How Quickly Things Change... (1 Viewer)

[zharii74]

Hi Everyone! I'm Jill - a noob to MARSH. Been lurking around for a few days and really enjoying everyone's posts and pictures.

My hubby and I set up a new tank (90G) about 2 months ago. Got all the plumbing leaks taken care of and finally got it perfect. We added 84# of LR yesterday (thank you, City Pets!) We are currently running a Coralife 125 skimmer in sump, and have 3 powerheads blowing around at different levels. We took readings today and they've changed (what I think is a lot) since yesterday. Is this normal for Day 2?

Readings are listed by "yesterday"; "today"
Ammonia: 0-0.5; 0.5-1.0
Nitrate: 0-20; 20-40
Nitrite: 0; 0.5-1.0
Alkalinity: 300; 300
pH: 8.4-8.8; 7.8-8.4
Salinity: 1.021; 1.022
Temperature: 78; 79.5

 

[crvz]

pretty normal. you're in for a 4-6 weeks or more of cycle, but things seem to be off to a good start. The only thing I'd say is that the salinity seems low, what are you planning on keeping in the tank?

 

[tdmiata]

Hi Jill, funny cause I saw a lady at CP on hands and knees picking out LR on Sunday..I was going to say something about which one is best but you seemed really into it..Good luck with the tank..

 

[zharii74]

HA! That WAS me! You should have said hi... I'm taking in as much advice as I can get!

As far as what is going to go into the tank once it's cycled... hopefully not my head! We are planning on just going really slowly with this and then making a list of what we like... then see how compatible it all is and what will be fun and interesting. I love watching the inverts and fish...and corals just amaze me, too. It's amazing how beautiful and unique they all are!

We are skipping the water tests tonight... going to do it about every other day... I tend to be a bit paranoid, so not being on the "strict monitoring" will probably ease my insanity. Is this a smart decision or should I cater to the daily tests?

 

[tdmiata]

I wouldn't do daily testing just yet. Tank is new with LR, typically takes 4-6weeks for a full cycle..wait until week 4 or 5 to do daily tests...until then, do a weekly test...

 

[zharii74]

Rock'n

 

[angel4]

I used to be very anxious too, testing the water every day, or every other day ... they just don't change that fast, especially if you don't have anything that produce Ammonia. If the rocks were live, they might but I would help it along with a piece of raw shrimp. You don't have to use a huge piece. I did and I ended up fishing a good size chunk out after a couple weeks.

Your rocks look good, good job picking them out.

The tank looks clean, meaning nothing grows and dies yet, hence it will be a while before it cycles.

At this point in time, the best thing to do is being patient. Spend your time researching on what you want.

 

[Kemah]

If it is really driving you nuts not being able to check the levels test the amonia. Once this is gone then go on to testing other stuff. Dont worry about testing your PH or alk for now you can do those later. If I were you I would raise the salinity, I run mine at 1.026, but around 1.024 should be good.

Why do you have light difusser on the bottom of the tank? Please tell me you didnt set up a Plenum.

The LR looks nice but here is a trick for selecting it when you get more. Look for the biggest but lightest pieces that you can find. this rock is usually more porous so you really get more for your money. I actually gave hank some live rock a few months ago and there is a piece the size of a soccer ball that I gave him that weighs like 2lbs.

What tpe of powerheads are you running?

Also that skimmer will be just fine for now but if you start stocking the tank a little on the heavy side you will need a bogger skimmer. The coralifes work really well but the 125 is small for a 90, I guess I cant really say much though since I am running a 225 on my 120, while I have an ASM G3 sitting in the garage. This is just temp though I am trying to figure out what new skimmer to buy.

Anyways its looking good and keep up the great work.

 

[zharii74]

Kemah...explain Plenum? We have it as a "liner" for the bottom of the tank. I read it was "safer" to have rock sitting on the grid instead of directly on the bottom of the tank... helps keep things steady if you have sand-diggers crawling around and rearranging things. We haven't put the substrate in yet, so if this is a bad idea, lemme know now! Hubby is pushing for me to put the sand in, but I'm still deciding if I like the rock placement or not.

Salinity levels - isn't "ideal" between 1.021 & 1.024? I can up it, if need be. (YAY, I know what I'm talking about)

LR - I DID look for the largest (& lightest) pieces I could find. I got a little nervous because when I was at CP, a lady came up to me and asked if I was buying "all that rock" and for what sized tank. I told her a 90 and she said it was way too much.

Question - We were told this rock was "live" and ready for the tank... should I plop a piece of shrimp in there to get it cycling quicker (thx angel4)? I thought all the "stuff" on the rock would do it? Also, I found a nasty looking 2-3" greenish-grayish "leech looking worm" with bristly-leggy things hanging out of the rock when we got it home. I'm assuming it was dead because later, when I put it into a cup with SW, it started to "bleed" or "ooze" (GROSS!)

