George's 28G Nano Cube Build

[CorallineAlgae]

That looks like a pipe organ coral rock. You could even clip off the area he's attached to with wire cutters (very easy but drastic). It's probably more satisfying to torch the little bugger!

 

[Convict2161]

That looks like a pipe organ coral rock. You could even clip off the area he's attached to with wire cutters (very easy but drastic). It's probably more satisfying to torch the little bugger.

Yea fire it up and torch it lol

 

[George9]

That looks like a pipe organ coral rock. You could even clip off the area he's attached to with wire cutters (very easy but drastic). It's probably more satisfying to torch the little bugger!

Why is it drastic? Out of curiosity?

Yea fire it up and torch it lol

Haha that's the first time I've heard a firefighter say that!

 

[Convict2161]

Haha that's the first time I've heard a firefighter say that!

Yea lol sshhhh...

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Why is it drastic? Out of curiosity?

Oh, it would mean breaking off a small part of the rock. Some people get attached to their rock. It's pricy stuff.

Man... that comment about convict being a firefighter made my day!!!

 

[George9]

Oh, it would mean breaking off a small part of the rock. Some people get attached to their rock. It's pricy stuff.

Man... that comment about convict being a firefighter made my day!!!

Ill try that before I burn anything off, I dont mind missing a piece.

Haha

 

[George9]

The nitrites are beginning to drop I think, there's less than there was this morning. And yes, I do test twice a day!! Lol I'm too anxious

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Twice a day is pretty anxious. I did the same thing for a couple of weeks when I ran into an ammonia spike from using osmacote. Glad to hear it's making progress.

 

[George9]

Twice a day is pretty anxious. I did the same thing for a couple of weeks when I ran into an ammonia spike from using osmacote. Glad to hear it's making progress.

Lol

This morning it's at .25 ppm. I'm thinking tomorrow will be the day it finishes. I'm mixing up some saltwater now for the water change. If it finishes tomorrow, could I add either a fish or the cleanup crew the same day?

Edit: can anyone spot the tiny starfish in this pic? I just found him in the tank

 

[George9]

It's okay to run the skimmer now, right? I started it and I think it's working better then the first time because the cup smells like death now lol

 

[CorallineAlgae]

You can run it. It's time to break it in.

 

[George9]

Is it possible for a heater to raise the TDS level of water? I was making RODI water and put a heater in there to heat it as its filling up. I checked the TDS and it was at about 40, when I tested it straight from the unit it was 0. Then I took some ) TDS water and swished the heater in it and the TDS skyrocked to 245. WTH is wrong here? lol

I already added salt to one bucket so I cant test what its at now, I assume its not 0 TDS because of the heater.

 

[George9]

Will a little salt left in the bucket screw up the TDS reading? I ask because I had a bucket of saltwater, then I trashed it because I had the heater in there that made the TDS go way up. Now, I started filling again and the TDS was like 10. Could it because of a little saltwater left in the bucket? Its going down as the bucket fills.

I added the heater again after rinsig and rinsing and the TDS of the bucket went up to like 2 PPM, I guess I need different heaters

AGH this is so irritating

 

[George9]

Do you think a bleach solution would stop the heaters from leaching TDS? I tried a vinegar solution with no luck, they're clean as a whistle now, I dunno wth is wrong with it lol

 

[CorallineAlgae]

It's definitely residual salt and minerals from the last batch. That's why it's a very good idea to use a separate container for fresh top off water. For water changes I also keep one container marked "old" water. Trash builds up at the bottom of your water change containers too. To keep these things out of the tank it's best to have three containers: one for newly mixed water, top off water and dirty tank water. It's also the reason if you bring in water to a store to be tested it should always be in a zipper bag.

 

[George9]

It's definitely residual salt and minerals from the last batch. That's why it's a very good idea to use a separate container for fresh top off water. For water changes I also keep one container marked "old" water. Trash builds up at the bottom of your water change containers too. To keep these things out of the tank it's best to have three containers: one for newly mixed water, top off water and dirty tank water. It's also the reason if you bring in water to a store to be tested it should always be in a zipper bag.

Okay, well, at least I know it's probably salt and not iron or copper or something bad. I usually wouldn't be using all of my buckets, but I had to for the big pwc coming soon. I'll make sure to have a bucket just for fresh mixed water and top off water.

I guess that's the same thing that's happening on the heaters too

 

[George9]

Looks like I'm cycled I've never done a shrimp cycle before, is there something else I should do before a large pwc?

 

[CorallineAlgae]

If ammonia and nitrite are both at trace you can just toss the shrimp, do PWCs until your nitrate is very low and then slowly add some livestock. I also use the shrimp method.

 

[George9]

Whoo hoo! I did a large pwc just now, I'm gonna test nitrates in an hour or so. They were 20 before the PWC.

 

[George9]

Nitrates are a weird yellow orange color, it doesnt match any color, really. But It's under 10 for sure. This is okay for a FOWLR, right?