been cleaned up by your janitorial crew. It ... | |
| Moorish Idol | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: This morning I found my Moorish Idol stuck in my anemone. This was the first night for this fish ... A: This isn't the normal behavior of a Moorish Idol. At least not in my experience. I doubt that he ... | |
| algae | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: im hoping you can help me with this, this has been going on for a while now and i want this to end: ... A: Hey Nick, If you are still having issues with algae it has to be either a lighting or nutrient ... | |
| skimmimg | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: I have a 180lt marine aquarium with 50lbs / 20kg of live rock , live stock 2 x clownfish , 2 x ... A: Hey Jonathan, Turning off the skimmer periodically is fine, it just creates more wear on the unit ... | |
| aquarium | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: how long will the tank take 2 clear up after you start it i put the sand n live sand in 16 hours ago ... A: It depends on filtration, flow, how well you rinsed the sand before you started, volume of aquarium, ... | |
| Starting up | 4/17/2010 |
| Q: Do i need a protein skimmer or a calcium reactor for a 14 gallon or a 24 gallon reef tank? oh, and ... A: Hey Ryan, If you are planning to build a reef then I would recommend a skimmer. You can do it ... | |
| adding coral to a fish tank | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a 180 gallon fish tank with an asfur angel, majestic angel, lion fish, puffer, powder blue ... A: Hey Nick, It all boils down to lighting and water quality. You need between 4 and 6 watts of light ... | |
| Saltwater fish tank (algae) | 4/12/2010 |
| Q: I have just started my first saltwater tank (10gallon) and it has been running for about 2 weeks ... A: Hey Cesar, Without a picture I can't be positive but I believe what you are seeing is cyanobacteria. ... | |
| green moss? | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I have soft round ball like green moss growing on my live rock is this harmful to my tank and fish? ... A: It is most likely that you have a form of algae growing. Without a picture I cant be positive, but ... | |
| protein skimmerssss | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: my question is in regards to protein skimmers! (again) since you are THE best person (opn the ... A: Hey Nick, I'm no expert on protein skimmers, I am familiar with the Aqua C models(they're all very ... | |
| Hi i've just bought to clown fish | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: Hi i've just bought to clown fish IN THE EVENING THE THING IS BOTH FISH ARE FLOATING ON TOP OF THE ... A: No this is not normal behavior. Unfortunately with the small amount of information you give I can't ... | |
| Feather Dusters on Aquarium Wall | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: I am pretty sure that the white balls (spiral with tentacles) on my aquarium glass are more than ... A: Hey Kash, They are spirorbid worms, similar to a feather duster, but with a more calcified exterior. ... | |
| live rock- organisms growing | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: I have a live rock in my 30 gallon saltwater tank. About a month ago I started noticing small white ... A: Without a picture I can't give you a definitive answer, but I'm 99.9% sure that what you are seeing ... | |
| anemone and arrow crab | 4/3/2010 |
| Q: hola glenn! sorry for the late qua=estion but i had to monitor my arrow crab at night because ... A: Hey Nick, Sexing an Arrow Crab... on the underside, an egg sack shouldn't be visible but there ... | |
| Need ID help | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: When I bought this from my local pet store they told me that it was a hairy mushroom. After getting ... A: There is no guarantee of the crab or using Butterfly Fish to control Aiptasia. In the wild these ... | |
| Need ID help | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: When I bought this from my local pet store they told me that it was a hairy mushroom. After getting ... A: The angle of your picture makes it a little hard to tell. It does look like Aiptasia, a nuisance ... | |
| Salt water aquarium | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: I have a 300Liters aquarium, how much salt should i put in it? is there a formula i can follow? ... A: I wish there was an easy answer but there isn't. You need the water of an marine aquarium to be at a ... | |
| algae | 3/29/2010 |
| Q: what causes red algae to build up in my tank daily A: I assume you are talking about the velvety or slimy looking dark red stuff? This isn't actually an ... | |
| all going... | 3/29/2010 |
| Q: ... i wish it hasnt come to last minute but, sadly i have to face facts that my tank it suffering. ... A: Well it could be nutritional with the Blenny. If there arent enough of the right algae(green hair, ... | |
| 125 gal salt water fish tank! | 3/28/2010 |
| Q: Hey guys, I have a 20 gal. salt water fish tank but I'll like to get a 125 gal. tank and used what I ... A: Hey Tony, Thats a big step. You can use what you have from the 20 gallon.... and add to it. ... | |
| all going... | 3/28/2010 |
| Q: ... i wish it hasnt come to last minute but, sadly i have to face facts that my tank it suffering. ... A: Hey Nick, His gills are disappearing? Do you mean disintegrating? Phosphates cause algae problems, ... | |
| New Tank with Clown Fish | 3/27/2010 |
| Q: my name is Robert i have recently got my 29 gallon tank on March 15th, and on that day i had ... A: Well the bad news is that your clown probably has ich and maybe a fungal infection(based on ... | |
| live rock | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: i have these white tube like things growing on my live rock with string like worms coming out of ... A: Hey Phil, Without a photo I cant be 100% positive, but it's most likely just a tubiculous, ... | |
| SALTWATER TANK | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: ok so i started a 20 gallon tank 3 wks ago and nobody at any pet store informed me that the tank had ... A: Pet stores, gotta love them! You need to be doing water changes. About 25% a change, every 2 to 3 ... | |
| live rock growth | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: can you please identify this growth on my live rock. ... A: Hey Jon, My pleasure. Be careful with Aiptasia-X, it can be very harmful to ALL of your ... | |
| algae | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: i have seen to have seen (hehe) a very small chiton mollusk looking creature. less than an inch ... A: Hey Nick, It could be lighting, it could be nutrients. Unlike other algae, nitrates are bad for ... | |
| chiton | 3/20/2010 |
| Q: i have seen to have seen (hehe) a very small chiton mollusk looking creature. less than an inch ... A: Hey Nick, Glad to hear it! Without a picture I cant be accurate with an id. But if it looks to be a ... | |
| live rock growth | 3/19/2010 |
| Q: can you please identify this growth on my live rock. A: That's a nice rock... a couple good types of encrusting algae, the looks of some sponges colonies ... | |
| anemones | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: not only for asthetics but for my pair of clowns.i have a communal tank and would like to know if ... A: Anemone are a big decision to make. There are numerous species and they are all fairly fragile. None ... | |
| torn mouth | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: I have a red breasted wrasse whose mouth was literally torn off by a guneia fowl puffer fish and a ... A: Wow... that's too bad. Horrible to have one of our aquatic pets injured. Unfortunately, I don't ... | |
| My saltwater aquarium | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: I have had a 75 gallon saltwater set up for a month now. The first day I added a scooter blenny, ... A: Hey Darrin, With the information at hand, the best I can do is guess and hopefully get you pointed ... | |
| sponge | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: every things goin great i just have 2 questions to ask. 1 do you know what this spongy material is ... A: Hey Nick, Good to hear. Without a picture I cant really be sure whats growing. It may very well be a ... | |
| Algae | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: Lots of algae has popped up heavily in my saltwater tank (looks brown) - on the glass on the rocks. ... A: Lol... It's easy to confuse. Power of lighting is one thing, length of photo period is another. When ... | |
| live rock | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: purchased my first amount of "cured" live rock today , added to tank , looks great , do i leave the ... A: Hey Jon, If the rock is already cured, then you want the photo period. Just keep the lighting to no ... | |
| Orange on the bottom of my tank | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: I have just started my salt water tank, it has been up and running for about 2 weeks and i have had ... A: Is the orange patch, slimy or velvety looking? It's most likely a cyanobacteria bloom. Very common ... | |
| Algae | 3/8/2010 |
| Q: Lots of algae has popped up heavily in my saltwater tank (looks brown) - on the glass on the rocks. ... A: Hey Rich, Algae is part of a healthy marine system. Period. There will always be some in the system, ... | |
| Dead Fish | 3/8/2010 |
| Q: My fish looked healthy two days ago. Yesterday, some of them started looking sick (cloudy eyes, ... A: Hey Rich, If you mix your own saltwater from a mix, you need to use an air pump to oxygenate the ... | |
| filter / skimmer | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: had tropical tanks for years , stepped it up to a marine tank , i'm wanting to house clownfish , ... A: No worries! There is no such thing as a stupid question my friend. It's better to ask and educate ... | |
| filter / skimmer | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: had tropical tanks for years , stepped it up to a marine tank , i'm wanting to house clownfish , ... A: I'm a firm believer in taking your time and building your system to be as healthy as possible. A ... | |
| Dead Fish | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: My fish looked healthy two days ago. Yesterday, some of them started looking sick (cloudy eyes, ... A: Hey Rich, Ich usually doesn't kill that quickly and doesn't have the "web" or cottony look. It does ... | |
| ICH & copper | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: Glenn, I am treating my q-tank with Sea Cure Copper by Aquarium systems what is a safe level of ... A: The thing you don't want to hear... there are no "safe" levels of copper. That's why copper based ... | |
| Dead Fish | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: My fish looked healthy two days ago. Yesterday, some of them started looking sick (cloudy eyes, ... A: Hey Rich, Sorry to hear about your losses. Truly disheartening to have your whole system go. It ... | |
| filter / skimmer | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: had tropical tanks for years , stepped it up to a marine tank , i'm wanting to house clownfish , ... A: I personally don't use protein skimmers, however, in a system that size you will probably need the ... | |
| reducing salt content | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: I have a 10 gallon tank. the salt measured like 1.028 on the hydrometer before adding a blue damsel ... A: Hey David, You need to reduce the salinity/specific gravity. Between 1.024 to 1.026(no higher than ... | |
| tank ? | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: 16lbs live rock, good light, heater, average filter. I had a well established tank with 2 clowns, 2 ... A: Hey Mike, Sorry to hear... that really bites when you have someone let your tank crash. I would test ... | |
