New Solana Aquariuum

[Caige]

do these readings make sense to anyone? this doesn't seem right to me. Seems like Nitrate is way too high and ammonia isn't high enough.

Can someone help me understand where I am at and where I should go from here.

[roka64]

From those numbers, it looks like you are ending the cycle, unless you are getting those nitrAtes from your source water. It is strange to see all three tests showing up. I would take a sample to your LFS and see what their tests show.

[Caige]

Whew... i think i analyze way too much. Okay. Went to LFS yest. and they confirmed just what you said Roka - that i'm at end of cycle. So tonight I took some more tests and it pretty much confirms it as follows:

Temp 83 (still waiting on fans)
PH 7.9 - they gave me some buffer that will raise to 8.3
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 20
KH - 161.1

So tonight I took out my shrimp.... really messy! The LHF said next time I should put it in a stocking or something that will make it easier to take out.

[Caige]

So now that it looks like my cycle is complete am I correct that I should do a 20% water change? Is my thinking right that my tank is 34 gallons but I have about 45lb's or LR in it so I really probably have 28-30gallons... therefore my water change should be about 6gallons?

Also, here are some pic's of a couple things I need to verify:

# 10 or 1st pic are shiny small bubbles (almost look like mercury) on top of a rock that has greenish and purplish Algea on it... I'm a little worried about these, do you know what they are?

# 16 or 2nd pic are brown stains that I see all over the glass (just happened today) - are these Diatoms that I have nothing to worry about?

# 14 / 18 or 3rd and 4th pic are rocks with Brownish and purplish Algea(?) on it - this is good, right?

So after my water change tomorrow can I add a cleaning crew? I'm thinking of Couple Blue Hermits, 1 Blenny, 5 turbo snails and maybe a few blue leg crabs....

[tynee]

I just bought a solana last week and will be following this thread pretty closely. However, I have the compact flourescent 50/50 light, and I'm hoping I can still keep some colorfull corals with it.

Good luck, man.

[roka64]

1st pick bubble algae, bad/pesky stuff. Do not pop! Try to siphon them out when you do your PWC.
2nd pic, looks to be diatoms (do they brush off like a powder)?
Last two look like diatoms too. They will disappear over night.

[Caige]

Yeah it brushes off.. i'm pretty sure it's just regular diatoms.. The "mercury" like bubbles my LFS is telling me is normal for end of cycle and they will go away. But I will def try to siphon them tomorrow night when I do water change

Tynee - is this your first SW tank? You new to the hobby? I was originally going to go with that light but the LFS told me that the one I have sunpod HQI 150W will allow me to do any corals I want.... I'm just going by their word though.

[tynee]

It's sort of my first. I started a 65gal acrylic that has a 36" mh sunpod, but am restarting it to redo the filter systems. I had it running for awhile but it was more of an ongoing experiment than a stable aquarium.

I got the solana to try a simpler system, as my 65 gal has all the bells and whistles.

I will probably end up upgrading the solana to a sunpod as well, as i love my other unit with the built in LED's. But for now, i just want to start with some clowns and basic coral and go from there slowly.

[roka64]

Caige, your LFS is incorrect. You simply got the bubble algae from where ever you got the LR. If it is at the same LFS, they probably have it in their tanks.

[Caige]

probably why they said that then.. cause I bought the LR from them! It's the only LFS in my area... they have an awesome selection but people aren't very friendly...

So what else should I do to clean it up? I will siphon what I can out... but what if I miss some? should I just take those rocks out and toss?