Powerheads... uh... the one that came with it (tube thing), then a Hydor 4 (1200GPH) and a Powersweep 228 (270GPH). All the little dangly thingies on the rock are blowing around, so I think we've got pretty good flow.

Skimmer - Maybe by the time you come around to switching out your 225 I'll be ready to upgrade.

Thanks for the confidence boosters, folks! Much appreciated!

 

[hank]

Let's just not discuss plenums.


On the light diffuser, I agree with Kemah that it probably isn't going to do much good for you and is likely to end up as tons of tiny pockets of filth because it will be hard to stir up; by you or sifting inhabitants.

 

[hank]

Try for more steady than, "in between 1.021 and 1.024", that is a pretty big swing. Natural sea water is generally 1.026, Galveston not withstanding.

I'm sure the rock is fine, don't touch the bristle worms, and go slow with additions of livestock. Don't add anything if there is ammonia or nitrite, it's not worth it.

 

[Ulric]

Well her grid might make it easier for them to pick out any possible hitchhikers...

Presuming you don't have any... I'd pull the rock out, put in the sand then put your rock back in. This let's the bacteria and micro-critters migrate to your bed... and you can ask/get some sand samples from other reefers. This will increase the bio-diversity of your sand-bed/tank and faciliate the later stages of your cycle.

 

[zharii74]

So pull the grid stuff out?

 

[Ulric]

So pull the grid stuff out?

Once your ready to put the sand in etc...it'll restrict microfauna movement in the sandbed and wont really prevent movement of rock by anything that digs in the sand-bed. Better for that would be a pvc framework for the rock... think like pvc pipe 'box' for pieces to set on etc.

 

[Kemah]

As far as getting the rocks not to fall and you may want to put the rocks in with them directly on the bottom of the tank and make sure that they are stable. Then put in your substrate. I think this will give you the sturdiest rockwork with no additional effort. Some people will use epoxy to hold them together but if you ever need to move them for a dead fish or fallen coral this may be problematic. If you leave the diffussser in there I am scarred that you will end up with hundreds of little pockets of dead space that will cause you problems later.

The worm was a bristle worm and will sting you I personally dont mind having them in my tank but others pull them out so thats up to you.

For starters I would shoot to keep your salinity right at 1.024 I like 26 but if you forget to top off it may go higher and thats not too great.

What type of water are you using for the tank?

The Rock that you bought will start a cycle like it obviously did but If I were you I would take about 1/3 of a raw shrimp and cut it into 4 or 5 pieces and throw it in. This way you will have a stronger cycle. But when you start adding fish make sure to do it slow. It also may help to come up with a general list of fish that you want to put in there and let people on here help you decide what order to put them in incase there are any that order matters. (Because of temperment).

 

[zharii74]

What do you get when you cross a self-diagnosed OCD person and 84 lbs of live rock? A SEVEN HOUR ROCK ARRANGING SESSION!!!!! Finally done! Spent 3 days playing around with rock arrangements after removing the grid at the bottom and adding the aragonite substrate. Finished playing this morning and just added the live fiji pink. Waiting for the clouds to pass and we'll see what we've got. Pics to come soon.

 

[cliner]

Still cloudy, or are you resting from the RockFest 2010?

 

[zharii74]

HA! The cloudy cleared up in a little less than 3 hours. Amazing. Tank looks great... and my hands don't ache anymore! I've been doing fish research and slowly but surely putting a list together. I've got awhile to wait before getting the CUC, too. I'm thinking Trochus, Nerite and Nassarius snails, red legged and blue legged hermits, emerald green crabs and some shrimp (to come later, but going with scarlet, coral banded or peppermint). Opinions? Ideas? Recommendations as where to get the CUC?

 

[trb]

If you are in Spring, James at Global Leader Aquatics has a lot of good stuff, and pretty good prices. He's on FM1960 east in Humble/Atascosita. I just got some more snails and a shrimp from him yesterday. www.glaquatics.com

 

[zharii74]

Day 43... and things remain the same

It's been awhile since I've been on here... waiting for the "N" cycle to take place. We've been chunking a few shrimp pellets into the tank about once a week to help get that "N" cycle going... readings aren't changing much. We haven't had any "brown outs" and things just seem to be sitting in limbo.

Here's a brief synopsis... anyone want to throw their two cents out there and let me know what you think... continue waiting or load 'er up?

Day 14 Day 19 Day 24 Day 43
1/30/2010 2/4/2010 2/9/2010 2/28/2010
Ammonia 0.5 1 0.5 0.5
Nitrite 0.5 0 0 0
Nitrate 20-40 20-40 40 20
Alkalinity 300 300 300 300
pH 8.4 7.8-8.4 8.4 8.4
Salinity 1.022 1.0225 1.022 1.022
Temperature 78.5 79 80 80