New to the Hobby (Red Sea Reefer 250)

[Josh Kraft]

Ok I just read that if you are going to get an anemone get one early on because they can hurt other corals when moving. Have you ever had one?

I'd say they need good lighting and a matured tank. What lights do you have?

 

[Lucas Lembke]

I'd say they need good lighting and a matured tank. What lights do you have?

Two radion xr15w pros

 

[Josh Kraft]

Two radion xr15w pros

Your lights are fine, but I'd wait until your tank matures and you are more experienced

 

[Lucas Lembke]

How is this refractometer? It is a lot cheaper. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...VhbrACh3dwAUCEAQYBSABEgLfHfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Josh Kraft]

How is this refractometer? It is a lot cheaper. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...VhbrACh3dwAUCEAQYBSABEgLfHfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

That's what I use, just make sure you calibrate it before every use.

 

[Lucas Lembke]

That's what I use, just make sure you calibrate it before every use.

How do you recalibrate it? Is it easy to use? How do you use it?

 

[Josh Kraft]

It comes with a screwdriver.

To calibrate:
You put RO on the glass and close the flap, then look through the eye piece at light. There will be a line across the screen. You adjust the screw on the top until RO reads at 0.

To test water:
You put saltwater on the glass and where the line crosses is your salinity. Hopefully you are at 1.025-1.026. Since you are just starting, I am thinking it's going to be off, so you may need to make some adjustments to your water to get it right.

Through the eye piece looks like this.

 

[Lucas Lembke]

It comes with a screwdriver.

To calibrate:
You put RO on the glass and close the flap, then look through the eye piece at light. There will be a line across the screen. You adjust the screw on the top until RO reads at 0.

To test water:
You put saltwater on the glass and where the line crosses is your salinity. Hopefully you are at 1.025-1.026. Since you are just starting, I am thinking it's going to be off, so you may need to make some adjustments to your water to get it right.

Through the eye piece looks like this.

Ok cool thanks. Should I keep my lights on during the cycle or keep them off

 

[Lucas Lembke]

It comes with a screwdriver.

To calibrate:
You put RO on the glass and close the flap, then look through the eye piece at light. There will be a line across the screen. You adjust the screw on the top until RO reads at 0.

To test water:
You put saltwater on the glass and where the line crosses is your salinity. Hopefully you are at 1.025-1.026. Since you are just starting, I am thinking it's going to be off, so you may need to make some adjustments to your water to get it right.

Through the eye piece looks like this.

Ok cool thanks. Should I keep my lights on during the cycle or keep them off

 

[Lucas Lembke]

Just went to fish store and they tested my water. Salinity is at 1.025 and everything looks good except nitrate and nitrite. Added some sachem prime that detoxifies ammonia nitrate and nitrate and will test again in 2 days.

 

[Branespikin]

Well that’s normal in a cycle. I dosed Ammonia to get the cycle going. When ammonia is gone 24 hours after dosing it you know your cycle is done. You dont need any additives. You need to ghost feed or dose ammonia to get the cycle going. You will see spike in Nitrites then it will turn into Nitrates. Once nitrites are gone and goes straight to Nitrates your on right track and have enough bacteria for the cycle.

 

[Lucas Lembke]

Well that’s normal in a cycle. I dosed Ammonia to get the cycle going. When ammonia is gone 24 hours after dosing it you know your cycle is done. You dont need any additives. You need to ghost feed or dose ammonia to get the cycle going. You will see spike in Nitrites then it will turn into Nitrates. Once nitrites are gone and goes straight to Nitrates your on right track and have enough bacteria for the cycle.

Ok I will look for this. When should I test the water next?

 

[Branespikin]

Get the API kit. Measure Ammonia nitrites and Nitrates pretty much every day so u know shere u are in the cycle

 

[Josh Kraft]

I hope that fish store didn't urge you to buy stuff to dose while your tank is cycling, if so that's lame of them and they took advantage of you

 

[GWHouston]

Welcome to the group

 

[Lucas Lembke]

I hope that fish store didn't urge you to buy stuff to dose while your tank is cycling, if so that's lame of them and they took advantage of you

It was only $3

 

[Lucas Lembke]

Get the API kit. Measure Ammonia nitrites and Nitrates pretty much every day so u know shere u are in the cycle

These test kits just arrived. Yesterday I realized that my LFS had API saltwater master test kits but I had already ordered these. The only thing is they don't have nitrite or ammonia. But I can return these two and get the API if you think that would be better. I paid about $100 for the two test kits.

 

[Lucas Lembke]

Here they are:

 

[Lucas Lembke]

I have also thought about returning the algae control test kit and getting the API master saltwater while also keeping the foundation pro test kits. Then I would have nitrite, nitrate, pH, ammonia, calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium.

 

[Branespikin]

Those test you got are great and you will need them very soon. But just for your cycle id get the API cheap ones to measure Ammonia and nitrite etc.