Maeda tells it like it is..

[pcvert99]

Thanks Maeda! Appricate the help

[GrandLotus]

Maeda....?

 

My Diatom Bloom has started to die off but my Dry Rock has not started to get seeded by the Live Rock..

 

I have been patient but nothing seems to be happening ATM. I have a minor GHA so I stopped turning on my lights and I just added a modded AC70 refug today. =D

 

Any advice? Thanks

[Maeda]

I think you have a misconception about seeded dry rock. Most of the important stuff that has probably started living on your rock is invisible.

 

If your ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are testing ok, then don't worry. Continue as normal.

Visual changes in the rock will take many months. Don't sweat it.

 

I would continue to run your lights, and start looking for the root cause of the algae.

 

From what little information I have, it sounds like things are normal. Do you have a small but sensible clean up crew yet?

 

Edit: I read a bit of your tank thread.. with the amount of live rock you used, it will take a long time for things to start looking alive. Good things happen slowly in this hobby. You made the right decision. If everything is testing out ok, and you want to start. Seeing some life in there, get a small amount of nassarius snails, ceriths, trochus and a fighting conch. If your water is testing out well and you have access to to/di and salt, then a few corals are not out of the question either.

[GrandLotus]

Do you have a small but sensible clean up crew yet?

 

Not yet, im going to test my water paramaters then order a CUC from reefcleaners for a 20Gallon High.

 

Im going to wait to add corals. Im also going to add a bit more LR to make a cave. Im also going to add a bit of LR to my new AC70 refuge.

 

 

Can not wait to see some life in this tank.

[pcvert99]

Maeda

 

If I'm starting to see Diatoms on the sand bed , is it safe to say that my cycle has completed? Amonia, Nitrite, and Nitrates are 0 and have been for the past 3 days. pH is 8.1.

[Lalani]

Hey Maeda, why are boogers sometimes green?

[msscha]

In a way that they get light. Other than that I don't know. Sorry!

I love this thread for mounting coral -- awesome info: StevieT's How to Glue Thread

[RayWhisperer]

Hey Maeda, why are boogers sometimes green?

I've got this one.

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Lala. The green boogers mean you got the hiv.

[Lalani]

[atomic_dog]

I'm in the process of trying to get my tank back into shape and I'm trying to figure out which test kit might benefit me. I have the API saltwater kit (the one with nitrate, pH, etc.) and I have a Salifert PO4 test. Eventually I'd like to have calcium, alkalinity and magnesium tests, but I can only afford one at the moment. I'm just wondering if one of these would be of most help in diagnosing my issues. I have a BC14 by the way.

 

Basically, I've got some out of control hair algae along with cyano to deal with. In addition to that, the few corals I have are not doing well at all. I've got an acan that started out doing very well, but seems to be hanging on by a thread now (It has receded and you can clearly see the skeleton.) Yellow polyps are all closed up, and as far as I can tell my ricordea has shriveled up and is gone. My xenia isn't even its usual perky self.

 

I don't have the lights on for excessive periods, less than 9 hours I think. I've been fairly consistent with water changes (I buy gallons of distilled water from the store). Ammonia, nitrates, pH and phosphates are all measuring acceptable levels.

 

I was thinking part of my issue may have been dead spots in the tank where I couldn't get strong current. I rearranged the rocks again last night to try and help that out.I also discovered lots of detritus built up in chambers 1 and 3. I blew that out. Hopefully these changes will get things turned around.

 

But back to my original question. Which test kit would you recommend I pick up next? I will eventually get them all as the finances allow.

[msscha]

BC 14 Mods

 

Hello, Maeda. I'm considering taking out the "filtering" sponge from chamber 3 to increase flow, as

did in hers/his: "Chamber two has filter floss for mechanical filtration and also has a half bag of Chemipure Elite and and half bag of PhosGuard. I removed the sponge in chamber 3 for increase flow and have removed the tab between chamber 1 and 2 for additional flow as well. " I am trying to increase flow a bit and also have read that the sponge is a "nitrate sink" (which I assume is a bad thing, though not sure of the exact meaning). I have made no modifications to the tank -- the "bioballs" are still in chamber 2 and the 50w heater hangs out with the carbon-filter in chamber 1. My tank has 15 lbs LR, more hitchhikers than I can keep track of, a modest CUC, an acan, a duncan, a ricordea florida, and a barnacle blenny. So, question is: what purpose does the sponge in chamber 3 serve? Is it a necessary component? Can I remove it to increase flow with no negative impact?

 

Thanks!