| antennata | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: i have a lionfish im guessing with a bladder problem because he cant swim straight up and he swims ... A: Hey Nick, Sorry to hear that. Make sure that nothing is against the heater or enclosing the heater, ... | |
| worm problem | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: I have discovered several 2 to 5 inch multi-leg worms that come out at feeding time. I captured a ... A: Without a picture I can't give you a positive I.D., however, the majority of marine worms we find in ... | |
| red bacteria | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: I have an out break of red bacteria alage and got some treatment for it but I need to know what I ... A: Cyanobacteria... every aquarists enemy. Your best bet is to manually remove as much as you can, ... | |
| White stringy substance | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: I purchased a large live rock with many worms, mushrooms and various life such as small clams and a ... A: Are they on the glass 24/7? Without a picture I have to guess at what you're seeing... and my guess ... | |
| antennata | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: i have a lionfish im guessing with a bladder problem because he cant swim straight up and he swims ... A: Hey Nick, This may be part of their normal behavior. It is not uncommon to see your lionfish ... | |
| lighting system | 3/1/2010 |
| Q: i have a 75 gallon system(fish only)that has been going for about 10 years, i recently have been ... A: Hey Dave, Good man, reading up before you leap into a reef system. It sounds like you've got a ... | |
| white pods hatching in salt water tank | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: a couple weeks ago I began seeing white pods growing in my tank, the looked llike small white ... A: I cant be 100% positive without seeing, but I'm sure that was a feather duster(a worm). They will ... | |
| ich on royal gamma | 2/27/2010 |
| Q: I noticed my royal gamma had some white discoloration on his sides. He is eating fine and not ... A: Hey Todd, That is good news, but it can take longer depending on the species of fish as well. It's ... | |
| marine tank | 2/27/2010 |
| Q: i have 20kg of live rock i h ave noticed today that i have little white things running up and down ... A: Relax and enjoy. I'm 99.9% sure that what you are seeing are Pods, Copepods and/or Amphipods. There ... | |
| shark. | 2/27/2010 |
| Q: sorry glenn for all these questions but well in my dad 150 we have 3 lions (1 volitan, 1 antennata, ... A: Hey Nick, Not a problem, it's what I'm here for. Yes. Sharks are extremely vulnerable to all ... | |
| ich on royal gamma | 2/27/2010 |
| Q: I noticed my royal gamma had some white discoloration on his sides. He is eating fine and not ... A: Very smart to separate the little fella quickly, but I wouldn't medicate for something you're not ... | |
| more more more! | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: hey glenn! the parameters are in check and no more dying fish (i hope) butttt, my algae blenny, who ... A: Hey Nick, Check your testing kit. And test again. Tell me what all your levels are reading. Rapid ... | |
| Reef question | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: I have two small bead like things growing on a piece of live rock, the interesting thing is that ... A: Without a picture I'm not much help to you in the i.d. department. Many things start in a similar ... | |
| Chalk Goby | 2/25/2010 |
| Q: yesterday I bought a chalk goby, it was filtering sand very well in the display tank and was very ... A: Yes, this is normal. It can take a few days to a few weeks for them to get comfortable in a new ... | |
| clams. | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: i have a question, can i have a clam in a 14 gallon biocube. ANSWER: Hi Nick, I wouldn't recommend ... A: Marine systems need to mature to support certain life. Clams being one of them. Mature systems(1 ... | |
| clams. | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: i have a question, can i have a clam in a 14 gallon biocube. A: I wouldn't recommend it. They need stable conditions, and while some species tolerate nitrates, most ... | |
| dying fish! | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: i know it seems quike but my tank was set up since the week before thanksgiving last year and the ... A: Hey Nick, It was still probably an ammonia spike. In a system of that size you can get a spike that ... | |
| pinkworms | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: i was looking in my parents fish tank that is salt water and i found a whole live rock that has pink ... A: Hey Ryan, You can trap them and remove them if you'd like. It might take several days to get them ... | |
| saltwater fish | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: it is a half an inch big and is stuck to the side of the fishes belly what is it thanks guy A: Hey Guy, I need more information to help. What color is it? How big? Hard, soft, crystalline, gooey, ... | |
| dying fish! | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: i know it seems quike but my tank was set up since the week before thanksgiving last year and the ... A: Hey Nick, Moving too fast there my friend. I'm surprised you havent lost the Mandarin yet. A tank ... | |
| More on cloudy water | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: And Isee the little white worms....which I read could also cause bacteria blooms... Ughh! Any ... A: Lol... I'm sorry, I know that many of the life forms we encounter can be disgusting whether good or ... | |
| Cloudy water? Possible bacteria bloom | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: It's me again, I think my cloudiness may be due to a bacteria bloom. My proteim skimmer is making ... A: It could be a bacterial bloom. Water changes are the way to address water issues. Do 20% water ... | |
| Coral Beauty | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: it's me again. She is laying on rocks and still not eating, I think she will be going some time ... A: I'm so sorry to hear that, I hate losing pets. It could be. It has been known to add a haze, but it ... | |
| too high of a calcium level? | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: We recently purchased a new 125 gallon tank for our saltwater reef. Though we have had no problem ... A: Welcome to marine aquatics! Test your source water. Thats probably the culprit. 512 is high but not ... | |
| mystery item | 2/20/2010 |
| Q: we are new to saltwater aquariums and have had our tank now for about 6 weeks. We did the quick ... A: Corals and anemone need stable systems. Systems that have matured a year, sometimes more. There is ... | |
| protein skimmer | 2/20/2010 |
| Q: long time no see! i had a pretty small question about something big. protein skimmer. but a diy ... A: Yup, you could make it smaller. Just reduce all of the pipe by the same rate. If you use 3" for the ... | |
| protein skimmer | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: long time no see! i had a pretty small question about something big. protein skimmer. but a diy ... A: Glad to hear that it's going great for ya! The base is 5 inches wide at the 8" long pipe piece. It's ... | |
| Sick Coral Beauty | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: I've had a coral beauty for over a year now. She cohabitates with a clown and two damsels. Over the ... A: Always glad to help a fellow aquarist! I almost always recommend quarantine for an ailing fish. If ... | |
| My fish in my freshwater tank keep dying?? | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: So heres the thing: I wanted to make sure my fish was properly cycled before adding new fish in, or ... A: NEVER use tap water. Especially in Illinois. It's disastrous. Goldfish have a lifespan of over 20 ... | |
| Sick Coral Beauty | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: By the way, the damsels are good and the clown fish is fine too. A: That reinforces my diagnosis. The treatment of the foods with the vitamin supplements will help all ... | |
| Sick Coral Beauty | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: I've had a coral beauty for over a year now. She cohabitates with a clown and two damsels. Over the ... A: Im sorry to hear about your troubles. It sounds like LLD. Lateral Line Disease. I cant be sure ... | |
| White spot | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: Im in desperate need of advise on white spot, my two puffer fish = porcupine puffer fish and ... A: Sorry to hear about your problems. Without a picture I'm not much use to you at diagnosing an ... | |
| pinkworms | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: i was looking in my parents fish tank that is salt water and i found a whole live rock that has pink ... A: Hey Ryan, Without a picture I cant be exact with an identification, but they are probably a type of ... | |
| protein skimmer | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: long time no see! i had a pretty small question about something big. protein skimmer. but a diy ... A: Hey Nick! Has been a while. Sorry, I moved.... and moving my large and numerous aquariums is not a ... | |
| Brown worm like things laying on the bottom of the tank?? | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: Just recently we have noticed these brown c shaped things laying on the sand on the bottom of the ... A: Hey Whitney, Lol... Well, you could be right and it is waste... or it could be a worm. Do they move? ... | |
| My fish in my freshwater tank keep dying?? | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: So heres the thing: I wanted to make sure my fish was properly cycled before adding new fish in, or ... A: First, take a deep breath... You're doing ok. You just have to let the aquarium cycle. Ammonia at ... | |
| another question | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: Another question, this is a picture of my emperor angelfish, I purchased him about a week ago and ... A: Ok, well white, cottony growth on fins and body can be numerous things. Probably a fungus, improper ... | |
| another question | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: Another question, this is a picture of my emperor angelfish, I purchased him about a week ago and ... A: Did you quarantine the new guy? It's a very important step in saltwater. There are so many things ... | |
| Corals??? | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: Hey Glenn, I had a questions for you that hopefully you could help me out on. I've attached two ... A: Hey Jesse, Did you quarantine the rock? Those could be a species of coral, but I believe it's a ... | |
| clown triggerfish growth | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: I would like to know about how long or how many months or years it will take a juvenile 2-3' clown ... A: In the wild it can happen over about 2 years. The same can be said for the same fish kept in closed ... | |
| Fish that eat bristle/fire worms!! | 1/1/2010 |
| Q: I have a 29 gal aqua pod with clown and a mandarin fish but I do not want a six line or an arrow ... A: Are you sure they're Fire worms? Bristleworms and Carribean Fire Worms feed on detritus and are a ... | |
| SEAHORSES | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: I'M RESEARCHING SEAHORSES AT SEAHORSES.COM BUT AM WONDERING WHERE THE BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE THE ... A: Hey Tom, There really is no "best" place to buy supplies and set ups. I have found that my local ... | |
| What is this? | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: Could someone please tell me what is this? I pulled this from a live rock in my tank. I would also ... A: That would be(I'm 99% sure) a Echiuroid Worm. Echiuroid worms(echiurans/spoon worms) are soft ... | |
