monosyth Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Well, to my surprise, the tank arrived today. Very quick. No visible cracks. Filling with water now, although I am out of homemade RO water, considering going to go buy some from somewhere: Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 Well, water is wet, and salty now... mixing up in the tank. Need to top off a little more... Because everyone does it: Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 Well, it's the morning after the first night. (I swear I kept waking up to creaks/cracks/and bubble bustin'). Salt was mostly dissolved. Maybe a teaspoon left in the bottom. Checked SG: 1.027 ... a bit high. Took out one gallon of water, added 1 gallon RO.. Checked SG: 1.026. I may do one more gallon or so. I really want 1.025. Water was crystal clear - until i started playing in the back, saw that the water level was low in the back and not near the water mark on the Tunze. I was like oh! the floss, I'll just let some water go thru... lifted the filter floss. DUH. and the tank is all cloudy again. Oh well, it will clear up. I need to turn pumps off before rinsing that filter floss! Also, I'm concerned how to get that skimmer at the right level. I guess I have a while to get it right while I cycle. Temp is 79.9... but the lights have not come on yet. Stealth is set on 79+ish. I don't seem to be having microbubbles that I read about... maybe I need to wait longer. I'm hoping to pick up my live rock today. Yikes, 40# - 50# of rock... ($$$) Should I get 10# of the tonga? I'm not a huge fan, but I think it looks interesting. And the fact that it's not really available anymore.. Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 I'm also wondering if I should be using the surface skimmer attachment that comes with the new 130D? Seems like it takes up a lot of room in tank... Does it make a difference? Link to comment
Needreefunds Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I'm also wondering if I should be using the surface skimmer attachment that comes with the new 130D? Seems like it takes up a lot of room in tank... Does it make a difference? From what I read yes. Although it is rather bulky it does improve the surface skimming. 130 owners had to run the tank water level below the black trim ( in the display ) in order to achieve decent surface skimming so part of the new 130D upgrades were this surface skimmer and also wider upper tank trim. While it is big, it does provide that waterfall / tumbling action that really seems to do the trick. HTH Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 cool thanks... well, sand and rock are in the tank. and it's a cloudy mess. I will wait until later to scape. I bought 26lbs of base rock.. fiji? and 10lbs of some really pretty tongan branch.. I'm really excited about placing that. My dog is getting jealous... Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 Got some scaping in... need to do a bit more.. but i'm liking it.. gotta make that tongan stand out! (paid enough for it!!!) Link to comment
StevieT Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 nice scape! Basically you can run the water level past the molding with the surface skimmer attachment. I don't use it since it takes up space and I have a coral in the way. I personally like to see my water level at all times, it lets me gauge evaporation and when I need to replace the filter floss. Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 i don't think i like the surface skimmer too much right now for those reasons.. the water level in the back is all wacky and i noticed that when the filter floss gets blocked it acts differently.. it did skim the junk off the top nicely after adding the sand though. I'll try it for a few days. I'm really worried how to get the levels right in the back with the ATO and the skimmer... I guess it will take some time to figure that out.. oh, and everyone who thinks it's fun to scape... it's a btich! not as easy as i thought it would be. and I totally get why people keep getting in there and changing it up... Link to comment
StevieT Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 yeah, scaping is a pain, I don't know who thinks it is fun. My newest one took 7+ hours... Don't judge your water levels now, you tank is so new and there is so much junk from the new sand and rock. Your ATO will stabilize and water levels will too over time. Just fight with the floss now and after all the junk is collected you will be much happier Link to comment
LFPR Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Nice start! I find your scape really cool. Good job! Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 OK, this morning.. things have cleared up. I think I found a tiny feather duster. There may be more, but just not out of their tubes.. Checked my params: pH: 8.2 Ammonia: 0?? Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: 5 My rock was fully cured at the store with a 30 minute car ride. The LFS said that there shouldn't be much of a die off. Oh, so the deal with the Ammonia.. I'm familiar with freshwater ammonia test, and this seems to work the same way, but when I put the second set of drops in, it got all thick.. and the color didn't match really anything on the chart... Now here's the deal, I added the BioMagnet stuff that came with the sand... I wish I hadn't now.. maybe you all can let me know if that was a good idea or not. I don't know if that messed with the ammonia test? Anyway here are some pix of my scape... Not sure I like it.. I think it's stable, just doesn't look very stable. I have no idea what I am doing! Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 How long should I leave my lights on for? I was thinking 4-6 hrs during cycle. 8 with clean up crew and 10-11 with fish and coral. Also, last night I swear I kept hearing the fan from the lights coming on every once in awhile, but I don't think the lights came on... I could've been dreaming though... Link to comment