[Neto]

Maeda

 

Everytime I do a waterchange, my sand turns brown the next day or so, like diatoms. The surface of the water turns like oil like if I touch it with my finger, it will leave a round spot for a few seconds.

 

I have a 5 stage RO system (I got it from ebay) and I replaced all filters a few months ago. The stage consists of 1 sediment , 3 carbon and the membrane. I do not have a TDS meter but I am waiting for one in the mail.

 

Do you have any ideas?

 

Thanks for helping!

[RayWhisperer]

Sounds like a silicate issue to me.

 

Why three carbon chambers? One does the job plenty well. Why not just re-route the hoses so the unit would run 1 sediment, 1 carbon, 1 RO membrane, 2DI chambers, in that order. Another way would be 2 of the carbon and lastly one DI.

[Maeda]

Maeda

 

If I'm starting to see Diatoms on the sand bed , is it safe to say that my cycle has completed? Amonia, Nitrite, and Nitrates are 0 and have been for the past 3 days. pH is 8.1.

 

Sounds.. like it could be done. How long have you been cycling? USUALLY a bit of nitrATE will show up...

I would be safe and wait a couple more days and test again.

 

Hey Maeda, why are boogers sometimes green?

 

Bogeys come from phlegm and that's only green if you're sick, and its because of the coloration of the bacteria.

[Maeda]

..I'm trying to figure out which test kit might benefit me. I have the API saltwater kit (the one with nitrate, pH, etc.) and I have a Salifert PO4 test.. I'm just wondering if one of these would be of most help in diagnosing my issues.

 

Basically, I've got some out of control hair algae along with cyano to deal with..

 

I don't have the lights on for excessive periods, less than 9 hours I think. I've been fairly consistent with water changes (I buy gallons of distilled water from the store). Ammonia, nitrates, pH and phosphates are all measuring acceptable levels.

 

I was thinking part of my issue may have been dead spots in the tank where I couldn't get strong current. I rearranged the rocks again last night to try and help that out.I also discovered lots of detritus built up in chambers 1 and 3. I blew that out. Hopefully these changes will get things turned around.

 

But back to my original question. Which test kit would you recommend I pick up next? I will eventually get them all as the finances allow.

 

How poor are you?

I don't mean to judge but my income last year was less than minimum wage, and I still bought an API test kit set..

 

http://aquariumpharm.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductID=138

 

Get that one, and it should run you 20$ If you cannot afford that, get out of this hobby. Really.

 

Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate arn't really worth testing right now. From the problems you described, I would do a 50% water change. That test kit set will allow you to measure your calcium and alkalinity (which you should then balance with 2-part and check the phosphate.

 

I suspect you have low alk, and havn't been doing enough waterchanges and/or feeding too much. How old are you bulbs?

[Maeda]

BC 14 Mods

 

Hello, Maeda. I'm considering taking out the "filtering" sponge from chamber 3 to increase flow, as

did in hers/his: "Chamber two has filter floss for mechanical filtration and also has a half bag of Chemipure Elite and and half bag of PhosGuard. I removed the sponge in chamber 3 for increase flow and have removed the tab between chamber 1 and 2 for additional flow as well. " I am trying to increase flow a bit and also have read that the sponge is a "nitrate sink" (which I assume is a bad thing, though not sure of the exact meaning). I have made no modifications to the tank -- the "bioballs" are still in chamber 2 and the 50w heater hangs out with the carbon-filter in chamber 1. My tank has 15 lbs LR, more hitchhikers than I can keep track of, a modest CUC, an acan, a duncan, a ricordea florida, and a barnacle blenny. So, question is: what purpose does the sponge in chamber 3 serve? Is it a necessary component? Can I remove it to increase flow with no negative impact?

 

Thanks!

 

The sponge is a mechanical filter and another site for beneficial bacteria to live. If you clean it once in a while its fine to keep. The bio balls bring nothing to the party, so I would remove those. I don't know if they still make phosguard the way they used to, but it used to/does/will leech aluminum into your water which is.. well not good.

 

I would never be caught dead with an AIO, but if I had to have one, and I couldn't sell it because the world had ended or something, i would..

 

Remove all the media and use rowaphos or some other kind of ferric phosphate remover (the red brown ones), occaaaasionally run a bag of carbon, and get the biggest (good)pump that'd fit in that back chamber.

 

I run sponges on everything as well, but given your limited space, you're better off with something else.

 

Maeda

 

Everytime I do a waterchange, my sand turns brown the next day or so, like diatoms. The surface of the water turns like oil like if I touch it with my finger, it will leave a round spot for a few seconds.

