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Cswan's Spec V | Get Rid of the Shrimp?


cswan19

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Arkayology

Oh really? I was thinking they were $75-100. :o I may pick one up then. I was planning on using it for quite a while, my LFS sells it pretty cheap and its just a lot easier. haha :rolleyes:

LFS usually sell their water at less then 1.025 IME.

 

I would ditch the swing arm and get a refractometer. One of the best things you can buy for your tank.

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LFS usually sell their water at less then 1.025 IME.

 

I would ditch the swing arm and get a refractometer. One of the best things you can buy for your tank.

 

Thanks, I'm going to be getting one. I plan to check with my two LFS tomor to see if they have any for $35-40 or less, if not I'll be ordering one for $30. Thanks to everyone who has helped me so far btw, I really appreciate it :)

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Parameters 5.6.14

 

13937330769_129b51af81_z.jpg

 

pH: 7.8-8.0

Ammonia: 1.0ppm

Nitrite: 0.25 ppm

Nitrate: 0-5 ppm

 

My ammonia went up after adding the shrimp late last night! Woohoo! So should I leave the shrimp in for a bit longer or take it out now? What should my ammonia reach before it will start converting into nitrite? It looks like my nitrate went up as well from 0 to 0.25 ppm does that mean that the ammonia has already started converting? Thanks guys :)

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Parameters 5.6.14

 

pH: 7.8-8.0

Ammonia: 1.0ppm

Nitrite: 0.25 ppm

Nitrate: 0-5 ppm

 

My ammonia went up after adding the shrimp late last night! Woohoo! So should I leave the shrimp in for a bit longer or take it out now? What should my ammonia reach before it will start converting into nitrite? It looks like my nitrate went up as well from 0 to 0.25 ppm does that mean that the ammonia has already started converting? Thanks guys :)

 

I'd take it out and fish out any remaining pieces. Wait for that Ammonia to go down and you should start seeing a lot of algae, don't be alarmed!

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Omg look at that ammonia spike!! Haha it went WAAAAAYY up there...

That's good. Take it out!!!!!

 

Then watch those levels go down slowly... As they go down you'll see algae and such begin real quick. Like.. RAPID.

Then go buy some CUC!!!

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Update: 5/7/14

 

No visible signs of algae growth just yet.

 

Today's parameters:

 

14128191251_b6821ab5f4_z.jpg

 

pH: 7.8

Ammonia: 1.0 ppm

Nitrite: 0.25 ppm

Nitrate: 0-5 ppm

 

Everything seems just about unchanged, not much of an update lol Hoping for this cycle to kickstart here pretty soon, I'm dying to add some life to my tank haha

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Update: 5/7/14

 

No visible signs of algae growth just yet.

 

Today's parameters:

 

14128191251_b6821ab5f4_z.jpg

 

pH: 7.8

Ammonia: 1.0 ppm

Nitrite: 0.25 ppm

Nitrate: 0-5 ppm

 

Everything seems just about unchanged, not much of an update lol Hoping for this cycle to kickstart here pretty soon, I'm dying to add some life to my tank haha

Just give it time, my ammonia skyrocketed at 8ppm and stayed there for like a week, then all the sudden in about three days it dropped, nitrates went up then they dropped and I'm all cycled. Don't rush it, let those bacteria grow.

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I've been sick the past day or so, so thats why I didn't post yesterday. Here are todays parameters from earlier:

 

14125872016_d7389e188e_z.jpg

 

pH: 8.0

Ammonia: 0.5 - 1 ppm

Nitrite: 0.25

Nitrate: 5.0 ppm

 

Again, not much of an update, but it does seem like the ammonia may have gone done the slightest bit! woohoo! Lets hope it cycles fully soon !

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love your setup dood i just started my tank about a week ago and im sitting with about the readings as you

 

Sweet thank you! :happy: This is such a great place for learning! What kind of tank did you get?

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Got some goodies in the mail today :D

 

14154530734_d4915ccb20_z.jpg

 

InTank Surface Skimmer and a swedish fish lol it was a nice touch :P

 

14174445843_e767780462_z.jpg

 

Hydor Koralia 240

 

Marineland Visi - Therm 50 w Heater

 

Chemi - Pure elite

 

I will be putting everything but the CPE in my tank later on tonight. I'm going to wait until I am cycled to put the CPE in.

