200G IM EXT (First tank ever)

[UncommonSense]

Well got an update the fish will be set to ship the week of 9/15. So more time to get the pods going and maybe keep the tank stable! Very much looking forward to some fish!

I have ran into a little back and forth on myself which is, I will want to pull the sponge filter out to get my QT tank going for the second set of fish(since it will take time to run them through it) however I’m sure my copepods are using it as a resting place currently. I do not wish to disrupt their population boom so I feel kind of stuck on when I will be able to pull it out and not impact that!

Oh, the copepods are going to be literally everywhere by now! — some will be in your sponge filter; but 99% of them are already distributed throughout your system! — just look for little white specks on the glass that move, especially at night!

 

[vittpsu21]

Well got an update the fish will be set to ship the week of 9/15. So more time to get the pods going and maybe keep the tank stable! Very much looking forward to some fish!

I have ran into a little back and forth on myself which is, I will want to pull the sponge filter out to get my QT tank going for the second set of fish(since it will take time to run them through it) however I’m sure my copepods are using it as a resting place currently. I do not wish to disrupt their population boom so I feel kind of stuck on when I will be able to pull it out and not impact that!

Oh, the copepods are going to be literally everywhere by now! — some will be in your sponge filter; but 99% of them are already distributed throughout your system! — just look for little white specks on the glass that move, especially at night!

Oh well this is good news I haven’t seen many yet but was hoping it was working with the micro dosing

 

[UncommonSense]

Oh well this is good news I haven’t seen many yet but was hoping it was working with the micro dosing

You’ll hit a point around 2-3 weeks after adding pods where they’re suddenly absolutely everywhere!

 

[vittpsu21]

Alright so been trying to step through some logic today but figured I would see if I can get some input from others…

While I wait for my fish to arrive I haven’t been nor do I plan on doing any water changes after the big 30% I did 2 weeks ago. However since ATOs only put in RODI water you lose some salinity over time. This logic all makes sense to me, what I’m trying to determine is the best way to make adjustments to said salinity to get it back in line? I have dropped from 34.6 to 34.3 in the last I don’t know 2 weeks probably just from the evaporation and salt getting out on the top etc.

Logic would have it that the best way to adjust this salinity is slowly and by adding pre mixed saltwater, however, my confusion comes in with how you know how much to add. I get the initial jump and waiting a few hours to measure it, but this doesn’t account for the evaporation that will then occur and not be replaced by RODI right away. If I add 5 gal of saltwater to my tank let’s say, the sensor on my ATO will need to lose that 5 gal and then drop before it finally adds RODI back in! This however since I would be adding saltwater would leave the salt behind without diluting it. Raising my salinity, but how in the world do you even account for something like that? The issue is not pressing since my salinity is still pretty good but just trying to wrap my head around stability before I start doing the weekly water changes?

 

[UncommonSense]

Alright so been trying to step through some logic today but figured I would see if I can get some input from others…

While I wait for my fish to arrive I haven’t been nor do I plan on doing any water changes after the big 30% I did 2 weeks ago. However since ATOs only put in RODI water you lose some salinity over time. This logic all makes sense to me, what I’m trying to determine is the best way to make adjustments to said salinity to get it back in line? I have dropped from 34.6 to 34.3 in the last I don’t know 2 weeks probably just from the evaporation and salt getting out on the top etc.

Logic would have it that the best way to adjust this salinity is slowly and by adding pre mixed saltwater, however, my confusion comes in with how you know how much to add. I get the initial jump and waiting a few hours to measure it, but this doesn’t account for the evaporation that will then occur and not be replaced by RODI right away. If I add 5 gal of saltwater to my tank let’s say, the sensor on my ATO will need to lose that 5 gal and then drop before it finally adds RODI back in! This however since I would be adding saltwater would leave the salt behind without diluting it. Raising my salinity, but how in the world do you even account for something like that? The issue is not pressing since my salinity is still pretty good but just trying to wrap my head around stability before I start doing the weekly water changes?

Most of your saltwater will be lost via the skimmer collection, and any filter cleaning/changing where you’re pulling something wet out of the tank!

to top-up salinity, I usually add a smaller volume of saltwater; say, a gallon or two to the sump, then let evaporation correct my ATO water line over the course of the day!

I check salinity the next day, and have a benchmark for how much salinity X amount of saltwater adds to the system!

It’s also worth noting that double-checking salinity at each test is always wise… (also, more saline water does sink in the water column, I usually take my salinity test from a high flow area!)

 

[vittpsu21]

Alright so been trying to step through some logic today but figured I would see if I can get some input from others…

While I wait for my fish to arrive I haven’t been nor do I plan on doing any water changes after the big 30% I did 2 weeks ago. However since ATOs only put in RODI water you lose some salinity over time. This logic all makes sense to me, what I’m trying to determine is the best way to make adjustments to said salinity to get it back in line? I have dropped from 34.6 to 34.3 in the last I don’t know 2 weeks probably just from the evaporation and salt getting out on the top etc.

