OP
OP
First sign of nitrites! Otherwise just watching and waiting. Starting to decide what fish to get first. Thinking 2 Royal Gramma love their colors (same as my college alma mata!). Then 2 clown fish after them.
My 1st tank, Innovative Marine 100g Ext
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Hard to see but it's basically 100% horizontal but actually just slightly angled down somewhat of an optical illusion in the picture, with the rest of the flow down I'm not super worried. That is the emergency overflow and tested it works. Appreciate the concern for sure.
OP
OP
So noticed water in my sump seems stagnant, pump is 1900gph running 75%, judging by the flow in there is a good amount of water movement but the top layers in refuge and return pump area don't move. Also noticed white film on bottom of sump. Checked salinity and it was high at 1.030 so set ATO to keep level a bit higher will recheck. After circulates. Question is, is this salt, bacteria bloom (I've just started to convert ammonia to nitrite yesterday continuing today by my water test), or somethingelse?
OP
OP
So I raised the wall for refuge to return Pump and now have flow, looks like it was salt that precipitated out so we'll see how my salinity is in a few hrs after circulating.
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Realizing what a rabbit hole I've gotten into lol. Just installed a second wave pump same model as first 2100 gph but have both at 50%. Decided I wanted nice even flow. One points along the back wall other out a bit to get a nice whole tank circulation.
OP
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Sand is getting pushed around since I put in 2nd power head. I lowered flow to 30% on both but did up the return Pump slightly to about 80% to improve flow through the sump. Recommendations?
OP
OP
More nitrite and nitrates today! Found out my secondary siphon was leaking a little as it entered the sump, was able to get that fixed as wee, just glad it happened before I put fish in. Good news is pumping out 10 gallons of saltwater and putting 10 gallons RO/DI in actually fixed my salinity perfectly from about 1.029 to 1.027.
OP
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Still haven't figured out sand yet will probably angle powerheads at rock scape when cycling is complete. Big spike in Nitrites and finally see ammonia decreasing!
Also looks one my daughter wants to be a reefer too!
Also looks one my daughter wants to be a reefer too!
Mike Kearns
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Welcome to the 100 EXT club lol. Nice build thread so far. Love the white stand. Wasn’t available when I got mine.
OP
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Thanks yeah always wanted white sand. Ammonia is cycled waiting for Nitrites to come down then will water change and get some fish! Also picked up a backup 300w heater and quick ammonia disks for the first few months so I can hopefully prevent a crash before it's fully established.
OP
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Well cycle I think has stalled....Ammonia clears quickly but nitrites reading over 5ppm for over a week, nitrates over 160ppm. Water change time see if I can get it to resume. Really want fish but trying not to rush it.
JumboShrimp
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It looks like you took a full-ride on the “learning curve,” and did a great job at each point along the way. I think the IM 100 was a great choice. Keep up the good work. PS: I bought my first fish online in 25 years of buying fish at various LFSs. I bought a Pink Tail Trigger from the Diver’s Den WYSIWYG section of Live Aquaria. Very impressed with the fish’s health, and packing/shipping.
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Thanks for the encouragement! I've heard great things as well which is why they are my #1 choice.
Side Note:
Turns out a cheap $12 pump from amazon is perfect for salt water mixing.
Side Note:
Turns out a cheap $12 pump from amazon is perfect for salt water mixing.
JumboShrimp
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Sure, but if your wife ever finds out how MANY times you have spent ‘just $12’ on that tank!! Lol... there goes the grand-kid’s inheritance...
OP
OP
Nitrites are finally on their way down! Used to go straight to 5ppm after adding test drops now took full 5 minutes to get to about 1ppm. Seems a 25% water change got my cycle going again. Also FWIW nitrates went from 120ppm to about 50 ppm. Ammonia undetectable.
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