New To Saltwater!

[sorgan]

if the LR had been in someones tank for long it would of started getting a coraline covering on it wherever light hit it, anywhere that coraline had built up that was then deprived of light would of bleached but stil there would be a smooth white finish.
looking at the picks its not looking like that, pull a bit out and give it a good sniff, if it smells like nice, fresh ocean then that would be a good (but really not a sure) sign, if it makes you wanna heave then its one of a few things -
live rock that is curing (i dont think that is)
live rock that has died (as above)
reef bones or base rock that has been sat in water for a while.

testing for ammonia and nitrate is going to be a biggy mate, really you need those test kits.
if you want to keep corals then phosphate, magnesium, calcium, dkh and pH tests will be good to have aswell.

phosphate and nitrate will be good to know what your rock is aswell but my advice would be to buy some LR that is actually LR and put it in to get things going.

oh and get that filter out of the tank and replace it with a powerhead, it wont really do much for you except get bunged up, most of us salties do not use filters at all and those who do tend to use them for media canisters (rowaphos, carbon etc)

cuc wise look here a few pages in for donyas guide.

 

[hexy]

I can see probably very small signs of coraline on the rock but minimal. If I bought live 'established' rock and this was indeed live rock already in there, would that help to re-establish the rock I currently have?

I will buy a new kit, how much would you normally pay for such a kit? GBP? Good places to do so?

Also what would you pay per KG for live rock? Better to go off eBay or LFS? (my local LFS seems so expensive always!)

If I get rid of the filter - can a koralia just be used to help pump the water and use this just with the skimmer?

Also - I hear alot of sump tanks - what is this? My tank is around 64 litres i think

Thanks
hexy

if the LR had been in someones tank for long it would of started getting a coraline covering on it wherever light hit it, anywhere that coraline had built up that was then deprived of light would of bleached but stil there would be a smooth white finish.
looking at the picks its not looking like that, pull a bit out and give it a good sniff, if it smells like nice, fresh ocean then that would be a good (but really not a sure) sign, if it makes you wanna heave then its one of a few things -
live rock that is curing (i dont think that is)
live rock that has died (as above)
reef bones or base rock that has been sat in water for a while.

testing for ammonia and nitrate is going to be a biggy mate, really you need those test kits.
if you want to keep corals then phosphate, magnesium, calcium, dkh and pH tests will be good to have aswell.

phosphate and nitrate will be good to know what your rock is aswell but my advice would be to buy some LR that is actually LR and put it in to get things going.

oh and get that filter out of the tank and replace it with a powerhead, it wont really do much for you except get bunged up, most of us salties do not use filters at all and those who do tend to use them for media canisters (rowaphos, carbon etc)

cuc wise look here a few pages in for donyas guide.

 

[sorgan]

Ok get LR from AC (aquarist classified) and you can pick it up for avout £5 kg from local reefers.
A koralia would be perfect, test kits I use either API or salifert (whatever I pick up first) money wise I am not sure, I rarely look lol.
With a few chunks of good LR any porous rock in your tank will become 'live' in time.

A sump is a container that people use to store any heaters, filters, skimmers etc so they are not in tank, they add water volume and are very useful.

 

[Chris_C]

I can see probably very small signs of coraline on the rock but minimal. If I bought live 'established' rock and this was indeed live rock already in there, would that help to re-establish the rock I currently have?

I will buy a new kit, how much would you normally pay for such a kit? GBP? Good places to do so?

Also what would you pay per KG for live rock? Better to go off eBay or LFS? (my local LFS seems so expensive always!)

If I get rid of the filter - can a koralia just be used to help pump the water and use this just with the skimmer?

Also - I hear alot of sump tanks - what is this? My tank is around 64 litres i think

Thanks
hexy

if the LR had been in someones tank for long it would of started getting a coraline covering on it wherever light hit it, anywhere that coraline had built up that was then deprived of light would of bleached but stil there would be a smooth white finish.
looking at the picks its not looking like that, pull a bit out and give it a good sniff, if it smells like nice, fresh ocean then that would be a good (but really not a sure) sign, if it makes you wanna heave then its one of a few things -
live rock that is curing (i dont think that is)
live rock that has died (as above)
reef bones or base rock that has been sat in water for a while.

testing for ammonia and nitrate is going to be a biggy mate, really you need those test kits.
if you want to keep corals then phosphate, magnesium, calcium, dkh and pH tests will be good to have aswell.

phosphate and nitrate will be good to know what your rock is aswell but my advice would be to buy some LR that is actually LR and put it in to get things going.

oh and get that filter out of the tank and replace it with a powerhead, it wont really do much for you except get bunged up, most of us salties do not use filters at all and those who do tend to use them for media canisters (rowaphos, carbon etc)

cuc wise look here a few pages in for donyas guide.