| keeping a live plants in saltwater | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: hey there, can you tell us the do's and dont's about keeping a live plant/s in saltwater aquarium? ... A: Hey Clark, Plants? Do you mean macro-algae? As far as "plants" go, Halophytes are plants that can ... | |
| soft corals | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: i have a few questions , first a fast backround of my tank , i have a 55 that im trying to make into ... A: Sorry took so long to get back with you. I'm actually on the road. You need to check your phosphate, ... | |
| Nitrates | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a 55g FOWLR i do want to goto a reef tank. I have 90lbs of rock, 55lbs live and 35lbs of reef ... A: Hey Brian, Nitrates sky rocketing like that are a sign of something in the system decomposing. There ... | |
| Blue Tang | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a question about Blue Tang. I have a 55G tank that I bought from someone used and have had it ... A: Sorry to hear about your losses and troubles. With out pictures I cant be exact here. Are you ... | |
| Seahorse sick | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: And her is the secound photo of my other sea horse A: Try the garlic, maybe add Selco(vitamins) and soak their foods in them for about 5 minutes. Drain ... | |
| Seahorse sick | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: this is the photo of the other seahorse in my tank A: Still a good looking specimen. And anchoring so he appears ok. Coloration is a bit pale, but that is ... | |
| Seahorse sick | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: The tank they are in has been up and runnung with just live rock in it for nearlly a year now i have ... A: The picture looks to be a healthy specimen. Seahorses are extremely delicate animals. It is very ... | |
| anemones and saltwater angels | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: I would like to know if i can keep anemones in the same aquarium as large angelfish such as the ... A: It's not the best combination to have unless you have enough space. 90 gallons or larger is what I ... | |
| Blue Hippo Tang | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: You answered a question for me last week regarding my blue hippo tang that was hiding all day. I ... A: Low pH can have different effects on fish. Getting that low can increase the chance of infection and ... | |
| Dissapearing Fish | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: I have had my 180L Marine tank for almost a year now - in the past 2 weeks 3 of my fish(yellow ... A: Hey Laura, Without more information or being able to observe, I'm not much use to you. It could be a ... | |
| lion fish | 10/24/2009 |
| Q: so i waited and waited and waited and then i splurged. on Sunday i bought a cf quad nano cube. it is ... A: I would go for the Lion myself. Anemones, truly and simply, suffer in systems less than a year old. ... | |
| Soft coral damaged and eaten | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: I have had my tank close to a year and I have soft corals that are being eaten by something. I ... A: It's hard to make out much detail from the picture, but it is most likely a sea slug. If you see ... | |
| Dissapearing Fish | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: I have had my 180L Marine tank for almost a year now - in the past 2 weeks 3 of my fish(yellow ... A: With the information you give me, to be honest, I have no idea. Does the tank have overflows? Are ... | |
| Hiding blue hippo tang | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: My question is about my blue hippo tang. I purchased her back in August and has been doing great. ... A: Tammy, The Sg/salinity should be fine at 1.025 to 1.026. The oceans range up to 1.027. I wouldnt ... | |
| lion fish | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: so i waited and waited and waited and then i splurged. on Sunday i bought a cf quad nano cube. it is ... A: Hey Nick, Both of those lions are fairly similar in size. The Fu Manchu(Dendrochirus Biocellatus) ... | |
| starting up my first sump??? | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I had gotten a used 75 gallon corner over flow with a 30 gallon sump.My ? for now cause it has my ... A: Hey Sean, With those bulk heads you can get the hole saw and then hit the plumbing section for ... | |
| starting up my first sump??? | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I had gotten a used 75 gallon corner over flow with a 30 gallon sump.My ? for now cause it has my ... A: Hey Sean, Is your bulk head acrylic? If so you can remove and drill them yourself with a fine tooth, ... | |
| Hiding blue hippo tang | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: My question is about my blue hippo tang. I purchased her back in August and has been doing great. ... A: Hard to say. It could be stress from a factor you haven't seen yet, and the fact is, some fish just ... | |
| brain coral sister colonies | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I have 2 questions actually...First is my open brain coral is doing horrible and I don't think it ... A: Sorry to hear about your Brain Coral. It's hard to tell(gets blurry when I zoom in) but it looks to ... | |
| starting up my first sump??? | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: I had gotten a used 75 gallon corner over flow with a 30 gallon sump.My ? for now cause it has my ... A: Hey sean, The 3/4 inch lines wont handle that much flow. The pump is putting water back into the ... | |
| transfer to new tank | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: I had a 10 gallon tank and I am setting up a 30 gallon tank to transfer my fish into as they are ... A: Hey Rachele, No worries! Ask, and ye shall receive(I hope) your answers. Hexanematichthys ... | |
| Falco Hawkfish | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: Glenn, me again. I think I was told another lie from my lfs. I checked compatibility charts and read ... A: Hey Joe, Thats too bad. The Falco Hawkfish do have tons of personality. You may try again down the ... | |
| Falco Hawkfish | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: Glenn, me again. I think I was told another lie from my lfs. I checked compatibility charts and read ... A: Hey Joe, The LFS lied...??? Surely not! I'm sorry, I couldnt resist. They did, however, pass on poor ... | |
| transfer to new tank | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: I had a 10 gallon tank and I am setting up a 30 gallon tank to transfer my fish into as they are ... A: Well the 4 fish will transfer very easily. Just do the water changes as I mentioned before to make ... | |
| power head and canister size | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: i have a 180 gallon saltwater fish tank 60x24x30 with lots of live rocks. what size power head do i ... A: Hey Ray, Thats a great pump. It should be fine to use. Fresh water dips can work on marine ich, but ... | |
| Epaulette Shark problems | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: I was wanting to know if you can help me a problem i had last week when i finally received an ... A: Was the specimen ordered for you or did the store have it in their display? How long did you ... | |
| transfer to new tank | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: I had a 10 gallon tank and I am setting up a 30 gallon tank to transfer my fish into as they are ... A: You have a good start going! How many fish do you have? I would wait a couple of weeks before ... | |
| power head and canister size | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: i have a 180 gallon saltwater fish tank 60x24x30 with lots of live rocks. what size power head do i ... A: With a 180 gallon you are going to need more than 1 power head to get the movement you need to ... | |
| Soft coral damaged and eaten | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: I have had my tank close to a year and I have soft corals that are being eaten by something. I ... A: Ouch... sorry to hear about the stresses and losses. Without a picture it's hard to be precise but ... | |
| ich | 10/18/2009 |
| Q: I belive my salt water aquarium is under attack by ich.In my tank i also have two star fishes with ... A: Destroy nothing. Starfish dont get the parasite protozoa, Cryptocaryon Irritans, that are called ... | |
| Fire Shrimp Death-2 questions | 10/17/2009 |
| Q: ya'll have been helping me through a lot and things were perfect until a few minutes ago. My Fire ... A: Hey Joe, Lysmata Debelius(Fire Shrimp) and Lysmata Amboinensis(Skunk Cleaner Shrimp), they do ... | |
| Getting rid of marine ich | 10/17/2009 |
| Q: One more I have to ask. Can you also get rid of ich in your main tank by using a uv sterilizer? A: Hey Doug, Some people will say yes(generally to get you to buy a sterilizer), but no. UV sterilizers ... | |
| Marine Ich | 10/17/2009 |
| Q: My Frogspawn Coral is closing at ngiht and i didnt know if there was something seriously wrong with ... A: Hey Doug, Short answer, No. Unfortunately the only medications that are effective for Cryptocaryon ... | |
| A killer in my SaltW tank | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: I have recently acquired an existing tank, of rock, polyps, snails, starfish,%26 crabs. I am told ... A: Hey RK, Glad to hear it! That looks like the path left from a burrowing worm, snail or crab. Most ... | |
| Heaters | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: What time of heaters do you recommend? I am presently using the Marineland Stealth, but do not like ... A: 83 is a hair high, but not too bad. Do the heaters come on? If the temperature in tank is 83, and ... | |
| anemones | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a 75 gallon tank and I've heard that some anemones get to be huge and I'm afraid if I just ... A: Hey Alonso, Most anemone will get larger than that size range. However, several are able to be ... | |
| A killer in my SaltW tank | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: I have recently acquired an existing tank, of rock, polyps, snails, starfish,%26 crabs. I am told ... A: Ok... First, can you get me a clear picture/pictures of your aquarium and the threat? Second, I ... | |
| salt water clam sick | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a salt water clam (purple) about five inches wide. I've had it for about a year. It's been ... A: A Crocea(Tridacna Crocea) species? Without seeing the system and the species, it's hard to be ... | |
| Temperature | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: What is the best temperature range to keep a reef aquarium with fish at? Thanks. ANSWER: Hi Debbie, ... A: No. Leave them. They ARE like feather dusters, filter feeders. They feed on detritus/wastes and help ... | |
| Can't Identify this animal that suddenly appeared in my tank | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: What is this? Looks like a very small Urchin but I’m not sure. Its about the size of eraser on the ... A: That appeared suddenly? Lol... well the picture is too blurry to be 100% positive but I believe that ... | |
| Temperature | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: What is the best temperature range to keep a reef aquarium with fish at? Thanks. ANSWER: Hi Debbie, ... A: My pleasure. Many people keep their reef environments at 76 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit, and thats ... | |
| clear film | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10 gallon tank. My salinity and stuff is fine and all my fish are happy. Nothing in the ... A: Sounds like protein(waste). It's not a serious problem... but it can become one. Check your ... | |
