What is this?!

[nicolea]

The liquid test kits are better for SW, strips aren't accurate enough for SW.
Base rock is much cheaper than LR. You could do all base rock if you want, but the rock should be porous. My 55g i used all LR, my 30g i used mostly base and seeded it with a couple puces of LR. all the tock will become LR over time. You can have as much or as little rock as you like. The smooth rock you're talking about wont have many nooks and crannies for BB to grow, but you can use it as a decoration if you want. BB will grow on the sand, rock, decorations, filter media, and surfaces in the tank.

Ok makes sense.! Thank you!

 

[Beengirl]

Ok makes sense.! Thank you!

Your welcome!!

 

[nicolea]

Your welcome!!

The shrimp is starting to turn orange/red like its cooking. Is the salt curing or cooking the shrimp?
Is this normal?

 

[Readingexcalibur]

Interested to here more about your led fixture. Brand, model #. Something we should get clear before you start purchasing corals (after the cycle of course).

 

[Rosesrblu1]

Totally normal! Your on your way!!!!

 

[nicolea]

Interested to here more about your led fixture. Brand, model #. Something we should get clear before you start purchasing corals (after the cycle of course).

The brand of the led light is Marineland. Called 'LED Single Bright Lighting System'. I have the pamphlet but I tossed the boxed and can't seem to find the model no.

Features:
17,000 lifetime hrs
60mW white and blue LEDs
Mimics underwater effect of sunlight
Lunar night mode uses blue LEDs to mimic the moonlight


Doesn't say anything about if it suitable for corals. I believe it's just cosmetic. I haven't gotten that far in my book yet to know what kind of lighting corals need!!!

Below are pics of the LEDs hard to see.

 

[nicolea]

Totally normal! Your on your way!!!!

Thank you

How will I know when they are rotten and to be taken out?

 

[Gregcoyote]

That light will be okay for fish and maybe some soft corals, which is okay because that's where you want to start. You're gonna be all right, because you are asking the right questions.

 

[Beengirl]

Thank you

How will I know when they are rotten and to be taken out?

It's going to take a while, and it's going to smell awful!!!!! There will be no question about them being rotten! Lol. Don't take it out til you've gotten to 4 ppm ammonia. After you remove it and ammonia reaches zero, you'll need to put a little fish food in the tank every few days to keep the ammonia-eating bacteria alive while you wait for the nitrite-eating bacteria to grow.

 

[Beengirl]

The brand of the led light is Marineland. Called 'LED Single Bright Lighting System'. I have the pamphlet but I tossed the boxed and can't seem to find the model no.

Features:
17,000 lifetime hrs
60mW white and blue LEDs
Mimics underwater effect of sunlight
Lunar night mode uses blue LEDs to mimic the moonlight

Doesn't say anything about if it suitable for corals. I believe it's just cosmetic. I haven't gotten that far in my book yet to know what kind of lighting corals need!!!

Below are pics of the LEDs hard to see.

I have this light on my FOWLR. I somehow have a blue mushroom in there-must have been on a rock I transferred from my reef tank-and it seems to be doing fine. (It has actually moved itself from one side of the tank to the back and now near the front) You should be fine with mushrooms and maybe try a zoa (but I would start with 1 and see how it does before you spend a lot of money on them), but that light will not be enough for an anemone.

 

[Rosesrblu1]

The marine land lights are definitely not strong enough for pretty much all corals except maybe a mushroom. People on here have had luck with a Chinese led, taotronics. You can find them on eBay and amazon. I was thinking about them, but the hubby and I decided on the Radion since I only needed 1 fixture for my tank size. Check them out, people have had success with even the most light hungry coral, clams, and anemones.

 

[LaWoWee]

I had those lights before but they were the double brights which i think are a newer model. Theyre only good for FOWLR or freshwater planted tanks. They may work for shrooms because they are among easiest coral to grow. I own a few of the said above chinese made 120watt LEDs and have kept every type of coral including sps (which need the most). Check your local city reef forum. I just bought one recently from a fellow reefer for $50. Personally, I wouldnt trust any LEDs that dont have fans on them. Either they will overheat or they are not strong enough to produce the kind of heat that need fans. Heres a pic of mine mounted in my canopy.

 

[Beengirl]

I had those lights before but they were the double brights which i think are a newer model. Theyre only good for FOWLR or freshwater planted tanks. They may work for shrooms because they are among easiest coral to grow. I own a few of the said above chinese made 120watt LEDs and have kept every type of coral including sps (which need the most). Check your local city reef forum. I just bought one recently from a fellow reefer for $50. Personally, I wouldnt trust any LEDs that dont have fans on them. Either they will overheat or they are not strong enough to produce the kind of heat that need fans. Heres a pic of mine mounted in my canopy.

