90 Gallon Saltwater Second Attempt!

[demasonisrule]

I've never heard of that site, but I know that marco rocks is great.
When getting CUC, don't go overboard on the nassarius, as they are detritus eaters, and will starve to death if you have too many of them.
Take a good hard look at your tank now...as soon as that rock hits the water, it will never be this clean again...

 

[Shelby]

Just a quick update. I ordered my rocks and got them. I was very disappointed Shape and size was great. However of course the rocks were completely white when I finally got them. You can see that at one point in time they did have some color.

So, my question is, has anyone ever used the "Purple Up" stuff? And if so, does it work at all?

 

[Shelby]

Tested water today.

ammonia .50
nitrite 5
ph 8.0
calcium 380
kh 9 or 161.1
phosphate .25
nitrates 15

 

[demasonisrule]

As far as I know, purple up is just more calcium, so as long as your calcium is good, I'm not sure it does anything. That's what another reefer told me anyways, I've never tried it personally.

 

[Shelby]

so, tested my water again today.
Ammonia 0
dkh 9 possibly 10. 9 is more greenish I think
Phosphate .25
calcium 360

what should my number actually be, before I add any cleaner critters?

Also, what sorts of critters should I get?

**EDIT**
I'm so excited! I just found 3 teeny tiny little feather dusters on my rock! That means it was not totally and completely dead rock right?

 

[seffieuk]

It is very exciting isn't it

you are looking for an ammonia rise, then a nitrite rise and then lastly a nitrate rise with no ammonia or nitrite

Seffie x

 

[Shelby]

What about phosphates? Should those be zero?

When can I add some CUC's? And what should I get? I think I'd go just a few at a time. So, shrimp? Snails? I have green and red hair algae. Does anything eat those?

 

[seffieuk]

Sorry, been so busy for a few days

It would be great if phosphates were 0 once your tank has cycled but not many of us acheive that status - lets worry about them once your cycle is over

You can start adding a cuc once you have no ammonia, no nitrite and your nitrates are <10

You will want some algae eating snails like turbos and some detritus eating snails for the sand like Nass vibex - hold on for shrimps, they like a really stable tank

red algae is likely to be cyano, which probably means you have too little flow in that area, try moving your powerheads around a bit. The green algae is harder to say, what does it look like?

Seffie x