No cycling occuring in my new reef tank...

[mrvincent]

What salt are you useing? Usually the salt buffers the water. Also what type of sand? Aragonite? How often are you doing WC?

I don't remember for the sand, it look like crushed shells and sand...

The salt is Fluval Sea Salt

 

[Fishman007]

I just want to show you my tank, that was on the 2nd day when the water was unclear;

Can you answer my Q? What type of sand? Aragonite? What brand of salt?

 

[mrvincent]

I really don't remember, I've put the bag in the trash...

 

[Fishman007]

I really don't remember, I've put the bag in the trash...

Was it live sand? My lfs had this really expensive sand that is supposed to hold more BB, but it is clouding their tanks and its been 2 months since they put it in their tanks. The rest of the tanks running one the same sump were all clear, they just used dif sand.

 

[mrvincent]

I think it's CaribSea Ocean Direct Caribbean Live Sand

And yeah I remember, was written Live Sand on the bag !

The sand clouded the water for 2 days, I've removed the excess cloud with my Fluval C3 Filter, it was milky on the filter pad...

So cloud that I had difficulty to place my Live Rocks, I dropped them in the water, then did my aquascape on 2nd day...


When water cleared, I've put a carbon to polish...

 

[Fishman007]

I think it's CaribSea Ocean Direct Caribbean Live Sand

And yeah I remember, was written Live Sand on the bag !

The sand clouded the water for 2 days, I've removed the excess cloud with my Fluval C3 Filter, it was milky on the filter pad...

So cloud that I had difficulty to place my Live Rocks, I dropped them in the water, then did my aquascape on 2nd day...

When water cleared, I've put a carbon to polish...

CaribSea id what i always use, never had any problems with cloudy water above 5 hours. Do you know what brand of salt?

 

[mrvincent]

Yeah Fluval Sea Salt

Ph just dropped down at 8.2

 

[Fishman007]

Yeah Fluval Sea Salt

Ph just dropped down at 8.2

I would say 8.2-8.4 is fine for ph, whats it at currently?

 

[mrvincent]

It was 8.4 1 hours after I added Seachem Buffer, and after 3-4 hours (now) it dropped at 8.2

I'm testing with cheap digital PH, but seems accurate

 

[Fishman007]

It was 8.4 1 hours after I added Seachem Buffer, and after 3-4 hours (now) it dropped at 8.2

I'm testing with cheap digital PH, but seems accurate

Check tommarow and give the results...

 

[mrvincent]

Okai, I'll do that, checking ammonia in same time tomorrow.

 

[mrvincent]

Aquarium water smell very bad, and no ammonia... Should I remove this shrimp before is smell more bad ?

 

[Jmkb02]

Aquarium water smell very bad, and no ammonia... Should I remove this shrimp before is smell more bad ?

No leave the shrimp in and let it decay. That's what is causing your ammonia levels to spike. Turn up the heat too, this will help it go through its cycle a bit faster. What is your nitrate at?

 

[mrvincent]

Too low for a good reading... Nitrites at zero.

 

[Jmkb02]

Let it sit over night, if you still have very low readings, your looking good bro. Are you by any chance running a skimmer?

 

[mrvincent]

No... I decided I'll buy a skimmer only if there's too much foam on the water... Does a HOB skimmer make a lot of noise ? That'll be a problem if it do too much noise...

 

[Jmkb02]

No... I decided I'll buy a skimmer only if there's too much foam on the water... Does a HOB skimmer make a lot of noise ? That'll be a problem if it do too much noise...

A skimmer isn't for foam on top of your water... It's designed to pull out excess nutrients and waste from your tank so your bb isn't overwhelmed and the fish waste can be disposed. Hob skimmers vary, it just depends on the brand I guess.

 

[mrvincent]

Ah, so I will need a skimmer even if there's no foam ?

 

[z_dano]

Ah, so I will need a skimmer even if there's no foam ?

If you only plan on 2 clowns and don't over feed you may not need one. If you plan on adding corals I would recommend one. Some skimmers can be a bit noisy.

 

[mrvincent]

Plan to put 2 clown, and probable a cleaning crew, followed by probably more fish/shirmp.

And for sure, with the light that I have, that I'll put very much corals.

I went to the Reef store, I bought Swc skimmer mini hot, 1hrs ago, I'm impatient to plug it on my tank