$ Pit

[pschom]

Buy an octopus. They are cheap. They had two last time I was there. Jk they did have them though.

 

Try not to faint when you see their Red Sea Max in the front. It's awesome! You can always tell a good lfs if they have a sweet reef tank. At least there's one person somewhere that cares and knows what they are doing...

 

So I forgot. You do have the basic testers right? It's been a week, can you post your numbers?

 

You get your lights mounted??

[SynRG]

I'd stick with Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals. I have used RedSea Coral Pro and it is more suited towards a mature Acro dominate tank. Has really high levels. My corals did not like it. 12KH and 480Ca at 1.025... I also found when I switched back to Reef Crystals that it mixes easier and faster. Coral Pro always left residue even after mixing for 48hrs. If you want to go with a higher end salt then H2Ocean and Tropic Marin seem to consistantly get good reviews too.

[urbaneks]

I've been using Tropic Marine Pro because of it's alk at 1.025. (9.0dkh). Most of the other premium salts have very high alk which does not match where I run my tank. In addition, the Cal is 400 which I can bump to 450 and the Mag is 1200 which I can bump to 1450. It's much easier to add some extra cal and mag than it is to try and remove alk.

[saltwatercoral]

Finaly some new updates! I have mounted the lights and have the SOLS up and running! I also took a drive down to the House of Tropicals and they have such a better supply of corlas, fish, live rock and customer service than Exotic Aquatics. I ended up leaving the store with about $150 less in my wallet, lol. I purches some of there best live rock to help seed more of the tank as well as some other things I needed including the Microbacter7. Any way here are some pics of the proress thus far...

 

Holes cut for the SOLs and the bare wood sealed

 

Some cable management is better then none

 

This is almsot a FTS, but it is on the night settings in the pic (0W/2B/2RB)

[saltwatercoral]

My settings for the SOLS are below.

 

9AM, 2/5/5, 15 min ramp, Luner off

11AM, 5/10/10, 30 min ramp, Luner off

12PM, 10/18/18, 30 min ramp, Luner off

2PM, 15/25/25, 30 min ramp, Luner off

3PM, 10/18/18, 30 min ramp, Luner off

5PM, 5/10/10, 30 min ramp, Luner off

6PM, 2/5/5, 30 min ramp, Luner off

8PM, 0/4/4, 30 min ramp, Luner off

10PM, 0/2/2, 30 min ramp, Luner on

[pschom]

Nice. Now it's just a waiting game. Glad u liked that store. I do too.

 

Doesn't really matter, but you could probably get away with turning the lights up a bit. If u wanted.

[saltwatercoral]

Nice. Now it's just a waiting game. Glad u liked that store. I do too.

 

Doesn't really matter, but you could probably get away with turning the lights up a bit. If u wanted.

That

Is now my store and I'm just playing a waiting game now. If I bump up the intensity will that be ok for when I add fish? Or if I keep it the same will it still be ok for fish?

[saltwatercoral]

I'd stick with Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals. I have used RedSea Coral Pro and it is more suited towards a mature Acro dominate tank. Has really high levels. My corals did not like it. 12KH and 480Ca at 1.025... I also found when I switched back to Reef Crystals that it mixes easier and faster. Coral Pro always left residue even after mixing for 48hrs. If you want to go with a higher end salt then H2Ocean and Tropic Marin seem to consistantly get good reviews too.

Thanks SynRG! Is it easy to change salt mixes, or should I do this over time?

 

I've been using Tropic Marine Pro because of it's alk at 1.025. (9.0dkh). Most of the other premium salts have very high alk which does not match where I run my tank. In addition, the Cal is 400 which I can bump to 450 and the Mag is 1200 which I can bump to 1450. It's much easier to add some extra cal and mag than it is to try and remove alk.

Thanks for te advise urbaneks! I'm just wondering if I should stay with the Red sea pro coral salt or go with something different like the Tropic Marine Pro...

[SynRG]

Thanks SynRG! Is it easy to change salt mixes, or should I do this over time?

 

Don't do ANY water changes until your tank fully cycles. You can start changing over as soon as your cycle is done and Nitrates are high and Ammonia and Nitrites are very low or undetectable. You can do a big 30%+ WC then to bring Nitrates down and switch at that time with no worries. Then just use the new salt mix from there on out. I'd try to pick one you think will work best for you. I may use the Tropic Marin Pro myself for the reasons Urbanek's stated and the fact I had really good results with it in the past. Seems to be really consistent and easy to dial in your dosing. More $ than IO or RC, but you will dose less over time for sure.

[sammy113]

i would put the shrimp in a filter sock. otherwise they could pall apart over time an you would have shrimp crap everywhere. just my $.02

 

also, skimmer on/off. thats up to u, id say its broken in. i managed to get gunk still before i had fish (poorly rinsed sand/dry rock)

+1 it happened to me when i started my cycle. Damn shrimp got even sucked by the main pump and broken into a million pieces (of course was in my sump). Water was white and stinky as hell

[saltwatercoral]

+1 it happened to me when i started my cycle. Damn shrimp got even sucked by the main pump and broken into a million pieces (of course was in my sump). Water was white and stinky as hell

Its funny you brought htis back up. I tryed to pic it up, so I could put it into the filter sock and it started to break upart into many pieces... So I guess when the clean up crew is added they will have a field day picking the pieces up. When I get home today I will test my par and post them (amonia and Nitrites). I am now doseing with the Microbacter7 and hope this helps the cycleing process.