Ebay is good for picking up cheaper test kits etc..

Here is an API kit to test for essentials (ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/PH)

Its the cheapest i can find for you.


http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/API-SALTWATER-MASTER-TEST-KIT-MARINE-FISH-REEF-TANK-/190517901635?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item2c5bc07943#ht_500wt_1156

 

[jaylam]

Nice little tank, that would look brilliant as a coral garden.

I am pretty new to corals so this may not be correct but I don't think that light will be man enough for corals and I believe they require a marine blue light as well.

Keep the pics coming, will you be starting a journal?

 

[hexy]

Nice little tank, that would look brilliant as a coral garden.

I am pretty new to corals so this may not be correct but I don't think that light will be man enough for corals and I believe they require a marine blue light as well.

Keep the pics coming, will you be starting a journal?

Hi again all. I have moved my rock around a bit as underneath one I noticed what I believe is algae growth but not sure if it is healthy as it has gone red?? Also some red looking growth on one of the rocks.... is this bad/ good? See below:

Also I am going to buy a Koralia Nano - would a 1600 be sufficient? Or is 2 x 900 better?

Thanks again everyone for the informative help! I certainly will try to write a journal (i have plenty of photos already!)

Thanks, hexy

 

[sorgan]

Just a bit of algae, very normal.

IMO more small powerheads are better then a few bigguns, some may disagree but hohum

 

[woody88]

Just a bit of algae, very normal.

IMO more small powerheads are better then a few bigguns, some may disagree but hohum

2 smaller ph always wins over one big un as you get more random flow.

Looks like there is some life on that rock after all. I'd still go with some pieces of cured LR tho.

Have you tested for amm, trite, trate, ph, phos?

 

[hexy]

Hi all, thanks for the help recently. I have tested my water and had the following results (bit worried about the nitrate level)

Ph = 8.0
Ammonia = 0 ppm
Nitrate = Between 80 / 160 ppm - is this very high how should I reduce this
Nitrite = 0 ppm
Salinty = 27 / Specific Gravity = 1.020

Look forward to everyone's advice and should have a koralia set up early next week to help out

thanks hexy

 

[jameshughes1989]

Okay, well ideally you want your SG at 1.025/1.026. If you are going to increase it, do it gradually by raising it by 0.001 for example.

As for Nitrates that is extremely high. I dont know if it has been stated but are you using RO water? At least with no corals and very little stocking it gives you a chance to sort it before you move on.

Hope that helps.

 

[hexy]

Okay, well ideally you want your SG at 1.025/1.026. If you are going to increase it, do it gradually by raising it by 0.001 for example.

As for Nitrates that is extremely high. I dont know if it has been stated but are you using RO water? At least with no corals and very little stocking it gives you a chance to sort it before you move on.

Hope that helps.

I will re-test as I know this is the hardest one to test, but yes I am using RO water.

Do any of the tests give an indication as to the rock which I am still concerned about? One has some red growth on it now.... ?!

Thinki I'll buy some from my LFS but its £11 per kg.

 

[jameshughes1989]

With regards to the rock. If you have stock with zero ammonia and nitrite then I'd say that it has to be live in some sense as it must be providing some form of filtration. Is there any media in that internal, im pretty sure you said no before

What kind of flow have you got in the tank now? -other than the internal filter?

 

[hexy]

Ok I have re-tested the Nitrate and its now closest to 5.0ppm... so that should be more like it!

Does this help to confirm what type of rock I have? I trust the measurements are all pretty good???

Just hoping when i have the koralia I'll be in a position to add a fish or two and some cleanup crew! (best places to buy?)

Would like to try coral but I think most here suggest my lighting being just standard is not good enough? Are there one or two I could get away with?

Thanks!!!

With regards to the rock. If you have stock with zero ammonia and nitrite then I'd say that it has to be live in some sense as it must be providing some form of filtration. Is there any media in that internal, im pretty sure you said no before

What kind of flow have you got in the tank now? -other than the internal filter?