 

I have a 5 stage RO system (I got it from ebay) and I replaced all filters a few months ago. The stage consists of 1 sediment , 3 carbon and the membrane. I do not have a TDS meter but I am waiting for one in the mail.

 

Do you have any ideas?

 

Thanks for helping!

 

Sounds like high silicates, but you also don't have enough flow in the tank.

see ray's post above for a good recommendation on how to run your filter.

 

I used to run with NO TDS meter for years, and guess what? I always had RO/DI problems. Bite the bullet and get one. It will make it a lot easier to diagnose problems with your unit. Now I can guess when to change the filters by taste.

[pcvert99]

Sounds.. like it could be done. How long have you been cycling? USUALLY a bit of nitrATE will show up...

I would be safe and wait a couple more days and test again.

 

 

It's been cycling for about 1 and 1/2 weeks. The LR was from LFS and was cured

[Maeda]

It's been cycling for about 1 and 1/2 weeks. The LR was from LFS and was cured

 

Depending on how well the rock was kept at the store, you can do two things..

 

If you're impatient, you could try a modest CUC and/or some tough coral(zoos) now.

----------------

If you're patient, I would give it another week or at least until you see some nitrates.

 

 

I wouldn't risk a fish's life to this kind of thing though..

[siwelk]

I've got this one.

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Lala. The green boogers mean you got the hiv.

WTF.

 

Our preschool is screwed...

[pcvert99]

Depending on how well the rock was kept at the store, you can do two things..

 

If you're impatient, you could try a modest CUC and/or some tough coral(zoos) now.

----------------

If you're patient, I would give it another week or at least until you see some nitrates.

 

 

I wouldn't risk a fish's life to this kind of thing though..

 

 

I'm no rush. I will wait to see if the Nitrates increase. And when they do, then it will be ok to add a CUC?

[Maeda]

I'm no rush. I will wait to see if the Nitrates increase. And when they do, then it will be ok to add a CUC?

 

Yah. I would also continue testing for nitrItes too. Most likely you won't see any, but i'm erring on the side of caution with my advice here since I can't actually see your tank.

[pcvert99]

Will do. Thanks for all of your help Maeda! It's been much appricated. And thank you for putting this thread together as well.

[atomic_dog]

How poor are you?

 

Well, not too poor. My plan, though, was to buy the more highly recommended Salifert test kits. I can't afford to pick all those up at once so was hoping for guidance on which would be best right now. Sounds like Alk is first on the list. Maybe I can pick up the Ca one as well.

 

I would do a 50% water change.

I've been doing mostly weekly water changes, occasionally getting lazy and missing a week, but not a bunch. I just did a 4 gallon WC last weekend and another 3 gallons or so last night. I plan on doing a 2 gallon WCH on sunday just before I go on vacation for a week, and then trying to stick with a 2 gal/week schedule from then on.

 

I appreciate the help.

[Neto]

The sponge is a mechanical filter and another site for beneficial bacteria to live. If you clean it once in a while its fine to keep. The bio balls bring nothing to the party, so I would remove those. I don't know if they still make phosguard the way they used to, but it used to/does/will leech aluminum into your water which is.. well not good.

 

I would never be caught dead with an AIO, but if I had to have one, and I couldn't sell it because the world had ended or something, i would..

 

Remove all the media and use rowaphos or some other kind of ferric phosphate remover (the red brown ones), occaaaasionally run a bag of carbon, and get the biggest (good)pump that'd fit in that back chamber.

 

I run sponges on everything as well, but given your limited space, you're better off with something else.

 

 

 

Sounds like high silicates, but you also don't have enough flow in the tank.

see ray's post above for a good recommendation on how to run your filter.

 

I used to run with NO TDS meter for years, and guess what? I always had RO/DI problems. Bite the bullet and get one. It will make it a lot easier to diagnose problems with your unit. Now I can guess when to change the filters by taste.

 

Thanks for your response

 

I just got my TDS meter on the mail and made a measurement. My tap water reads 186 and my RO reads 005. Is that ok ? or should it read 0 ?

 

Also how can I get rid of silicates?

 

My tank measures 24x24x9 and I have two koralia nano's and the return from the sump. I will add another power head.

[naeseth]

Maeda,

 

I am very interested in symbiotic relationships, but being a beginner, im only aware of the commonly known ones. (ie. clown & anemone / goby & pistol shrimp)

 

What are some other species combinations that are symbiotic?