Well after tons of research here goes my shot at saltwater. Got my tank filled with saltwater airing out for 30 hrs. Hooked my skimmer up ran it for 24 hours. Went to Home Depot picked up 100lbs of tropical playsand (10.00). Now tank is cloudy as ****. LOL Tested salinity it was at 1.026 with a temp of 78. Now I'm just waiting for the rest of my sand from fijiman on ebay. Should be here by wednesday. Once it is shipped I will order the LR. uncured will be curing in my tank since its a new tank. Am I missing something here.
Here We Go My 55 FOWLR
- Thread starter bigjoeybx
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fijiwigi
Aquarium Advice Addict
Just curious Do you have any powerheads or filters moving the water around yet. If you how much flow do you have. And which fish do you envision having in the future for this tank... You could possibly jumpstart your cycle today with a Raw shrimp or 2 while you are waiting for your Live Rock to come in.
I have 1 PH's hooked up Penguin 1140. I have another 1140 coming in the mail couldn't find 2 at 3 different LFS. But the 1140 by itself gives it a lot of flow if you ask me. SO would putting in shrimp help the cycle faster once the rest of MY LS & LR come in? When do I start testing the water for everything else. I have everything turned off now except the heater till the dust settles. Also I'm not really sure what kind of fish I want yet gonna startdoing some reading up on them now while my tank cycles.
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Read this a far as your cycle
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/3/1/Cycle-your-salt-tank/Page1.html
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/3/1/Cycle-your-salt-tank/Page1.html
I cracked my skimmer. I have the Coralife SS 125 gal. I dropped the **** collection cup while emptying it cracked the **** thing. Just got off phone with dr fostersmith sending out a whole new skimmer overnight. I was going crazy. Just wanted to say they will get all my business now. Thats how you start off a good realationship. Fijiman sent out the rest of my sand today. Will order LR tomorrow
fijiwigi
Aquarium Advice Addict
Had a similar problem 2 of my hydor koralias broke the second I put them in my tank. They shipped new ones out the next day I recieved them within the week. Very happy With DrFosters&Smith. They also have my vote for #1 retailer.
Well alot has happened since last time I posted. I wasn't satisfied with the playsand that I had originally put in the tank. It left the water too dusty when I would move my hand through the sand, So imagine a sandsifter would do. So took all of that out. Filled the tank up again salinty's at 1.023, temp is at 78. Got some sand from LFS pure aragonite love it. Got about 70# Of that in there. Plus another 75lbs of Fijiman pure white tropical sand. Love that stuff even better. Not white yet though said it will turn white when the lights hit it. I don't know what's sup with. Anybody else use Fijiman. Got the base rock in yesterday 50# nice peices also very pourous. Just ordered 22# of LR from LiveAquaria.com, should be here by Fri. Also some snail came with the LS. This can't be good for them being the tank is not cycled, but will they start the cycling process. 6 came 4 are moving around once I put them in the tank.
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
The original playsand would have settled once it got coated with bacteria. That can take a week in a new tank, Did you add a source of ammonia for that to happen?
Did you get the wet bagged sand from the lfs?
The snails will probably not survive. There is no need to skim anything yet. Turn it off until the tank has cycled. Once the tank has cycled you should do a large water change.
Read the article that Mike linked. The uncured LR will cycle the tank. You should start testing for the ammonia spike on Sunday.
Did you get the wet bagged sand from the lfs?
The snails will probably not survive. There is no need to skim anything yet. Turn it off until the tank has cycled. Once the tank has cycled you should do a large water change.
Read the article that Mike linked. The uncured LR will cycle the tank. You should start testing for the ammonia spike on Sunday.
are you sure they will die? My kids love em. Here is pics of tank with BR. Turned off skim like everyone says. Should I run it once the tanks start to cycle, will it speed things up? LR should be here in a few hrs will clean them then put them in tank with a cou[ple raw shrimp. Sg is at 1.024 thats where I want to keep it also. Will get some pics of LR when it comes in.
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Well got my LR in the other day, nice pieces I might say. But was just a lil dissapointed that I didn't find any critters on it. If there are any will they show up later? Or is it a wrap. But all in all it's a beatiful thing. Ammonia is rising nicely. I threw in 2 jumbo shrimps also. Got my RO/DI unit up, didn't know it was that slow. Thought it was broke at first, no more tap for me. And I didn't know this thing would smell so bad. Any way I can speed this up I heard that water changes and skimming maybe takes a week off.
