A Couple Newbie Q's...

So I am starting to get the "stock the tank" syndrome. Have decided I have the perfect set-up now, no more newcomers to my 75g. But the last 3 things I bought were a peppermint shrimp, large hermit, and black longspine urchin.

(OK, OK, I lied...I want to get a gray naso tang too)

Now I haven't been taking tests very much in the last week because I was taking them 3 times a day and realized nothing was changing.

Also have not done a water change yet...am procrastinating due to fear)

Now with this urchin and more animals in there pooping, should I worry about my nitrates? I think they are almost 10. But I also realize that it might be my argonite/coral sand mix that may be holding alot of deitrus down there.

Also, this urchin is obsessed with my powerhead. I have rigged a fish net over it so he can't play with it but now he's playing with the net. He pulled off my thermometer yesturday. I think I may need to clean the powerhead more, maybe he's trying to eat the algae off it even though there's not alot on it...don't really know what to do about this little rascal.

Also, bought a heater off someone and realized the plug is different than a wall plug. It has 2 poles as the plug in. Is this for a ballast of some sort?

 

how long has the tank been set up for? Water changes are important and are not as bad as they sound. Just get two 5 gallon buckets and drain 5 out then have 5 gallons of salt water ready to go make sure you use ro water and adjust sg and temp to match your tank. add it slowly its that easy, the fish will never know. its also the best way to keep nitrates down. i have a 90gall, 5 gallons a week work fine for me. urchins need allot of algae try giving him some of those algae disks.

 

Nitrates at 10ppm is not a problem IME
Keep a watch on them and if the tank has been set up 3 months now or more, its time for that 1st water change ( I am a water change fan)

heater - is it a RENA - are the 2 pins round? if so it might be a Euro plug and that means the heater is a 240/250 volt requiring model and not fit to be used in your USA 110 Volt outlets - you might want to check this out

Steve

 

if it's a euro style plug for 220 you can get a travel adapter that is essentially a small transformer... check ebay.

if it's 2 small pins it could be for use on a reef controller of some sort, and would have an external thermostat.... without the controller the heater element would be essentially worthless.

 

well

Yeah, big mistake buyin that heater...I guess I will try to return it or ask the guy what I can buy for it to make it work! lol

As for the tank, it is basically a new set-up because we moved it from the previous owner's to our house...did a LOT of cleaning during this time...so essentially the tank is like 2 years old but just set back up again 3 weeks ago. That is why I haven't done a water change, I want it to get used to the new circumstances...but if my tests keep fluctuating then I may do one.

So as for the urchin, besides the fact that they need algae...does anyone have any experience with them dying in a powerhead? Also, I have tried to drop pellets in there but the blennie eats them right up.