Bronson (Pisces Crises)

The Basics

• Employee

  Select Nicolás Ed Abi Bruce Monty Marcus Janai Hadyn

  • Nicolás
  • Ed
  • Abi
  • Bruce
  • Monty
  • Marcus
  • Janai
  • Hadyn

• Date

  Date

• Time Started

  Date

Setup

• Use STEEL PLATE to hold DOOR open. HOSE out door to DRAIN.

Observations

• Photo Before

• Sight the flowerhorns?<br>They are pretty shy. Often the best chance to catch the both is from a distance when you first open the door. The female (the smaller) is less shy.<br>

  Yes, looking fine

  No, couldn't find

  Yes, but problems, see notes

• Ask Pat or Dave if they have being seeing them.

• Describe problem

• Tap here for photo

• FLOWERHORN CICHLID pair.

  

• Silver dollars, Congo tetras and Angels

  Great; vibrant, eager for food

  some individuals not right.

  sulky, sluggish, isolated from group

  Super nervous. Silver dollars jumpy and easily frightened

  Bad (deaths/strange behaviour/cloudy water

• Looking good? Place a pinch of flake food in and observe how they eat.

• Take PHOTO where possible and NOTE down details

• Unwell? Take photos of individuals and check for causes. Questions: 1. Is it just an individual or many affected? 2. Check for uneaten food, levels of ammonia or nitrite. 3. Filter or heater stopped or malfunctioning?

• CONTACT BRUCE IMMEDIATELY

• This is often a symptom of TOO MANY NITRATES If safe to do so, plan a 50-75% water change.

• Anything on BODY? <br>WHITE SPOTS?<br>FUNGUS?<br>WOUNDS?

  YES

  NO

• Take PHOTO of cases and NOTE down details

• ALGAE LEVELS on glass

  very good, usual spots and slight covering

  Heavy dusting of foggy brown, also on rocks

  bright green coating over everything

• This is typically an indication that we have lost our main cleaner, the SUCKING CAT. Make a search and note your findings.
  
  Plan for a large water change (75%) to dilute the nutrients in the water

  

• This can be a result of SUCKING CAT gone and/or lights been left on for 24/7. Search for catfish check timer and check with owners that they haven't possibly left the light on continuously. Plan for a large water change (75%)

The Filter

• Remove FILTER LIDS.

• Any blockages in the spray bar?

  YES

  NO

• Use TOOTBRUSH to dislodge blockage. NOTE: sometimes the debris then moves onto the next hole!

• PRE-FILTER sheets need clean?

  YES

  NO

• REMOVE and place in bucket to be washed later. NOT biologically important. Can be washed in TAP or TANK water.

• FILTER NOODLES need rinsing? <br>As a guide, do every 2nd service.

  YES

  NO

• Turn off FILTER PUMP. (power board on LEFT switch)

• Place in BUCKET and place by DRAIN to be rinsed during the DRAIN. BIOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE! WASH IN TANK WATER ONLY!

Tests part 1

• Lift LIGHT and place it on top of FILTER

• TEMPERATURE test (ideal 24-26 C)

• Temperature

• A bit too cool. Is heater functioning/plugged in?

  YES

  NOT PLUGGED IN

  NOT WORKING

• Replaced?

  YES

  NO, to be delivered later

• Increase THERMOSTAT (clockwise) and make note of how much.

• Increased THERMOSTAT by:

  1 degree

  2 degrees

  3 degrees

  4 degrees

• Is THERMOSTAT functioning?

  YES

  NO

• Decrease THERMOSTAT (anticlockwise) and note by how much.

• Decreased THERMOSTAT by:

  1 degree

  2 degrees

  3 degrees

  4 degrees

• HEATER Replaced?

  YES

  NO, to be delivered later

• Good. Refill with HEATER or KETTLES OF BOILED WATER in COLD months.

• Rinse TEST VIALS in tank water, pH (square vial) and GH (large round vial) MEASURE 5ml in each and SET ASIDE for later. (Tip: use SQUARE VIAL or a SYRINGE to measure an accurate 5ml for the GH)

The Drain

GRAVEL VACUUM

• NOTE: GRAVEL VACUUM rarely necessary. BUT if so THEN it should be done VERY CAREFULLY and only in OPEN PLACES.
  Don't UNSETTLE the rocks!
  Under normal conditions MAX 2 mins before proceeding to FAST DRAIN.

• Plan to do a GRAVEL VACUUM?

  YES

  NO

• Be sure the TWO SUCTION CUPS on the HOSE are secure to FRONT of GLASS. (WETTING improves their suction)

• Slide VACUUM inside the DRAIN HOSE. (Wet in TANK WATER to help lubricate)

• How dirty was it?

  Light

  Medium

  Heavy

FAST DRAIN

• Attach BASKET STRAINER from kit to tank-end of HOSE.

• Ensure both SUCTION CUPS are functioning. SPARES in kit.

