new tank

[craig_will2513]

hi iv had my nano reef tank set up for a few months now.. iv got the salinity right and the temp.. also i added live sand about a month agao and 3 weeks ago added about 2kg of live rock.. iv got a few hermits and a sand sifting star.. and iv just started to notice small tiny baby sand sifters. must have been in the rock. also hitchhiking on the rock is a nice nem. also part is covered in purple stuff.and iv now noticed a brown fur like stuff forming on the rock.. first pic is the tank set up. second will be the nem third is nem on rock with crap and fourth is a close up of the stuff growning on the rock (not the brown stuff i mentioned this is some thing els)





. and can someone tell me what they mean by "Cycle" of the tank and anyother tips that may help me out along the wayin the hood there is 2 places for lights can anyone tell me whats best to put in therrre also there was 2 led bule lights what are they for. please help...

 

[MaryDanielleSantos]

Cycling is the process your tank will go through when you first start your tank. With good water circulation, adding a piece of dead (frozen or fresh) shrimp. The ammonia in your tank will spike (rise), the nitrite will rise, and then slowly go down. Nitrates will go up in the process.

For a Healthy tank your tank's:

Specific Gravity, or density of the water should be 1.021 to 1.024 (amount of salt in the water)
pH should be 8.0 to 8.4
AMONIA AND NITRITES 0.00
Nitrate should be at 20ppm or LESS
Carbonate hardness should be 7 to 10DkH

Also that brown stuff growing on your rock is macroalgae.

You will probably need to test your water to make sure everything is in line. If your water is good, you can add a fish that eats macroalgae to get rid of it, but you will have to supply more to feed the fish.

I hope this helps. You can PM me if you need anything else, and I will try my best to help.

 

[David S]

remember dont get fish yet!!!

cycle first

buy liquid test kits,ammonia,nitrite and nitrate first

buy a refractometer
and do a fishless cycle
where did you get the live rock,was it from another tank?