| My Frogspawn Coral | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: My Frogspawn Coral is closing at ngiht and i didnt know if there was something seriously wrong with ... A: I mince up a food for mine(cheaper and more nutritious). Mince it finely, so that there are no ... | |
| Fish Food | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: Good day! I'd like to ask if you have known any web sites which I can visit regarding algaes as ... A: WetWebMedia.com and Advancedaquarist.com are both great sources of information regarding care, ... | |
| My Frogspawn Coral | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: My Frogspawn Coral is closing at ngiht and i didnt know if there was something seriously wrong with ... A: I assume this is Euphyllia paradivisa? If it is extending and healthy looking by day it's probably ... | |
| marine fish tank cleaning | 10/12/2009 |
| Q: do i need to treat pre bought salt water before topping up my tank? A: Is this for a water change or a top off due to evaporation? If a top off, NEVER use saltwater, it ... | |
| LIVE ROCK | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: I've been to look at a 6x2x2 tank that contains roughly 80kgs of live rock the problem is the tank ... A: Wow! Thats a lot of rock and a great deal! The rock will be fine to use again. You dont want to add ... | |
| Air Stones/bubble walls | 10/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a 77 gallon saltwater fish & reef setup. I've been using an air stone since day one, 2 years ... A: If you have no surface disruption then yes. Keep using it. Or purchase a power head with a venturi ... | |
| tomato clown | 10/10/2009 |
| Q: my question is why hasn't my clown fish grown at all? i've had it for almost 2 yrs!! i feed once ... A: Well, 5.5 inches, would be a big specimen. The average is 4", even with large volume systems over ... | |
| iridescentnt shark | 10/10/2009 |
| Q: i have an iridescent shark 35cm long put in 500l freshwater,i feel it's getting too big for the ... A: I wish I had better news for you but, no. Pangasius Hypophthalmus, The Iridescent Shark(also Sutchi ... | |
| aquarium site | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: would you recommend aqua traders.com? i mean it is to cheap to be true and almost everything is from ... A: Hey Nick, I've had no experience with them. I cant recommend or otherwise. I use the rule of thumb, ... | |
| New tank/Fish dying | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: I have setup a new 46 gal saltwater tank with about 15 lbs of live rock. It has been running for ... A: Sorry to hear about your troubles and losses. How deep is your substrate? 15lbs of live rock is ... | |
| sump | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: lol] if i have a sump, (just got new fresh glass just don't know how to cut it or were. IE: lowes) ... A: Hey Nick, Hows it going? The great thing about an overflow is that gph is up to you. The overflow ... | |
| marine fishs | 10/4/2009 |
| Q: i have to know the salt water Aquarium salinity my tank water level is 180 litters son what is the ... A: Here are the basic parameters you will be looking to maintain. And I hope you meant 72 degrees ... | |
| dead fish unknown reason possibly bug spray | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: we had a 15 gallon eclipse tank set up as a reef tank all was going well and we believe bug spray ... A: So sorry to hear about your losses and the issues you're having. Your inverts(snails, hermits, etc) ... | |
| Brown Diatom Algae | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: You have answered my "newbie" questions several times with great accuracy, and I am having much ... A: Hey Joe, Diatoms are unique forms of algae... yes algae(Eukaryotic Algae to be specific), that grow ... | |
| Juvenile Yellowtail Coris | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: I just have a very simple question. How can i feed a juvenile yellowtail coris? I've had one for the ... A: Hey Aldo, First you can soak brine shrimp in selcon(vitamins) to givethem a bit more nutritional ... | |
| crystaline algae | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: Will better water circulation decrease the amount of diatom bloom in my tank? ANSWER: Hey Cruise, ... A: Hey Cruise, How goes the system? Crustose(encrusting) corallines are calcified algae, usually ... | |
| Predator Tank | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: I got a 300 gallon saltwater tank and I want to put 2 Volitan Lionfish, 1 Panther Grouper, and 1 ... A: Hey Thomas, Not a simple answer. If ALL species are introduced at the same time and in similar ... | |
| Lights | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: I understand what you were saying, I think. I discovered that the Power-Glo are 18000K. I had one ... A: Actinic lighting peaks around the 420 nanometer range. The phosphor band's spectrum seems basically ... | |
| Lights | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: I understand what you were saying, I think. I discovered that the Power-Glo are 18000K. I had one ... A: Oh yes, everyone has an opinion in aquaria, lol. The simple fact is that ALL corals are ... | |
| Marine to tropical | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: Fortunately, I can do this over a period of weeks. I got a good deal on a 90L tank that had been ... A: Hey Steve, I would change out the filter media(sponges), and just rinse the ceramic meadia ... | |
| Lights | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: I understand what you were saying, I think. I discovered that the Power-Glo are 18000K. I had one ... A: It really depends on the species, but I personally run an even mix in all of my systems, and have ... | |
| Kick-Ich and Ich-Attack | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: Both of these are sold are reef safe and copper free. I have used them both with invertebrates in my ... A: Ok, this is the best way to rid your aquariums of ich... well, to get as close to being rid of it as ... | |
| Actinic Bulbs | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: Both of these are sold are reef safe and copper free. I have used them both with invertebrates in my ... A: No. The higher the kelvin temp, the higher the blue spectrum emitted by the light. Not power or ... | |
| A substance that appears to look like big pieces of salt | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: Hey. My question is more like a cry for help here. I have what looks like huge pieces of salt ... A: Hey Kristin, Unfortunately the only thing you can do is wipe it off/clean it off, every 2 or 3 ... | |
| Kick-Ich and Ich-Attack | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: Both of these are sold are reef safe and copper free. I have used them both with invertebrates in my ... A: Would I add this to my existing reef? Absolutely not. Paraguard does contain malachite green, ... | |
| Kick-Ich and Ich-Attack | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: Both of these are sold are reef safe and copper free. I have used them both with invertebrates in my ... A: Ok, the only risk then is toxicity of mixing meds. I'm not completely familiar with all meds(there ... | |
| Reef Lighting | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: Someone told me over the weekend that the white bulbs are more powerful than blue buls. If you are ... A: It is my understanding that both of those treatments have copper in them. I have no experience ... | |
| live rock | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I have 2 saltwater aquariums that I need to disassemble. The good news is I have had no fish for ... A: Hey Courtney, Yes, all of your substrate and live rock can be reused. Allow it to dry, store it. ... | |
| A substance that appears to look like big pieces of salt | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: Hey. My question is more like a cry for help here. I have what looks like huge pieces of salt ... A: Without a picture, I cant be sure. However, it sounds like creep. Hard water/mineral residue from ... | |
| Reef Lighting | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: Someone told me over the weekend that the white bulbs are more powerful than blue buls. If you are ... A: I would alwasy use 1 of each in a 2 light fixture. As long as you are getting between the 3 and 5 ... | |
| Reef Lighting | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: Someone told me over the weekend that the white bulbs are more powerful than blue buls. If you are ... A: Corals have different requirements and needs as far as lighting goes. Using the reef rule of thumb ... | |
| Iodine Treatment | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: Good day! The question is in regards with our 344.70 cubic meters Shark Tank Community. The tank ... A: Wow... where is this Leviathan? Well, the problem is you need daily testing and the system's water ... | |
| nitrate spike... | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: This question is in regard to a 110 gal community tank. Heres some info on the tank : The tank has ... A: Hey Anoop, There you have it. The externals will need to be cleaned weekly. The filter media needs ... | |
| Dead Fish | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: Had a disaster over the weekend with all my fish dying after 2 months of enjoyment. I am very ... A: Hey David, Sorry for your loss... Rule out the seaweed unless it's WAY beyond its shelf life. If ... | |
| nitrate spike... | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: This question is in regard to a 110 gal community tank. Heres some info on the tank : The tank has ... A: Hey, The high nitrates are probably due to the cycle, and the biological filter having to repopulate ... | |
| open brain coral | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: I have had my brain coral for only about a month. Everything was great, he was eating on a regular ... A: Unfortunately he looks pretty bad at this point. This looks to be a combination diet and water ... | |
| Salt water tank | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: I own a 10 gallon fish tank, Aqua-tech 10-20 gallon filter, heater, and floating thermometer stocked ... A: Hey John, Substrates and rock are different. You'll need a crushed coral sand or fine gravel ... | |
| Jellyfish in SW Aquarium | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: We have just bought a Jellyfish for our Aquarium, a 10 Gallon tank. Our question is; is there any ... A: Jellyfish are an incredibly difficult species to keep in an aquarium. 99% perish within the first 30 ... | |
| the aquarium light | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: can u put a black floricent light bulb in a sea salt aquarium? yes or no? if no where could i find ... A: You can, but the spectrum of light emitted by black light is harmful to our aquatic pets and can ... | |
| Bristlewiorms eating my coral? | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: Hey, I have a 35 gallon saltwater tank, and have only had it for two months or so. It has around 27 ... A: Hey Evan, The short answer is, no, the worms are probably not reason. Depends on the species of ... | |
| 29 gal, How many fish | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: You have helped me set up my 29 gal FOWLR aquarium and I have another question for you. Actually a 2 ... A: Hey Joe, Unfortunate fact... Marine life creates more waste. The rule of thumb for salt water ... | |
| Sick Frogfish | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a frogfish that i have had for almost 2 years now that has recently started gasping and as ... A: I dont remember the product, Kanaplex, ingredients precisely, kanamycin sulfate(40%), potassium ... | |
