There Is Life ...

[Justin Hartmann]

Alright, so I joined a while ago and posted a thread on my tank build and start up. Well good news, my tank has completed the cycle and has rolled out the red carpet to the first life. My ammonia has dropped to zero along with nitrites. My nitrates were at around 20 so I tested the load and added some ammonia to see if it could handle it. Ammonia dropped to zero within 24 hours. All good signs and at a great time. I did a 25 percent water change to export some nitrates and cleaning. I took the sign and a few days later my clowns were over with their five week quarantine so I went ahead and moved them to the display, this was almost a week ago. A few days later I went out and got a few hermit crabs and snails. I did not get to many so that they would not starve with the minimal fish feedings and algae growth.

This is where my inexperience kicks in, though I have done a lot of research, I have questions just to make sure I am on the right course. I went out and picked up a Red Sea Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium test kit to start to monitor what those levels are doing. The first tests I did came out with Ca - 385 Alk - 8.25 Mag - 1300. To my understanding these are acceptable values but left me curious to see what a water change would alter. I did a 20 percent water change and let things circulate for a few hours; testing results came out Ca - 420 Alk - 8.85 Mag - 1320. It seems that the levels did rise with the new water, I am using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals.

Now I am planning to add soft corals, Zoas and some LPS. I know that these corals do not consume as much of these elements as SPS but would you rise the levels at all? I do have two part on hand just for when things start to fall lower then acceptable. Would anyone try to raise these to a different level? My PH is sitting acceptable but at a low 7.8 which might get a short term rise from the Alk supplement. I am just not sure what to do and have as a goal to add the corals. I would like to go out and get a hammer or torch coral and possibly some zoas this weekend but do not want to add things to early. I would appreciate any help with element levels and if I can get away with adding these corals? The tank seems stable and in good ranges. I have been keeping a spreadsheet with every test that I perform so I can track and keep graphs of all levels. I would love to add a scoly as well but assume that will be months away?

 

[TRPlacek]

Alright, so I joined a while ago and posted a thread on my tank build and start up. Well good news, my tank has completed the cycle and has rolled out the red carpet to the first life. My ammonia has dropped to zero along with nitrites. My nitrates were at around 20 so I tested the load and added some ammonia to see if it could handle it. Ammonia dropped to zero within 24 hours. All good signs and at a great time. I did a 25 percent water change to export some nitrates and cleaning. I took the sign and a few days later my clowns were over with their five week quarantine so I went ahead and moved them to the display, this was almost a week ago. A few days later I went out and got a few hermit crabs and snails. I did not get to many so that they would not starve with the minimal fish feedings and algae growth.

This is where my inexperience kicks in, though I have done a lot of research, I have questions just to make sure I am on the right course. I went out and picked up a Red Sea Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium test kit to start to monitor what those levels are doing. The first tests I did came out with Ca - 385 Alk - 8.25 Mag - 1300. To my understanding these are acceptable values but left me curious to see what a water change would alter. I did a 20 percent water change and let things circulate for a few hours; testing results came out Ca - 420 Alk - 8.85 Mag - 1320. It seems that the levels did rise with the new water, I am using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals.

Now I am planning to add soft corals, Zoas and some LPS. I know that these corals do not consume as much of these elements as SPS but would you rise the levels at all? I do have two part on hand just for when things start to fall lower then acceptable. Would anyone try to raise these to a different level? My PH is sitting acceptable but at a low 7.8 which might get a short term rise from the Alk supplement. I am just not sure what to do and have as a goal to add the corals. I would like to go out and get a hammer or torch coral and possibly some zoas this weekend but do not want to add things to early. I would appreciate any help with element levels and if I can get away with adding these corals? The tank seems stable and in good ranges. I have been keeping a spreadsheet with every test that I perform so I can track and keep graphs of all levels. I would love to add a scoly as well but assume that will be months away?

I don't have as much experience as some on this forum but one thing that jumps out to me is the jump in Ca and Kh after a water change. Assuming you are using the same salt now as you did to set the tank up I can't imagine either of those depleting that much without anything in your tank to consume them. Maybe do a couple more test just to make sure of your readings. I know I had a bit of an issue testing correctly every time when I first started until I got the hang of the red sea tests.

Outside of that I believe those levels are just fine as long as you keep them stable. As for adding any coral I don't really know what the standard is but I transfered a mix of coral from my 29 gallon to my 90 gallon after about a month of setting it up and still have those coral 1.5 years later.

 

[Justin Hartmann]

That is good information, I appreciate it! Yeah that is one thing that I could for sure use some work on. The color change is a little odd so im sure my numbers are off a little bit but shouldn't be huge. I actually do titrations like 3 - 4 times a day at my job so I am very familiar with the process but have also had time to get to know what the color change looks like in a variety of situations and know exactly what the color will look like when finished. Which the red sea tests do have an end point but the tone is a little different in the solution so I need more practice and comfort with these color changes. Thanks for the words!!

 

[helen ann]

Congrats!!!:)

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yea congrats!

The numbers are fine. Besides slight accepted variances in the test and that's normal, there is stuff using it up. Corraline and a lot of other little things you don't see or will see soon. Macrofauna and flora.
If you dose to the numbers you have now or the water changes keep that number steady. Your fine.

It's also most likely the cal and alk will be used up evenly.and it's a small load now So manual two part is fine.

I think I missed where the tank age was. But it's probably a fine time to add corals. Might even want to take the time to QT them and test the dt levels again in a week. Just to keep getting to know the tank.

You don't want to miss any unhatched eggs on the zoas.
You don't need a fancy light for the coral qt btw.

 

[Justin Hartmann]

Okay awesome, Thanks! That was another thing I was looking into. I was not sure about the lighting for a coral QT as I don't have a frag table or anything just my standard QT. What about recommendations on dips or anything like that, safe for softies and zoas and maybe LPS down the road? Or is it just a time and wait deal? I will for sure be testing the levels and another water change tomorrow. The tank is a few months at this point, it is doing great with the bio-load.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Dang sorry I didn't get back to this one. No alerts. Hmm.

I'd say some LR in the QT is fine.
A full spectrum compact is probably fine.
I'd pic a dip that kills bugs. Then you'll want something to kill algae. Just a wait and see is good just to make sure no bug eggs hatch and no algae pops up.
Then you can re dip or scrub etc.