Peanut's Paradise

[gonzalez78]

/your cycle took nearly 5 weeks? why so long?

 

mine somehow is showing its cycled without a nitrate spike in 18 days. I am confused as to whether it is safe to add my 11 day QT fish or not

 

It might have taken less than that but I wanted to be safer than sorry later that's why I waited this long. If your tank shows it already cycled and your tests confirm that then I'm sure you're fine.

 

your cycle will be different depending on how much live and dead rock you use and the amount of bacteria you start with.

 

I started with only 20 pounds of live sand and everything else was dead.

 

 

In other news, I borrowed my brothers refractometer and just lowered the salinity from 1.029 to 1.025 slowly by taking out sw and adding rodi to the sump.

 

Next step, finding a way to remove the DAMsels from the tank before I get pissed and go borrow my friends 6" clown trigger to take care of them for me.

[Snapper]

your cycle will be different depending on how much live and dead rock you use and the amount of bacteria you start with.

 

 

I used 16 lbs dead rock 3 lbs LR and 30 lbs dead sand but i did use 2 shrimps to cycle for 48 hours.

 

So since I didn't have a Nitrate spike, but nitirite and ammonia are at a 0, is it safe to add my fish from the QT?

 

I need to raise my salinity it somehow went from 1.024 to 1.020

 

It might have taken less than that but I wanted to be safer than sorry later that's why I waited this long. If your tank shows it already cycled and your tests confirm that then I'm sure you're fine.

 

 

 

I started with only 20 pounds of live sand and everything else was dead.

 

 

In other news, I borrowed my brothers refractometer and just lowered the salinity from 1.029 to 1.025 slowly by taking out sw and adding rodi to the sump.

 

Next step, finding a way to remove the DAMsels from the tank before I get pissed and go borrow my friends 6" clown trigger to take care of them for me.

 

What would be some signs ? last time around when I saw diatoms/rocks turning a bit gold I knew my cycle was over, is that correct?

 

Last time I used a damsel as well, about 2 years ago and man i gotta admit, taking that one out is a PAIN IN THE ASS they are effing insane fast

[gonzalez78]

I used 16 lbs dead rock 3 lbs LR and 30 lbs dead sand but i did use 2 shrimps to cycle for 48 hours.

 

So since I didn't have a Nitrate spike, but nitirite and ammonia are at a 0, is it safe to add my fish from the QT?

 

I need to raise my salinity it somehow went from 1.024 to 1.020

 

 

 

What would be some signs ? last time around when I saw diatoms/rocks turning a bit gold I knew my cycle was over, is that correct?

 

Last time I used a damsel as well, about 2 years ago and man i gotta admit, taking that one out is a PAIN IN THE ASS they are effing insane fast

 

mine the salinity went up because the rocks were dry so they were sucking up water like a sponge i had to top off about a gallon every 2 days.

 

i would say it is safe to add the fish but only after you level off your salinity. double check also if u can with your lfs to make sure because when i tested 2 days ago the crappy home tests told me that i still had some nitrate but they told me i did not also my salinity was good for me but high when they tested.

 

as for the cycle, i knew it was going to last atleast 3 weeks so i decided to play it safe and wait atleast 4 until i checked. i noticed lots of brown diatoms in my sump and i thought maybe that was the good bacteria growing so that is when i decided to have my water checked.

 

now for the DAMsels, those fish are a pain to remove. i was able to catch one in a small trap i made but the others got smart and kept away from it. i caught 3 with a net when i cornered then but then the last one was the biggest devil of them all. it would hide in crevasses in the rocks and under rocks so i could not find it. got me so pissed off that i finally decided to remove all the tall rocks so it would not have a place to hide. finally caught it when it hid under a rock in the hole a snail made. for now they will have to sit in the sump until my brother takes them to cycle his.

[Snapper]

I wouldn't use damsels to cycle its kind of harsh especially cycling twice. ITs sad !

 

I use 1 stick or tweezer and a net to catch my damsel last time, i would try to direct with the stick into the net.