| diatom bloom | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: Will better water circulation decrease the amount of diatom bloom in my tank? A: Hey Cruise, Yes, but with a catch. Not if water quality and lighting isnt optimal. Increasing flow ... | |
| feather duster | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a feather dust and just notice that it left its tube and made a home in my live rock. I would ... A: Hey Philip, No worries yet. This is a pretty common event. Feather dusters will sometimes, shed ... | |
| new to marine tanks | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: lots of coral and live rock in but i have just noticed a brown tinge to the gravel and unsure what ... A: Hey Steve, No problem! And no questions are silly when youre trying to learn to do something new and ... | |
| new to marine tanks | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: lots of coral and live rock in but i have just noticed a brown tinge to the gravel and unsure what ... A: Hey Steve, Not harmful, but a sign that the water quality needs help. Thats either an algae or a ... | |
| Identify Anemone | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: can you please identify the name of this anemone (if possible also the scientific name) A: Hey Joel, It looks to me to be of the Heteractis anemones. Heteractis Magnifica, The Ritteri Anemone ... | |
| saltwater tank critters | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: I have this small critters climbing on the glass that seem to be eating the algae. They are slightly ... A: Without a picture I cant be sure, but it sounds like you have baby Cerith snails, maybe Tongan ... | |
| Pop-eye | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: Made me ask a new question. I know you suggested that I pull him from the tank, but as I said right ... A: As I said earlier, if you have to try anything in the main tank, try the epsom salts, they wont harm ... | |
| Pop-eye | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: I think I have a clown fish with Pop-eye. I cannot tell for sure because he will not stay still ... A: Pop-eye is a build up of fluid internally that pushes the eyes outward. He shows no signs of ... | |
| Pop-eye | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: I think I have a clown fish with Pop-eye. I cannot tell for sure because he will not stay still ... A: I would treat with Epsom Salts first(1 teaspoon per 10 gallons). Get some relief for the lil guy. ... | |
| Regal Tang | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: i have a well established marine tank which has been doin really well, i have only usually kept my ... A: Hey Stacey, Wow, thats a new one! I hate to say it, but this is a habit thats not going to change. ... | |
| Regal Tang | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: i have a well established marine tank which has been doin really well, i have only usually kept my ... A: No, this isn't normal behavior. It's a slim possibility though. ALL fish have their own ... | |
| Dogface puffer | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: Good morning, I have a dogface puffer that has been in my 120g tank for approximately 6 months. His ... A: Hey Randy, Changes in specific gravity can have dramatic effects on our marine pets. The Dogface ... | |
| Pop-eye | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: I think I have a clown fish with Pop-eye. I cannot tell for sure because he will not stay still ... A: Pop eye is a symptom of an underlying cause. A bacterial infection, a fungal infection, trauma to ... | |
| new tank | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: I am thinking of purchasing a 75 gallon tank for my boyfriend who has always loved fish and would ... A: Thats a huge list to give ya! Ok, you'll need filter media for your filters, water conditioner(I ... | |
| aquarium | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: would a spiny sea urchin work in a 29 gallon aquarium? what would you consider to be low to moderate ... A: Nick, As long as the ballast is of a large enough capacity to run the higher wattage bulbs. A ... | |
| aquarium | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: would a spiny sea urchin work in a 29 gallon aquarium? what would you consider to be low to moderate ... A: Hey Nick, Sorry for the oversight.... Im assuming you mean a long spined urchin, like Diadema ... | |
| Cycling a SW Aquarium | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: I just set up a 29 gallon salt water FOWLR aquarium about a week ago. I have a protein skimmer and 2 ... A: No worries Joe! Thats what I'm here for! You'll find varying opinions regarding water changes(as ... | |
| Cycling a SW Aquarium | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: I just set up a 29 gallon salt water FOWLR aquarium about a week ago. I have a protein skimmer and 2 ... A: Hey Joe, You'll have many aquarists tell you Im daft and starting to thumb their noses at me, but ... | |
| Cycling a SW Aquarium | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: I just set up a 29 gallon salt water FOWLR aquarium about a week ago. I have a protein skimmer and 2 ... A: Hey Joe, I wouldnt think that would be the case in a weeks time, but it is possible. Depending on ... | |
| Skilter for 30 gallon saltwater tank | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: I have what I hope will be my last technical question about setting up my 30 gallon saltwater tank. ... A: Hey jerry, Ive never used one personally. I have heard good and mixed thiongs about filter/skimmer ... | |
| lighting 29 gallon | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: On one of your prior responses you suggested to go to a home center to retrofit lighting for a 29g ... A: Hey Michael, Ive used several models, GFL10, from Lowes, is a 24 inch 2 bulb, 40 watt fixture, and ... | |
| Overcrowded tank? | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: I have a simple question. Do you think my tank is overcrowded? It is a 100 gallon reef tank setup. ... A: Hey Aldo, Whoops... Im sorry. There really isnt a way to do that. You can try raising them(for live ... | |
| Saltwater tank (red looking mold)? | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: and now im starting to see piles of red/pink stuff on the bottom of the tank now it seems to be ... A: Sounds like cyanobacteria. Without pictures its hard to be 100% accurate. Does it have a velvety ... | |
| aquarium | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: would a spiny sea urchin work in a 29 gallon aquarium? what would you consider to be low to moderate ... A: Hey Nick, Low lighting would be in the 3 or 4 watts per gallon range, moderate to high would be in ... | |
| carpet anemone | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: I got a carpet anemone about a month ago. It was about 4 or 5 inches when I got it and now its about ... A: They do get big... and sometimes very quickly. Carpet anemones, like other anemone, arent really ... | |
| nitrate | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: the nitrate in my tank is currently at 5, i was wondering how big of a water change should i do for ... A: I wouldnt do more than a 30 to 40% change. Depending on the species of corals, you can do up to 50% ... | |
| aiptasia | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a major problem with aiptasia anemone. I cannot put a peppermint shrimp in the tank because ... A: The bane of every marine aquarists existence... Aiptasia. Most otc remedies are not the most ... | |
| XL Bristle Worms and something Green?? | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: I have been noticing several 9-11 bristle worms in my tank (which i have crabs, fish, coral and ... A: The banded shrimp work well... with small specimens. If you can find a few large enough banded ... | |
| Overcrowded tank? | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a simple question. Do you think my tank is overcrowded? It is a 100 gallon reef tank setup. ... A: Hey Aldo, Great to hear! With an upgrade you will be golden! Not all Clowns will develope that ... | |
| Saltwater Aquarium | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I currently own a 30 gallon and a 5 gallon aquarium all freshwater. I have now gained a intrest in ... A: Was my pleasure. 5 gallons is just too small for an anemone or most corals in my opinion. They need ... | |
| ID worm | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I have owned my established tank for 3 weeks now and the guy who owned it before me had it for 2 ... A: Sorry I couldnt be more specific on the worm. Do send me a photo if you get one, I'll be glad to ... | |
| All salt water fish in tank died at once | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: All my salt water fish died at once this morning..We have a 30gal tank.. We checked all levels the ... A: Im sorry, thats a horrible thing to find. If water quality was good, as you say it was, the day ... | |
| Cleaner crew | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a 29 gallon tank thats been set up for 4 weeks. The pH is great and the ammonia is gone. ... A: Hey Cruise, No shrimp yet. Theyre a bit more fragile than hermits and snails and the cycle generally ... | |
| ID worm | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I have owned my established tank for 3 weeks now and the guy who owned it before me had it for 2 ... A: Does it have cilia(little hairs)? If not it sounds like a sipunculid(this is the family of the ... | |
| saltwater tank | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a small marble sized white balloon like type thing attached to one of my rocks - it is ... A: Hey Cj, Without a photo it's difficult to say, but the description sounds like a Poriferan, or a ... | |
| XL Bristle Worms and something Green?? | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I have been noticing several 9-11 bristle worms in my tank (which i have crabs, fish, coral and ... A: Carribean Fireworms can be pretty devastating to corals and small inverts(hermits,crabs,snails), but ... | |
| my tank | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: ANSWER: Hi Robert, Specific Gravity is what you want to measure, though most refer to it as ... A: Hey Robert, One or the other... water movement is essential to your biological filter in marine ... | |
| Cleaning and preping a used tank for saltwater | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I just bought a used 30 gallon aqaurium that I plan on keeping a few saltwater fish in. I have not ... A: Hey Jerry, I run activated carbon in all my systems. It really helps with water quality and clarity. ... | |
| Cleaner crew | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 29 gallon tank thats been set up for 4 weeks. The pH is great and the ammonia is gone. ... A: Hey Cruise, Youre just seeing the second stage of the cycle. Ammonia levels spike first, then ... | |
| XL Bristle Worms and something Green?? | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: I have been noticing several 9-11 bristle worms in my tank (which i have crabs, fish, coral and ... A: Hey Amanda, Without pictures its really hard to id anything accurately. There are lots of ... | |
| Overcrowded tank? | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a simple question. Do you think my tank is overcrowded? It is a 100 gallon reef tank setup. ... A: Hey Aldo, It's not over crowded by current sizes.... BUT will be severely over crowded as the fish ... | |
| Cleaning and preping a used tank for saltwater | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: I just bought a used 30 gallon aqaurium that I plan on keeping a few saltwater fish in. I have not ... A: Hey Jerry, A little vinegar will remove almost anything safely from aquariums(MUST BE RINSED ... | |
