Dr_Doom2
Aquarium Advice Regular
I filled up my brand new 42gal. tank with salt water and 40 lbs. Carib Sea Special Grade "dead sand." The sand bed is about 2" deep. I also ran my new AquaClear 110 with just the sponge. After a week I added 50lbs. of extremely high quality live rock that came from a very nice established 400g tank. It was only out of the tank for a 2 hour drive but stayed in a bucket of water that came from the tank. I put the LR and about 15gal. of the water that it came in into my new tank. I also added the activated charcoal bag and ceramic cylinders that came with the filter that same day.
There was a medium sized Xenia, a 3" finger leather, and a few mushrooms on the rock that are doing great. Also, 2 small blue-leg hermit crabs that are doing well!
Here are some water tests that I measured:
Feb 11: pH=8.2 Ammonia=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=0 (1st day I added the LR)
Feb 12: pH=8.2 Ammonia=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=2.5ppm
Feb 14: pH=8.2 Ammonia=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=5ppm
Feb 16: pH=8.2 Ammonia=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=5ppm
With no cycle, I'm not sure that the nitrate will go back to 0 on its own and I'm unsure how to proceed. What can I expect the Nitrates to do? I want to slowly add some fish and inverts but I want to make sure it's stable first.
I'm open to all ideas and opinions on what to do/check or additional equipment that I need (skimmer?)
Thanks!!
Jeff
p.s. for those that helped with my ID's; I touched it and the rhodactis has no bones in it!!
There was a medium sized Xenia, a 3" finger leather, and a few mushrooms on the rock that are doing great. Also, 2 small blue-leg hermit crabs that are doing well!
Here are some water tests that I measured:
Feb 11: pH=8.2 Ammonia=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=0 (1st day I added the LR)
Feb 12: pH=8.2 Ammonia=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=2.5ppm
Feb 14: pH=8.2 Ammonia=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=5ppm
Feb 16: pH=8.2 Ammonia=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=5ppm
With no cycle, I'm not sure that the nitrate will go back to 0 on its own and I'm unsure how to proceed. What can I expect the Nitrates to do? I want to slowly add some fish and inverts but I want to make sure it's stable first.
I'm open to all ideas and opinions on what to do/check or additional equipment that I need (skimmer?)
Thanks!!
Jeff
p.s. for those that helped with my ID's; I touched it and the rhodactis has no bones in it!!