Your Chance to Criticize

[DSparks]

Just looking for some constructive criticism on my setup and advice on next steps. Here's some background:

 

10G (Running for 2 1/2 Months)

18 #'s Live Rock

20#'s Live Sand in a bag

Closed Loop w/ SCWD

HOB Aqua-clear 300 (150 Impeller)

Photo period @ 12 Hours (96W of 6500K, 10K, and Actinic) and 4 LED Moonlights 100% of the time.

Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate @ 0

PH @ 8.4

Phosphates @ .3

Calcium @ 405

SG @ 1.025

***These are the only tests I own right now. Since I knew I'd be running just LR for several months I'm saving some cash by purchasing tests slowly.

 

Cleanup Crew: Assorted Hermits, 1 Turbo Snail, 5 Nassarius Snails.

 

I'm running reef-grade carbon 100% of the time.

 

I'm also working on a hood/light upgrade which will house a 70W 10,000K Aqualine AB with 26W of Actinic Supplementation.

 

I've noticed some neat life in the tank over the past couple of weeks (mini feather dusters, mini brittle stars, a bristle worm, tiny shrimp like creatures, etc). I'm FINALLY starting to see a little Coraline start to grow, but I think the bright neon green algae is going to beat it out.

 

I've made a serious commitment to not add anything other than live rock, live sand, and cleanup crew to the tank for at least 3 or 4 months. I want to make sure that I have a well cycled and well established tank before adding the expensive stuff. Since I'm getting close to feeling good about adding my first coral, I wanted to run things by you guys and gals first.

 

So my questions are:

 

1) What other tests should I be doing to get ready for my first coral?

 

2) Do you see any problems with my current test readings?

 

3) What can I do to help the coraline along? I've think that I've read somewhere that there is a type of coraline algae that is green. Is this true, and if so is it bright neon green?

 

4) In general, based on the information above do you have any suggestions, changes, criticism, etc to offer?

[SeaSide]

Coraline demands more calcium than other algae.

You may want to add some calcium, or more frequent WC for calcium supply. To find out if this is for you, my suggestion is...

 

1. do WC.

2. test calcium and PH right after the WC, and write the numbers.

3. do the same test for 7 days. write the numbers.

 

in this way, you can figure out how much calcium your tank consumes a day, and pH too. Then you can figure out how much calcium you need to add to your tank. If pH fluctuate a lot, you may need to add some buffer to stabilize it.

 

You also may want to have alkalinity test kit too. IME, calcium and alkalinity test kit is two most useful kits.

 

Try to keep your Alkalinity arround 4, calcium arround 450, pH arround 8.4. When you have corals or a lot of coraline algae, do the same test so that you can figure out what amount of calcium and buffer you need. HTH.

[DSparks]

That's a great suggestion. Thanks SeaSide!!!

 

Any other advice?

[theclearblue]

I have to say, I'm very impressed that you're waiting that long to stock the tank. Seaside gave some good recommendations.

[DSparks]

It's been hard to wait, but I think I'm seeing some really good results because of it. There's plenty of new life popping up everyday.

 

Although tonight I think I found a nuisance anemone. It's has clear tentacles with white balls at the tips, and only about the size of a nickel.

[trmiv]

I think you've done an awesome job so far. Your calcium should probably come up a bit, and you should pick up an alkalinity kit. Other than that, it looks great. I think you should reward yourself with a couple of corals! Get some zoos, gsp's, or mushrooms in that thing!

[DSparks]

Thanks trmiv!

 

So from what I've heard and read, water changes are the best way to bring up calcium? How about using pickling lime in makeup water? I guess I need to do a little more research on that subject.

 

Thanks all!

[tinyreef]

for more coralline you might want to start dosing Magnesium along with the calcium. besides in chlorophyll, the Mg is incorporated into the actual structure and keeps ionic balance with calcium in the water (about 3:1, Mg:Ca).

 

you also have to eliminate the phosphate (e.g. phosguard or poly-filters) to promote calcification. hth

[DSparks]

OK, so I'll pick up a magnesium test kit as well. What are the normal params for magnesium?

[tinyreef]

about 1350 ppm is the standard answer.

[Korbin]

I agree that you should pick up an alk test kit. Alk, magnesium, pH, and caclium all go hand-in-hand. Before you jump into getting corals make sure you are handy with testing these parameters and you have a dosing schedule in place. Figure out what you're going to do to keep all these parameters stable, and do it. Let it stay stable for awhile. If you decide to change any of your methods of dosing, its best to get that out of the way before you get corals. Also consider measuring your pH at different times (i.e. just after your lights are out for an hour, before they turn on, after they turn on.)

 

Kalkawassar (pickling lime) is good to use in a topoff to replace calcium and alk that your tank uses up. Water changes are OK for bumping up the calcium, but calcium chloride (kent turbo calcium) is better. Baking soda is a good way to bump up alkalinity.

 

I see that you also have 1 turbo snail. While those eat LOTS of algae and might possibly run out in a small tank, diversity is good in a tank. Different snails will eat slightly different things. You might consider adding some trochus and cerith snails too.

[DSparks]

Thanks Korbin, good info. I tried the water change method that SeaSide suggested. It didn't really help to boost the calc all that much (up to about 420). I'm going to pick up the other tests and get a better handle on everything before adding corals, that's for sure. I'll also pick up some Kent Turbo Calcium.

 

I'll pickup a few trochus and cerith snails as well. Any suggestions on how many?

[Korbin]

I have almost 8 trochus and 8 ceriths in my 15 gallon. But it is an established tank and I feed sorta heavily. Start with just a few and add as needed - like if they can't keep the glass from turning green in a few days.