The Indecisive Journal Of Trod's 5 Footer

[TigerIssey]

Trod (no idea about phyto by the way) you are going to have so much fun aquascaping with that rock. The plates you have will be godsend to you in creating caves.

I know you like bommies, these will be even easier to construct with plate, then you will just need to add a few small rounded pieces here and there. It really does have the potential to look stunning.

Have you done anything with the rod yet??

 

[Trod]

Trod (no idea about phyto by the way) you are going to have so much fun aquascaping with that rock. The plates you have will be godsend to you in creating caves.

I know you like bommies, these will be even easier to construct with plate, then you will just need to add a few small rounded pieces here and there. It really does have the potential to look stunning.

Have you done anything with the rod yet??

Looking forward to the aquascaping, seffie and I are planning to help each other when the time comes

No, not used rod yet, I'm going to wait until cycle is over (or almost over ) until I start scaping, still got to get aragonite sand.

 

[TigerIssey]

Probably a good idea that you wait, that way you will be ble to see if any of the rocks have anything nice growing on them that you want to keep on show.

It will be useful having two sets of eyes too, that was the problem I had, you need to keep taking your hand out of the tank to see what it looks like, if someone is directing you, it is so much easier.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Very nice looking rock, good call imo on the water changes. My view is that if you have uncured liverock you want to keep as much life on it as possible. If you just leave it to have massive ammonia spikes you are skilling off half of what you want and causing it to take even longer to cycle from the extra die off.

Where did you get your rod from in the end?

Tina is right on the plating rock. Most of my rock is either smaller bits or rounded bits and its quite hard to make a good scape with, could do with a few large plating bits myself to make some good ledges and caves.

With regards to the phyto. No idea, could be an idea to feed any filter feeders you might have in the rock and put that first link of the food chain into the tank to get the critter population going. On the other side though you are also adding nutrients that may not be used which could cause the cycle to take longer.

 

[Trod]

Skimmer has arrived nice and clean

After a few mods, had to cut the inlet and outlet pipes down, it now fits proudly on the side of tank and is working overtime I have added rowaphos and carbon (yes more carbon ) to the chamber

It is nice and quiet too

 

[seffieuk]

Excellent news about the skimmer - looks good, what made you decide to put it on the side, thought you were going to put it on the back?

By the way am loving your curing diary

Big Sis x

 

[Trod]

Excellent news about the skimmer - looks good, what made you decide to put it on the side, thought you were going to put it on the back?

By the way am loving your curing diary

Big Sis x

Thank you sis

I put it at the back to start with but the inlet tube was touching the lights so in time I'm assuming it would have melted the pipe
now with the mods it fits perfectly on the side, and it means I can see inside, so I can keep an eye on what is going on in there

 

[bagu]

congratulations

 

[SkiFletch]

Mmm, more carbon

 

[Trod]

Day 8 Live rock curing

No water change today, I've filled the tank to the top and done a few tests

P.H 8.4
Ammonia 1.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

So not really a lot going on

Right onto skimmer, The one thing I've learned since joining the salty side is 'nothing is simple', it is working well except it is producing soooooo many bubbles they are coming out of the hole in the top of the cup , I've tried adjusting the airflow but that doesn't make any difference, the cup is at its highest level. Any ideas?

Edit. Any ideas about phyto

 

[Anguilla82]

can't really help on the skimmer front, mine has been producing the right amount of bubbles since i stuck it in. (my cup is at the lowest point you can make it)
However make sure that the outlet pipe is not blocked by one of your media bags as that can make the bubbles come up and out of the cup.

could be wrong but as you are cycling they will be alot of crap for the skimmer to take out therefore more bubbles? this should calm down once the rock has finished cycling?

as for phyto i was told to add it whilst the rock is cycling as it is extra food for all the goodies to feast on (but turn your skimmer off when you add it as the skimmer will just remove it from the water!)

 

[Trod]

Ok thanks Rob, I have moved cup down a bit I shall see if that makes a difference

Media bags are well away from outlet pipe so that shouldn't be a problem.
I had to turn skimmer off over night or I would have had bubbles everywhere in morning So my thinking is......................... I shall add some phyto before bed and turn skimmer off, any idea how much I should be adding?

 

[Anguilla82]

think it depends on tank size etc... but i was putting in 2 cap fulls every day when my new tank was getting going. admittedly i have forgotten to do it now for for a few weeks!

 

[Trod]

Ok, well I have a handy egg cup so as its a fairly big tank, I'll add 2 egg cups full a night (sorry to be so technical!!!! )

 

[Anguilla82]

that level of technicality is just fine!

my brain is in melt down at the moment trying to figure out some profile for a WFS standard at work.
just don't ask!