- Joined
- Dec 15, 2007
- Messages
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So my IM 40 has been running for 35 days now while I have been building the ATO and getting the APEX system setup and stabilizing temperature control.
I have about 28 lbs. of live rock that was bleached rinsed and dried along with about 10 lbs. from a running tank, I have 20 Lbs. of Agra live special reef sand in the tank.
I dosed 1 bottle of Dr. Tim's one and only starter culture over 5 days and have been ghost feeding Rods reef food a couple of times a week for the last 30 days. skimmer is turned off just the return pump and 2 8055 Tunze in the display and running with no lights except basement room ambient lighting.
No livestock or corals!
I started testing and here's where I have landed today.
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 25
My PH has been low like 7.5
Started dosing Soda Ash liquid 2 days ago
PH is currently 7.9
Tested Calcium ad it was maxed out at 500 on a Salifert test kit
Tested Alkalinity and it was at 15.6 with Salifert test kit
Question is should I do a water change to get these two things back to a more acceptable range or is there something else I should do to get these back in line.
Its been 10 years since I had Reef tanks and I am looking to begin again assuming I know nothing and want to learn the right way to do this and not start a yo-yo dosing/testing routine chasing numbers.
Tank is a IM40 Nuvo AIO.
I have 30 gallons of water made up and ready to go.
Any advice for a returning aquarist?
I have about 28 lbs. of live rock that was bleached rinsed and dried along with about 10 lbs. from a running tank, I have 20 Lbs. of Agra live special reef sand in the tank.
I dosed 1 bottle of Dr. Tim's one and only starter culture over 5 days and have been ghost feeding Rods reef food a couple of times a week for the last 30 days. skimmer is turned off just the return pump and 2 8055 Tunze in the display and running with no lights except basement room ambient lighting.
No livestock or corals!
I started testing and here's where I have landed today.
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 25
My PH has been low like 7.5
Started dosing Soda Ash liquid 2 days ago
PH is currently 7.9
Tested Calcium ad it was maxed out at 500 on a Salifert test kit
Tested Alkalinity and it was at 15.6 with Salifert test kit
Question is should I do a water change to get these two things back to a more acceptable range or is there something else I should do to get these back in line.
Its been 10 years since I had Reef tanks and I am looking to begin again assuming I know nothing and want to learn the right way to do this and not start a yo-yo dosing/testing routine chasing numbers.
Tank is a IM40 Nuvo AIO.
I have 30 gallons of water made up and ready to go.
Any advice for a returning aquarist?