New to reef tanks

[sstanle4]

Ok. We are trying to set up our biocubes (8 and 14 gallon) as reef tanks. We have just gotten an API reef test kit. What does everything need to be at and what else do we need to test for to make sure that anything we put in either of them will die. We are mostly going to put an anemone, some zoanthids, and some gonioporas and maybe some other stuff and suggestions wanted and appreciated Thanks yall

 

[carey]

Hiya.

I have the stock biocube 29g version and I wouldn't take a chance on an anemone in the tank because of the lighting. You also might want to wait for a bit to even think anemone, they usually do better in established tanks.

have you added an ammonia source to start your cycle yet? here is a good link on that

Cycle your salt tank

 

[sstanle4]

both of our tanks are cycled and ready to go

 

[carey]

Oh lol, ok I just figured you meant a fresh start to the tanks.

anyways, the ammonia should be 0, the nitrites as well should be 0. Nitrates should be 0 but up to 20 MAX or else i would really worry. hehe...The ph should be around 8.3, temp somewhere near 79-ish.

if you are already testing for the Big three then it should be: calcium 420+, alkalinity around 9dkh and the magnesium between 1250 and 1350.

if you do weekly water changes you won't have to dose anything to keep the levels good.

 

[sstanle4]

We have this API reef master test kit and it is really hard to read. Have you used this before? If we did everything right last night phosphate was about 0.5 then the other 2 test we just do not understand at all.... lol they were KH and calcium

 

[carey]

I use the API liquid tests ONLY for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The api cal and dkh test are hard to read and you really need accuracy as well which api is not famous for. i have the following salifert test kits and they are much better to read and way more accurate than API.

You want to aim for 0 phosphates. ..5 is not great, it could be worse but its getting there. Are you using ro/di water? have you tested your source water yet for phosphates?

 

[sstanle4]

We are using ro/di water but we have not tested it yet. Would the test strips be better and easyer to read? And how do we lower our phosphate levels?

 

[mr_X]

the strips are not accurate.

 

[sstanle4]

What is the best way to check it then?

 

[sstanle4]

And by the way we both have media baskets in the back of both of our biocubes. What is the best things we can put in them to help with everything in a reef tank?

 

[carey]

I run Purigen on one shelf and chemipure elite on the other. I just have filter floss on the top.

 

[mr_X]

Liquid test kits are much more accurate than strips.

 

[sstanle4]

Ok carey that was what I was thinking would be the best but just was not sure thank you. And mr x what kind of test kit do you use because this API is really hard to read?

 

[carey]

I use salifert tests for my calcium, phosphates, magnesium and alkalinity. i find them much more accurate and easier to read.

 

[sstanle4]

Ok thanks! Oooh yeah one more question. I put 3 hermit carbs in the 8 gallon and they died in 1 day...... could this be the phosphate?

 

[carey]

Phosphates won't kill anything. :-(

 

[sstanle4]

Do you have any suggestions that might have killed them?

 

[mr_X]

Maybe the tank isn't cycled.

 

[sstanle4]

I know it is for a fact because I can put 1ppm in it and it will turn into nitrates in 10 hours

 

[brainless chef]

I have heard that crabs are very sensitive to salt changes. Did you drip acclimate them?