Its possible, my setup went a little bit different from the way you went I have live sand, live rock, and all my watter came from a tank... I also put a damsel in to kick it up and some bacteria for saltwater tanks
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The Flying Turkey
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OK this is strange.
After 4 full days these are my latest readings:
Salinity: 1.023
Temp: 78
PH: 8.2
Ammonia: 1.0 ppm
Nitrite: 1.0 ppm
Nitrate: 5.0 ppm
It appears that the ammonia has peaked at 2.0 ppm and is dropping now, and nitrites are being converted into nitrates after only 4 days.
Does this mean there wasn't enough die-off from the live rock for a large enough ammonia source causing only a mini cycle? Should I toss a raw table shrimp in there to boost ammonia?
After 4 full days these are my latest readings:
Salinity: 1.023
Temp: 78
PH: 8.2
Ammonia: 1.0 ppm
Nitrite: 1.0 ppm
Nitrate: 5.0 ppm
It appears that the ammonia has peaked at 2.0 ppm and is dropping now, and nitrites are being converted into nitrates after only 4 days.
Does this mean there wasn't enough die-off from the live rock for a large enough ammonia source causing only a mini cycle? Should I toss a raw table shrimp in there to boost ammonia?
OP
OP
The Flying Turkey
Active Member
After 12 days the cycle is complete.
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
PH: 8.2
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 79
I also started measuring the following:
Calcium: 420
Magnesium: 1500
Alkalinity: 9.2 dkh
Another water change should drop the Nitrate.
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
PH: 8.2
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 79
I also started measuring the following:
Calcium: 420
Magnesium: 1500
Alkalinity: 9.2 dkh
Another water change should drop the Nitrate.
OP
OP
The Flying Turkey
Active Member
Well, the diatom bloom has arrived... I know it's normal but I'm still worried about it.
Brown stuff on all the rocks, some on the sand and some on the glass.
Parameters are great.
Temp: 79
PH: 8.2
Salinity: 1.023
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
Should I start checking for phosphates? I don't have a phosphate test kit yet.
Brown stuff on all the rocks, some on the sand and some on the glass.
Parameters are great.
Temp: 79
PH: 8.2
Salinity: 1.023
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
Should I start checking for phosphates? I don't have a phosphate test kit yet.
OP
OP
The Flying Turkey
Active Member
The cycle has been complete for about a week and I've got all kinds of algae growth.
Brown algae (that I asume is diatoms) like this all over the rocks and sand:
Also a lot of green algae...
I guess it's time for a clean up crew.
Brown algae (that I asume is diatoms) like this all over the rocks and sand:
Also a lot of green algae...
I guess it's time for a clean up crew.
OP
OP
The Flying Turkey
Active Member
So I've got a large amount of algae growing. Diatoms all over everything. Now I've got green algae, hair algae and what I think is red cyano algae. I just got the clean up crew in the tank yesterday. I bought a bunch of snails from reefcleaners.com and they went right to work. Pics to come...
Clink51
Community Member
Very beautiful build and tank dude congrats. i only worry about one thing and thats the rock work. Are the rocks securely touching the floor? if not, please do so as soon as possible. when the snails begin to reside in the sand, they topped the rocks and bring everything down. could also scratch or break the glass.
rajkovich207
Well-Known Member
A bit late but i though i would suggest ron shimeks book on dsb, it only like 20 pages but its packed with good info. Luckily i found it on amazon for $7 but people are crazy and alot of them were charging $400-1500 for it. Yes you read that right 1500 bucks for a 20 page book lol
PTBee
New Member
Loud durso
How did you "fine tune" your durso standpipe to get it to run without any gurgling? Did you have to drill anymore holes in the top of it. The only way I can get mine silenced us if I turn down my return pump to a near trickle.
How did you "fine tune" your durso standpipe to get it to run without any gurgling? Did you have to drill anymore holes in the top of it. The only way I can get mine silenced us if I turn down my return pump to a near trickle.
FoolishWizard
Active Member
Loving the scape! Looking to pick this exact set up this weekend, don't mind if I draw some inspiration from your rock work... Would you PM me and tell me what you paid for it so I know I'm getting a fair deal? Thanks.
it looks like some of your algae is beneficial macroalgae. I'm not good with names but thought I'd mention that.
OP
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The Flying Turkey
Active Member
Yes, I have some Halimeda and what might be some Caulerpa. I'm hanging onto that, but there is some hair algae all around it.
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The Flying Turkey
Active Member
Seeing as this is my first salt water tank and first skimmer I don't have anything to compare it to, but it seems OK to me. I'm using a filter sock too, and it seems the sock is catching a lot of the junk.
jose.j.vargas.18
Community Member
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Welcome to the addicting hobby I recommend you a green, red or orange montipora or any photosynthetic (no filter feders) gorgonians they are very hardy and colorful and if you add a wave maker the gorgonians looks amazing.
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The Flying Turkey
Active Member
SPS already? I've got a very very young tank here, and I'm still trying to figure out what to do with hair algae.
iReef86
Reefin' since 1998.
After you drill a hole, place a piece of airline tubing through the hole and make sure it's just long enough to stay above water level and about 2-4cm into the durso pipe!
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