classroom setting up 10 gal. QT this afternoon

[themartins]

We've been replacing evaporated water a couple of times per week with regular water. I'm wondering if maybe I'm not using the hydrometer properly.

I think maybe we need a new heater. We'll wait until it's cycled first, though.

 

[themartins]

That makes sense, that only the water and not the salt evaporate.

How much fresh water should we plan to add each day for the 10 and the 30?

 

[rdnelson99]

I really just depends on how humid the surrounding air is, how much air movement across the water surface and if you have an open top or not. You just want to make sure it stays close to full and check salinity often. You will notice that as the water evaporates the salinity will start to raise. In my 45 with an open top, I replace a gallon or so every three or four days.

 

[themartins]

Her's an update on how the cycling is going and also a couple of questions.

10 gal.
pH 7.8
ammonia .5 ppm
nitrite .25
nitrate 10 ppm
salinity 1.029 Could this possibly running high because of the water temperature?

30 gal.
pH 7.8
ammonia .5
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
salinity 1.025

Is this drop in pH due to the cycling process, or possibly due to adding fresh water?

Could the salinity possibly running high because of the water temperature running low?

 

[rdnelson99]

The water temp may very well give you a false reading on the salinity. If you can point your power heads a bit towards the surface of the water to get the surface tension on the water to break by getting a rippling affect it will help the ph. Also, if you take your readings shortly after the lights come on it will be lower than after the lights have been on most of the day.

 

[themartins]

Thank you for the great information and encouragement through this cycling process. We'll give an update on our readings a little later.

 

[themartins]

Here is today's update and a few more questions that we have.
10 gal.
pH 7.8
ammonia .5 (We dosed with pure ACE ammonia @ 1 drop per gallon after test.)
nitrite .25
nitrate 5
salinity 1.027
temperature 76 F

30 gal.
pH 8.2
ammonia 1.5 (We dosed with 15 drops pure ammonia after the test.)
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
salinity 1.026
temperature 82 F

We decide to add some more pure ammonia in both aquariums this morning, since we haven't seen a large spike in the ammonia. We're keeping the lights off mostly through the cycle, hopefully to help reduce the amount of algae growth. We've also been testing the salinity early morning, before the sun comes up - so we're thinking that maybe that is why it's been testing high.

Should an ammonia spike of 2 or 3 ppm be enough to establish beneficial bacteria?

We're also starting to talk about and research what fish and invertebrates we'd like to add once it's cycled. Do you have any suggestions for hardy beginner fish or invertebrates?

Also, should we keep the 10 gal. as a QT to hold any purchases before adding them to the 30 gal.? The 10 gal only has incandescent lighting, so we know that it's not effecient and we won't be able to have corals in that one. Maybe sometime in the future it could become a sump or fuge for the 30 gal? If we were to do that what would we need?

 

[rdnelson99]

Some of the heartiest fish are Damsels but they are also a bit aggressive. In my opinion, it is hard to beat clown fish. You can get a run of the mill "Nemo" for about $15 each. Blue/Green Chromis are also fun because they are small and very active. Fun to watch. I also like my 6 Line Wrasse because he is always swimming in and out of the rocks. There are tons of others out there so look around. Just check them out before you buy anything. Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums is a very good resource for looking at fish. Lots of good info on requirements and behaviors.

Keep the 10 as a QT is a very good idea. If you happen to get a fish with ich or other disease, you will need to treat it. Most treatments are harmful to corals and CUC so keep a QT with neither of those is a good idea.

 

[themartins]

That sounds good, thank you. We'll research those and go from there.

 

[themartins]

Hitchikers in the 30 gallon.

When we first set up the 30 gal. and put in the live rock we saw a small snail climbing up the glass wall of the tank, we haven't seen it since though. We figured that with the cycle and all, that we'd probably loose it. Last night, though, we saw some tiny bugs running all over the rock and a worm or something stick it's head or maybe an arm? up above the rock, you could see about an inch or so just kind of waving in the water. We also saw the head or an arm? come out and move along some of the rock. It looked like it had tiny rings on the part that we saw. We were surprised to see this life with the ammonia levels rising. Whatever it was is definately nocturnal. There are also a few tiny white worms, not moving, but clung to the side of the rock.

 

[rdnelson99]

You will be amazed at how many life forms will make it through the cycle. Keep a camera close by and take pictures whenever you can. Then you can post them in the ID forum and find out what they are. Most will be good but some may be worth removing. It is always good to get input from the experts. Look up Bristle Worms in Google and see if that is what yours look like.

 

[themartins]

Awesome, thank you for the advise. We'll check Google after we give you our update. We thin it was a serpent star arm, but not sure. We also saw a pink-ish colored worm on the sand this morning.

Here is todays update.

10 gal
pH 7.8
ammonia .5
nitrite .5
nitrate 20
salinity 1.026
temp. 76

30 gal
pH 8.2
ammonia 1.5
nitrite between 0 and .25
nitrate 0
salinity 1.026
temp 82

I'm thinking that we're at the halfway point with the 10 gal. ammonia is still .5 after we added 10 drops of ammonia and a pinch of fish food yesterday, and nitrite continues to rise, and nitrates are rising.

 

[themartins]

The base rock came yesterday. Here are the updated photos of both aquariums.

 

[rdnelson99]

Looking good. In the second pictures do I see a lot of bubbles or is that just the reflection from the light? Bubbles should be avoided.

 

[themartins]

Yes, the bubbles are from the powerhead. How do you avoid bubbles from the powerhead and filter output? In the first picture the powerhead is turned off.

We are looking to upgrade our lighting also. What do you recommend?

 

[themartins]

Thank you again, for all of the help and answering our questions. We've decied our first 2 fish purchases will be a mated pair of ocellaris or percula clowns.

cycling test results:

10 gal.
pH 7.8
ammonia 1.0
nitrite 1.0
nitrate 20
salinity 1.027
temp 75 F

30 gal.
pH 8.2
ammonia 2
nitrite .25
nitrate 5
salinity
temp 82 F

another question: What do you use for chemical filtration in your filter?

 

[themartins]

Should we up the Ace amonia dosing to 4ppm?

 

[rdnelson99]

I don't use chemical filtration the live rock is the work horse when it comes to flirtation. If the powerheads have a Venturi tube attached you should plug the end so no air comes in. Dosing the ammonia to 4 ppm will help the bacteria to multiply. Try to wait 24 hours after getting it to 4 ppm before testing. If not ammonia and nitrite are not at 0 by then dose it again. Kelp doing that until the bacteria can bring both to 0 within 24 hours for a couple of days in a row. Then start doing 10-20% water changes until nitrate is below 5. Once that happens you will be ready for fish. Good choice on the fish. . Everyone NEEDS a Nemo.

 

[themartins]

Yesterday we doesed both aquariums up to 4ppm. Here are the results 24 hours later.

Also, took out the powerheads to block off air flow, will put them back tomorrow.

10 gal.
pH 7.8
ammonia 1.5
nitrite 1.5
nitrate 20
salinity 1.025
temp 75

30 gal.
pH 7.8
ammonia 2.0
nitrite .75
nitrate 10
salinity 1.025
temp 79

 

[themartins]

We didn't test yesterday. here are a few pictures of things growing on the live rocks. It seems like we're beginning to see new things everday day. This morning we also saw some dead white worms? on the sand. Can you id any of these?