• Place HOSE inside front glass at the DESIRED HEIGHT of water change. (standard for this tank is 50%)

• HINTS: If you performed a GRAVEL VAC then the SIPHON can often be started by "SNAKING" the hose,
  PUSHING the water already in the line TO CREATE the necessary SUCTION.
  If HOSE is EMPTY, then cup thumb and forefinger over end of hose and suck for max 2 seconds.
  NB. The LOWER the WATER LEVEL the MORE effort is required to start
  If FILTER NOODLES to be washed do so now.

• If rinsing FILTER NOODLES leave them in SOME TANK WATER while awaiting going back into the filter.

• % Size of Water Change

The Refill

• Screw on CLICK FITTING TAP ADAPTOR (stored in cupboard) to drain end of hose.

• Tap here for Tap Adaptor pic

• Tap Adaptor

  

• Turn on GARDEN HOSE to both FLUSH out old water and set the RATE of flow. During this: Pull out HOSE & connect to BLACK HOSE.

• Orientate tank-end HOSE to be HORIZONTAL Remove BASKET STRAINER and replace in kit.

• In COLD months use SOUP HEATER. REMEMBER: always plug into WALL OUTLET. Place close to FLOW of new water.

Things To Do During Refill

• CLEAN GLASS. Easiest at LOW WATER LEVELS SOFT ALGAE: lightly with sponge DARK GREEN spots: best with SCRAPERS CAREFUL on curves with scrapers!!

• RETURN any washed FILTER MEDIA.

• Water level high enough? Turn FILTER PUMP and HEATER ON.

Tests (continued)

• pH Test? 3 drops in 5ml. (ideal range 6.8-7)

• pH

• ADD approx 2 tsp CORAL SAND.

• ADD approx 3 tsp CORAL SAND

• ADD approx 4 tsp CORAL SAND

• Is this expected? Been a recent large dose of coral sand last time?

  YES

  NO

• Rinse test tube thoroughly and retest. (Any traces of ammonia or GH tester solution will give a false alkaline reading)

• WOAH! Unlikely! Rinse test tube thoroughly and retest. (Any traces of ammonia or GH tester solution will give a false alkaline reading). If still high then we must assume that there has been an excess amount of coral sand and all we can do is water change. It will eventually come down as the coral sand dissolves.

• GH TEST. number of drops: ORANGE to GREEN

• GH (ideal range 7-9)

• SIZE of water change:

  50%

  80%

  25%

  none changed

• ADD 3 TSP SALTS

• ADD 5 TSP SALTS

• SIZE of water change:

  50%

  80%

  25%

  none changed

• ADD up to 4 TSP SALTS

• ADD up to 5 TSP SALTS

• Depending on SIZE of WATER CHANGE, add NO SALTS and let WC reduce the GH.

Additives

• Salts added? (Low GH)

  YES

  NO

  N/A

• How many teaspoons?

• NOTE: be sure to NOT dump blue salts DIRECTLY on ROCKS The methylene blue stains. Either MIX in by hand, or premix in cup of HOT WATER.

• Coral sand added? (Low pH)

  YES

  NO

  N/A

• How many teaspoons?

Supplies (NB. They often buy their own food but if their pellets or flakes are empty then we can fill up with TETRABITS or SPIRULINA FLAKES respectively)

• Salts refill

  YES

  NO, NOT NEEDED.

  NO BUT WILL NEED SOME NEXT TIME

• FOOD REPLACE? <br><br><br><br><br>

  YES

  NO

• WHICH KIND?

  Select TETRABITS SPIRULINA FLAKES SPIRULINA TABLETS DISCUS PELLETS None

  • TETRABITS
  • SPIRULINA FLAKES
  • SPIRULINA TABLETS
  • DISCUS PELLETS
  • None

• Will any need refilling next month?

  Select TETRABITS SPIRULINA FLAKES SPIRULINA TABLETS DISCUS PELLETS None

  • TETRABITS
  • SPIRULINA FLAKES
  • SPIRULINA TABLETS
  • DISCUS PELLETS
  • None

Equipment Check

• TIMER on CLOCK SYMBOL? NB. They mainly manually operate the lights so timer not so important. More as a backup.

• Timer on the correct time?

  YES

  slight adjust

  faulty

  N/A

• Replacement Installed?

  YES

  NO, to be delivered later

• LIGHTS: All flouros working? Switches on left of unit

  YES

  NO

  N/A

• Details

• AIRPUMP still working?

  YES

  YES BUT ONLY JUST

  NOT AT ALL

• Air- pump NOT VITAL to this filter. Note down further detailsin notes & make sure BRUCE is informed.

• Notes

FINAL CHECKS

• HEATER and FILTER PUMP ON and functioning?

• OUTSIDE GLASS etc CLEAN & WIPED DOWN?

• Got your: BASKET STRAINER? TOOTH BRUSH? TEASPOON?

• Haven't stolen their TAP ADAPTOR?

• Photo After

• Time Finished

  Date