How Stable Is my Tank Parameters for a reef tank? (BTA)

[FellowSclownfish20270]

Hello everyone,

I have been keeping a 40-Gallon Breeder salt water fish tank for about a year and a half and it was only fish. However, I loved seeing how beautiful anemones were inside a reef tank. Although I didn't know much about tank parameters because I was new to the saltwater hobby. Now that I have done tons of research, I have finally understood why many fish keepers explained to me about Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium. Now there are Nitrites, nitrates, ammonia and phosphates but I'm used to it throughout my journey. The real question is, are my parameters stable to keep a Bubble Tip Anemone with a single clownfish and other clean up fish such as golden head sleeper gobies and blennies?
For instance, I have been using Saliferts test kits for my parameters with Instant Oceans Reef Crystals. The test results are very accurate! In addition, I have a singular ViparSpectra165 Watt. Have not yet estimated the PAR Levels of the light into the tank but the blues I will be using is 70% such as 70, and whites at 30% which is 30.
Therefore my new future Anemone would get enough PAR when being acclimated and placed into the tank carefully.
My testing results for Calcium, magnesium, and Alkalinity are:
Calcium: 430
Magnesium: 1275
Alkalinity: 8.7
Salinity: 1.025
*Salinity was tested with a refractometer*

Thanks!

 

[Timfish]

Those numbers are fine but the pics of your tank look like a tank ready to explode with nuisance akgae. Is the purple rock Maricultured live rock or wild live rock or is it a piece of "life rock" which is just dyed concrete with maybe some bacteria added? If it's the last one I'd strongly urge you to get some of the former. Microbiomes are arguably more important than keping basic parameters in a certain range. Here's some links you might find informative:

Establishing a Healthy Microbiome in a New Aquarium Using Live Rock

Studying the effects of live rock in a newly established aquarium shows that high-quality live rock promotes the rapid establishment of an effective biological filter and a microbial community similar to those found in mature reef tanks.

www.reef2reef.com

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas " This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC (carbon dosing) in reef ecosystems and how it can alter coral microbiomes. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems


Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes


Microbial view of Coral Decline


Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont


BActeria and Sponges


Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)


Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching


DNA Sequencing and the Reef Tank Microbiome


Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

 

[FellowSclownfish20270]

Those numbers are fine but the pics of your tank look like a tank ready to explode with nuisance akgae. Is the purple rock Maricultured live rock or wild live rock or is it a piece of "life rock" which is just dyed concrete with maybe some bacteria added? If it's the last one I'd strongly urge you to get some of the former. Microbiomes are arguably more important than keping basic parameters in a certain range. Here's some links you might find informative:

Establishing a Healthy Microbiome in a New Aquarium Using Live Rock

Studying the effects of live rock in a newly established aquarium shows that high-quality live rock promotes the rapid establishment of an effective biological filter and a microbial community similar to those found in mature reef tanks.

www.reef2reef.com

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas " This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC (carbon dosing) in reef ecosystems and how it can alter coral microbiomes. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems


Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes


Microbial view of Coral Decline


Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont


BActeria and Sponges


Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)


Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching


DNA Sequencing and the Reef Tank Microbiome


Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

When I bought the rock, the owner of the store told me that the rock was inside a tank filled with coraline algae and was taken out to dry up. But I mainly think its a DIY rock with living organisms on it.

 

[Timfish]

That's too bad, if it was taken out to dry, it was all dead when you got it. I'd get live rubble, sand or rock from Aquabiomics or Gulf Live rock or KP Aquatics or Tampa Bay saltwater. Aquabiomics products or more expensive but they are tested to insure there's no pathogens.

 

[FellowSclownfish20270]

That's too bad, if it was taken out to dry, it was all dead when you got it. I'd get live rubble, sand or rock from Aquabiomics or Gulf Live rock or KP Aquatics or Tampa Bay saltwater. Aquabiomics products or more expensive but they are tested to insure there's no pathogens.

Yeah, right now I'm using Live sand in my tank; Carib-Sea live sand Pink Fiji.

 

[TX_REEF]

I agree the lack of visible growth on any of your rocks make me question the age and maturity of the system. Where are the fish?

 

[Beta reefs.]

