New tank build

[TORMENTOR]

What are you using to test with, if I may ask?

I use the API Master Saltwater test kit and also the Master Reef test kit and the Salifert Magnesium test kit.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Just to be clear, this new rock from Marcorock is not live, but dry and has never been alive. You can't use that rock to cycle your tank.

Thanks Rev, didn't realize. Tormentor, you have two options; add more shrimp to see the ammonia spike to assure yourself that a cycle is occuring and pump up the bacteria levels, or sit it out, wait the standard 6 weeks for a cycle to complete (you should be able to follow it based on the blooms, even without chemical spikes). I can't imagine in a 75 gallon tank with a extremely limited amount of LR, with dead shrimp and fish, you aren't getting any kind of ammonia reading. I cycled my 65 with GARF's man-made rock, never added shrimp or fish, and still got enough of the spikes to follow my cycle.

Have you had your water tested at a LFS, just to double check your readings and make sure your test kits aren't bad?

 

[TORMENTOR]

Thanks Rev, didn't realize. Tormentor, you have two options; add more shrimp to see the ammonia spike to assure yourself that a cycle is occuring and pump up the bacteria levels, or sit it out, wait the standard 6 weeks for a cycle to complete (you should be able to follow it based on the blooms, even without chemical spikes). I can't imagine in a 75 gallon tank with a extremely limited amount of LR, with dead shrimp and fish, you aren't getting any kind of ammonia reading. I cycled my 65 with GARF's man-made rock, never added shrimp or fish, and still got enough of the spikes to follow my cycle.

Have you had your water tested at a LFS, just to double check your readings and make sure your test kits aren't bad?

I have 2 Ammonia (API) test kits, 1 of which I purchased about a month ago and they both read the same.
As for having a LFS test the water I was going to do that this weekend.
I tested again this morning and it still doesn't show anything.....Man this is going to take forever!!!

 

[flricordia]

Well I ordered a Quit One 3000 pump to replace my 4000 hoping that will stop my percolating sound I am getting from my drain line, I look to get it by Friday.

Question about Cycling.

My tank has been running since last Monday and have 3 Chromis in the tank since last Wednesday and then added a piece of deli shrimp to my sump as advised by Matt from Blue Planet Corals on Saturday and I am still not reading any Ammonia. Is this normal? My tanks volume is 75 gallons. I was told it was too large for just the 3 Chromis and to add a shrimp to help it cycle, I know its cruel but what is done is done, no turning back now... sorry.

I am also starting to see what appears to be Diatoms forming on my sand bed and the Marco Rocks I have in the tank have all turned a light brown like the sand bed is showing. Is this anything I need to worry about or is my tank about to show signs of a cycle beginning?

Thanks, Rich

Sounds like your tank is starting to cycle. Let the diatoms run their course and after they start to clear do a partial water change and you should be near ready to add livestock.

 

[TORMENTOR]

Wow I forgot all about this thread! Here it is March 28th and the tank has done its thing. I now have my skimmer running and it seems to be pulling the brown green gunk out of the water. That Aqua C was a tricky thing to get set right but I believe it is working properly now.

I brought home a beautiful Hippo Tank for the wife today and have it in the quarantine tank for now. The 3 Green Chromis's, Blenny and Cleaner shrimp are all doing great in the main tank.

I am starting to get some red algae that appears to be the start of cyano on my rocks and starting to show up on my substrate so I will be doing a water change again (second) tomorrow and hook up a phosban reactor to the sump. I hope to get this cyano under control quickly.

I have added some Nassarius, Cerith, Astrea and Margarita snails to help with the algae outbreak I got about 2 weeks ago and they seemed to take care of it pretty quickly. The hermits and emerald crabs are a trip to watch as they are always on the move.
Funny thing about my Emerald crabs is that at night when the lights turn off I will grab a flashlight and shine it in the tank and all of a sudden I will come upon one of the Emeralds with the light and he will rear back on his legs and wave his claws backwards. I get a big chuckle everytime they do that.....LOL

My water params have been staying at zero for the Ammo, Nitrite and Nitrate and my Mg is at 1400 and my alk and Ca has been staying around 7 to 8 on the DKH and 380 for the Ca. I have been trying to bring the Calcium level up and used a complete bottle of B-Ionic part 2 on the tank and it brought it up from 320 to 380 and stoped there. I am wondering if the levels are really higher than that though, I use the API master saltwater and Reef test kits and Im not to impressed with them.....I guess I will have to try a differant brand test kit. Any recomendations on a good kit to buy?

Well I guess thats it for now, I will have to get some pictures of the tank in the morning and post them up. It's getting late so it off to bed for me.

Until next time, Happy reefing

 

[cparka23]

I thought the API kits were noted for being accurate... a little tedious to use, but accurate.

