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Red Sea Max E-170 New Build


cvest100

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Hey Everyone!

 

After a tank crash last summer due to an extended power outage, I decided to get back into the hobby.  Spent some $$$ and upgraded my system to a Red Sea Max E-170.  Tanks been up for about 10 days. Using Seachem Stability, but didn’t realize I needed a source of ammonia to get things moving... 🙄🙄. Bought Dr. Tim’s ammonia chloride and dosed for the first time today.  Hopefully I’ll start to see the cycle when I test in the AM.

 

Few questions first!

 

When do you all add your clean up crew and do you add the whole thing at once or a few at first and then slowly add until you get everything you need?

 

How long do you wait to add coral after the cycle has started and how many do you add at a time?  Saw a few beginner coral packs on Liveaquaria but wasn’t sure if adding 5-10 coral frags at one time was going to throw things off!

 

On to the pics!  Everything is running stock right now, and I didn’t buy the sump upgrade as of yet.  Still need to do a little more research. Any suggestions on an ATO or anything else that those that have this system recommend upgrading (Or on the sump, cause I know next to nothing!) are welcome!

 

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Ok. Now that I've sorted out how to use the Dr Tim's ammonium, I dosed the proper amount yesterday evening. Getting some readings on my tests finally. Using Salifert, kinda hard to read but looks like ammonia is sitting at 1.5 ppm. Nitrites are at 0.1 ppm and Nitrates are at 2 ppm. pH is sitting around 8 to 8.15. Salinity came in a little low at 1.024, but I'll get that up to 1.026 during my first water change. 

 

Also ordered the inTank media rack, which should be here tomorrow. Plan on keeping RedSea's Reef-Spec carbon and Purigen to start. Any thoughts on any of this? 

 

Thanks! 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Week one with the ammonia is done. Sitting at less than .15 ppm. Nitrites came in at about 1 ppm and Nitrates came in at 100 ppm. Haven't seen any diatoms yet, it's that normal? Thinking I should do a water change today. What do you all think? Should I dose a little more ammonia after the water change and check levels again tomorrow? 

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2 minutes ago, paulsz said:

What test kit are you using? Nitrates at a 100 seems high to me, but I could be wrong!

 

Nice scape btw! very creative

 

Thanks Paulsz!  I'm using Salifert test kits. The color looked more towards the 100 box than the 50.  It was pretty dark.

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You could do a water change, re-dose ammonia to 1 ppm, then test again in 24 hrs. The tank has been up for a little less than a month, so not seeing algae isn't an issue. It will come, given you have nitrates and phosphates (phosphates will come as you add fish). 

 

Once you get to the point where you can add some ammonia and have it go to nitrates within 24 hours, you're ready to add fish. Shouldn't take much longer in my opinion. Maybe a week or two (but always test to make sure!)

 

People tend to add a clean up crew in the beginning. You could do a few hermits (maybe 6) and a few snails (6 as well), or just hermits or just snails (whatever you like, to be honest). You can also go ahead and add your first fish.

 

As for corals, in a tank this young, you'd want only softies. People say you can add them right after your cycle. If you're in no rush, i'd wait maybe a month after adding the first fish. The number of softies you add at once won't really matter, since softies don't use up much alkalinity/calcium/magnesium. So long as you maintain your regular water changes. So the 5/10 pack from LIveAquaria is okay

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41 minutes ago, paulsz said:

You could do a water change, re-dose ammonia to 1 ppm, then test again in 24 hrs. The tank has been up for a little less than a month, so not seeing algae isn't an issue. It will come, given you have nitrates and phosphates (phosphates will come as you add fish). 

 

Once you get to the point where you can add some ammonia and have it go to nitrates within 24 hours, you're ready to add fish. Shouldn't take much longer in my opinion. Maybe a week or two (but always test to make sure!)

 

People tend to add a clean up crew in the beginning. You could do a few hermits (maybe 6) and a few snails (6 as well), or just hermits or just snails (whatever you like, to be honest). You can also go ahead and add your first fish.

 

As for corals, in a tank this young, you'd want only softies. People say you can add them right after your cycle. If you're in no rush, i'd wait maybe a month after adding the first fish. The number of softies you add at once won't really matter, since softies don't use up much alkalinity/calcium/magnesium. So long as you maintain your regular water changes. So the 5/10 pack from LIveAquaria is okay

Thanks for the info Paulsz!  Probably do a water change tonight and see what the ammonia does tomorrow.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ammonia came down to zero in 24 hours.  Looks like I'm cycled!!  Still getting mixed tests on my Nitrates though.  I tested with my Salifert and my API testing kits.  Got pics of the colors below.  The Salifert test looks like its falling somewhere between 50 and 100, but the API test looks like its falling around 10 to 20 ppm.  Not really sure which on to believe.  Any thoughts?  20190317_134611.thumb.jpg.0bc1a26e92461fca188f74257613cc6d.jpg20190317_134420.thumb.jpg.5841168690b60cfe7419b8fa47039eea.jpg

 

I think I'm ready to add a fish, but wanted to know if I should add the clean up crew first.  I'm worried about the clean up crew dying, because there isn't anything to eat in the tank.  I haven't had any kind of diatom bloom or any algae of any kind.  Should I add the fish first and then wait until there is something for the clean up crew to eat?  Thanks for reading!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Been a couple weeks since I updated, so I thought I'd share.  Added a few hermits and snails to start my clean up crew.  Also bought a Fork Tailed Blenny.  Still super shy, but acclimating well!!  Also added some corals.  Got a couple Florida Rics, a frag of zoa's, Torch with about 4 heads (though one is about to split), Frogspawn with two heads and a small frag of GSP.  Have a few more zoa frags coming this week.  Trying to get gardens going on the little islands at the foot of my scape.  Did a water a change yesterday.  All param's look good.  Not sure what my next fish will be, but going to do some research so that I can add it towards the end of the month.  Any suggestions??  Also have a Nero 5 coming this week as well, so anyone that has one currently have any tips and tricks I'd love to hear them!  Pic time!!

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