Logic would have it that the best way to adjust this salinity is slowly and by adding pre mixed saltwater, however, my confusion comes in with how you know how much to add. I get the initial jump and waiting a few hours to measure it, but this doesn’t account for the evaporation that will then occur and not be replaced by RODI right away. If I add 5 gal of saltwater to my tank let’s say, the sensor on my ATO will need to lose that 5 gal and then drop before it finally adds RODI back in! This however since I would be adding saltwater would leave the salt behind without diluting it. Raising my salinity, but how in the world do you even account for something like that? The issue is not pressing since my salinity is still pretty good but just trying to wrap my head around stability before I start doing the weekly water changes?

Most of your saltwater will be lost via the skimmer collection, and any filter cleaning/changing where you’re pulling something wet out of the tank!

to top-up salinity, I usually add a smaller volume of saltwater; say, a gallon or two to the sump, then let evaporation correct my ATO water line over the course of the day!

I check salinity the next day, and have a benchmark for how much salinity X amount of saltwater adds to the system!

It’s also worth noting that double-checking salinity at each test is always wise… (also, more saline water does sink in the water column, I usually take my salinity test from a high flow area!)

Ok this makes sense I was kind of on track at least lol

 

[UncommonSense]

Ok this makes sense I was kind of on track at least lol

More or less!

Thankfully, with that much water volume, changes to chemistry happen very slowly!

 

[vittpsu21]

Ok this makes sense I was kind of on track at least lol

More or less!

Thankfully, with that much water volume, changes to chemistry happen very slowly!

My skimmer did start to pull some stuff out of the water, the yellow is mostly in the neck still and adjusting it just makes it spill over but I imagine once the fish are in this will be way easier to adjust completely also!

 

[UncommonSense]

My skimmer did start to pull some stuff out of the water, the yellow is mostly in the neck still and adjusting it just makes it spill over but I imagine once the fish are in this will be way easier to adjust completely also!

To be expected! Just wait; that yellow water will become brown tar!

 

[vittpsu21]

Ok this makes sense I was kind of on track at least lol

More or less!

Thankfully, with that much water volume, changes to chemistry happen very slowly!

So I made a 5 gallon bucket bucket of water, at 35 ppm, by your logic I add about half of it? Leave my ato on(nothing will fill until evaporation of the 2 gal happens. And then check my salinity the next day to see how much it raised from 2 gal?

 

[UncommonSense]

So I made a 5 gallon bucket bucket of water, at 35 ppm, by your logic I add about half of it? Leave my ato on(nothing will fill until evaporation of the 2 gal happens. And then check my salinity the next day to see how much it raised from 2 gal?

Precisely! — it’s probably going to take closer to 5gal increments with the size of the system, but it’s easier to add more than it is to undo if you overshoot!

 

[vittpsu21]

Precisely! — it’s probably going to take closer to 5gal increments with the size of the system, but it’s easier to add more than it is to undo if you overshoot!

I just been waiting for hours for the temp to cool down, the pump in a 5 gal bucket made the water soooooo hot lol. I did not expect that, but we learn I guess :) I also had a friend provide me with a few frags that I did not expect today! GSP, Zoa, Xenia, and a Mushroom! I really planned to wait on this but since he was forced to do it today, I was forced to take them today!

I dipped the frags and then put them in the QT to watch for just a little! Not sure how long I will be able to keep them in this small tank though, so we shall see! We also had our diatoms show up today for the first time so that was a good thing to see :)

 

[vittpsu21]

Getting a Xenia to stay in place was also an experience lol

 

[vittpsu21]

Little update! The fish arrive next week! Also the coral are in the tank and all looking fairly happy I think??? The ditritus bloom showed up Saturday and has since allowed me to finally tune the skimmer tonight to a spot that I think will actually pull stuff out! Previously I was wiping the neck and top of the skimmer tonight clear it out! The tank is a little cloudy which I mostly attribute to the Ditritus being knocked off rocks and sand and also me finally scrapping the glass after weeks of intentionally letting it build up! The corals have been in a few days but below is how they look!

 

[vittpsu21]

Pictures are pretty bad! I’ll have to figure out how people get such good ones of their tanks!

 

[vittpsu21]

Alright!! First part of the order for photo and pod culturing from reef by Steele has arrived. I’m fairly certain my wife will murder me soon I’m beginning to take over the whole basement but….




The fish are also confirmed to ship Wednesday and arrive Thursday so things are getting exciting!

Tank is still cloudy but I think that’s good and normal, I did check my levels and all seem ok with nitrate at 18.5 being the highest! Part of the shipment tomorrow includes chaeto which will help with that partially! The coral also look very happy

 

[vittpsu21]

Took me longer than it should have to figure out but we are up and bubbling!
View attachment 20250911_222812_8C861527-BBAB-442E-A784-AB19D57A0C0C.mov

 

[vittpsu21]

Anddd the cultures are going! This setup from Reef by Steele makes this much easier than it would have been!

 

[vittpsu21]

Well it has been a bit, but the fish have officially arrived today, they are currently floating with the lights off! Then according to Dr Reefs guide I will just dump them in a bucket and then into my tank directly! I plan to keep the lights off for at least a few hours and then turn them on when I feed! Very exciting!

 

[bast]

Nice! I hope the trip was kind to them. I wouldn't worry about feeding today, and just let your lights stay off until your normal schedule tomorrow.