16G BowFront --> 29G Reef Tank Build

[22engine]

Originally Posted by DanS180

You always know exactly what to say haha you're great!

Okay so GFO media bag for my filter for phosphates.. and what's pickling lime? Something I can just add to my bucket of top off water?? Guess I'll do a lil reading about maintaining calcium.

What do u use for salt mix. I switched to reef crystals instead of regular and that brought my calcium up to were I wanted it.

[CorallineAlgae]

Originally Posted by 22engine

What do u use for salt mix. I switched to reef crystals instead of regular and that brought my calcium up to were I wanted it.

Actually, your two tanks are similar. That's a good idea.

Dan, the first step is to test some newly mixed saltwater for calcium to see if it's either low at the source or if it's being used by your corals. If you see that it's low to start with you could just switch salts.

[22engine]

Originally Posted by CorallineAlgae

Actually, your two tanks are similar. That's a good idea.

Dan, the first step is to test some newly mixed saltwater for calcium to see if it's either low at the source or if it's being used by your corals. If you see that it's low to start with you could just switch salts.

The instant ocean reef crystals are know to have higher calcium. That's what I use. I went up to 480 after the switch and my corals are loving it. My toadstool has never been so open. I have had him for a month and a half and all he did was put out little nubby looking polyps. Since the switch he looks like the pic I posted.

[DanS180]

Oh wow that's awesome.. I use Oceanic salt mix. Guess I'll mix up some water in a cup or something and see what my calciums at and just go from there

[22engine]

Originally Posted by DanS180

Oh wow that's awesome.. I use Oceanic salt mix. Guess I'll mix up some water in a cup or something and see what my calciums at and just go from there

That is what I used before I switched to and that took care of the calcium for me.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by 22engine

That is what I used before I switched to and that took care of the calcium for me.

Okay sweet so I guess I'll just skip the testing and just go with reef crystals lol

[22engine]

Originally Posted by DanS180

Okay sweet so I guess I'll just skip the testing and just go with reef crystals lol

Not sure of your LFS price but this place has the best deal and free shipping on 49.99. 200 gallons of mix for 52.00 with a 5 mail in rebate.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...56&pcatid=4856

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by 22engine

Not sure of your LFS price but this place has the best deal and free shipping on 49.99. 200 gallons of mix for 52.00 with a 5 mail in rebate.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...56&pcatid=4856

Sweet guess I'll pick that up at a later point, I just got a 50lb bag at my LFS for 18.99 and I picked up seachem phosguard media bag to throw in my filter.. how soon after u do a water change can u test for calcium?

[DanS180]

50 gallon bag I should say.. not 50lbs lol

[22engine]

Originally Posted by DanS180

50 gallon bag I should say.. not 50lbs lol

I'll let it mix in the tank for awhile first. Couple hours should turn it over enough times.

[22engine]

Originally Posted by 22engine

I'll let it mix in the tank for awhile first. Couple hours should turn it over enough times.

Careful and make sure that the bag is sealed tight cause mine started getting hard and formed clumps so I had to break it all up

[DanS180]

Yeah I hear ya on the clumps, I had that problem in a small bag of oceanic salt before lol ok well i think I'm just gonna do like a 3 gal change today cuz that's all I have for top off water lol then one my next day off I'll do a 10-15% water change.. can u believe I haven't done a water change in 2 weeks lol something is taking care of my nitrates bc they're only at 5ppm

[Mrc8858]

Originally Posted by 22engine

Careful and make sure that the bag is sealed tight cause mine started getting hard and formed clumps so I had to break it all up

This is why I only buy buckets now. Also if to much moisture gets to it then it can throw off the alkalinity in the mix much like overdosing a tank causing a "snowstorm"

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by Mrc8858

This is why I only buy buckets now. Also if to much moisture gets to it then it can throw off the alkalinity in the mix much like overdosing a tank causing a "snowstorm"

Snowstorm huh? That might explain my problem.. I thought it was just bubble from the skimmer but now I'm starting to think its bc of the salt mix

[Mrc8858]

Most tanks have tiny debris floating around that's normal what I'm talking about is a fine silt that's created by the calcium in the water.. if you add your salt to the water to quickly it can happen though.

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by Mrc8858

Most tanks have tiny debris floating around that's normal what I'm talking about is a fine silt that's created by the calcium in the water.. if you add your salt to the water to quickly it can happen though.

Oh well nvm that's not what I have lol, guess what I got is normal

[DanS180]

I was just thinking, what's a good size CUC consist of for my tank... right now I have
1 scarlet hermit
1 blue legged
1 Halloween crab
6 nerite snails
3 snails(starts with M.. maybe margite?)

Should I have more? Less? And if more what should I add?

[CorallineAlgae]

Humm.. It depends on weather or not you see a need to add more. There really isn't a good rule on it other than maybe "Man, look at all this algae! Wish I had more hermits to clean up my rock and snails to help with the glass". If you need a bigger crew, you'll know! lol

[DanS180]

Originally Posted by CorallineAlgae

Humm.. It depends on weather or not you see a need to add more. There really isn't a good rule on it other than maybe "Man, look at all this algae! Wish I had more hermits to clean up my rock and snails to help with the glass". If you need a bigger crew, you'll know! lol

Haha yeah i hear ya, well my glass and sand are still very dirty. A couple of my rocks are covered in diatoms still. What else is there to get other than crabs and snails?

[CorallineAlgae]

Hermits and snails are the best. Maybe a few more blue legs and various snails would be a good idea. I like red serpent stars or brittle stars. I always like to have one in a tank. They really make it seem like the tank is a mini ocean.