300G Build - Need Input!

[zportell]

Hello everyone - New to Reef 2 Reef but was a veteran reefer with previously having a 300g mixed reef system for nearly 5 years. I've been out of the hobby roughly 6 years, so I feel a lot has changed with methodology and mechanical flow/filtration. However, I am not sure much as changed with the actual biology—when it comes to tank cycle. For the life of me, I can't seem to wrap my head around the readings I am getting since the start of the new tank cycle.

Tank deets: 250G DT with 40BR sump (~300g total system)
Tank contents: ~275lbs of Pink Fiji Sand / ~300lbs of rock/aquascape — the rock had been dried out for approx 6 years as it came from my old system. The sand, while stored wet, in buckets has been completely cleaned where the washout water was clear.

Tank/System Timeline so far:
December 17, 2022 - sand and aqua-scape got wet.
December 26, 2022 - checked levels for ammonia / nitrites / nitrates = 0 / 0 / 0 (no diatoms) - Used API Test Kit
December 30, 2022 - still at 0/0/0 (no traces yet) added a full shrimp to jump start the cycle. Used API Test Kit
January 7, 2023 - ammonia present in the tank ~1.5ppm - Used API Test Kit
January 12, 2023 - ammonia was still present ~1.5ppm. Nitrites and Nitrate both still at 0. Used API Test Kit
January 16, 2023 - added Dr. Tims one and only to the system.
January 20, 2023 - 1st test since adding Dr. Tims - Ammonia dropped to 0ppm / Nitrates present ~2.0ppm / Nitrates were also present ~60ppm - Used API Test kit
January 23, 2023 - Tested again with new test kit - Red Sea: Ammonia = 0ppm / Nitrite = dark pink 1.0 / Nitrates = 44 (Hannah checker from LFS)
January 24, 2023 - just performed a 40g water change... new readings are 0 / 1 (bright pink) / 0. —Used Red Sea Test Kit.
Also noticing today that the aqua-scape (what was pristine white) is starting to show signs of diatoms (turning brown).

My question for this group is... what now?!?! Any advice is greatly appreciated... While my aqua-scape is nice, it needs something moving around in there!

 

[nuxx]

Maybe start off with a decent sized clean up crew?

Move on to something hardy like clowns in a bit?

 

[PatW]

I would go slow on a clean up crew, Clean up critters fall into different groups. There are the grazers and they need algae. Until you have some algal growth, they will just starve.

There are also clean up crew that are mainly devoted to eating scraps that the fish miss. If you do not have fish, there are no scraps. So you might want to ease into a cleanup crew.

Hermit crabs are popular, But they are pretty open to options like eating snails, and murdering other hermits for their shells, Many people go snail only. The problem with many snails is that if they flip over they are “help me I have fallen and can’t get up”. How do they ever survive? So it is good to scan the tank for fallen snails and have a long rod to flip them over again, Oh and by the way, clean up crews suggested by venders seem to me to be way too big for the tanks they are recommended for.

I would not start with a pair of clowns. Clowns are a kind of damsel fish and can be aggressive to certain fish.

I would start with small, reef safe, hardy, inexpensive and peaceful fish. It is always best to start with the wimpy fish and add the most aggressive last. There is a certain home field advantage that the first fish have.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Hello everyone - New to Reef 2 Reef but was a veteran reefer with previously having a 300g mixed reef system for nearly 5 years. I've been out of the hobby roughly 6 years, so I feel a lot has changed with methodology and mechanical flow/filtration. However, I am not sure much as changed with the actual biology—when it comes to tank cycle. For the life of me, I can't seem to wrap my head around the readings I am getting since the start of the new tank cycle.

Tank deets: 250G DT with 40BR sump (~300g total system)
Tank contents: ~275lbs of Pink Fiji Sand / ~300lbs of rock/aquascape — the rock had been dried out for approx 6 years as it came from my old system. The sand, while stored wet, in buckets has been completely cleaned where the washout water was clear.

Tank/System Timeline so far:
December 17, 2022 - sand and aqua-scape got wet.
December 26, 2022 - checked levels for ammonia / nitrites / nitrates = 0 / 0 / 0 (no diatoms) - Used API Test Kit
December 30, 2022 - still at 0/0/0 (no traces yet) added a full shrimp to jump start the cycle. Used API Test Kit
January 7, 2023 - ammonia present in the tank ~1.5ppm - Used API Test Kit
January 12, 2023 - ammonia was still present ~1.5ppm. Nitrites and Nitrate both still at 0. Used API Test Kit
January 16, 2023 - added Dr. Tims one and only to the system.
January 20, 2023 - 1st test since adding Dr. Tims - Ammonia dropped to 0ppm / Nitrates present ~2.0ppm / Nitrates were also present ~60ppm - Used API Test kit
January 23, 2023 - Tested again with new test kit - Red Sea: Ammonia = 0ppm / Nitrite = dark pink 1.0 / Nitrates = 44 (Hannah checker from LFS)
January 24, 2023 - just performed a 40g water change... new readings are 0 / 1 (bright pink) / 0. —Used Red Sea Test Kit.
Also noticing today that the aqua-scape (what was pristine white) is starting to show signs of diatoms (turning brown).

My question for this group is... what now?!?! Any advice is greatly appreciated... While my aqua-scape is nice, it needs something moving around in there!

Aquascape looks pretty neat though!!

 

[srobertb]

Welcome. I too have taken breaks in the past.

Your tank is brand new and your rock and sand were dead. It will probably be about a year before you’ve gone through your uglies. Gotta start slow. Clean up crew when algae forms. That’s a lot of water volume so maybe add a goby and pistol shrimp to amuse yourself while you wait for everything to stabilize over the new few months. Also some zoas are always a nice cheap date.