The part about the fans and LEDs isn't actually true. I have Kessil LED light on my 55g reef and it doesn't have a fan and will keep pretty much any coral alive, and i can touch it without it being hot and it doesn't heat up my tank at all. My SPS, LPS an anemone are all doing great.

 

[LaWoWee]

Some pics of my tank. Keep in mind that this tank just finished cycling in july and i installed the leds 2 months ago so its still young. In that time my frogspawns quadrupled in size, and torch doubled. My anemone is as happy as can be and i have high end expensive palys growing a few heads in a couple weeks. My birdsnest started from a few small branches and my xenias are thriving on the sand (which some reefers have trouble keeping in general). Ive had em on my nano tanks too. Not trying to sell you guys. Just sharing my experience with em. =)

 

[Gregcoyote]

The part about the fans and LEDs isn't actually true. I have Kessil LED light on my 55g reef and it doesn't have a fan and will keep pretty much any coral alive, and i can touch it without it being hot and it doesn't heat up my tank at all. My SPS, LPS an anemone are all doing great.

True, but any compact fixture that doesn't have a fan needs a big heat sink or the LEDs wont last and the fixture will be very hot to the touch. I've built both. When you get into higher wattage fixtures it gets harder to do it without fans.

 

[nicolea]

Again thanks a lot to everyone whos been helping

The marine store in my area had these lights running on most of their tanks, everything looked pretty good in there. I will probably try this one out for the first while and see how it does. What about actinic lighting?

Also I just drove 2 hours to get some more live rock since there isnt a whole lot of selection in my area. My 2 raw shrimp have been in the tank for about 24 hours, ew they stunk up my room, and have turned pink. The LFS stated to take them out because my live rock will do a fine enough job now, since I put all the rock I need in today. I just read that last post about ammonia being 4ppm. Below are my water tests from right after I put my rocks in, I only had one small in there prior. That was in for about 2 days.

So I took the shrimp out and placed all the rock in here are my readings:

Salinity: 1.024
pH: 7.8
Nitrate: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Ammonia: 2ppm (I think around 2 check out the pic below)


Soooooo that being said, the rocks should do their thing and spike my ammonia to 4ppm; than it should be coming down over the next few weeks?
OR do I toss those stinky slimy shrimps back in?

How are the readings for my tank for being less than a week old? Normal I hope

Also; I swapped out my carbon filter for an ammonia filter (pad) by SeaPora. The LFS stated in SW tanks carbon is quite useless. Since ammonia can be a large problem she suggested swapping it out for that.

The pics; my first set of water chemistry ; the second is just my new rocks

 

[LaWoWee]

True, but any compact fixture that doesn't have a fan needs a big heat sink or the LEDs wont last and the fixture will be very hot to the touch. I've built both. When you get into higher wattage fixtures it gets harder to do it without fans.

You two are both right about leds and fan or no fan. An LED with no fans will need to have a really good heatsink.

Medic - it looks like your tank is still early in the cycle since it seems ammonia isnt being converted into nitrite yet. Just give it time. A powerhead will help for waterflow through the rocks. At this point, only until your ammonia and nitrite read zero, is your tank fully cycled.

 

[nicolea]

You two are both right about leds and fan or no fan. An LED with no fans will need to have a really good heatsink.

Medic - it looks like your tank is still early in the cycle since it seems ammonia isnt being converted into nitrite yet. Just give it time. A powerhead will help for waterflow through the rocks. At this point, only until your ammonia and nitrite read zero, is your tank fully cycled.

--yes its like 4 days old! I have a power head going. So I wait for the nitrites to read high and than come back down and than i should be ok? From what I've been told the cycle is approx 3 weeks? So how often should I be doing water testing?

 

[LaWoWee]

Cycling time varies. Ive cycled one in 1 week and another in 3. Its up to you how often you want to test. I tested every or every other day out of curiosity. Theres a certain bacteria that turns amm into no2 and another bacteria that converts no2 to no3. So in the end no3 should be the only thing present.

 

[Rosesrblu1]

I'd throw those stinky shrimp,back in (or new ones). You want your ammonia to be at least 4 ppm to have a steng cycle. Also, you will want to bump up your ph, it's looking pretty low. Try pointing the power head at the surface and see if it helps. You might not be getting enough gas exchange. Also, the carbon cleans that water, and you want the ammonia in the tank for the cycle. The pad you put in is taking it out. Not something you want right now. Trust us, please. We are not trying to sell you anything and take your money. We all have a lot of experience. The key to aquaria (successful aquaria) is patience. Let the cycle happen and you will be happy you did.

Not trying to be a Debbie downer...please don't take offense.

Good luck!