 

I think I will add the fish on Sunday, making it about 3.5 weeks

[gonzalez78]

I wouldn't use damsels to cycle its kind of harsh especially cycling twice. ITs sad !

 

I use 1 stick or tweezer and a net to catch my damsel last time, i would try to direct with the stick into the net.

 

I think I will add the fish on Sunday, making it about 3.5 weeks

 

I know it's harsh but these damsels are acclimated to the cycling of tanks. They have cycled more tanks in the past.

 

As for removal;

1) got 1 with a homemade trap out of a Gatorade bottle. (others got smart)

2) got 3 with a net and hand after cornering them (last one got more smart)

3) last one was a #####, ended up removing the rock work to get him since it kept hidding in all the very small nooks and crannies.

 

For now they are all secluded in my sump.

 

That's good to wait for adding your fish, in my opinion the longer the wait the better since you'll defitively know it's really cycled. Also, since you started with some live rock and sand then yours should have cycled earlier than mine.

[reefereddy]

tagging along...I'm also thinking about doing the same thing ....40B with coast to coast overflow and bean animal style

 

where did you get the coast to coast or did u diy?

why the egg crate on the bottom of the rocks?

 

I was thinking of doing a 40B for the sump as well and going bare bottom

lighting ...I was thinking of 2 Par 38s from Rapid LED

[gonzalez78]

tagging along...I'm also thinking about doing the same thing ....40B with coast to coast overflow and bean animal style

 

where did you get the coast to coast or did u diy?

why the egg crate on the bottom of the rocks?

 

I was thinking of doing a 40B for the sump as well and going bare bottom

lighting ...I was thinking of 2 Par 38s from Rapid LED

Welcome Eddy,

I bought the coast to coast from a member of my reef club. He had it in a 100 gallon so technically it was too big for mine. Cut down to size and siliconed in place. Make sure also that it's a bit smaller in case of plexyglass/acrylic expansion.

I put the egg crate as a barrier in case a future goby goes digging under my rocks.

At first I was also thinking of going bare bottom but after seeing the Tahitian moon sand I fell in love with it.

As for lighting, I don't know if the par38s will be enough. For that you can email them to staff@rapidled.com and Mike will give you a better idea.

[Denzil]

tagging along...I'm also thinking about doing the same thing ....40B with coast to coast overflow and bean animal style

 

where did you get the coast to coast or did u diy?

why the egg crate on the bottom of the rocks?

 

I was thinking of doing a 40B for the sump as well and going bare bottom

lighting ...I was thinking of 2 Par 38s from Rapid LED

 

Hah, I was thinking the exact same questions when I first started reading this thread.

 

Does the coast-to-coast have a clear acrylic bottom? It does, right? Where exactly is your return and what pump did you end up going with?

[gonzalez78]

Hah, I was thinking the exact same questions when I first started reading this thread.

 

Does the coast-to-coast have a clear acrylic bottom? It does, right? Where exactly is your return and what pump did you end up going with?

 

 

Denzil,

 

yes the coast to coast does have a clear bottom. I'm sure if you're good with acrylic you can make it yourself just use a clear bottom piece and a black front piece with the teeth cut out. I had to cut off the teeth on the sides because it was too big to begin with and also the previous owner had to break a good piece of it also to remove from his previous tank I'm just happy the piece was bigger than my tank so. I only have one return and it comes over the side of the tank at the right corner of my tank as for the pump for now I am just using an old Rio 2600 that was left here by my older brother when he moved out. I am still planning on buying a better return pump like an Eheim but now times are tough so that will have to wait hopefully I can get a job again soon.

 

Thanks for reading this boring thread haha

[gonzalez78]

some good signs of life finally in the tank other than some snails and those DAMsels lol. Damn MP10 even though its on a low setting still it keeps moving the sand.

 

 

Thanks also to Grant (member of my local reeef club), here is the current growth of the Bright Green Formosa Stag frag he gave me.

