kati_v123

I have just finished setting up the new fish tank ive bought, from a friend. Salt water juwel 190 or something. Big corner one. Anyways i filled it up just under the water line with cold water once i had put the heater, filter and live sand in. Then i turned it on... was i s'posed to wait for the sand to sink to the bottom?? I smelled burning, its not a plug but coming from out the tank, its awful when i lift the hood off. Just this is my first attempt at marine... Please help meee!

Thanks

Kati

Kayin1470

strange, is there sand in your filter? in which case it could be burning out the motor. You probably should have waited for the sand to sink to the bottom.

Kayin1470

like I said in your other thread, is there sand in the filters moving parts or something?

Lucy

Hi kati welcome to Fish Lore
I've merged your threads. It's only necessary to start one thread for a question.
Good luck, I hope our salty members will be able to help

cerianthus

I dont know if you have hood but Could it be the light?

kati_v123

i might have sand in it, i don't know, total newbie when it comes to the whole live sand thing. Someone asked if my heater had burned out, dont see why though as it was submerged in the water before turning on.
Also have a new problem, i cant get to a fish store in time to get some salt for the fish tank and i was landed with two marine fish (black & white stripey, flattish fish, don't ask what they are i do not know :S ) anyways, they are in a bag of salt water, floating in my tropical tank... i have no saltwater fish food or salt for the tank... i wasnt prepared for fish as i thought i had to be set up a few wks b4 moving in fish... The fish cant return to where they were and have no marine fish stores within 50miles.... i really dont want them to die... please any ideas would be very helpful in this moment of HUGE crisis!!!!!!!
I only got my tank today and having so many problems, its half past midnight and cant sleep for worrying about the poor new fish, destined for death

cerianthus

How much water in the bag? Can you post pics of fish?
Do you have uniodized table salt (simple NaCl) at home?
Do you have any test kits , at least pH and ammonia (NH3)? If you do, can you check pH and NH3 of water in the bag and post?
hydrometer ? Air pump w/ tubing? Baking Soda?

agsansoo

OK .. Take a deep breath.
Place black & white stripey , flattish fish into a small container that will let them swim a little. Now Place an air stone (attach to an small air pump) into the container to give them oxygen. Now place a tiny bit of ammonia remover like "Prime" into the container. This will keep the ammonia down until you can get to the LFS tomorrow. Do not try to feed them.

sirdarksol

Good advice, Andy.
Just to clarify, you are saying to put only the fish and the water from the transport container (which should already be marine) into the container. Do not add any new water, correct?

agsansoo

As for the burning smell in the tank. My first thought is the heater. Sometime the glass is cracked somewhere on the tube and water gets into the electrical components causing a short, sometimes a fire. Please check this ASAP. This usually happens when people plug them in first (they heat up quickly) then place them in the cold tank water. Do not stick your hands in the water. Try to gently pull the heater out my the cord. Please be careful.

cerianthus

I would not add any Conditioner to small amt of water at this moment. Depending on fish, it can pose more harm than good (for example, mandarin)Another few hours can be ok as fish are bagged and shipped for longer than that when properly done.
Aerating can drive out CO2 thus can raise pH water so would not aerate yet. As I have handled many fish in such and even worse situations but I need more info before i can go on.

Do not elevate the temp either.

LMK if desired and I'll see what I can do to assist.

ONE more thing, Keep them in DARK

agsansoo

You can add (fresh) water only if you have a refractometer or a hydrometer to test the salinity of the water. If they do, you can take the salinity down slowly to 1.022.

sirdarksol

Thanks for clarifying.

agsansoo

Really depends on how long they been in the bag. Store bought, 2 hours max.

sirdarksol

Can you explain how conditioner is potentially harmful? It would be good to know what the benefits/risks are. Of course, for benefits, we're looking at detoxifying increasing concentrations of ammonia. What are the risks?
Part of the reason I ask is that we can't be sure this was "properly done," and detoxification of ammonia could be the difference between life and death.

However, Kati, this brings up a good point. Someone above asked if you've got access to an ammonia test. If there's not a huge ammonia buildup, this is a moot point. I think the reagents are the same for FW and SW... it's just the color cards that are different. Can someone who has both FW and SW confirm/deny this?

Aerating isn't likely to drive out CO2 unless the CO2 numbers are extremely high (since aeration only evens CO2 ratio out between atmosphere and water), at which point there is a potential for suffocation in the fish. It's kind of a Catch 22. One way, you impact pH, the other, you impact respiration.

The temp thing is definitely a good point. There's no way to reliably heat such a small container, and wild swings in temp are worse than a slightly lower than normal temp.

cerianthus

When s/w fish are shipped properly, usually done with lower pH water to detox NH3 build up in small amt of water. Dont lower the pH yet. There are ways to do it properly but as I said, need more info.
It seem Kati may have pH test kit for F/W, hopefully High Range as well.
Reason for NH3 test is to decide if we need to do anything.

Aeration will drive out CO2 from small amt of water which will raise pH and this goes against first answer. This is not important when no NH3 in the water.

As far as NH3 test kit goes, if 2 reagents (Salicylate method) are used,, should work for s/w.

AS far as suffocation due to CO2, all you got to do is change the air in the bag. In case Nh3 is present, would rather have higher CO2 in the water thus lower pH= less toxic NH3.

Cooler the water, less toxic NH3 and also slow down metabolic rate thus less waste products as is done to fish before long trip with doping (something like tranquilizer).
Keeping them in complete darkness also slow down their metabolic rate.

My main concern is NH3 in the water and pH and also what kind of fish.

There are lots of factors to be figured out before deciding which path I should take. Thus many questions before recommendation when possible and if needed.

Would you agree that thicker water (viscous) water will hold less gas or trap what in the water or less gas exchange? Thus conditioner should be avoided when other options are avail.

Again, even with single different factor, I may choose different route.

I wonder if anyone tried something lilke Mouth to Mouth Resuscitation on fish in emergencies. Dont laugh. I have done many different things and learned many things from experiences. You dont know what I know. Of course, no one knows everything but I do not jump to conclusion as fast as others since my experiences have taught me otherwise. I know everyone means well but sometimes what i read on the forum may be more of problem than solutions as some of my colleagues have said.
I said SOMETIMES so dont start, lol!

Shawnie

when all this is said and done, remember shes so new to this and really could use some easier explinations im sure...

agsansoo

So if water at approximately 70°F is about one centipoise. What is the centipoise of saltwater at 78°F ?

@sirdarksol, If the ph of the water is below 7.8, the ammonia is so ionized that there is no need to worry. But on the other hand. If the ph is around 8.2, it could be toxic. Testing for ph and ammonia is needed.