| Feather Duster | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: I have a Feather Duster in my saltwater tank that I have had for over 9 months. The other day I ... A: It does happen sometimes. Shock, stress, bullying... there are numerous reasons a feather duster can ... | |
| Saltwater tank | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: I would like to start a new saltwater tank. I've had freshwater tanks before. I hear so much about ... A: Hey John, There really is no marine system that you can set up that will hold up under those ... | |
| my tank | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: 5ft . the person i bought it from gave me a tub of red sea coral pro salt but never had the ... A: Hey Robert, The calculation for figuring aquarium volume is L x W x H divided by 231. You have a 160 ... | |
| Saltwater tank | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: I would like to start a new saltwater tank. I've had freshwater tanks before. I hear so much about ... A: Hey John, A wet/dry filter, also referred to as a trickle filter or a bio-tower, is an aerobic ... | |
| feeding | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: I have had my tank for about 3 months and have been adding fish slowly. I have it professionally ... A: Hey Doug, First things first... How large is your aquarium? Ammonia can play havoc with our aquatic ... | |
| salt water anemones | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: i have a anemone that was full in my tank with a bi color angle. The angle started messing with it ... A: Hey Philip, How long has it been closed? Anemones can do this for days to recover, heal, protect, ... | |
| Cleaning Crew | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a 520L tank with mushroom, live rock, sand, 2x clowns, 1x tang, 4x feather duster, 1x blue ... A: The only thing I can think of, and 2 of my personal favs for the clean up crew, is the Emerald Crab ... | |
| cabbage coral has brown coating | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: Recently purchased a beautful cabbage coral at lfs,acclimated & placed in my tank,seems to have ... A: Without a picture I cant be positive. But I would start by checking water quality, they need ... | |
| snowflake eel | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: i've had a snowflake eel for about 18months now.she has always been a big eater, coming to the top ... A: Hey Jason, Morays are quite odd... they've been known to fast for weeks(some for months) then go ... | |
| Marine Betta | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: I recently rescued a marine betta from someone who had no idea of the care needed for the species. I ... A: Hey Howard, No guppies.... thats a bad idea for any marine fish, causes liver damage and can ... | |
| Reef Aquaruim Shrimp Dying | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I live in St Vincent and the Grenadines and i have caught everything straight from the sea myself! ... A: Hey James, I would actually remove the airstone from the aquarium, and place that in your collection ... | |
| Feather Duster | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a tank holding approx 500 litre, i have rock, a few coral, and several fish, few hermits a ... A: They tend to like moderate flow(as they are filter feeders), but fear not... wherever you put them, ... | |
| Reef Aquaruim Shrimp Dying | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I live in St Vincent and the Grenadines and i have caught everything straight from the sea myself! ... A: Hey James, Are you using water straight from the ocean as well? It's quite possible, if you are, ... | |
| Follow up, new tank | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: I have had several tropical tanks and I am now starting a new saltwater tank set up. My tank is ... A: Hey Brent, Not help... good job. The worm, well there are millions of marine worms, but yours based ... | |
| Nano reef | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: so I recently set up a five gallon nano tank. I have live rock and sand. It was set up for two weeks ... A: The nitrite is from the system cycling. at only 2 weeks old it hasnt finished its nitrogen ... | |
| Protien skimmer | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I was having problems with my old skimmer. Micro bubbles were getting in the sump and my pump was ... A: Too many bubbles in the display can be a problem. Death for a curious fish, can cause problems for ... | |
| Something on my live rock | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I recently started a salt water aquarium, and a friend of mine gave me a piece of live rock. I ... A: Doesnt look like it from the picture you sent. Diatoms, generally, have a velvety appearance, brown ... | |
| sump | 9/4/2009 |
| Q: ok so i have decided to start a sump full of baffles and all that good stuff. i wondered if i have ... A: Hey Nick, There are models designed as "stand alone" that the over flow runs through before the ... | |
| sump | 9/4/2009 |
| Q: ok so i have decided to start a sump full of baffles and all that good stuff. i wondered if i have ... A: Nick, A skimmer in the sump is fine. What I was saying was to remember that the sump, even though a ... | |
| Something on my live rock | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: I recently started a salt water aquarium, and a friend of mine gave me a piece of live rock. I ... A: The term "grape" comes from the small, bulbous shapes that grow on these macro algae. Your picture ... | |
| Something on my live rock | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: I recently started a salt water aquarium, and a friend of mine gave me a piece of live rock. I ... A: Hey Cruise, Thats a live rock, and thats a macro algae growing on it. It gets really blurry when I ... | |
| Nitrate Levels | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: i was looking for abit of advice how to keep the nitrate levels down in my tank, they always seem to ... A: Ah, There are the missing tidbits. First... Thats an extremely large population for that system. ... | |
| Nitrate Levels | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: i was looking for abit of advice how to keep the nitrate levels down in my tank, they always seem to ... A: Sorry to hear that Michelle. Well, first off... How many fish(or inches of fish) and what size ... | |
| Live Rock | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: On live rock, are there any types of organisms that may be harmful to the aquarium or fish that are ... A: Hey Malik, Most of the life(about 90%) that comes with live rock is harmless and beneficial to your ... | |
| protein skimmer | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: uuuhhhh, no more sea clone i am taking it back to my lfs and i will try to get the cpr bak pak or ... A: Hey Nick, No worries here. There is no such thing as a bad or stupid question, especially when ... | |
| protein skimmer | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: uuuhhhh, no more sea clone i am taking it back to my lfs and i will try to get the cpr bak pak or ... A: Hey Nick, Lol... Deep breath.... Speak slowly and steadily... Guzzfrahbah.... Ok, whats your budget? ... | |
| Starfish | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: Is it safe to touch a starfish. Everytime I go to the store to buy a starfish and the sales person ... A: It's never truly safe to touch any aquatic animal with your hand. There is the possibility of ... | |
| carpet anemone | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: i have a 30 gallon tank with a snowflake eel, two blue chromises, a clownfish, a lawnmower blenny, ... A: Hey Marcus, Well thats better news. I'm glad to hear it. Just be aware that carpets can and do move ... | |
| my fish died, and I'm not sure why. | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: What does it mean when your fish's eyes become foggy? They also started to look very sickly, with ... A: Sorry to hear that. Were there any other signs? Discoloration, swelling, growths, redness or fraying ... | |
| Selecting Fish | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: About 2 months ago I purchased a 225gal aquarium and have went through the cycling process I am an ... A: Hey Dan, Dragon Goby, Needlefish.... yes, they should get along and get used to each other. Bala ... | |
| protein skimmer | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: alright i have had enough! (i bet you had enough to!) the sea clone suxs end of story. it has to be ... A: Hey Nick, I wouldnt get another sea clone. If you're going to get another skimmer get one thats not ... | |
| carpet anemone | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: i have a 30 gallon tank with a snowflake eel, two blue chromises, a clownfish, a lawnmower blenny, ... A: Thats an awfully cramped area for that community. I would skip the 75 gallon and go right to a 125 ... | |
| damsel and goby behavior | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: We started a 90 gallon saltwater aquarium about two months ago. We first bought a domino damsel and ... A: This is really quite simple... it's harassment. This is how Damsels bully, all fins get fully ... | |
| tank getting red 'algea'? | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: Glenn, We have a 29 gal. BioQube that has been set up almost a year now. Lately we have seen a red ... A: The red algae you describe probably isnt algae at all, I'd be betting my money on Cyanobacteria. A ... | |
| live rock | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: I have some live rock that I took out of my tank while I was cleaning it, the rock has been sitting ... A: Yes, but with some caution. Was the still water your rock was sitting in fresh or salt water? If ... | |
| tank | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: so i cleaned out the tank scrubbed filter and heater washed live rock and crush coral etc. i put the ... A: Hey Nick, Good to hear! Just make sure you rinse and rinse anything that you used detergent on. And ... | |
| My Platty | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: Well, my 1/2 inch platy was found dead today, and I was wondering why.A few days ago, her scales ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your platy. It sounds like "Dropsy". This disease is characterized by a ... | |
| ocean snails | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: i was recently near the ocean and i picked up a few snails from the rocks lining the beach. I put ... A: They basically need a salt water aquarium set up for them. If only the snails, a 1 to 5 gallon ... | |
| green algea | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: i have green algae growing on my live rock is that good or bad in my salt water tank? A: It's fine and normal in most aquariums..... until it begins to get out of control. Algae, arent ... | |
| cleaning | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: Okay so I did about a 13 gal water change yesterday and that lowered the nitrate a little but not ... A: No problem. Glad to hear things are progressing well. Always glad to help a fellow aquarist! I would ... | |
| salt water tanks | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: my son (15 years old) bought a 120 gallon tank with two corner flows, a sump tank, and various ... A: It's actually not as difficult as it seems(can seem a bit overwhelming at first). Depending on ... | |
| fish id | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a long slender fish in my salt water tank that I have no idea what it is. I hides all day in ... A: Well I still cant be 100% sure from the photo, it looks to be longer than 2 inches? It looks like it ... | |
