Day 18 - 170 gal - Learning as I go - Algae, skimmer, cleanup crew

[devitche]

Day 18 (and Day 5 of AI Grow Blades).

What's this green stuff? Diatoms or else?

Current inhabitants: 1 Sapphire Damsel and 1 Coral Beauty Angelfish — both from Biota. Very peraceful, don't interact with each other at all. I also purchased 2 Fancy Peppermint shrimps from Biota but I am not able to locate them in the reef tank... (And they are not in the filter either).

Cleanup crew arriving next week from Reef Cleaners:

21 Florida Cerith snails
6 Mexican Turbo
7 Nassarius Vibex
1 Tiger Conch

Copepods arrive on Tuesday from Dinkins.

Started skimmer (Octo 150) today -- cup is full of water, valve is wide open... Perhaps not enough organics yet to even start using a skimmer?

Any thoughts/advice on the above and the pictures?

 

[Reefering1]

"What's this green stuff ".. lol its the beginning of a wild ride, buckle up bud.(looks like diatoms btw)
As far as the skimmer goes, close the valve until the column of bubbles is in the middle of the skimmer neck. You adjust this later to dial in how wet the skimmate is. Not enough organics and it won't foam over into the cup, but definitely shouldn't be filling it with clean water(drain that back into sump)

 

[devitche]

Two peppermint shrimps disappeared — can’t find them anywhere in the tank (and there’s none in the filter…) Both were from Biota and very tiny. Ugh.

 

[ryanjohn1]

I probably would not run skimmer

 

[FUNGI]

How did you cycle so fast?

 

[devitche]

How did you cycle so fast?

I used Dr Tims one and only, followed the instructions to a tee; took 12days from start to finish to get to 0 ammonia and nitrite.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I probably would not run skimmer

What is your reasoning?

 

[Idech]

Two peppermint shrimps disappeared — can’t find them anywhere in the tank (and there’s none in the filter…) Both were from Biota and very tiny. Ugh.

They might just be hiding. Peppermint shrimps rarely come into the open.

 

[ryanjohn1]

What is your reasoning?

Cause there’s no nutrients to skim out

 

[BeanAnimal]

Cause there’s no nutrients to skim out

It certainly will not harm anything to run it and there will soon be organic material in the water column as algae, diatoms and other fauna come and go as the tank begins to grow.

 

[FUNGI]

It certainly will not harm anything to run it and there will soon be organic material in the water column as algae, diatoms and other fauna come and go as the tank begins to grow.

and skimmer breakin will be done and over with........