Hello everyone,

I have been keeping a 40-Gallon Breeder salt water fish tank for about a year and a half and it was only fish. However, I loved seeing how beautiful anemones were inside a reef tank. Although I didn't know much about tank parameters because I was new to the saltwater hobby. Now that I have done tons of research, I have finally understood why many fish keepers explained to me about Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium. Now there are Nitrites, nitrates, ammonia and phosphates but I'm used to it throughout my journey. The real question is, are my parameters stable to keep a Bubble Tip Anemone with a single clownfish and other clean up fish such as golden head sleeper gobies and blennies?
For instance, I have been using Saliferts test kits for my parameters with Instant Oceans Reef Crystals. The test results are very accurate! In addition, I have a singular ViparSpectra165 Watt. Have not yet estimated the PAR Levels of the light into the tank but the blues I will be using is 70% such as 70, and whites at 30% which is 30.
Therefore my new future Anemone would get enough PAR when being acclimated and placed into the tank carefully.
My testing results for Calcium, magnesium, and Alkalinity are:
Calcium: 430
Magnesium: 1275
Alkalinity: 8.7
Salinity: 1.025
*Salinity was tested with a refractometer*

Thanks!

What light is that??????

 

[Outlaw Corals]

I will raise my calcium and magnesium a little bit, but in order to keep your tank stable once you get your numbers where you want them you need to keep them there with no swings in any of your parameters. That’s what gives you a stable system.

 

[FellowSclownfish20270]

I agree the lack of visible growth on any of your rocks make me question the age and maturity of the system. Where are the fish?

Great question, It's a new tank that I have currently set up last week. Im letting the tank cycle for 3 weeks minimum before adding any live stock. My rocks are mainly white because I have never had any coraline algae growth in my tank before because I used the basic instant ocean salt.

 

[herozero]

Short answer is no. Tank is wicked young, like others have mentioned there’s no bio-load. Add some fish, watch some algae bloom, if things are stable after a month get an easier coral, wait a calendar quarter (aka 3 months), if animals are prospering, revive the thread.

My 2 cents, patience is hard, trust me! You’ll be glad you did though.

 

[TX_REEF]

Great question, It's a new tank that I have currently set up last week. Im letting the tank cycle for 3 weeks minimum before adding any live stock. My rocks are mainly white because I have never had any coraline algae growth in my tank before because I used the basic instant ocean salt.

i see, i thought based on your original post that you were asserting the tank shown was a year and a half old.

 

[FellowSclownfish20270]

Short answer is no. Tank is wicked young, like others have mentioned there’s no bio-load. Add some fish, watch some algae bloom, if things are stable after a month get an easier coral, wait a calendar quarter (aka 3 months), if animals are prospering, revive the thread.

My 2 cents, patience is hard, trust me! You’ll be glad you did though.

yeah, my plan is to keep my tank running stable for about 6 months before adding a Bubble Tip Anemone! It would also be interesting to keep a coral in my tank.

 

[FellowSclownfish20270]

What light is that??????

ViparSpectra 165 Watt!

 

[PharmrJohn]

Great question, It's a new tank that I have currently set up last week. Im letting the tank cycle for 3 weeks minimum before adding any live stock. My rocks are mainly white because I have never had any coraline algae growth in my tank before because I used the basic instant ocean salt.

OK. New tank. You've got a long way to go before adding an anenome. With mine back in the day, I waited a year and a half before even thinking about it. Reason being, they can make a horrendous mess (and potentially kill a tank) if they die. The ecosystem needs to demonstrate very consistent stabilization over the course of months IMO. Concerning livestock? I'd wait until about the 2 month mark and only when ammonia is down to zero. Now, there is going to be dissenting opinion on this subject, as there are many paths to Nirvana. I am just the type that is extremely conservative in my beliefs on how this should be done.

 

[FellowSclownfish20270]

OK. New tank. You've got a long way to go before adding an anenome. With mine back in the day, I waited a year and a half before even thinking about it. Reason being, they can make a horrendous mess (and potentially kill a tank) if they die. The ecosystem needs to demonstrate very consistent stabilization over the course of months IMO. Concerning livestock? I'd wait until about the 2 month mark and only when ammonia is down to zero. Now, there is going to be dissenting opinion on this subject, as there are many paths to Nirvana. I am just the type that is extremely conservative in my beliefs on how this should be done.

Yeah, I've heard that anemones can make a huge mess if they die. The main problem could be powerheads. Although, many anemone keepers have said to wait it out for about 6 months to a year and a half. The entire process that I have to do is be very patient, test my parameters weekly, and run everything smoothly without crashing my tank.

 

[FellowSclownfish20270]

With all that being said, I. appreciate everyone's responses. I will keep everyone updated in about 6 months, thanks!

 

[Uncle99]

With all that being said, I. appreciate everyone's responses. I will keep everyone updated in about 6 months, thanks!

I use that light as well, 7 years now, I’m 70 blue, 1 white.

My BTA loves it.

As soon as you can hold your parameters stable for a month consecutively, that’s a place to start.

But buy a nice one that’s not bleached.

Of course, 2 months better, 4 months better, etc.

 

[Jekyl]

Easiest way to tell if your tank is ready for an anemone is when coraline starts becoming a problem.