This my first SW tank. Been reading a lot and been chatting with my LFS for advise, anyways here my setup.
Tank: Aqua Euro 34g
• 150 Watt 14K HQI Metal Halide
• 6 blue LED lights for nocturnal viewing
• Quality seamless curved glass for optimum viewing
• Built-in 5 stage filtration system:
- U.V sterilizer – 5 Watt
- Venturi Protein Skimmer
- Denitrator
- Filter Sponge
- Bio Balls
• Dual High performance 370 gph water pumps
• Dual Cooling fans
• 100 Watt Heater
1/13hp chiller
Light setting 6 hrs
Current measurement:
Temp: 77.8 F
Specific Gravity: 1.025
pH:8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite:0
Day 1: Added 30 lb LR and 10 LS
Day 4: Started water test, all zero
Day 7: My LFS advise me to come pick up 4 snails 10 hermit crabs. Since I got all my tank and stuff from him it was free. Also preformed 10 gal water change.
Week 2: Test still read all zero except pH was 7.8. Performed 5 gal water change.
Week 3: Added1 green polyp and 3 green chromes, Performed 5 gal water change.
Week 3-4: everything tested zero, except pH is around 7.9 added buffer and after 5 day pH is back to 8.2. Also 1 chrome dead but his poor tail was completely bite off I assume it was done by the other 2 (which btw is a bit large then him).
Middle of week 3-4:: LR started to show a rusty color on it.
Week 4: Added 6 more turbo snail, took LR out and give it a good brush down, broke down the protein skimmer and filter for cleaning, and changed 10 gal of water. Water tested all zero, pH 8.2.
So now back to the issue on hand.
1st question: I checked my entire 4 weeks of record but there isn't a ammonia spike or nitrite spike so have my tank even started cycled or it done?
2nd question: I asked a 2nd LFS about the brown stuff that is growing in my tank. He say it's just an algae cycle nothing to worry. I read online ppl advise to turn down the light time and the feeding. But he say you can do that but it just slow up the process and not going to solve the problem. He advise actually turn my lighting time up to 8 hrs to help speed up the cycle. However just after 2 days those 6 turbo snail i added have already cleared up 30% of the rusty stuff on the LR. So question is what should i do about this?
3rd question: When is my tank be ready to start added some new live stock?
Tank: Aqua Euro 34g
• 150 Watt 14K HQI Metal Halide
• 6 blue LED lights for nocturnal viewing
• Quality seamless curved glass for optimum viewing
• Built-in 5 stage filtration system:
- U.V sterilizer – 5 Watt
- Venturi Protein Skimmer
- Denitrator
- Filter Sponge
- Bio Balls
• Dual High performance 370 gph water pumps
• Dual Cooling fans
• 100 Watt Heater
1/13hp chiller
Light setting 6 hrs
Current measurement:
Temp: 77.8 F
Specific Gravity: 1.025
pH:8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite:0
Day 1: Added 30 lb LR and 10 LS
Day 4: Started water test, all zero
Day 7: My LFS advise me to come pick up 4 snails 10 hermit crabs. Since I got all my tank and stuff from him it was free. Also preformed 10 gal water change.
Week 2: Test still read all zero except pH was 7.8. Performed 5 gal water change.
Week 3: Added1 green polyp and 3 green chromes, Performed 5 gal water change.
Week 3-4: everything tested zero, except pH is around 7.9 added buffer and after 5 day pH is back to 8.2. Also 1 chrome dead but his poor tail was completely bite off I assume it was done by the other 2 (which btw is a bit large then him).
Middle of week 3-4:: LR started to show a rusty color on it.
Week 4: Added 6 more turbo snail, took LR out and give it a good brush down, broke down the protein skimmer and filter for cleaning, and changed 10 gal of water. Water tested all zero, pH 8.2.
So now back to the issue on hand.
1st question: I checked my entire 4 weeks of record but there isn't a ammonia spike or nitrite spike so have my tank even started cycled or it done?
2nd question: I asked a 2nd LFS about the brown stuff that is growing in my tank. He say it's just an algae cycle nothing to worry. I read online ppl advise to turn down the light time and the feeding. But he say you can do that but it just slow up the process and not going to solve the problem. He advise actually turn my lighting time up to 8 hrs to help speed up the cycle. However just after 2 days those 6 turbo snail i added have already cleared up 30% of the rusty stuff on the LR. So question is what should i do about this?
3rd question: When is my tank be ready to start added some new live stock?