[saltwatercoral]

I was thinking about adding 2 small clown fish to the tank this week. My amonia is at 1.0 can I do this this week without killin the little guys, or would it be good to help cycle the tank?

[CLR]

Whats your other parameters looking like, mainly the nitrites and nitrates. But from knowing that you ammonia is at 1.0 I would probably give it at least another week. But id definitely test your water before adding any fish to be safe

[saltwatercoral]

Whats your other parameters looking like, mainly the nitrites and nitrates. But from knowing that you ammonia is at 1.0 I would probably give it at least another week. But id definitely test your water before adding any fish to be safe

Did a test and this is what I got:

Amonia: 1

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 0

Temp: 77

Ph: 8.17

SG: 1.025

 

Would u still wait a week or put 2 damsels or clowns in?

 

I can't find the shrimp any more. Don't know where it whent, desolved? I am Doseing with Microbater7.

[mpsti05]

Wait for the ammonia to drop then get 2 clowns, screw the damsels

[not_so_nano]

Hey nice tank ! I got the same stand and love it !!!! Waiting on the canopy however ! Check out the link to my thread in my my signature !

 

I fit a RS-300 in mine !!! Id live the extra few inches a 120 offers however ! My stand is the Red Oak which is more cherry than anything which I love since all the trim and furniture in my man cave is cherry !

[saltwatercoral]

Wait for the ammonia to drop then get 2 clowns, screw the damsels

Ill wait... O, the waiting game... Clowns it is. Do I need to get an anemone to host the cows or do they not deed one?

 

Hey nice tank ! I got the same stand and love it !!!! Waiting on the canopy however ! Check out the link to my thread in my my signature !

 

I fit a RS-300 in mine !!! Id live the extra few inches a 120 offers however ! My stand is the Red Oak which is more cherry than anything which I love since all the trim and furniture in my man cave is cherry !

 

Thanks, not_so_nano. Just checked out your thread and it looks great! I am glad I got the RS-200 because I am going to need room dowm the line for a ATO and some doseing equipment!

[21093r53]

Thanks siwelk and JNA_DESIGN for the info!

 

It looks like I'm going out to House of Tropicals tomorrow to spen some $! I might be getting some of the following:

MP40

Hanna Meters

More Live rock

Red Sea Coral Pro salt

Or ????

 

 

the hanna meters are a waste of time bro, why the red sea pro salt? how about io or oceanic? i wouldnt suggest getting much from HOT unless you want to get bent over. plus they never have any high end equipment in anyways, i ask to order me aquamedic stuff and they are like wtf is that?

[saltwatercoral]

the hanna meters are a waste of time bro, why the red sea pro salt? how about io or oceanic? i wouldnt suggest getting much from HOT unless you want to get bent over. plus they never have any high end equipment in anyways, i ask to order me aquamedic stuff and they are like wtf is that?

I kinda know what you are talking about. I asked if they had any or could order me any Hanna Checkers or MP40s and the cashier was lke ????, lol. There selection was better that Exotic Aquatics and customer service was much better. They actualy talked to me as a person at House of Tropicals and not like I was a bother. I think I might be eyeing some of Jasons frags up soon, when my tank is finished cycling! Shoyuld I contact you for this or Jason?

[21093r53]

either or i thought you already spoke with him about coming up?

[saltwatercoral]

either or i thought you already spoke with him about coming up?

I did about 2 months ago and havent talked to him since. I didnt know how that would work, Ill send him a reply email on the one he sent me.

[mpsti05]

No you don't have to get an anemone, it's up to you, chances are tank raised ones hosting it are pretty slim, I'm using Tron's method now, found a pic of a gbta with clowns hosting it and printed it out and taped the pic to the glass... It worked for him so now the waiting game.... Although they do tend to get super close to it and dip there faces in then swim away now where before they never got near it

[21093r53]

I did about 2 months ago and havent talked to him since. I didnt know how that would work, Ill send him a reply email on the one he sent me.

 

 

He's going to be out of town until next wed. I'm going up there on Thursday to pick up a jack o latern I'll talk to him about you then, have you picked out drags you want yet?

[saltwatercoral]

He's going to be out of town until next wed. I'm going up there on Thursday to pick up a jack o latern I'll talk to him about you then, have you picked out drags you want yet?

Im going to start looking here soon, maybe he can frag a few pieces and I will pick them up here soon. Please talk to him if you don’t mind, I would appreciate that.

[21093r53]

Im going to start looking here soon, maybe he can frag a few pieces and I will pick them up here soon. Please talk to him if you don’t mind, I would appreciate that.

 

 

yes no problem, PM your cell number please.