Jump to content

75 gal build NOOB


YUP

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 54
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Ok, so it has been exactly 2 weeks since i put saltwater in my tank:)

 

Ammonia .25ppm

Nitrite 0-.25ppm

Nitrate.10ppm

Phos. 0-.25ppm

 

My question? is the ammonia high enough for my cycle, i dont want a mini cycle and then when i add poop factories like fish to have another mini cycle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, so it has been exactly 2 weeks since i put saltwater in my tank:)

 

Ammonia .25ppm

Nitrite 0-.25ppm

Nitrate.10ppm

Phos. 0-.25ppm

 

My question? is the ammonia high enough for my cycle, i dont want a mini cycle and then when i add poop factories like fish to have another mini cycle.

 

To me it's odd you have ammonia still?? I thought that stuff goes away when you get nitrites, then nitrites peak and go to zero then nitrates.. Hmm?? (Scratch) maybe someone else can e more of a help

Link to comment
Share on other sites

as im using API test kits anything is possible(scratch) but i bought them because for basic test like ammonia and nitrite they have never failed me... You can see from a pic that Thomas was nice enough to post for me, that i am getting diatoms. Which i believe will only appear when im at the beginning of the end of my cycle (correct me if in wrong).

 

edit: what you see on that pic is also showing up on my sand bed and all over my rock work, including some hair algae:(. Most likely due to the fact that i have some phos and my family likes to keep lights on in the tank even though there isnt anything to see other than some polyps and what i believe is some pineapple sponges and asterina stars. 3yr old daughter dropped my camera "BROKE" so cant send pics, until i get myself a nice HD cam for Christmas:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

as im using API test kits anything is possible(scratch) but i bought them because for basic test like ammonia and nitrite they have never failed me... You can see from a pic that Thomas was nice enough to post for me' date=' that i am getting diatoms. Which i believe will only appear when im at the beginning of the end of my cycle (correct me if in wrong).[/quote']

 

Yeah, personally I would re test ammonia to see what you get, also when I had nitrates at like 10-20 I waited til the next day they lowered and began adding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah' date=' personally I would re test ammonia to see what you get, also when I had nitrates at like 10-20 I waited til the next day they lowered and began adding.[/quote']

 

ya, i agree but thats what it is testing. I wonder if it has anything to do with PRIME water conditioner, as i have had to top off my tank twice and PRIME binds ammonia, so maybe i should show a higher ammonia result. i dont know im confused

 

edit: duh, im using tap water and i test really good for basic test but i didnt test for nitrates. I bet ya im getting some from the water, going to TPA to test my water will post when i get back...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ya, i agree but thats what it is testing. I wonder if it has anything to do with PRIME water conditioner, as i have had to top off my tank twice and PRIME binds ammonia, so maybe i should show a higher ammonia result. i dont know im confused

 

edit: duh, im using tap water and i test really good for basic test but i didnt test for nitrates. I bet ya im getting some from the water, going to TPA to test my water will post when i get back...

 

Watch your skimmer, whenever I use prime mine goes ape for a while and overflows the collection cup. Definitely don't use tap water if at all possible. Usually has high phosphates which will start random algae cycles and such you don't want. I'd suggest a bio pellet reactor to get rid of your phosphates. I'm just using a modified two little fishies one and its working great!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

here is more pics...

 

Sump with some macro, sorry this is all taken from my phone and i had fug light on...

121007_005_zpsc566fb24.jpg

121007_002_zps2b3428e5.jpg

Zebra doing its thing(over night)man, in a week that thing will take care of the tank and i will have to find food for it:)

121007_001_zpse73a7651.jpg

and my coral hammer and octopus/frog coral, which is doing great:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ohh, and the things i thought might be pineapple sponges? i dont know:(

rock_zpsebe6fe3f.jpg

they look like white polyps and yes they have grown, so not dead???? also, can anyone identify that middle green/brown coral? it isn"t like the rest of my polyps, me thinks its a mushroom...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its a mushroom' date=' coralimorph. Not bad.[/quote']

 

well that's good, i thought it cant harm anything. do you guys know what the white polyps are??? they look just like brown/green polyps in my tank, but totally white...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If they look like little white pineapples there sponges I have them everywhere . They feed off the silicates . Whenever I use less then perfect top off I have like twenty pop up in my sump .