| protein skimmer | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: i am troubled by how this sea clone 100 works. i bought it without instructions. i looked it up ... A: Hey Nick, Sorry, not really any other options to cleaning and starting over. If you dont and any of ... | |
| protein skimmer | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: i am troubled by how this sea clone 100 works. i bought it without instructions. i looked it up ... A: Hey Nick, The visi-jet is an ok skimmer, it takes up a lot of swim room being an in tank skimmer. ... | |
| Ocean - themed Wedding? | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: Okay, first tell me if I'm crazy. I am getting married next August, and I was wondering if there ... A: I hate to say it but it's probably not something you could do and have any of the animals survive. ... | |
| saltwater bulbs | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a 37 gal saltwater with an algae problem that is getting better but not there yet. Just ... A: It really depends on the type of algae problem youre having. Is it green, brown or red? It's usually ... | |
| protein skimmer | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: i am troubled by how this sea clone 100 works. i bought it without instructions. i looked it up ... A: Hey Nick, The bubbles getting in your tank is a notorious problem with the Sea Clone skimmers. It ... | |
| fish id | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a long slender fish in my salt water tank that I have no idea what it is. I hides all day in ... A: Wow thats a difficult one... it could be numerous marine fish. I think if you look at different ... | |
| starter questions | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I have had several tropical tanks and I am now starting a new saltwater tank set up. My tank is ... A: You can never have too much filtration. I have over 3,000 gallons of aquariums in my house, and all ... | |
| Saltwater parameters... | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a 55 gal saltwater tank.... i have it setup as a FOWLR. i cant figure out what my water ... A: All the parameters/ranges I listed work for a reef set up(I made note on a couple reef specifics). ... | |
| protein skimmer | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: i have ordered live rock and was wondering if i would need to buy a protein skimmer. i intend on ... A: Hey Chris, I'm not a fan of protein skimmers, but they are useful with new systems and uncycled live ... | |
| Saltwater Tank | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a ten year old 75 gallon Oceaniac tank that has been setting idly in my living room but ... A: Hey Norm, The seals may be dried and bad after sitting so long, but a quick reseal of all seams, ... | |
| Saltwater parameters... | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a 55 gal saltwater tank.... i have it setup as a FOWLR. i cant figure out what my water ... A: Hey Snoop, Get yourself a good quality marine test kit. These are the basic parameters you will be ... | |
| tranportingmyfishandtank | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: I am moving how will I transport my fish without them going in shock and die A: Hey Duane, Lots of moving going on these days! You're the 3rd one to ask this question. So forgive ... | |
| hi | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: ! i was wondering why only a few polyps come out during the day and the leather doesnt stand up all ... A: Hey Robert, It could be a few things or a combination. New systems rarely have the water quality to ... | |
| Clown Fish | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I recently started my first Salt Water Aquarium (just a 16 gallon nano). I purchased two clown fish, ... A: Well Im sorry to say it, but I can almost guarantee that it was water quality. Maybe a combination ... | |
| Help | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I have had a dog faced puffer for about 2 years and it suddenly stopped eating. I don't see any skin ... A: Stop feeding him earthworms. The earthworms are not a part of his diet and can create severe ... | |
| Clown Fish | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: I recently started my first Salt Water Aquarium (just a 16 gallon nano). I purchased two clown fish, ... A: Sorry for the loss and rough start. It truly sounds like a water quality issue. Did the tank cycle ... | |
| Epaulette Shark | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a Epaulette Shark and i have been reading up on it as much as i can find but i can ... A: Hey Guy, The 100 gallon will be fine for 6 to 9 months, then a 180 or larger will be in order. As ... | |
| Cloudy Tank | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I have had my saltwater tank established for the better part of 3 years (135 gallon). I have ... A: Hey Ben, It could be a few things. NItrites getting high indicate you could have had an amonia spike ... | |
| Tank Upgrade | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I currently have a 12 gallon biocube and hope to upgrade to a 24 gallon nanocube soon. My tank is ... A: It may not have the exact appearance you desire. But a mix of different substrates is ideal for ... | |
| fish | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: in my 29 gallon saltwater tank (which i am going to start up this week.)i am going to have i coral ... A: Hey Nick, In a 29 gallon, I wouldnt add more than 1 ocellaris to the banner, hawkfish and coral ... | |
| Epaulette Shark | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a Epaulette Shark and i have been reading up on it as much as i can find but i can ... A: Hey Guy, Hemiscyllium Ocellatum, the Epaulette Shark, is a nice addition to a large aquarium(180 ... | |
| Tank Upgrade | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I currently have a 12 gallon biocube and hope to upgrade to a 24 gallon nanocube soon. My tank is ... A: Transferring your current system to a larger one isnt as hard as you might think. You'll wwant to be ... | |
| cleaning | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: Okay so I did about a 13 gal water change yesterday and that lowered the nitrate a little but not ... A: Hey Kyle, Its perfectly fine to vac the substrate, just not too deeply. I wouldnt go over half the ... | |
| Longnose butterfly fish fin. | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: i'm very concerned with my longnose butterfly. Like a week ago i bought a longnose from my LFS. The ... A: Glad I could help! Macro algae are available at almost any local fish store. Fosters and Smith ... | |
| Longnose butterfly fish fin. | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: i'm very concerned with my longnose butterfly. Like a week ago i bought a longnose from my LFS. The ... A: Hey Aldo, I would say the Foxface is definitely the prime suspect! Just watch them closely, bullying ... | |
| Longnose butterfly fish fin. | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: i'm very concerned with my longnose butterfly. Like a week ago i bought a longnose from my LFS. The ... A: Hey Aldo, Yikes!!! Hard to be specific without seeing the fish. It's quite possible he was damaged ... | |
| Undergravel filter system | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a 50 gal. aquarium "wall" (14"Wx22"Hx60"L)with fluval canister filter beneath which intook ... A: I would just look for crushed coral substrate, it comes in various sizes that will be perfect for ... | |
| britleworms | 8/15/2009 |
| Q: I have found PINK bristle worms in my aquarium and I am having trouble identifying if they are ... A: The name "bristleworm" is a label loosely applied to describe all Polychaete class marine worms. ... | |
| diatoms | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased a 75 gallon tank that was up and running for 2 years complete with live sand, ... A: Without pictures it will be hard to be specific. Are they velvety looking, hairy looking or just ... | |
| Marine Aquarium | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I am currently setting up a 96x24x31 saltwater aquarium. I want to make sure I have everything I ... A: Hey John, It depends on the type system you are going to run. FOWLR(fish only with live rock)or a ... | |
| high nitrates | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a 30 gal that was given to me 2 days ago so we had to move it. We kept about 50 percent of ... A: Hey Kyle, Glad to here it. Frequent water changes dont create any problems unless they are too ... | |
| Feather Duster Worms | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I just purchased three feather duster worms. They seem to be doing well, but this morning I noticed ... A: Without a picture or knowing your water quality... I would guess this is either stress reaction or ... | |
| high nitrates | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a 30 gal that was given to me 2 days ago so we had to move it. We kept about 50 percent of ... A: Hey Kyle, Letting the tank sit will eventually help(um, no, it wont). But the best thing to do is to ... | |
| Maintance | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 55 gallon saltwater aquarium with 8 fish. I have had it set up since February or March and ... A: Get out your gravel vac and get busy. The best way to get it under control is to manually remove as ... | |
| fish dying quickly. | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 55 gallon saltwater tank. We have more than enough live rock. and at the time we had 9 ... A: Hey Morgen, Did the anemone die before the fish? When an anemone dies it can create an extremely ... | |
| Soapy film on water | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 75Gallon tank, salinity, nitrates, pH, ammonia etc ALL at ideal levels. I have an ... A: Hey Mike, Glad to help. The additive can take a week or two to be completely gone even with massive ... | |
| Long Distance move | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: We've a 75 gallon salt water fish tank with some corals in it. We're planning to move soon. Are ... A: There are companies that specialize in aquarium moving and transport. They are extremely expensive ... | |
| angel fish | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: we have a 120 gallon tank. it has been up and running for about 5 weeks. i had added our 5 little ... A: My guess would be that there is an ammonia spike and a lack of oxygen in the system. Test the water ... | |
| Undergravel filter system | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 50 gal. aquarium "wall" (14"Wx22"Hx60"L)with fluval canister filter beneath which intook ... A: They generally dont make undergravel pans with larger holes because they clog extremely easily. Your ... | |
| Soapy film on water | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 75Gallon tank, salinity, nitrates, pH, ammonia etc ALL at ideal levels. I have an ... A: Hey Mike, A film on the surface of your aquarium could be from numerous causes, water break/surface ... | |
| Stocking neon gobies | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: I'd like to know how many neon gobies i can house on my 100gallon reef tank? It has been running a ... A: Hey Aldo, It can take a while for the ich spots to show in the crystaline form. So keep a close eye ... | |
| guppies | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: HELP! My daughter gave me her fry of baby guppies, on the assumption that they were all females ... A: Um... you got me there. Sexing is usually accurate in 2 and a half to 3 months. If you cant see the ... | |