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austinsdad
Aquarium Advice Addict
Be sure and get rid of the first few gallons it makes. A recommendation should be in the reading stuff. It won't go any faster. My wife even makes me keep a entire trash can for the disposed water. Wahses clothes with it. Guessing it trashes 2 gallons for every gallon it makes.
If anything lives from the rock it'll show up later - depending on how you cycle. Some change water to keep critters living I thing. Others just let the ammonia go up high and do it's thing. That ususally knocks out inverts for the most part.
After the cycle, if you add small pieces of rock you likely get more critters depending on the rock source of course. Then, if any die-off, the exisiting cycled tank could absorb ammonia better and stuff on rock would live more easily.
If I were you, I'd consider making more swin thru areas if you can with that rock. Got some base rock in there, too, right? Maybe take it out now, let it dry and glue/putty some of that together to make some structures/arches/tunnels,etc. Inever was a fan of just having it stacked.
I also enjoy being able to clean the sides of the glass. The rock positioned that way may give you problems later. Just enuf room for a magnet or your hand and a scraper. IMO you'll enjoy it more being able to see down the sides.
Is the rock leaning against the back glass. It's OK to.
Oy yeah, once that ammonia gets up to the 4 or 5.0 level, you can remove the shrimp. Some tie it in a mesh bag to keep it from decaying and breaking up into pieces.
Good luck.
If anything lives from the rock it'll show up later - depending on how you cycle. Some change water to keep critters living I thing. Others just let the ammonia go up high and do it's thing. That ususally knocks out inverts for the most part.
After the cycle, if you add small pieces of rock you likely get more critters depending on the rock source of course. Then, if any die-off, the exisiting cycled tank could absorb ammonia better and stuff on rock would live more easily.
If I were you, I'd consider making more swin thru areas if you can with that rock. Got some base rock in there, too, right? Maybe take it out now, let it dry and glue/putty some of that together to make some structures/arches/tunnels,etc. Inever was a fan of just having it stacked.
I also enjoy being able to clean the sides of the glass. The rock positioned that way may give you problems later. Just enuf room for a magnet or your hand and a scraper. IMO you'll enjoy it more being able to see down the sides.
Is the rock leaning against the back glass. It's OK to.
Oy yeah, once that ammonia gets up to the 4 or 5.0 level, you can remove the shrimp. Some tie it in a mesh bag to keep it from decaying and breaking up into pieces.
Good luck.
ccCapt
SW 20 & Over Club
Really no way to speed up the cycle. Just let it run it's course.
I do have 2 suggestions tho.
1- The pump for your skimmer is way to deep in the tank. It should only be 2"-4" below the surface.
2- Kill the air coming into your powerheads. That does nothing but spray salt creep all over and if you have a lid on the tank, take it off. The air from the powerheads won't oxygenate the water. The surface contact with the air is where the oxygen exchange takes place.
I do have 2 suggestions tho.
1- The pump for your skimmer is way to deep in the tank. It should only be 2"-4" below the surface.
2- Kill the air coming into your powerheads. That does nothing but spray salt creep all over and if you have a lid on the tank, take it off. The air from the powerheads won't oxygenate the water. The surface contact with the air is where the oxygen exchange takes place.
Yeah my ammonia is up past 8.0 when i did my first check today. So everything might die in the tank. The snails are still going strong though.
I was waiting to aquascape the tank. Wanted all the die off to leave the rock first then I was gonna take everything out set it in some saltwater. Clean the gravel bed real good. Then scape the rocks. I have some putty that will stick while wet. I guess I will add a few pieces of LR in a few weeks probably like 5lbs.
And i should kill the air from the powerheads? I was thinking the same thing But just turning them down some. But doesn't that oxgenate the tank. And for now im gonna have to keep that lid on it. My wife is going mad about the smell. LOL
So if I take the shrim out will my ammo start to go down?
Is that a good way to scape the rocks clean the bed from die-off first?
And can you please explain why the lid should be off. It's not a full lid have slots in the back.
I was waiting to aquascape the tank. Wanted all the die off to leave the rock first then I was gonna take everything out set it in some saltwater. Clean the gravel bed real good. Then scape the rocks. I have some putty that will stick while wet. I guess I will add a few pieces of LR in a few weeks probably like 5lbs.
And i should kill the air from the powerheads? I was thinking the same thing But just turning them down some. But doesn't that oxgenate the tank. And for now im gonna have to keep that lid on it. My wife is going mad about the smell. LOL
So if I take the shrim out will my ammo start to go down?
