Restarting my tank

[zreuther]

So I had my 55g reef tank started an going last year, but due to a super bad algae outbreak that I lost hand over fist to, I had to tear it down.
Good news is, now I've got it back up again. Taking a whole different approach this time.
I cleaned the entire tank and all equipment very thoroughly. Had the rock out of the tank drying for 2weeks then boiled each rock for 20mins to make sure everything was dead and scrubbed off anything I could see still on them.
Got everything back in the tank and filled it with fresh RODI salt water. I have 3 600gph power heads running currently while it's cycling. May remove one when it's finished and I go to add livestock.
I'm concerned a little at how fast the cycle seems to have started however. It's been running 5 days total now and my tests this morning came back as follows: Amonnia- 0.25, pH- 8.2, nitrite-0.25-0.5, nitrate-5ppm, phosphate-0.25, salinity-1.022, temp 80 F.
Currently fixing a leak in my skimmer but am running a aqua clear 70 and will have the skimmer going in a day or so.

Any help, pointers, or tips to help my second attempt at this would be greatly appreciated!! I plan to give it all the time it needs to be the thriving tank I know it can be. Thank you in advance for any help!!

 

[Reefing Madness]

Looks like its running normally. If you don't want another algae outbreak, you should watch those phosphate numbers, .003 is what your shooting for. .25 is really high.

 

[zreuther]

Yes I'm thinking that this is what started/caused my outbreak last time. Gonna put some phosban in my ac70. Anything else help with this?

 

[Saltine]

Yes I'm thinking that this is what started/caused my outbreak last time. Gonna put some phosban in my ac70. Anything else help with this?

Where are you getting your RODI? If you're making it, what's the TDS? Sounds like your RODI is the issue or whomever you're buying your water from. I'm not an expert, but phosphates that high after a week, lead me to believe it's a water issue.

Salt

 

[zreuther]

It's my own RODI. Brs 75g per day. Also mixing the salt myself, was using reef crystals but had enough Omega Sea to start this tank so I used that. Will be switching back or to a different one moving forward however.
The last tank I didn't have my RODI til near the end so I was using treated tap water with the first set up. Discovered the massive error of my ways and bought the RODI.
I do not have a way of testing my TDS currently. Any suggestions here? Using the chlorine and chloramine tester the RODI came with, ny water did test crazy high for both. However BRS told me when I bought it that my RODI should take care of that for me.
But then this is why I'm asking questions here. I do not feel like I was told correctly in that regard

 

[zreuther]

My RODI has made at most 100g since I bought it. So I'd like to think my filters are still good...?

 

[Saltine]

My RODI has made at most 100g since I bought it. So I'd like to think my filters are still good...?

Depends, did you flush it? Could have installed the filters in the wrong order, if you don't have a TDS meter get one ASAP.

Salt

 

[zreuther]

Will definitely get a tds meter. RODI came already set with filters installed. Starting by from the source... water comes into the sediment, then into the carbon block, then goes into a chamber on top where it separates the waste water, the filtered water then goes thru the di resin and then into storage tank.
I then heat it to temp and add salt if needed be it a water change or just straight RODI water if it's a topoff.

Flushed the RODI for an hour prior to any use per BRS instruction when I got it

 

[zreuther]

Until I get a tds meter I'll see if my LFS can get a reading for me

 

[Saltine]

Until I get a tds meter I'll see if my LFS can get a reading for me

Great idea! what type of RODI did you buy?

 

[zreuther]

It's a Bulk Reef Supply 75 gallon per day. Got it without the add on that makes it go to 110 gallons per day

 

[zreuther]

Seems to make a lot less than 75g in a day though. Takes about 2.5hrs to fill a 5g bucket

 

[zreuther]

How accurate is an marine API phosphate kit? After a second test and compairing both, they seem to be reading a little lower... closer to the yellow 0 mark, definitely not as green as the 0.25 mark. Will get my LFS to test this also for a 3rd reading

 

[Ksturg]

I used tap water in my new setup and used rock that set out for a very long time years in fact. I tested my tap water to get the parameters of what it was first. 0 across the board as far as ammonia nitrite and nitrate. My ph in the tap was where it neede to be already as well as calcium. My rock I just rinsed with hot water and within 4 to 5 days had my ammonia spike like crazy! So imo I think you are right on with your water. Even though you boiled it and scraped it if you had any bristleworms or anything you will still have decay of those carcasses which will cause your ammonia to rise pretty quickly. At least that's what happens for me.

 

[zreuther]

Yea I figured I'd still have die off/decay from the critters I couldn't get out of the rock. So far it hasn't gone above 0.25ppm in the last 5 days.

 

[Ksturg]

I would give it some more time. I'm not sure how much rock you have I have about 100lbs of rock in mine that could be a factor and how many critters were in there that are decaying I see it as the more decay the quicker the ammonia spike. I have heard of people dosing with ammonia to get the cycle started I however have never done that. I'm just letting mine run its course if it take 3 months then I guess I wait. I'm a month into mine and I'm in between .25 and o ammonia it's dropping slowly but I'm getting there.

 

[zreuther]

Gotcha. I've got ~50lbs of rock and ~40lbs of sand in a standard 55g. Also have every intention of letting it sit as long as needed to get it cycled and stabilized. Didn't plan on dosing anything unless it's absolutely needed.