NEW TANK need help plz!!

[gooyferret]

I just setup a 58gal, with a 20gal sump, five days ago and tested the water today. My PH level is at 8.2, amonia is 1.0, nitrite 0, and nitrate 0. Im jus wondering if these are good results for the time it has been set up? Another question i have is my overflow box is a CPR 300gph, and my return pump is a rio 2100. For some reason it seems that my overflow and return pump fluxuate on speed of draining and returning the water, but i cant figure out why? For example, i can turn down the flow for my return pump, and the overflow will be fine, then for some reason it seems to not syphon as much, why is this? Another question is a overflow box supose to have a little air inside or not, because i can seem to get all the air out?

thats all for now, thats for looking and leave a reply plz i need help on this, the sump is being a major pain!

 

[fishfreek]

IF you have fish then an ammonia level of 1.0 is notgood. Do a 20% water change as soon as you have newly mixed saltwater ready (remember to allow 24 hours for the salt to properly mix).

Sure this will prolong your cycle to some degree but it could also safe the fish's life.

At the specific head height your 2100 is working at what is its flow in GPH? For example if you pump has to push the water up 4' then whats RIO say the flow on the 2100 is at 4'? If its above 300GPH then you have a problem because the pump would be filling the tank faster than the overflow could drain. I dont use CPR overflows for the very reason your citing. Some have a problem with them maintaning syphon. Do you have the recommended powerhead on the overflow?

CPR recommends a powerhead to be attached to the overflow to 'maintain' syphon and to help keep the air out. Air is the worst thing you can have i nyour overflow because thats what will kill your syphon.

IF the flow is to slow thru the overflow air will accumulate so its better to run the overflow close to the 300GPH speed than at a speed alot slower.

 

[gooyferret]

how do you determine the actual feet for the return pump? i have 2 90 degree turns and 2 45degree?? And gentlemen at the fish store told me the reason the amonia is at 1.0 is because the live rock hasnt started to process te amonia?

thanks plz reply

 

[fishfreek]

What size is your return plumbing?

I have heard of some kind of head pressure calculator over at reefcentral.com

If the live rock was cured then it should have been able to process the ammonia right off the bat.

How many lbs of rock do you have?

 

[gooyferret]

i have about 50.bs of live rock, my return plumbing is 3/4in. I bought the aquarium and live rock from a guy privatly, he said that he kept the live rock wet but what is cured? what can i use in the tank to maybe help the live rock?

 

[gooyferret]

i went to reef central but their calc must not work right!?? i was told that a 90d angle is 1 foot, and 45degree is .5ft and i have about 3.5 ft vertical is that right?

 

[fishfreek]

cured live rock is simply live rock that is in a position to act as a biological filter. If rock is not cured that means that the rock itself is producing ammonia.

There is much more living on/in these rocks than simple bactera and corals. Some of the creatures who make the rock their home can die durring transportation and thus the decay and product ammonia. Once this has ended OR once the rock has enough bactera population the ammonia levels being produced by the rock are zeroed out.

If this rock was purchased locally and was kept wet as it was moved from his tank to yours and the net time it was out of proper saltwater was short then there should be minimal to no dieoff from the rock. If the amount of time the rock was out of tank conditions was longer than a short period then there could be some degree of dieoff.

How long was the rock out of his tank before it was in your tank.

 

[gooyferret]

well part of it was kept wet and some was a little outta the water during transport...i would have to guess for about 30min. my overflow and sump seem to be running correctly now (i hope anyway) what can i do is there anything i can buy it seems that the live rock is fine though it has growth on it...let me know what i can do thanks!

 

[gooyferret]

by the way i have 3/4in return pipe how big of a difference would it make if i used 1/2in?

 

[fishfreek]

I dont think you want to drop down to 1/2" for a few reasons.

First the smaller the size you use the more of a effect the 90's and 45's will have on flow. Plus there is a limited amount of fluid you can push thru a pipe of a specific size. You can get more water thru a 3/4" than you can 1/2" simply due to physics.

The rio 2100 is not a pressure rated pump so putting back pressure on the pump could shorten its life aswell.

 

[gooyferret]

so is my live rock ok then or is there anything i can use to speed up the filter process FOR ex. Stress Zyme?

 

[gooyferret]

the tank has only been up for a week, if i wait another 2 weeks do you think the amonia will drop? i have no fish in the tank its just filtering now

 

[Hara]

you have to be very patient in this hobby. If you were not starting with already cured rock, it would be up to 5 or 6 weeks, but with the liverock being ready to go, I would think it would be a much shorter time frame, the only way to tell is by watching your test results. The nitrites need to spike and then come down, but once again, with already cured rock, you might not notice it if you arent watching for it.

(as a side note, here is a personal invitation to join a sistersite, petadvice.net, there is a ferret board there.....we have 4 ferrets, arent they great!)

 

[gooyferret]

so if the live rock isnt cured now in a couple weeks it will be?

 

[Hara]

couple or more...once again, testkits are the only way to know for sure.