Search results

The hardware

Full tank pics here

Done!

And it turned out better than I expected! I googled around and found a detailed build here and the idea seemed compatible with my total lack of experience. I'll probably fill, sand, and paint this weekend. I'll most likely build a similar top for my 55 gallon.

Thanks! Picked up a tank-bred clownfish and 3 astrea snails from the LFS early this evening. All is well thus far, but only testing will tell. Thanks for all your help everybody!

18 hours, no ammonia.

11 pounds base rock - 1 piece is exceptionally dense and heavy FWIW - 45 pounds live rock, uncleaned (also about of pound or so of LR rubble in the sump). Filled on 6/14, didn't take any readings until 6/19, at which point ammonia was between .25-.5, NO2 >5, and NO3 ~15. I'll add a pinch of...

I should do this even though my nitrites have already peaked (beyond 5 according to the color scale on the API test kit) and fallen?

How about a few drops of ammonia?

Some is base rock, if you look at the pic here you can see exactly how much. I really didn't do anything to start the cycle other than chucking the live rock in there. Thanks!

11 days since filling her. Salinity: 1.024 Temp (F): 79 Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: .25 Nitrate: 20 Plus, a healthy population of diatoms :) A couple of pics, too: No lights: PC actinics:

Roger that. Thank you!

lol...sorry about that. I meant that because my tank is now filled with salt water made from tap water, would it be beneficial or wasteful to change 100% once cycling is complete?

Even though I used tap water for the initial fill, but now have RO/DI water in good supply?

It's done! I put the rock back in the tank last night. Thanks guys! I had the same suspicion about the tap water as well, but I tested it for both NO2 and NO3 and both were not detectable. Now that my RO/DI is up and running I've got a tank's worth of fresh water ready to mix and a tank's...

I filled the tank on Saturday (6/14) with a mixture of tapwater and IO, added sand (Caribsea Ocean Direct, pre-rinsed with tapwater) and live rock (~25-30 lbs....had another large piece that I added a couple of days ago, bringing the total to around 45 lbs.) that was not pre-cleaned. I have...