Michika's 28g long nano-esque tank!

michika · #1 12-04-2007, 03:25 PM

I'm thinking I may want someone to take my remaining two clams now. They seem to be unaffected still, but I don't want to chance it any longer. They are big clams, ~6" each. Maybe my fish too?

I just don't know anymore. Thoughts?

Der_Iron_Chef · #2 12-04-2007, 03:29 PM

Catherine, I'm not sure I would personally risk it. Obviously if a clam just died, then there's something still going on. What kinds of clams are these?

michika · #3 12-04-2007, 03:36 PM

The remaining clams are a gigas, and a dersa. The one that died was a smaller dersa, about 3" in length.

I agree something is still going on. I'm thinking its a cycle like Tony originally suggested, and have been treating it as such. Ideas on what I should do? I've been doing daily 7g water changes, keeping all my media fresh (nitrate, phosphate, ammonia sponges, hypersorb, and carbon). This is so frustrating. What else could I be doing?

Between my paper and this tank drama, it is not a good day!

kwirky · #4 12-04-2007, 03:59 PM

it costs $$ but you could convert to zeovit? I had amazing nitrate reduction within 3 days of starting the system. Now 2 weeks later it's undetectable nitrates in the new tank. U need a skimmer though. It costs about $160 to start up on a tank your size if you build your own reactor (which isn't too hard). $80 if you don't dose K+ (potassium).

Not guaranteed it'll help your situation as fast as you need it to though; it's quite the committment to a "new" style of aquarium keeping if it's only to take care of an immediate emergency...

michika · #5 12-04-2007, 04:04 PM

Zeo isn't for me. I researched it back when I started planning out this tank, and the financial commitment is too much. My tank used to be self sufficient, paying for everything I needed through frag & equipment sales. Thanks for the suggestion though. I am eagerly watching your build though to see how it all plays out. Lets say I would go the zeo route and suck up the cost, how do you think it would help my current issue? I know you mentioned lower nitrates.I don't have any nitrates now, I just keep the sponge in there in case there really is a cycle going on. Anything else you think it would help with?

I definitely would consider putting out the cash for zeo provided that I know it will work. The downside is that I'm not sure if I want to be on a long term program like. I could always wean my tank off of it right?

Delphinus · #6 12-04-2007, 05:26 PM

Zeo (or equivalent) seems to be about "helping along" the bacteria that help stabilize a tank. Now the advertised benefit is a reduction of nitrate and phosphate, and although you may not have a nitrate buildup, it still is bacteria that reduces ammonia into nitrite and nitrite into nitrate, so maybe it's possible that these could be helped along too. (I'm just guessing, I don't really "know").

FWIW I bought into Reef-resh (which is like "Zeo light") for about $150. You don't need a reactor and there are dosing instructions for daily dosing, or a lazier approach for weekly dosing. It might be something to look into. I was pretty impressed with how fast I started seeing results.

michika · #7 12-04-2007, 05:41 PM

I always thought, or understood Zeo, and similar products, to be about ensuring the right balance of beneficial bacteria, to keep the tank on that razor edge. I remember the benefits being lowered levels of pretty much everything as well, hence my earlier question.

Does it still sound and look like a cycle to you? Its been a LONG time since I've delt with a cycle first hand, so I'm not really sure about it.

Both Zeo and Reef-resh are available at Golds correct?