Have an IM 40L tank / 50 gal system that I recently started with about ~37# of dry rocks that were cycled for 2+ months in a brute can & separately, ~40# of dry sand
I have everything running in the tank for about a week now and took measurements this AM (PH ~8, Salinity 1.024, Phosphate 0.2ppm, Nitrates 2-3ppm, Ammonia 0.02ppm (lowest reading on test kit - all tested with Tropic Marin). My plan is to start adding various layers of diversity and running fallow for 76 days after the last addition before fish. I plan to purchase the next ‘stage’ of my plan every couple weeks. Much of it will be added directly to DT, but some will wind up in sump / refugium. My current plan, in order:
A couple questions-
I have everything running in the tank for about a week now and took measurements this AM (PH ~8, Salinity 1.024, Phosphate 0.2ppm, Nitrates 2-3ppm, Ammonia 0.02ppm (lowest reading on test kit - all tested with Tropic Marin). My plan is to start adding various layers of diversity and running fallow for 76 days after the last addition before fish. I plan to purchase the next ‘stage’ of my plan every couple weeks. Much of it will be added directly to DT, but some will wind up in sump / refugium. My current plan, in order:
- 8# live Gulf rock (likely from TBS)
- 9 item mix&match from Indo Pacific Sea Farms (Wondermud, live sand activator, addtl nitrifying bacteria + misc. micro-inverts, macros, etc.
- Copepods & phyto dosing
- Small additional CUC package of snails / hermits & shrimp anticipating that I’ll start having algae growth by this time
A couple questions-
- Does this order make sense?
- Any known disadvantages to adding bio-diversity from different regions in short order?