Operation Marine...

[ben1987]

i thought when it was cloudy and not the right colour it was off the scale?

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

i thought when it was cloudy and not the right colour it was off the scale?

Gone onto another reef forum and found some info, it goes cloudy due to it being salt water no colour but cloudy it ok classed as 0 also indicated by the fact my nitrate is at 50 and nitrite is at 0

 

[ben1987]

never used salifert ammonia tets so...


If its zero, time for that water change then

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

How much to change is the question i only got 3 containers hold 27ltrs each. 1 is still holding half its water from original fill up that was left over its been covered so kept dark and kept sealed whilst stored, i use it for topping up at minute.

Also going away next weds, if i added a few cleaner shrimp and a couple turbo snails they'd manage for a week wouldnt they. Is a bit of algae to feed on ( suprised not more due to phosphate reading)

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

Just got a fresh batch of RO from LFS and tested it for Nitrate and Phosphate.

Low and behold it had traces of Phosphate in it forgot the reading now and a trace of nitrate.

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

Well first water change on the salty side is done. went nice and smoothly alot easier than my FW tank

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

Spotted a few more Aips today, although i aint suprised after seeing what was in the LR VAT at LFS!! huge Aip in there that i didnt see when i bought the rock!!

Got a nitrate issue at the minute, not helped by the nitrate in the RO water forget the exact result for the nitrate but test parameters again in morning see whats what after water change.

I have inherited some cheato algae (i think) from mates tank which is nice although nowhere to house it other than in me tank

 

[seffieuk]

Spotted a few more Aips today, although i aint suprised after seeing what was in the LR VAT at LFS!! huge Aip in there that i didnt see when i bought the rock!!

Got a nitrate issue at the minute, not helped by the nitrate in the RO water forget the exact result for the nitrate but test parameters again in morning see whats what after water change.

I have inherited some cheato algae (i think) from mates tank which is nice although nowhere to house it other than in me tank

Who hoo, get the soldering iron out

Seffie x

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

Ok,

I'm back from Vegas a married man

Now to re-start Operation marine.

Had step son just keeping an eye on the skimmer and water levels and he did a great job. I was sure my cycle had completed just before i went away so i changed 50L of water and left it to run itself whilst i was getting hitched.

I have returned today as i said and i have the usual hair algae and diatoms. I will test water stats tomorrow i do expect Nitrate and Phosphate to be high ( i am running antiphos but my reactor is not setup yet so its in the skimmer chamber).

I thought about changing 50L again and adding a few CUC i would like a few suggestions for CUC, i got 1 electric blue hermit which was a Hitch-hiker.

Oh and you think some systems on here are big i have the mother of filtration systems in a pic of mine from the dolphin habitat at The Mirage. They have 2.5M gallons of man made saltwater to make and filter!! in 1 of their pools.

Pics will come later after i recover from the travelling

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

Ok to keep me awake and fend of jet lag i tested my water parameters.

PH 8.3
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10 ( low range salifert test, mid range 0)
Phosphate 0.43+ (D+D merck kit)

You guys agree i could add some CUC after the water change

 

[seffieuk]

Yes indeed

Seffie x

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

Just got in from getting my water.......lugging 75L of that from the car is not fun! although maintanence changes will require less i gotta get me a RO unit ASAP

Tested it for nitrate and phosphates as last lot had a high ish nitrate reading and glad to say this time its 0 phosphate is over 0.43mg/l but not alot i can do there until i got funds for an external to run the phos reactor i have sat on bedroom floor.

Just mixing the 50L of RO with instant ocean salt which is what i have used from the start...bought a 25kg bucket today only had an 8kg bag of it when i started the tank and thats gone now.

Think i will get in there and start removing some algae from the tank glass as it looks too errrrr "natural"

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

Right nipped to swallows as i got 10% marine discount and got

1 blood shrimp
3 electric blue hermits
6 turbo snails.
1 piece of LR with a nice group of mushrooms on it.

shrimp, crabs and snails are being floated in their bags at the min to equalise temps then i will begin drip aclimatising.

 

[Ren&Stumpy]

ok here are a few pics

Mushrooms with couple hermits each side

Turbo "gathering"

My original Hermit and new blood shrimp

Plan to get probably 1 more blood shrimp and a couple "dancing" shrimp as the wife likes them also 15 or so nass snails to help stir the sand

 

[ben1987]

looks good