ReefMadman Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Hey guys, im new here....just got my first saltwater setup...i have a few questions. First off ill tell u my setup, so u know what Im dealing with. 29gallon coralife biocube Extra flow pump Coralife protein skimmer Live sand 20lbs Live rock 28lbs Rock rubble 4lbs instead of the bio balls Carbon pouch Heater Nutri sea water and distilled water Bacteria start up solution All the supplements like calcium and such. So i finished putting the system together Sunday afternoon at 2pm. Now the rock was cured and cycled live rock from a tank of my lfs..the rubble too..its covered in coraline algea already...it was only outta the water for like 30 minutes. I ran all my chem test later that night( like 10hrs later). And here are my numbers Salinity 1.021 Ph 8.2 Amonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 3.0 Calcium 430 Phosphate 2.5 I tested again just now and the numbers are the same except the Phosphate is around 2.0 now. I have 2 questions 1.is it even possible for a New tank to cycle this fast 2.is the Phosphate a bi product of die off from the live Rock and Live sand with no cleaner crew to process it...or should i be worried Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Salinity is too low, you're going to need to bring that up before considering livestock. Because you used all live rock and live sand, I suggest you start ghost feeding the tank and making sure that the bio load capacity is enough to go forward. Don't worry yet, it's new. Post some pictures Link to comment
righttirefire Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 For a fish only system. I feel your salinity could be acceptable. I have instantly cycled a quarantine tank. I'd suggest PATIENCE and RESEARCH. 1.025 salinity would be more desirable for reef tank. What are you stocking plans, aquascape? Post pictures. Please? Link to comment
ReefMadman Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 I am at work tonight now...i work nights...I'll post pics in the morning. I am planning a reef system...I'm gonna start with a cleaner crew...than some corrals...probably soft corrals and lps...easy stuff....as far as fish...dunno yet...probably 2 clownies, maybe a goby..a fire shrimp...haven't really gotten that far ahead in my brain yet. I have freshwater tanks and by my experience it makes ur life a lot easier under stocking a tank a bit...so i was probably gonna follow the same logic here...maybe 4 fish and the fire shrimp As far as the salinity...i could just do my next top off with nutri sea to bring up the salt value...right?...i have 3 extra jugs of the stuff so i wouldn't have to make any extra trips to the lfs Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I am at work tonight now...i work nights...I'll post pics in the morning. I am planning a reef system...I'm gonna start with a cleaner crew...than some corrals...probably soft corrals and lps...easy stuff....as far as fish...dunno yet...probably 2 clownies, maybe a goby..a fire shrimp...haven't really gotten that far ahead in my brain yet. I have freshwater tanks and by my experience it makes ur life a lot easier under stocking a tank a bit...so i was probably gonna follow the same logic here...maybe 4 fish and the fire shrimpAs far as the salinity...i could just do my next top off with nutri sea to bring up the salt value...right?...i have 3 extra jugs of the stuff so i wouldn't have to make any extra trips to the lfs Exactly, top off with salt water until the salinity is back up. Sounds like an awesome plan- I had a NanoCube 28 filled to the brim with corals and had 2 clowns, a blenny, and a happy wrasse. Very successful tank, the insane growth forced me to upgrade Link to comment
righttirefire Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Yes. Top off with saltwater until you reach desired salinity. Beware, many lfs keep there fish only tanks at lower salinity. Check stocking order. At first there aren't any algae for a cuc to eat. Link to comment
ReefMadman Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 Yes. Top off with saltwater until you reach desired salinity. Beware, many lfs keep there fish only tanks at lower salinity. Check stocking order. At first there aren't any algae for a cuc to eat. I was thinking the same thing about the algae...might go with the matched pair of frostbite clowns that i saw at my lfs first...before the disappear...lol Link to comment
righttirefire Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Clowns can be territorial. And establish the tank as their area. Could bully any farther additions. I'd suggest a little ghost feeding and test over this week or 2. Personally I added a blue/green chromium first. Which are said to be bullies/aggressive. Without issue. There are some awesome people with gallons of knowledge. I've never talked to someone here who didn't want you to avoid the mistakes they made. Link to comment
ReefMadman Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 I was reading that aqua cultured tank bred and raised clowns can be quite docile...is there any truth to that Link to comment
righttirefire Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I don't know. I have 1 captive bred clown. And it's pretty protective over its anenome and "area" which is small maybe about 1 gallon. It could just be the personality of my fish. Link to comment
ReefMadman Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 Exactly, top off with salt water until the salinity is back up. Sounds like an awesome plan- I had a NanoCube 28 filled to the brim with corals and had 2 clowns, a blenny, and a happy wrasse. Very successful tank, the insane growth forced me to upgrade Doesn't it suck, being forced to do something you don't want to do Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Doesn't it suck, being forced to do something you don't want to do Ha- I wanted to do it for a while but had no excuse until then! Link to comment
ReefMadman Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 Here are some pics....water is still a bit cloudy with sand and debris from initial fill...this tank turns over about 20 times per hour....probably won't really clear up until first water change. Link to comment
ReefMadman Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Quick update....phosphates went away..i made some filter flow modifications water is crystal clear and all my numbers are spot on Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 Ph 8.3 Salinity 1.025 Nitrates 2.0 Calcium 480 Phosphates 0 I'm starting to get a good amount of brownish green algea on the sand and rock...I've been ghost feeding the tank as advised....plus the coraline algea is spreading nicely....so this weekend I'm probably gonna add livestock...still haven't decided on fish or cuc...plus my lfs has a nice acan frag and a neon green star polyp that i have my eyes on....any suggestions Link to comment
lobster876 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 corals plus cuc see how they do for a few days then add fish Link to comment
ReefMadman Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 He's got a nice zoa frag too...might get all 3....i know exactly where i want to place all 3...how do u feel about the 1 cleaner per gallon rule Link to comment
mystersyster Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 If you get a clean up crew get dwarf ceriths included. They are amazing cleaners and can reproduce Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 A couple blue leg hermits and a few snails, ceriths or trochus clean up algae well, would be a good starting point. Add slowly, you can always put more in later. If you get the green star polyps, know that they spread really fast. It may be smart to put them on their own isolated island in the sand so that they can't take over your rocks. They are really pretty. Link to comment
ReefMadman Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 I read that about the gsp...i was gonna grab another small piece of live rock and isolate it...not sure yet Link to comment
righttirefire Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 I started with about 4 snail in my cuc. I've continued bulked it up I like the cerith, astrea, dwarf ceriths, and don't forget about the nassarius snail. I've opted out of hermits in my tank. Research. I've threatened to add them but still havent. Add slowly. Let the biofilter catch up. I believe I started with a blue/green chromis and pulsing xenia. Link to comment
ReefMadman Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 I pulled the trigger on some stuff today, i got 3 turbo snails, 3 nasi snails, 2 scarlet reef hermits and a cleaner shrimp...plus i picked up the gsp and an acan frag that had a zoa hitch hiker....im not gonna put any fish in for a while now....maybe 3 or 4 weeks....i was gonna start with a chromis and pj cardinal....my lfs has really small ones....than eventually a clownfish and maybe 1 more fish after that Link to comment
righttirefire Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Gotta have food for the cuc. Nasi eat meat fyi. Link to comment
ReefMadman Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 Yeah...I've been ghost feeding the tank...very small amounts.... Plus there is a bunch of algea all over the sand and rock... If i see that they need more food I'll go and get 1 fish...probably a chromis or cardinal....just to step up the bio load Link to comment
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