SpankythePyro Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Nice scaping! I love it! Esp the tonga pieces and how you used them. btw Its a love hate relationship with scaping. I hate it while doing it but love the end result usually. Last night it took me about 3 hours when my new rock came in, and now I need to figure out how to transfer it to the tank lol Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 I got some really great tongan pieces. And I really wanted them to stand out. However, hard to balance them and then imagine what corals are going in there... after all, this will be more than a tank with water, sand and rocks eventually! There is also lots of caves too, which is great. Still looking for hitchhikers... not much yet. No copepods yet either... Good luck with your rock! I'll be watching. Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 Just adjusted SG from 1.026 to 1.025... about 2 quarts out / 2 quarts RO in. Still trying to figure out the water level part... glad I'm not skimming yet. I'm not sure about that surface skimmer attachment... hmmm. Otherwise a boring tank. But the moonlights are nice. I turned them off before bed last night, is it ok to leave them on all night? - even after it's stocked? it seems like there should be darker in the tank at night for the critters. Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 Day 3... Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: Didn't check today Temp: 79.3 to 80.3 (is this an ok swing for temp from night to afternoon?) Found two more hitchhikers.. One that was dangling from a rock.. and retracted when I shined a flashlight on it last night.. looked like a long mouth or antennae? pic is below in center.. blurry (of course). And also I think I found a teeny aiptasia... its small about half inch tall and white right now. but looks like one? No Idea... I'll keep an eye on it. It's in a weird place, not sure I can get a pic. Also, I thought I noticed a green hue on some of the rock that wasn't there yesterday. I'm leaving my lights on 6 hrs a day currently. And my fan on my light came on for 1 second each hour last night... very strange. Doesn't do it when lights go off around 4pm.. doesn't do it until after midnight. Unless it's something else? I'm always half asleep when I hear it. Link to comment
nano4funreef Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Nice Tonga branch - your aquascape is looking really good! Regarding water level & flow... I would suggest on a 130D running the water level up to the bottom of the trays that hold the lid hinges in the main tank & the main tank surface-skimmer cup up 1/4" from the top, then point one ciruclation nozzel up to create a surface ripple. imo - water level & flow is the key to no micro-bubbles & great surface skimming. Hope this helps Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 well, I guess I had to do my first top off today, it seems that the water level in the back is what you watch, and not what you see in the main display. I added a quart of RO, and brought it up in the back. Is this the way it generally works? gawd, i'm such a noob. oh.. and that possible young aiptaisia moved to the top of the live rock.. hmmm.. very sneaky... Link to comment
nano4funreef Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Do you look at your water level indicator on the back left hand side of your 130D (130's don't have them)? If so, I would suggest running your water lever between the top two lines. But.. I just did my weekly 5 gal. water change & I just fill to the bottom of the trays that hold the lid hinges in the main tank & it's always perfect. I check the water level indicator daily & with my stock RSM and ambient room temp maintained at 74 degrees, I have to add about 32 ounces of ro/di water every other day. Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 Hmmm maybe I don't have enough water in the tank. The level is usually at the 3rd mark down. I also noticed that it wouldn't be high enough for my skimmer (but it's not running because of the cycle). I think it's just getting used to that surface skimmer.. it really effects the levels of water dramatically by just barely moving it. I don't even dare set up my ATO!!! Link to comment
nano4funreef Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 My 130D running stock, so my tips are only proven stock, I guess when running the Tunze 9002 Skimmer a lower water level could be optimal. I guess when running the Tunze 9002 Skimmer, I would follow StevieT threads & run my water level at whatever he is doing... My tips were more for optimal performance from a stock 130D, sorry. I don't know if you ever have to deal with any micro-bubbles in the main tank, but the higher water levels & running your tank surface-skimmer cup up very high will cure them, if that helps any, I would think the 9002 could be adjusted to any water level & work great, but not sure being I am running stock. Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 No worries, I'm sure I'll figure it out... On to today's details: pH: 8.2 Amm: 0 (again this test is weird.. cloudy.. is that the same for everyone?) Ni: 0 Na: 5 or 10 (who can really tell the difference on that card?) So I guess I'm waiting for some algae bloom? No idea. Searched with the flashlight again, keep seeing things/worms pulling themselves back into their holes. I saw an orange colored one last night.. (bristle worm) it was quick. Link to comment
nano4funreef Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Might add a deli shrimp to really kick start the cycle, then you should really see the ammonia start to raise in a couple of days as decay starts... Ammonia spike > then Nitrite spike > then Nitrate spike - Once the nitrites are gone, then start your water changes to reduce nitrates. Then once the cycle completes you get to add a CUC & the fun starts, getting critters to watch Link to comment
monosyth Posted June 20, 2009 Author Share Posted June 20, 2009 Well, I ended up re-scaping tonight... I didn't like how there wasn't enough surface area where light hit the rock from above.. so I think it's better now. I really was frustrated trying to get it just right and not wobbly. I really wanted the tongan pieces to shine too! Oh and I can get the magfloat around all 3 sides now.. versus before there was one spot I couldn't. Link to comment
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