what and when to add!?!?!?!

[ReefChum518]

ok so I am only a few days into my first SW reef tank( about 72 hrs into it), I have a 36 gallon bow front with a sicce voyager 2 pump (800gph), 150w heater and a eshopps protein skimmer. I have about 36lbs of florida grown live rock, set up was fairly easy with some coaching from a friend. the experts at the local fish store( where I got everything) said that it was ok to use tap water (mixed with the salt) to start with but then RO from now on, tank cleared up within the first few hours and has gotten better sense.
does all this seem or sound right?

after about 24/30 hours I did a test on the water, heres what I got:
cal: 180ppm
carbonate: seemed extremely high way above the chart that was included in the kit which stoped at 214.8ppm
phosphates: .25ppm
nitrates:.25to.5

am I getting ahead of my self with testing to early? just wanna make sure shits good before I go and start adding

btw the live rock had some what im hoping to be reef safe hitch hikers, 2 crabs about the size of a half dollar and a lot of tiny bugs which after an internet search look to be pods? but also have a few bristle worms?

all in all everything seems to be ok, I hope.

any advice anyone could give on what I have or should look for get etc. would be great help!

thank you all in advance!

 

[ReefChum518]

Here what it looks like.........



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[Bectan01]

How are you cycling it? I never tested for anything other that ammonia, nitrite and nitrate initially but it's a good idea to check salinity often in the first few weeks to get the hang of the swings


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[ReefChum518]

please forgive me........ cycling?

salinity has been great no issues there....so far!

 

[Masoniac]

Cycling a Saltwater Aquarium

 

[ReefChum518]

Thanks


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[Frankie_Garcia]

You don't ever want to use tap water with a reef aquarium. Use RO/DI water. Save yourself the crazy levels and use ro/di


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[ReefChum518]

LFS say that using the tap was fine to start the stank with because I was using the live rock sand and also half live water? Level
Have been good for what I can test with the kit I have. Today or tomorrow will be the true test when I take a sample to my LFS, should levels be ok I may add a few cleaner crews to get started


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[Macscale]

LFS say that using the tap was fine to start the stank with because I was using the live rock sand and also half live water? Level
Have been good for what I can test with the kit I have. Today or tomorrow will be the true test when I take a sample to my LFS, should levels be ok I may add a few cleaner crews to get started


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LFS will often give you misleading advice in order to make a sale. Some will then proceed to respond with "Well, the internet is full of wrong information." Which Is true, but we are a community of hobbyists, not just "the internet".

You will not be adding CUC until the end of the cycle.
I recommend looking at the method of "Soft Cycling" since you seem to be using uncured live rock.

Good luck.

 

[ReefChum518]

I thank you for the input! I ended up rearranging my rock and ended up finding what I believe to be some kind of dead mollusk which smelt good awful when I took it out, so I'm hopeful that this added to my cycle process!

As far as the tank it self, the hitch hikers and other random livings that came on the rock seems to be sustaining them self well, have noticed anything that's different or "dead"!

Hopes high!


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