Is that a good way to scape the rocks clean the bed from die-off first?
And can you please explain why the lid should be off. It's not a full lid have slots in the back.
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cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
I remember that smell <LOL>. Guess you got uncured LR and didn't need the shrimp on top of that. You will be amazed at what survies the cycle and will begin to show up on the LR over the next few months.
The water change should happen when the cycle is complete.
The water change should happen when the cycle is complete.
Well I took the air out the powerheads water is circulating pretty good. Smell left the house once I took the shrimp out. Ammo is still over 8.0. Snails still going strong. So everybody say's that critters will show up on the rock eventually, hope they right.
Now lets talk lighting. Anyone can suggest something good under $300? I was thinking bout T5's. Dont know exactly what they do but looks good. I need to get rid of the hood on my tank. I don't plan to have an extensive set up of Corals, but I will eventually get a few. So any suggestions
Now lets talk lighting. Anyone can suggest something good under $300? I was thinking bout T5's. Dont know exactly what they do but looks good. I need to get rid of the hood on my tank. I don't plan to have an extensive set up of Corals, but I will eventually get a few. So any suggestions
ccCapt
SW 20 & Over Club
The Nova Extreme T5 is in your price range and a decent setup. This has 4 bulbs and 1 reflector. The next step up is the Nova Extreme Pro T5 which has 6 bulbs and individual reflectors but is a little more than you may want to spend.
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
T5 really need individual parabolic reflectors to give you the full output. The reflector (from my prior readings) should be W shaped with the bulb in the bottom of that sharp upside down V.
From the comments on the link to those fixtures....
"Instead of having six independent and "individual" reflectors, Current USA has taken a different approach. The reflectors are formed from a single sheet of reflective material: starting at one edge and then bent/formed around each bulb. The reflectors are not curved or parabolic around each bulb, but rather angled (picture cutting a stop sign in half) to achieve the "individual" reflectors."
I have no idea how much this will affect the light output. Here are commnents from threads on another board about T5's.
"So a VHO or a PC or a T5HO all about the same output in lumens, but it's the reflector that distinguishes each bulb. VHO's parabolic reflector would have to be huge and the PC's can't use a parabolic reflector because it is doubled and can't be put at the focal but the T5's can and that is why they are said to be soo much better. "
"T5 setups get all their benefit from the reflectors. I will say that I did a lot of research about T5's on Reef Central. There is a member there that goes by the name Grim Reefer that has done a lot of research with a par meter on T5's. I don't remember the exact numbers but he said that the Icecap SLR reflectors provided about 20% more light than the Sunlight Tek SLS reflectors. That's free light in my book. "
HTH
From the comments on the link to those fixtures....
"Instead of having six independent and "individual" reflectors, Current USA has taken a different approach. The reflectors are formed from a single sheet of reflective material: starting at one edge and then bent/formed around each bulb. The reflectors are not curved or parabolic around each bulb, but rather angled (picture cutting a stop sign in half) to achieve the "individual" reflectors."
I have no idea how much this will affect the light output. Here are commnents from threads on another board about T5's.
"So a VHO or a PC or a T5HO all about the same output in lumens, but it's the reflector that distinguishes each bulb. VHO's parabolic reflector would have to be huge and the PC's can't use a parabolic reflector because it is doubled and can't be put at the focal but the T5's can and that is why they are said to be soo much better. "
"T5 setups get all their benefit from the reflectors. I will say that I did a lot of research about T5's on Reef Central. There is a member there that goes by the name Grim Reefer that has done a lot of research with a par meter on T5's. I don't remember the exact numbers but he said that the Icecap SLR reflectors provided about 20% more light than the Sunlight Tek SLS reflectors. That's free light in my book. "
HTH
So does that mean the T-5's aren't good? The price is right for the Nova Extreme.
One quuick question my rock is starting to turn a palelish white color. Is this good or bad?
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
T5's are great. You just need to match them to a good a reflector for maximum light ouput.
Well its been a week now. LR is turning a little pale in some spots. The snails are still alive, they like to hang out by the PH's. Ammonia dropped drastically from 8.0 to about 1.0. Nitrite is rising to 5.0. Nitrate is at about 10ppm. Is this normal for the cycling process? Also my PH dropped to 7.8, how can I bring that back up to about 8.1 or so. I will take the rocks out tonight and scrub them down a little and clean the SB. Will keep the rock out of water for no more than 5 minutes at a time.
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