The Reef

[RadaR]

Have to say that is a lovely tank!
Any idea what caused the algae?
An Emerald crab should help a bit with the bubble algae problem.

 

[subhuman]

Not so lovely now!

Radar - think the algae bloom is down to it being a new tank and all part of cycling. I didn't get chance to get some water stats last night but plan to when I get home.

 

[ox5477]

ya, you def need a good mag float (and straightblade razor for the tougher stuff). haha

The star was prob a small, almost pure white right? I have a bunch of these. I don't know the name for them but they come out at night and I usually catch 3 or 4 of them on the glass if I turn the dining room light on at night. Same goes with dozens of small snails... and I means dozens. I turn the dining room light on and they are everywhere... all over the rock, over the glass.... everywhere. it's pretty cool that there is so much life hiding during the day

 

[subhuman]

ya, you def need a good mag float (and straightblade razor for the tougher stuff). haha

The star was prob a small, almost pure white right? I have a bunch of these. I don't know the name for them but they come out at night and I usually catch 3 or 4 of them on the glass if I turn the dining room light on at night. Same goes with dozens of small snails... and I means dozens. I turn the dining room light on and they are everywhere... all over the rock, over the glass.... everywhere. it's pretty cool that there is so much life hiding during the day

A long scraper arrived in the post today with a few other goodies and the glass is now clean.

Here's the water stats you've all been waiting for

First readings taken at day 11 - 28/05/08:

pH 8.5
kH 8
Ammonium NH4 0 mg/l
Ammonia NH3 0 mg/l
Nitrite NO2 0 mg
Nitrate NO3 5 mg/l (estimated; between steps 0mg/l and 10mg/l)
Phosphate 0.1 mg/l
Calcium 420 mg/l
Copper 0.0 mg/l (phew!)

SG is a little high from some evaporation (almost 1.027) so going to drip some fresh RO in shortly to bring this down.

How do these stats look?

 

[subhuman]

Was a bit puzzled by results last night, surely I can't have cycled already, especially as the Nitrates seem low (5mg/l)

However, it has dawned on me that before heading away for the weekend I topped the tank up and added fresh SW to take the water level higher. I added around 4 gallon of water. So, I think I may have diluted nitrates in the tank.

Would appreciate any other thoughts on the above test results.

 

[Crazy fishes]

The stats look good generally but the phosphate is a tad high at 0.1 mg/l; look to get it down to less than 0.03 mg/l. At that level it will promote algae growth and inhibit coral growth maybe decreasing the corals overall health. Push the dKh up to near the upper limit of normal (noraml range 8-12) and get the salinity down to 1.025-1.026 (again the higher end of normal range). If you get the salinity down which can be done relatively rapidly then add some fish. You have been cycling for 11 days right? My 24g took 4-5 days to cycle and in went the clowns. It is important the salinity is sorted out first though the fish and CUC won't and don't like high salinity. Turbos and astrea snails are the best for algae; my turbos do a brilliant job at cleaning hair algae as do the blue legged crabs (more rock specialists). I went all out and added CUC with both of my clowns and then the LONG wait starts until an equilibrium is reached and corals can be added.

Best of luck

Regards.

 

[jakeroberts]

Your tank looks very nice

 

[subhuman]

Well today in the tank we have.... pods! Lots of them!

I'll be testing again tonight.

My current plan is to mix up a new batch of saltwater, get the sump up and running for a few days then add the following:

1 Emerald/mithrax crab
2 Cerith snails
2 Turbo snails
1 Skunk/scarlet cleaner shrimp

Would it be wise to stagger these additions?

 

[kj23502]

Wow! You have pods!! Cool! I Love to follow this thread Thanks for the updates. Can I ask how the R/O spilled water all over? Did it just fill up what the water was draining in to?

>sorry, I have no experience what-so-ever w/this stuff so I'm trying to learn it all. Can be a bit overwhelming, but I think I'm starting to get it...


Edit---
BTW I'm pod obsessed, LOL. I've been reading about ways to feed them and adding phytoplankton. I want to have a mandarin when I get my SW set up in the future.

 

[subhuman]

Wow! You have pods!! Cool! I Love to follow this thread Thanks for the updates. Can I ask how the R/O spilled water all over? Did it just fill up what the water was draining in to?

>sorry, I have no experience what-so-ever w/this stuff so I'm trying to learn it all. Can be a bit overwhelming, but I think I'm starting to get it...

kj - I'm trying to keep this thread updated so I can look back in the future! I appreciate everyones feedback and comments, makes it all worthwhile.

With the RO unit, it needs to be connected to mains water supply. In my case, I live in a rented property so I can't use the pipe screws which pierce through the copper pipe to get its feed. My temporary solution is to use a hose adaptor which is fitted over the tap and is reduced down to the thin RO tubing.

For my RO unit to work, the water needs to be at 45 PSI. I hadn't slipped the hose adaptor on properly and the pressure slowly pushed it off = flooding!

My new property has an outdoor tap with a screw connector and I'll be be connecting that to the RO unit!

 

[kj23502]

Oh wow! I get it now. Thanks. Your tank looks good, even w/a bit of algea.