end of week 2

[Amandry7]

I will do a water change tomorrow and asking u guys if its safe to buy a clean up crew, my parameters are 0 for nitrates and nitrites-amonia at .25 and PH at 7.8.

 

[Amandry7]

Last week i bought a couple of live rocks one of them had apatasia ofcourse but also the snail shown in the pic...its been a week and it still doing well.

 

[Amandry7]

Snail can someone let me know the type

 

[Convict2161]

You don't want nitrites or ammonia. A clean up crew will need to be fed or they will starve. Your tank is new so there really isn't a need for a CUC. Most people I think have this misconception that a CUC is need. There nice to look at and maybe at times helpful.

But for the most part it's for your viewing pleasure.

 

[Amandry7]

I am however seeing brown spots on the sandband glass don't think this os good what should o do

 

[Convict2161]

I am however seeing brown spots on the sandband glass don't think this os good what should o do

Diatoms, very normal in a new tank.

 

[Amandry7]

So a cleanup crew won't feed from the slgea of the rocks or help with diatoms

 

[Amandry7]

Should I change the water and clean the sick from the filter? Or leave ss is

 

[Convict2161]

So a cleanup crew won't feed from the slgea of the rocks or help with diatoms

A CUC may help with diatoms but it will go away on its own eventually. I know it's tough to look at but it's part of the process.

Should I change the water and clean the sick from the filter? Or leave ss is

Water changes will help somewhat. I wouldn't do anything to your filters though.

 

[Amandry7]

Wife just surprised me by getting a koralia wave pump flow rate 425 gph. Lady at the shop told her that is good for a 55 gallon tank, and that only 1 is needed. It looks pretty small and the back it says that it's for a 15-30 gal marine .... Should I return it or can I still use it?

 

[Convict2161]

Wife just surprised me by getting a koralia wave pump flow rate 425 gph. Lady at the shop told her that is good for a 55 gallon tank, and that only 1 is needed. It looks pretty small and the back it says that it's for a 15-30 gal marine .... Should I return it or can I still use it?

That's a nano pump. The koralia 425, it's weak and not enough at all for a 55. Return it, bad advice from the pet store and your going to want 2 power heads. One at each side of the tank to crate random flow.

 

[Amandry7]

That's a nano pump. The koralia 425, it's weak and not enough at all for a 55. Return it, bad advice from the pet store and your going to want 2 power heads. One at each side of the tank to crate random flow.

Thanks, funny, that's what my wife asked them and they said no, about the 2 heads and how small the head was...hopefully it was just a misunderstanding it's the closest store that we have... Will return today...what's a better buy, a skimmer or the power heads?

 

[Convict2161]

Thanks, funny, that's what my wife asked them and they said no, about the 2 heads and how small the head was...hopefully it was just a misunderstanding it's the closest store that we have... Will return today...what's a better buy, a skimmer or the power heads?

Well... Your gonna need both. You need to flow to maintain pH and to keep everything happy. But in a 55 your gonna want a skimmer as well... I'd say if its a budget issue. Do the power heads and then skimmer.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Well... Your gonna need both. You need to flow to maintain pH and to keep everything happy. But in a 55 your gonna want a skimmer as well... I'd say if its a budget issue. Do the power heads and then skimmer.

Agreed. In a 55, 2 Koralia 1500's will be good. You won't need a skimmer until you start to stock it, and even with a light bioload a skimmer won't do too much but will be good to get one on so it can break in.

 

[mr_X]

Don't add any livestock while you have detectable ammonia or nitrite.

 

[Amandry7]

Thank u all for ur advice ... Every time I think about running to the store and get some live stock u guys knock some sense into me...good to know that this is normal though...I do have a lot of life in the tank that I that came with the live rock I got last week, 1 turbo snail, 2 bristle worms, and a few small shrimps ( well what I think are shrimp)... It's been a week and a half and looks like more life is appearing, is it time for a skimmer yet?

 

[mr_X]

I would want to leave the dissolved organics in the tank for the bacteria colony to feed on. It's a waiting game now.

 

[Beengirl]

I would want to leave the dissolved organics in the tank for the bacteria colony to feed on. It's a waiting game now.

That's always been my thinking in regards to running a skimmer durin the cycle. It's counterproductive, really. The skimmer pulls out excess organics before they can turn into ammo, nitrites, etc. but during a cycle, you want those things to turn to ammonia. So pulling them out with a skimmer seems to me that will prolong the cycle. Obviously it can be run, but I say wait till the cycle's done.

 

[Ingy]

Of course if you have a skimmer you can run it with the drain plug in the cup pulled out so the skimmate just runs back into the tank. Just a thought.