Tyler's First Saltwater Tank Build

[Blakskall]

Well humma-humma suggested that I make a building thread, i thought that was a good idea so here it goes lol

Tank:
30 gallon long

Filter:
Emperior Penguin biowheel

Heater:
Finnex Titanium Digital heater 150 watt

Powerheads:
1 Petco powerhead
1 Maxi jet 400

Lighting:
Nova extreme 36" 2 bulb light fixture

Water:
RO/IO water
Red Sea Reef Salt Mix

Substrate:
Aragonite

Live Rock


So right now im to the point of cycling my tank with live rock im about 2 weeks into it and all is going well. Something funny is happening though.. There are little fibers devloping on my tank glass.. I have no idea what it is. Also there are little dark green spots growing on the bottom of my tank? Any input would be great

 

[huma-huma]

Haha glad to see you are starting a build thread..just wait, after a few weeks it'll be fun to go back and read everything I believe the fibers are a hair-like algae but I'd need confirmation on that, the greenspots are also algae too. Think you could get us some parameters?

 

[Blakskall]

Haha glad to see you are starting a build thread..just wait, after a few weeks it'll be fun to go back and read everything I believe the fibers are a hair-like algae but I'd need confirmation on that, the greenspots are also algae too. Think you could get us some parameters?

as of 2nyt my water levels are
Salinity: 1.023
Temp: 74.5
PH: 8.4
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 10
Alkalinity: 3.5

 

[huma-huma]

I can't remember, are you doing a fishless cycle? And your cycle is def underway, you have both trite and trate conversion, just need to strengthen your bb and finish out the cycle

 

[Blakskall]

I can't remember, are you doing a fishless cycle? And your cycle is def underway, you have both trite and trate conversion, just need to strengthen your bb and finish out the cycle

yeah its fishless, im using live rock, whats bb stand for?

 

[Grizz]

BB= Bacti base good stuff You may want to keep a Journal it helps to id any probs that popup as you can go back and see when you added that fish/coral how long you QT'ed it what you paid for it or when you did you last PWC I have some that go back 30+ yrs Welcome aboard

 

[Blakskall]

thanks guys, ive been looking around and ive heard tht algae forming is natural when in the cycling process with live rock. By the way heres some pictures of my tank and the live rock I just purchased

 

[Grizz]

looks good plenty of growth on it

 

[huma-huma]

Yeah def a lot of color on that rock. And don't forget that you may wanna sprinkle a tiny bit of fish flake food in your tank when the ammo gets low, its food for the bb.

 

[Blakskall]

Yeah def a lot of color on that rock. And don't forget that you may wanna sprinkle a tiny bit of fish flake food in your tank when the ammo gets low, its food for the bb.

will normal tropical fish flake food do?

 

[huma-huma]

Yep it will break down into ammonia and then be eaten by the bb, keeping the cycle going. Not a lot though, just a pinch of food

 

[Blakskall]

What do you guys think, should I splurge for a refractometer? I'm getting tired of guessing the reading on my swing arm hydrometer

 

[huma-huma]

refractometers arent considered splurging in my book...i def recommend

 

[Blakskall]

swing arms are just so inaccurate, i think a refractometer is going to be my next purchase

 

[huma-huma]

kinda makes me wonder as to how much petco and petsmart really care about their fish...they use 5 in 1 test strips and swing arm hydrometers..... but thats another topic .... on the note of Triggers, found out today that Trigers are supposed to be pretty hardy when it comes to diseases...they say its not really normal for them to catch a disease... interesting

 

[Grizz]

Before i bought my refractometer i used the swing arm what i did was test my water then had the LFS test it with there refractometer this way i could tell where my SG. really was

 

[carey]

Refractometer is a must if youre serious about your tank. MY swing arm was off, way off after I compared it to the refractometer.

 

[Blakskall]

buying it today lol

 

[Blakskall]

I shoodve gotten a refractometer in the beginning.. The amount that my hydrometer was off is incredible.. in a bad way lol my swing arm read 1.024 which is my target gravity, the refractometer read 1.030.. One of the best purchases ive made

 

[huma-huma]

There ya go, see told ya it wasn't splurging, I been debating on pickin one up from my lfs, they said they would calibrate it for me...looks like I'm going to now