I’m on day 7 of using the Red Sea Reef Mature Starter kit on a 13.5 gallon tank.
However, I’d love some input from the pros out there on the mistakes I’ve made already.
Images + video attached below of my tank...Hope y'all like my first aquascape!
Mistakes:
-Dr Tim’s one and only - I poured the entire bottle in on the day I added my saltwater. I realized on day 7 of my Red Sea cycling journey that my dr Tim’s bottle says FOR FRESHWATER AQUARIUMS. ;Dead
-I added Chemo-Pure Elite on the day I added my saltwater….then removed it four days later as I realized that the reef mature pro kit says not to use any products that remove phosphates ;Walkingdead
-Cycling the tank with pre-cycled real reef Dry Rock…The Red Sea Reef Mature kit says to use live rock…I’m still dosing the Kh-Coralline Gro
Am I doomed?
My tank looks great, but I’m wondering if I’ve severely f*cked up this cycling process already.
Here’s the log I’ve kept:
Feb. 11th
- Added 13.5 gallons saltwater 35 ppt 79 degrees F
- Added Full bottle Dr Tim’s One & Only (Wrong kind…Freshwater bottle ;Dead)
- Added Chemi Pure Elite ;Walkingdead
Feb 12th
Testing:
- Ammonia: .4
- Nitrate: 3.5
- Nitrite: .2
Feb. 15th - Day 2 of Red Sea reef mature
Set up Protein Skimmer
Removed Chemi Pure Elite ;Walkingdead
Testing:
- Temp: 26.5 c
- Salinity: 35 ppt
- PH: 8.2
- kH: 7 dkh
Dosing Red Sea Reef Mature Kit for 13.5 gallon tank
- kH Coralline Gro: 1.96 mL
- Nitro Bac: 10.8 mL
- Bacto Start: 5.4 mL
- N03P04-X: 1.6 mL
Lights On - as instructed from Red Sea
Feb. 16th - Day 3 of Red Sea reef mature
Testing
- Temp: 27.6 C
- Salinity: 35ppt
- Ammonia: 1.2
- Nitrite: .5
- Nitrate: 20
Dosing
- Nitro Bac: 5.4 mL
- N03P04-X: 1.62 mL
Feb. 17th - Day 4 of Red Sea reef mature
Dosing
- N03P04-X: 1.62 mL
Feb. 18th - Day 5 of Red Sea reef mature
Dosing
- N03P04-X: 1.62 mL
Added 3 cubes of Sport Bio Cubes below skimmer (filter media)
Feb. 19th - Day 6 of Red Sea reef mature
Testing:
- pH: 7.6
- kH: 5.5 dKH
Dosing:
-N03P04-X: 1.62 mL
Notes: Calculate dosage of kH-Coralline Buffer to reach 8.4 dKH - divide dosage over 4 days
= 3.9mL / Day
Feb 20th - Day 7 of Red Sea reef mature
Water change - 5% of saltwater…Salinity 35ppt
Ammonia: .2 ppm
Nitrite: 1.2 ppm
Notes: the instructions say that my levels should be: ammonia <.25ppm Nitrite <.05ppm
Dosing:
- Bacto Start: 5.11mL
- Nitro Bac: 2.56 mL
- N03P04-X:: 1.53 mL
- kH Coralline: 3.9 mL
Notes on aquarium appearance:
-Tiny orange spots are growing on the rock (image below)
-Mild cloudy water, likely sue to unwashed dry sand I added to the tank
-Small spots of clear jelly like stuff growing (image below)
Have I totally messed up my tank?
I want to keep going, but am I working with a non-starter tank given the steps I’ve messed up already?
For me, this is a personal case study in the woes of following instructions on difference cycling processes & the downfalls of using a smaller tanks…mistakes are bigger
Thanks y'all! Would love some expert advice
Link to a video of my aquascape
However, I’d love some input from the pros out there on the mistakes I’ve made already.
Images + video attached below of my tank...Hope y'all like my first aquascape!
Mistakes:
-Dr Tim’s one and only - I poured the entire bottle in on the day I added my saltwater. I realized on day 7 of my Red Sea cycling journey that my dr Tim’s bottle says FOR FRESHWATER AQUARIUMS. ;Dead
-I added Chemo-Pure Elite on the day I added my saltwater….then removed it four days later as I realized that the reef mature pro kit says not to use any products that remove phosphates ;Walkingdead
-Cycling the tank with pre-cycled real reef Dry Rock…The Red Sea Reef Mature kit says to use live rock…I’m still dosing the Kh-Coralline Gro
Am I doomed?
My tank looks great, but I’m wondering if I’ve severely f*cked up this cycling process already.
Here’s the log I’ve kept:
Feb. 11th
- Added 13.5 gallons saltwater 35 ppt 79 degrees F
- Added Full bottle Dr Tim’s One & Only (Wrong kind…Freshwater bottle ;Dead)
- Added Chemi Pure Elite ;Walkingdead
Feb 12th
Testing:
- Ammonia: .4
- Nitrate: 3.5
- Nitrite: .2
Feb. 15th - Day 2 of Red Sea reef mature
Set up Protein Skimmer
Removed Chemi Pure Elite ;Walkingdead
Testing:
- Temp: 26.5 c
- Salinity: 35 ppt
- PH: 8.2
- kH: 7 dkh
Dosing Red Sea Reef Mature Kit for 13.5 gallon tank
- kH Coralline Gro: 1.96 mL
- Nitro Bac: 10.8 mL
- Bacto Start: 5.4 mL
- N03P04-X: 1.6 mL
Lights On - as instructed from Red Sea
Feb. 16th - Day 3 of Red Sea reef mature
Testing
- Temp: 27.6 C
- Salinity: 35ppt
- Ammonia: 1.2
- Nitrite: .5
- Nitrate: 20
Dosing
- Nitro Bac: 5.4 mL
- N03P04-X: 1.62 mL
Feb. 17th - Day 4 of Red Sea reef mature
Dosing
- N03P04-X: 1.62 mL
Feb. 18th - Day 5 of Red Sea reef mature
Dosing
- N03P04-X: 1.62 mL
Added 3 cubes of Sport Bio Cubes below skimmer (filter media)
Feb. 19th - Day 6 of Red Sea reef mature
Testing:
- pH: 7.6
- kH: 5.5 dKH
Dosing:
-N03P04-X: 1.62 mL
Notes: Calculate dosage of kH-Coralline Buffer to reach 8.4 dKH - divide dosage over 4 days
= 3.9mL / Day
Feb 20th - Day 7 of Red Sea reef mature
Water change - 5% of saltwater…Salinity 35ppt
Ammonia: .2 ppm
Nitrite: 1.2 ppm
Notes: the instructions say that my levels should be: ammonia <.25ppm Nitrite <.05ppm
Dosing:
- Bacto Start: 5.11mL
- Nitro Bac: 2.56 mL
- N03P04-X:: 1.53 mL
- kH Coralline: 3.9 mL
Notes on aquarium appearance:
-Tiny orange spots are growing on the rock (image below)
-Mild cloudy water, likely sue to unwashed dry sand I added to the tank
-Small spots of clear jelly like stuff growing (image below)
Have I totally messed up my tank?
I want to keep going, but am I working with a non-starter tank given the steps I’ve messed up already?
For me, this is a personal case study in the woes of following instructions on difference cycling processes & the downfalls of using a smaller tanks…mistakes are bigger
Thanks y'all! Would love some expert advice
Link to a video of my aquascape
Last edited by a moderator: