My first reef

[reneeL]

Just saw this. I am not sure how this site works.
With my tank we tested the water. Made a couple of water changes 20% approx. We added water and old dry rocks in March, lights very low but nothing new until May, we added live rock that was checked over. We test water each week. Our numbers are stable. When you no longer have brown stuff on the sand I think it is safe to add corals. I added a lot of the copepods and cleaning crew. The conch are like vacuum cleaners for the sand.
Hang on and go slow.
When you add live rock be sure to put them in a bucket or small aquarium before you place them in your DT. Really check them over for hitchhikers you do not want. Many good surprises are on the rocks. The live rocks helps get your tank going. We added fish late May.
Happy reefing.

 

[lil sumpin]

@YC77 Great lookin start! Funny story, I got into reefing around a year ago, after having a FOWLR a long time ago too

What are your nitrates looking like?

 

[YC77]

@YC77 Great lookin start! Funny story, I got into reefing around a year ago, after having a FOWLR a long time ago too

What are your nitrates looking like?

Nitrites starting to fall and Nitrates rising.

I have a hard time with the colors of the tests so can't tell exactly how much.. red green color blind..

I also have a Hanna checker for nitrites but it's still out of range and will be until they fall below 0.2..

Hanna nitrate checker coming tomorrow.

 

[lil sumpin]

Nitrites starting to fall and Nitrates rising.

This means you're almost there. I dont think the nitrite levels are too important, as far as I've read. Once you see 2ppm ammonia disappearing in 24 hours, you're cycled. Do a 50% water change and add fish in slowly

 

[YC77]

I'll wait another day or two.. if I see the nitrite levels continue to fall I'll order my first fish.. as it is they'll take time to come since i'm ordering pre quarantined.

 

[YC77]

A!ccoding to the Hanna tracker this morning, Nitrite 0.118 ppm.

 

[Shanasman450]

If I may make a suggestion, wait to turn on your lights for a couple of months. Or at least have them on the lowest possible setting if you insist. I've set up, or helped set up in my brother's case, a total of 4 tanks so far in my four years in this hobby. Each time the lights were on pretty early on. Each time algae was, and currently is, a major problem and three of the four ended up battling dinos early on.

That aside, I second the noopsyche. My brother had a k7 mini over his 20 cube before he upgraded to a 40 and it impressed me enough that I put two k7 v3 pros over my 40 breeder.

 

[YC77]

If I may make a suggestion, wait to turn on your lights for a couple of months. Or at least have them on the lowest possible setting if you insist. I've set up, or helped set up in my brother's case, a total of 4 tanks so far in my four years in this hobby. Each time the lights were on pretty early on. Each time algae was, and currently is, a major problem and three of the four ended up battling dinos early on.

That aside, I second the noopsyche. My brother had a k7 mini over his 20 cube before he upgraded to a 40 and it impressed me enough that I put two k7 v3 pros over my 40 breeder.

That's the plan..

Re lights I bought an AI prime 16hd.

 

[YC77]

So the cycle is finished..

I ordered today galaxy pods and phytoplankton.

One Occelaris and one Banggai Cardinal coming next Wednesday or Thursday.

What food should I feed them with?

 

[YC77]

So the fish came, quarantined from Dr Reef. The fish look healthy and good.. But he sent me two Banggai Cardinals which was very nice of him but i'm a little nervous putting 3 fish in a newly cycled tank.. on the other hand they are very small..

Advice?

 

[YC77]

Fish are doing well..

Added more bio media.



The fish are still getting used to the new food and I see on the sand uneaten food.



What snails or shrimps should i put in the tank to clean up the food.. I don't have any algea in the tank at the moment (not turning lights on for another 3 months) so I don't want anything that may starve.. and of course how many?



So snails need to be quarantined?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Fish are doing well..

Added more bio media.



The fish are still getting used to the new food and I see on the sand uneaten food.



What snails or shrimps should i put in the tank to clean up the food.. I don't have any algea in the tank at the moment (not turning lights on for another 3 months) so I don't want anything that may starve.. and of course how many?



So snails need to be quarantined?

I've never qt'd my inverts before. You would be OK with some basic Nassarius or Trochus snails.

 

[YC77]

How many?

 

[YC77]

Yesterday another two fish arrived. An Exquisite Firefish and a Royal Gramma.. also some inverts this time. A Cleaner shrimp and 10 Nassarius snails.. I ordered 5! Anyways someone is coming today to take 5 from me, scared that I may have some starving to death since there's so mamy of them.. Tank has been up for 2 months now and all looks good. Doing 15% - 20% water changes weekly.

Lights go on in 2 months and then the Corals