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Sweet thank you! :happy: This is such a great place for learning! What kind of tank did you get?

i have the newer fluval edge 6 gallon and i also have the same heater and power head as you. what lighting are you using i read all 3 pages but maybe i missed it. thats my obstacle right now.

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Same heater, powerhead, CPE, as me!

 

Great Minds think alike ;) haha

 

i have the newer fluval edge 6 gallon and i also have the same heater and power head as you. what lighting are you using i read all 3 pages but maybe i missed it. thats my obstacle right now.

 

Nice, Fluval is a great brand imo, and I haven't tried the power head or heater but have heard really great things about them, so I'm excited to get them in the tank. And yes, I am currently using the stock light as I just had to pay for my summer term college classes so I have to wait to spend more money :P haha but I'm looking to get the Current USA Orbit lighting system. I've heard really good things about the orbit. But like Kijho said the par 38 is great too and looks phenomenal on his tank! haha also welcome to NR! :welcome:

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Minor Update - May 14, 2014

 

I haven't been posting my parameters as they were not really changing much and I didn't want to post basically the same thing a few days in a row.

 

14186366672_c7c1a5d3a2_z.jpg

 

Parameters from earlier today:

 

pH: 7.8-8.0

Ammonia: 0 ppm

Nitrite: 0 ppm

Nitrate: 5 ppm

 

So does this mean my tank is cycled? Or do I wait for Nitrate to hit 0 before adding a clean up crew? It doesn't look like there has been much algae growth, there has been some though. Also when should I do my first water change? And when would you recommend adding my CPE media? I was also thinking of getting Purigen?

 

Took some pictures to show the small amount of algae growth.

 

14002282680_e37f42eba7_z.jpg

 

14185634371_c2601222cc_z.jpg

 

14188938525_3046bf6b4c_z.jpg

 

Also finally put my Koralia and InTank surface skimmer in the tank.

 

14002271648_052dc70f9d_z.jpg

 

I would hear a strange buzzing noise coming from the powerhead and thought I had a faulty unit. Then I realized it was just rattling the stock Fluval plastic lid, so I'll have to cut some kind of notch in the lid to keep the rattling from coming and going. Glad its not a broken power head though :)

 

Have yet to put the heater in the tank yet. I can't seem to get it to fit well in the sump :huh: so I'll have to play around with that tomorrow.

 

Also I plan to get some epoxy/glue to finally secure the aquascape tomorrow! I think I might also rearrange the two smaller rocks to provide a bit more room on the sand bed. So I should have some more updates tomorrow.

 

Anyway here is a FTS

 

14002271368_8d2d2fd1d4_z.jpg

 

EDIT: I also ordered a refractometer too! So I'm just waiting to get that in the mail :D

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Got a little something today

 

14201224964_6c10092ebf_z.jpg

 

It had me calibrate it with distilled water.. I thought you weren't really supposed to do that? Should I go out and pick up some calibration fluid? It didn't come with any.

 

Refractometer vs. Hydrometer:

 

14014649209_c8a4d824a1_z.jpg

 

Refractometer

 

Salinity: 1.025

 

14014720377_b7eca84747_z.jpg

 

Hydrometer

 

Salinity: 1.021 - 1.022

 

Pretty big difference lol

 

Also sorry for the lack of updates, summer semester has had me swamped. I also found out I will be having to go up North to Ohio for some family stuff that is going on at the end of June and won't be back until the end of July, so this means I will most likely be holding off on any corals (as much as I really really don't want to wait) since my mom, who does not know much about how to maintain the tank, will be in charge of maintenance while I am gone. I am also wondering if I should hold off on any livestock until after I get back. I'm not sure she could handle a water change, and 3-4 weeks is a long time to go with out a water change with a goby, pistol shrimp, clownfish and cuc. What do you guys think I should do?

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Cswan! I'm sorry I haven't posted here in a few days I've been so busy and bailed out I feel bad now because I have to tell you some fantastic news....

 

I'm going to go over your progress so far:

 

You put in your dry rocks and 1 live rock. Then took the advise of putting 1 table-shrimp in the tank. That table-shrimp made all your parameters HIT THE ROOF. Very very good. I've literally never seen such high ammonia/ nitrite in anyone elses build thread for the Spec V's other than yours here hahaha!!

