Prop tank - Water Test Results

[minfinger]

It's only been up for about a week on the 61G wooden tank and 33G Long Sump. I added the 75G Aquarium Monday night. So total 169G.

Test Results:
Salt 1.024 to 1.025
PH 8.1 to 8.2 with the tester
Ammonia .5 to 1.0
Nitrate 5.0 to 10
Nitrite real close to 0.00
KH was low 8s

So the tanks only been up for 1 week and I've added:
25 lbs of "Live Sand - Crushed Coral"
50 lbs of SD
5 lbs of rubble, yesterday
1 4 lbs LR
4 types of Calupera.
And a couple Tupperware cups of LS from the 29G in the sump.


So now here's my question...How much longer before this thing will cycle and I can add corals and then fish?

[Troy182]

I would wait until you start seeing coraline algea at least the size of a nickel that is when you know your tank has matured

[minfinger]

GRRRRRRRRR I want to start putting stuff under my lights!!! :D

Is there any point to running the MHs the first few weeks?

Hmm...I guess I outta start doing some Ca tests too. I hate those test kits. I'd like to get a machine that tests for that stuff!

Do they make Ca Monitors? Cheaply?

Do you think I'll be alright with the Calupera in there?

[skipm]

If you have the caulerpa in there you will need some kind of light source for it. You can also help the cycle out a little with some of you mature tankwater from the other tanks when you do a water change. There is really no reason to run the MHs until you add corals except for running them long enough to "burn" the bulbs in (usually about 30-50 hours, they will experience a spectral shift or two during the burn in until they reach the specified color temp.). You also want to get your dKh up a little higher if you can and as much as it is a pain check your calcium and try to keep it in the low to mid 400s, this will help spread coraline as well as help build skeletal structures in LPS corals. Sounds like you have a good sized prop system cycling. Skip