FWIW, a calcium level of 380 ppm is fine for now. Your tank is still a young system, and you don't have it filled with stony corals that demand higher levels. You might end up doing a few water changes 'til the algae is well under check, and there's no sense in adding calcium to the tank before a series of water changes.

As for the algae, it might be driven by your food and/or water source. Do you use reverse osmosis/deionized water? What are you feeding to your fish and how often?

 

[TORMENTOR]

All water for the tank is RO/DI and I feed the fish every 3 days. I feed them Omega One Marine Flake with garlic, Omega One Shrimp Pellets, Frozen Mysis, Frozen Brine Shrimp and Julian Sprung's Sea Veggies. Not all at once of course. I switch up between the differant foods.

 

[TORMENTOR]

My Hippo Tank is now in the main tank and I also added some Clown Fish, all Parameters are staying at zero for NH3/4, NO2,NO3 and Dkh is 10 and Ca is it 400.

I must say the Hippo Tang is the most beautiful fish in my tank right now and an interesting fish to watch. I was going to call him Tormentor because he would always torment my Lawn mower blenny. Now they swim together and take turns picking off algae from the strips I have clipped to the side glass. It's funny watching them, One will pick a piece off, let it flow past and the other will go eat it then they will take turns.

Here's some pictures of the new guys. I hope you like.

 

[Djtonton]

Nice Setup!

 

[TORMENTOR]

Thank you very much.
I just changed out my lighting system from a PC retrofit kit that had 4 65w bulbs to an Ice Cap 4x54w T5 Retrofit kit and I am soooooooooo glad that I did. I couldn't be happier.
The bulb set up I got are 2 UVL Actinic Whites and 2 UVL Super Actinics. I see colors that I couldn't see before under the PC's. I don't have much corals in my tank yet (3) but now with the new lighting I will start adding them.
Nnow the fun part begins... adding more color.

 

[xrayrider]

If you are still having the problem with the sudden sound of rushing water, I had the same experience. I played around with a lot of things trying to figure out what was causing it. I am not sure why it worked, but I put a ball valve on the return pump line, and began restricting the flow. I restricted it to about 3/4 the original flow rate, and the problem stopped. Something related to the flow being just a little too much, and the overflow had to catch up every once in awhile. I can't tell you if this is your problem or not, but it worked for me. Good luck.

 

[sanddune600]

I would be carefull with the above mentioned idea sounds like a way to flood do a search for Durso overflow that helped me out

 

[xrayrider]

Way to flood? Huh? You always have to maintain a balance between the overflow box, and the return pump. Restricting the return pump restored the balance, as the pump was overwhelming the overflow box. The pump was a little too big for the box. Not sure how slowing the flow of the return pump could cause a flood?

 

[TORMENTOR]

My overflow problems are all behind me now. I replaced the unit that came with the tank and now have the (new) All Glass Durso standpipe unit in its place.

The tank has been doing great. no problems to speak of at all (knock on wood).
I love just sitting in front of it and watch the fish cruise in and out of the caves and crevices. I have snails that have been depositing eggs on the glass and rocks but haven't seen any baby snails yet, they must have been fish food.

My goofy a@@ Lawnmower Blenny will sit in my wife's hand when it's time to feed them the algae strips. It really is a funny sight to see.

 

[roshi719]

Rich,
Good to hear the tank is doing well. I haven't seen you in a few weeks, don't be a stranger man.

 

[TORMENTOR]

Sorry Morgan, I went back to work this week after a nice 3 week vacation, been doing quit a bit with the tank during that time. made some adjustments to the sump, got an Ice Cap T5 retrofit for the canopy and a few other things.
Man my tank got up to 83 today with the warmer weather and all, it looks like I'm going to have to get some fans for the canopy now.

I was in your shop today. Your frag tank is looking awesome. I'm still waiting for a Carpenters Flasher Wrasse by the way.

See ya for now
Rich

 

[rlee81indy]

83 isnt bad at all. If you look it up, the average water temp of the reefs we coolect all of our livestock from is 79-87 degrees. The salinity in most cases is also higher. The rules of keeping salinity below 1.025 and the temp at 78 are old. This is a fairly new hobby, only gaining popularity amoung privite individuals in the early 1980's making this the fastest evolving field of aquariology. Heck, 15 years ago about 80% of the livestock we keep (and have since aquacultured) were thought to be too complex to live in captivity. Here is an article you may find interesting...
http://web.archive.org/web/20030218...om/fish2/aqfm/1997/nov/features/1/default.asp

I keep my temp between 79-83 now, and its doing just fine.

 

[kfennell]

Yeah no problem with 83 jsut dont want more then abotu 4 degree of swing every day, I keep my 240 at 79-83.