 

thats what i thought first, but they have actually opened up and look just like regular trumpet/button polyps... just small and totally white...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just get a cheap little ro, or see if anyone locally is selling one. Not to exspensive, but its a good investment. Some people on forum use just ro, others just di and most rodi was a thread about it month or two ago, depends on your water prior to filter and your needs

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your tank is a 75 righ. If so why not get a yellor or kole tang. They will think you droped them in to paridise :p A sand sifting goby would also be good to get the and bed. I have a dragon goby that looked like a beach ball after he took care of my tank.

 

Don't worrie about the sponges, they are great filter feeders and are a good sign in a tank.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just get a cheap little ro' date=' or see if anyone locally is selling one. Not to exspensive, but its a good investment. Some people on forum use just ro, others just di and most rodi was a thread about it month or two ago, depends on your water prior to filter and your needs[/quote']

 

My TDS reading is 19 from the tap, south salem has pretty good water. However, i will being using a RO machine from a big box store for my water changes. I would rather spend 3 bucks every week or so, then going out and getting a RODI unit for myself. I have a hard time with the wasting of waste water that usually accompanies a RODI unit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How long is your light cycle? I would get a sea hare for the hair algae. Great start by the way' date=' that skimmer looks really nice and your rock work is awesome!!! :)[/quote']

 

Too long, my family keep turning on the lights to see nothing in the tank(scratch) then i got a couple of hermits and then the lights were on all day. Now with some coral, i need to keep the lights on... Thanks by the way about my rock work, i keep wanting to mess with it(nutty) Always thinking i can make it even better, but im leaving it, there is a lot of caves and places for fish and water current to move around it.

 

@Thomas, i was thinking about a yellow tang, but the more i read about tangs the more leery i get. I will definitely be getting some gobies, i want a mandarin and then some other type of cool looking one. However, i was stupid enough to get a green brittle star before i researched and i think i will be taken it back to TPA, as i dont want it to eventually take out my gobies or whatnot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

@Thomas, i was thinking about a yellow tang, but the more i read about tangs the more leery i get. I will definitely be getting some gobies, i want a mandarin and then some other type of cool looking one. However, i was stupid enough to get a green brittle star before i researched and i think i will be taken it back to TPA, as i dont want it to eventually take out my gobies or whatnot.

 

Why leery about tangs? Just the ICH? I love my tangs but they are not for everyone LOL

 

I would wait a while for the manderain or any dragonett. They are a specialized feeder and need lots and I mean lots of pods. I have a stunning green mandarin from TPA but I waited until my tank was ten months old. You most likely don't have to wait that long but I like to be extra cautious.

 

Look in to the sand sifter gobys. Orange spot, sleeper, and dragon come to mind but there are many more. Be careful with engineer gobys they do awesome work but get huge. Oh and some like to dump mouth fulls of sand on your corals others just dig in the sand so its good to know which one you are picking. Mine is a dumper but its a small anoyance.

 

Good call on the star. Its sad to lose such a cool looking one but you don't need it hunting your little friends (scary)

 

Happy reefing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, the battle of GHA vs. CUC...

121013_0011_zpsf479689f.jpg

So far, GHA is winning but the CUC is making a comeback, with the addition of more snails...

121013_0021_zpsdf349e8d.jpg

Further update, seems that i have had an explosion of little white dots on my glass walls and in the GHA. Research has led me to believe they are little pods, as they scurry across the glass like little ants...

 

However?

121013_0041_zpscb4aa941.jpg

This rock with the green/brown polyps was red/purple looking and the snails have completely cleaned it. I dont know if its good or bad?

Also, the rock to the right with the snail on it was also colorful and now is completely clean... Can snails eat coralline algae?

I will be getting a bicolor blenny today to hopefully help out cuc...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...