 

You've waited it out a week or more now it looks like... and now you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 5 nitrate? ... You have less nitrate than me haha. I have like.. 5-10 nitrate almost always. I think it's alright, as long as it's not like 50ppm and you keep up with water-changes.

 

Do a water change NOW!!! Check the levels an hour or so after the WC. That nitrate might fall.

If it doesn't fall it doesn't even matter. Go buy the CUC!!!! CUC CUC CUC!!! Look at that brown on the sand - JUST LIKE ME!!

 

I'd get maybe 3 or 4 snails if I were you. I've got more now, but that's because I've got my fish/ corals now. You might add some more down the road, I'd start with only a few.

 

Okay. Here's the TL;DR because It's late at night for me and I'm a bit tired and my post above might be rambling. Sorry!

 

1. I think your cycle is DONE.

2. Do a small water change. 10%-20%. Simple. Your nitrates might come down, but if not - it's still fine. I've never had 0 nitrate lol.

3. Buy the CUC. I'd suggest 3 or 4 snails. You can get all the same, or some diversity. I'd personally suggest the diversity route - I'd definitely find something sand-sifting though if I was you to conquer that brown on the sand. (I just picked up a nassarius today for this) If you can find a conch like Etucc has - that's good too!

 

Once you have CUC monitor the levels!! See if they go up or down. Probably won't see any change at all.

Then go add a coral (with a light) or a fishy!

 

fuck-yeah-meme_design.png



Ps: Look at how accurate that refractometer is compared to the hydrometer! OMG.

Way better. Mine is the exact same brand but it came with some calibration fluid. The manual documentation that came with mine told me to use distilled water though soo... I dunno the difference haha. Just needs to be exactly 0ppm forsure whatever it is you're using to calibrate. Distilled "should" technically be 0ppm so should be fine. Calibration fluid is dirt cheap I think and last a while.. I've only calibrated twice so far.

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Cswan! I'm sorry I haven't posted here in a few days I've been so busy and bailed out I feel bad now because I have to tell you some fantastic news....

 

I'm going to go over your progress so far:

 

You put in your dry rocks and 1 live rock. Then took the advise of putting 1 table-shrimp in the tank. That table-shrimp made all your parameters HIT THE ROOF. Very very good. I've literally never seen such high ammonia/ nitrite in anyone elses build thread for the Spec V's other than yours here hahaha!!

 

You've waited it out a week or more now it looks like... and now you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 5 nitrate? ... You have less nitrate than me haha. I have like.. 5-10 nitrate almost always. I think it's alright, as long as it's not like 50ppm and you keep up with water-changes.

 

Do a water change NOW!!! Check the levels an hour or so after the WC. That nitrate might fall.

If it doesn't fall it doesn't even matter. Go buy the CUC!!!! CUC CUC CUC!!! Look at that brown on the sand - JUST LIKE ME!!

 

I'd get maybe 3 or 4 snails if I were you. I've got more now, but that's because I've got my fish/ corals now. You might add some more down the road, I'd start with only a few.

 

Okay. Here's the TL;DR because It's late at night for me and I'm a bit tired and my post above might be rambling. Sorry!

 

1. I think your cycle is DONE.

2. Do a small water change. 10%-20%. Simple. Your nitrates might come down, but if not - it's still fine. I've never had 0 nitrate lol.

3. Buy the CUC. I'd suggest 3 or 4 snails. You can get all the same, or some diversity. I'd personally suggest the diversity route - I'd definitely find something sand-sifting though if I was you to conquer that brown on the sand. (I just picked up a nassarius today for this) If you can find a conch like Etucc has - that's good too!

 

Once you have CUC monitor the levels!! See if they go up or down. Probably won't see any change at all.

Then go add a coral (with a light) or a fishy!

 

fuck-yeah-meme_design.png

 

Ps: Look at how accurate that refractometer is compared to the hydrometer! OMG.

Way better. Mine is the exact same brand but it came with some calibration fluid. The manual documentation that came with mine told me to use distilled water though soo... I dunno the difference haha. Just needs to be exactly 0ppm forsure whatever it is you're using to calibrate. Distilled "should" technically be 0ppm so should be fine. Calibration fluid is dirt cheap I think and last a while.. I've only calibrated twice so far.

how long after the CUC is in do you add the fish or coral?

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