| water change | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: i have a 55 g salt tank. i have had it for a year. i just added sand to it a week ago and my ... A: Did you just layer the sand on top or did you mix it? When adding substrate to an existing system it ... | |
| tropical to marine | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: ANSWER: Hi Robert, The change can be a bit tedious. You can slowly convert from fresh to brackish, ... A: Hey Robert, You have a 37 gallon system. The rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish(adult size) per gallon ... | |
| crabs | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: Will my scarlet hermit crab be compatiblw with a clownfish, firefish, green chromis, mushroom ... A: Hey Nick, Yes to all... generally... but watch the hermits around the corals. They have been known ... | |
| lost fish, any ideas? | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: we set up tank in feb 09, took our time and bought some live rock, then corals (all thriving) ... A: Lorraine, White fluffy stuff.... that sounds like a fungal infection. Test your water quality again. ... | |
| lost fish, any ideas? | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: we set up tank in feb 09, took our time and bought some live rock, then corals (all thriving) ... A: Im very sorry to hear that. There are a few things that cause whit spots that can do our aquatic ... | |
| Did I do something wrong? | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a ten gallon freshwater aquarium and I had some gourmi, tiger barbs, and neon tetras in it. ... A: Did you also test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? A 10 gallon is quite small to house many fish in, ... | |
| did i fry the tank? | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: Have a 125 gal saltwater tank. Occupants were three clowns, panther grouper, and a clown trigger, & ... A: Hey Akasha, Im sorry, thats a horrible loss. If there had been an electrical problem and a shock ... | |
| tropical to marine | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: ANSWER: Hi Robert, The change can be a bit tedious. You can slowly convert from fresh to brackish, ... A: No problem. I would look into wet dry filters or sump filtration... and possibly a skimmer. Skimmers ... | |
| tropical to marine | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: hi i currently have a tropical fish tank 40inch x 18inch x 12inch but i have always wanted a marine ... A: The change can be a bit tedious. You can slowly convert from fresh to brackish, then brackish to ... | |
| new interest | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm in coastal S.C. and would like to set up a new saltwater tank and catch local fish and use local ... A: The use of ocean water and natural sources is quite common in the trade among aquarists in coastal ... | |
| bubbly slim on top of water | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: There is a bubbly slim floating on the water. I have 135 reef tank. I have tested the water. It is ... A: Hey Louie, It could be a couple of things. 1, it could be protein, and will start to show in water ... | |
| lighting | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: i have a 29 gallon saltwater aquarium that for now i would like to keep fish only but in the future ... A: Glad to hear it! A total of 40 watts is a bit low for corals, but the fixture should be fine. Check ... | |
| lighting | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: i have a 29 gallon saltwater aquarium that for now i would like to keep fish only but in the future ... A: No problem. I found the fixture for my sons 30 gallon reef tank at Home Depot for $10.99. A simple 4 ... | |
| what is this thing? | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 55 gallon reef tank. lots of mushrooms, 2 clown fish a damsel and a couple of convicts. In ... A: Without a picture I cant be 100% sure. Are they in the substrate or on the live rock? It is most ... | |
| lighting | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: i have a 29 gallon saltwater aquarium that for now i would like to keep fish only but in the future ... A: Hey Nick, The rule of thumb in lighting is 3 to 5 watts per gallon. T-5 lighting is nice but also ... | |
| Chocolate Chip Starfish over eating | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: I've purchased a chocolate chip starfish 3-4 weeks ago and he seems to be doing great. He moves all ... A: Hey Tammy, Hair algae... the BANE of all aquarists. Well, hair algae is a sign of a healthy system, ... | |
| water testing | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: You answered a couple of q's earlier in the week for me. I live in san diego. Is there anywhere you ... A: 99% of your local pet stores will do your water tests(including Petco and Petsmart). Any of your ... | |
| Chocolate Chip Starfish over eating | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: I've purchased a chocolate chip starfish 3-4 weeks ago and he seems to be doing great. He moves all ... A: Chocolate Chip Seat Stars,Protoreaster Nodosus, are scavengers. They will eat whatever they come ... | |
| cloudy water and it smells | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: My maintence guy came out about a week and 1/2 ago to clean and service my tank it was cloudy than ... A: Your tank is cycling. All aquariums have to go through the cycle to develop the healthy biological ... | |
| saltwater fish tanks | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: there is a large saltwater fish tank at my work, lets say Ft width by Ft. There were about 10 ... A: Julia, In an environment that size I cant imagine the quantity of frozen food gathering needed to ... | |
| saltwater fish tanks | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: there is a large saltwater fish tank at my work, lets say Ft width by Ft. There were about 10 ... A: Was that 1 foot by 1 foot? If so thats an EXTREMELY small aquarium for ANY fish. In answer to your ... | |
| brackish aquarium? | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: I went to a walmart yesterday looking for small fish for a freshwater aquarium. I purchased 2 ... A: Hey Rachele, You should be ok til October, then you can get the larger tanks. The sooner the better ... | |
| brackish aquarium? | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: I went to a walmart yesterday looking for small fish for a freshwater aquarium. I purchased 2 ... A: Duped by a pet store... you aren't alone there. I'm sorry. Pet store employees are never the most ... | |
| Dying fish | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: i am house sitting and I have a pretty big salt water tank that i am taking care of. One night the ... A: Yes, the filtration and circulation systems should be on constantly. Water movement is crucial to ... | |
| pH | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a 150 I only wanted a fish only tank but someone said you have to have the same amount of ... A: Hey Chris, You dont HAVE to have that amount of live rock, but your system will suffer. The rule of ... | |
| Red slime algae | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a salt water tank that has been running for the last 1 1/2 years. About 8 months ago I ... A: Hey there, First of all look at how deep your substrate is and how many pounds of live rock you have ... | |
| Foxface Fish & Angels | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: We have a 65 gallon tank with a percula clown, a three stripped damsel, a coral beauty and a ... A: Anytime. He should be just fine too. He is one of the larger species of angels, topping out between ... | |
| Foxface Fish & Angels | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: We have a 65 gallon tank with a percula clown, a three stripped damsel, a coral beauty and a ... A: One thing to keep in mind Terry is that with a 65 gallon environment, Foxfaces and Angels can get ... | |
| Hawaiian Yellow Tang ailment | 7/26/2009 |
| Q: I have a yellow tang that I've had for over a year. I have a 30 gal tank that's been setup with no ... A: Hey Kim, Good to hear. I would keep feeding him the seaweed/garlic mix until he has normal ... | |
| macro algae | 7/26/2009 |
| Q: what type lighting fixture can i use to grow macro algae in the sump part of a aquarium,can i use ... A: Truly depends on the type of macro algae and the depth/size of the sump or refugium. Most, however, ... | |
| brine shrimp | 7/26/2009 |
| Q: hi i was wondering if you could feed your brine shrimp lettuce or if you cant what could you feed ... A: Thats not such a good idea. Especially depending on the type of lettuce(Iceberg lettuce isnt even ... | |
| Hawaiian Yellow Tang ailment | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a yellow tang that I've had for over a year. I have a 30 gal tank that's been setup with no ... A: That sounds like a bacterial infection. Possibly HLLE. Diet and environmentally caused. Do you have ... | |
| Hawaiian Yellow Tang ailment | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a yellow tang that I've had for over a year. I have a 30 gal tank that's been setup with no ... A: It definitely sounds like an infection. Bacterial most likely with the inflamations and the rubbing. ... | |
| Hawaiian Yellow Tang ailment | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a yellow tang that I've had for over a year. I have a 30 gal tank that's been setup with no ... A: I wont say it's not constipation, but I've seen Tangs of all kinds, in the wild and in captivity, ... | |
| setting up an aquarium | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: marineland 150 power filter no bio wheel, an spotted hawkfish a clown fish a bicolor dotty back ... A: Hey Nick, Those fish will be happy anywhere in your system as long as you provide them with a deep ... | |
| Repairing aquariums | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if there is anyway to safely repair a crack in an aquarium so that it will hold ... A: Debbie, Ouch. Thats a pretty bad crack. 72 inches... this is a large tank too. 125, 150 or 180 ... | |
| Repairing aquariums | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if there is anyway to safely repair a crack in an aquarium so that it will hold ... A: Debbie, Seals can be replaced with Aquarium sealant if its just a seal. But cracks... it depends on ... | |
| tangs | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: It has maroon clown and a copper banded butterfly. Was thinking of adding a powder brown tang or a ... A: Hey Shawn, The rule of thumb is 1" to 1 1/2" of fish per gallon. However this fluctuates with the ... | |
| Nitrite levels | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: We have a 72 gal bow front. It has been established for over one year now. YET we still have our ... A: Angela, It sounds to me that your system has never fully cycled. I dont have any other readings for ... | |
| ich | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a 75 gallon saltwater aquarium .theres one blue hippo tang a yellow sailfin tang ,false ... A: Alonso, There are numerous methods of treating ich(Cryptocaryon). I find that the best way and the ... | |
Saltwater Aquarium
Answers by Expert:
Glenn Fritz
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
In the process of moving folks... I'll return full time soon! Can answer pretty much all questions regarding marine or freshwater aquariums.
Experience
4 years study in marine biology, 30 years as a hobbyist. I currently have over 3,000 gallons between the aquariums in my home.
Organizations
Mid American Aquarists Society
Education/Credentials
Bachelors in Structural Engineering from University Of Nebraska, Omaha. Bachelors in Psychology from Washington University, St. Louis.
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