 

[Denzil]

Denzil,

 

yes the coast to coast does have a clear bottom. I'm sure if you're good with acrylic you can make it yourself just use a clear bottom piece and a black front piece with the teeth cut out. I had to cut off the teeth on the sides because it was too big to begin with and also the previous owner had to break a good piece of it also to remove from his previous tank I'm just happy the piece was bigger than my tank so. I only have one return and it comes over the side of the tank at the right corner of my tank as for the pump for now I am just using an old Rio 2600 that was left here by my older brother when he moved out. I am still planning on buying a better return pump like an Eheim but now times are tough so that will have to wait hopefully I can get a job again soon.

 

Thanks for reading this boring thread haha

 

Heh, thanks for answering my questions! I stil have a ways to go but I can't wait to get my tank set up.

[gonzalez78]

Heh, thanks for answering my questions! I stil have a ways to go but I can't wait to get my tank set up.

You're welcome, can't wait to see the start of it

[Shredder]

Looks to be so far so good. Getting jazzed about getting started on my 40b. One question from a previous post. Why should the bottom of the overflow be clear? Is it to let light through or another reason?

[Denzil]

Looks to be so far so good. Getting jazzed about getting started on my 40b. One question from a previous post. Why should the bottom of the overflow be clear? Is it to let light through or another reason?

I was just thinking it was some scrap acrylic that he just had. With the lights above it, I don't think there will be too much below it that really needs light unless it's literally right up against the glass.

[gonzalez78]

Looks to be so far so good. Getting jazzed about getting started on my 40b. One question from a previous post. Why should the bottom of the overflow be clear? Is it to let light through or another reason?

 

Thanks Shredder, I said clear acrylic since that's how the one I have came but I'm sure you can do all black or all clear just depends on your liking I guess

[gonzalez78]

Went to a club meeting today and got some new additions. RapidLED came by for a demonstration and at the end donated 2 great fixtures for the raffle. Would love to thank Mike and his crew. Now here are some new pics. Sorry they're so crappy I took with my iPad trust me they look better in person.

 

FTS

Xenia/gsp island

Arm on right pillar

Top of right pillar

Small island

Arm of left pillar

Left pillar

[hypersnyper694788]

cool looking scape.

[gonzalez78]

cool looking scape.

Thanks hypersnyper

 

Updates: all my rocks are turning green with coraline algae and I added a sixline wrasse as well as some magician palys I won at another of my lfs on a contest they were having. Thank you Jofish aquarium service.

[gonzalez78]

New additions today;

 

4 yellow leg hermits and 1 awesome red spotted blenny.

 

 

Also last week added some magician and purple people eaters that were bought at Caesar's Tropical Fish in Santa Rosa.

[gonzalez78]

3 weeks today and my red scooter blenny is still swimming. I see him pick off pods from the rocks and sand as well as some formula 2 marine pellets. Also did my weekly water change today and I noticed when I removed the sock there were a lot of pods in there so I rinsed out the sock and got as many as I could out before I threw the sock in the washer with some bleach. All the saved pods went back in the tank.

[gonzalez78]

I was looking at my tank with my room lights on and a little red thing caught my eye by the front of the tank....

Monster turbo in the background.

[gonzalez78]

Got cyano..... Ughhhhhhhhh help me.

[1fishmonger]

Got cyano..... Ughhhhhhhhh help me.

 

No big deal... Siphon it out during water changes, step up your water changes and feed less. If the cyano is centralized in low flow areas...Well, add more flow

[gonzalez78]

No big deal... Siphon it out during water changes, step up your water changes and feed less. If the cyano is centralized in low flow areas...Well, add more flow

 

I think it might be that i need more flow, unfortunately my mp10 controller decided to take a shower while i was cleaning my sump i have a Koralia 550 and an Aqueon ACP700 as well as the return Rio 2100 but guess more flow is the way to go. I feel every other day a small pinch for my 4 small fish and change 5 gallons every week, suggest more water changes?

 

I syphon it out also every water change as well as some gunk on top of my sand.

[AndeWonderland]

Following. How long are you running your lights for?