New Tank....1 ID

[jdjeff58]

Hi...I have had my tank cycling for about 2 1/2 weeks now. And the questions are building up. It's time to post.

Just a background....On 5/27/07 I started up my 120 with sump/fuge and 120lbs of live cured rock from Premium Aq. and 120lbs of 'live' sand (Aragalive Reef)...approx 2" deep. My powerheads are doing a fine job with circulation. I have three Hydor Koralias #4. I have a Mag 7 return pump and a Euroreef RS180. I'm monitoring my pH, Temp, and conductivity on a Profilux controller. I'm only controlling temp.
My pumps were all sized with the help of a local established reefer who has reefcentral posts in 4 figures. I have been coached through the whole process. Tank has been running with skimmer air turned off (just circulating) for the last 2 1/2 weeks. I have tested the water approx 5 times and everything is fine. (I had to say that. It makes me laugh). Actually, my readings were as follows:

5/27- Ammonia <.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 2.5
pH 8.0
Alk/dKH 3.2/9.0
Calcium 450
Phosphate 0
Temp 78
Salinity 1.026
Conductivity 53.1

6/5-Ammonia <.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 2.5
pH 8.0
Alk/dKH 3.2/9.0
Calcium 450
Phosphate 0
Temp 78
Salinity 1.026
Conductivity 53.1

6/7 (Added Shrimp)Ammonia <.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 2.5
pH 8.0
Alk/dKH 3.2/9.0
Calcium 450
Phosphate 0
Temp 78
Salinity 1.026
Conductivity 53.1

6/10-Ammonia <.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
pH 8.0
Alk/dKH 3.2/9.0
Calcium 450
Phosphate 0
Temp 78
Salinity 1.026
Conductivity 53.1

6/13-Ammonia <.25 (was told no need for the Alk, Calc, Phosphate testing right now)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
pH 8.0
Temp 78
Salinity 1.026
Conductivity 53.1

6/15-Ammonia <.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
pH 8.0
Temp 80 (temp went up with lights, so I set the heater to 80)
Salinity 1.025
Conductivity 52.7

Here comes a few questions:

I added a raw shrimp on 6/7/07. It sat in the back corner of my tank for about a week until I noticed that it was gone. It had developed the 'cocoon' but on the last night that I saw it, the cocoon was beginning to tear away and the shrimp looked in pretty sad shape....like it was going to break apart. The next morning it was gone. I checked around the rocks and everywhere I could without moving anything and no sign of the shrimp. Is this normal? Are there consequences to this if I can't ever find it?

It turns out that I was instructed to run my lights for 8 hours a day and I missed the instruction. I guess I was so concerned about whether I should run the skimmer or not, that I completely overlooked the lights. Anyway, I just started running the lights MH and T5's. My coach is worried that I killed my rock. He hasn't actually seen the rock, but now I'm sort of freaking out about it. I don't know what my question is about this....I guess I'll just ask for comments.

What I have now is a dusty looking layer of 'stuff' all over the bottom of my sump. It stirs up easy. I guess it's detrus. It's in some places that are very difficult to get to even with a siphon hose. I'm going to have to pull things apart to get at it if it's going to be necessary to clean it up. There are also pockets of the stuff laying around in my sand up in the tank. They look like dead spots to me where all the junk is deciding to settle. My question with this is....is there a nifty way to clean this stuff up if I have to. I don't want to lose any saltwater by siphoning it out. Has anybody come up with a way to draw it out through a filter and dump the clean water back in the sump/tank. Is it ABSOLUTELY necessary to get this stuff out? I'm going to have to tear out the eggcrate shelf I built for my skimmer and it seems like a major project. While on the subject, is it possible to completely remove dead spots in the tank? These powerheads have been the source of some frustration. I had to keep adjusting them until I got them to stop moving my sand around and exposing the bottom.

This is a big post. I'm just hoping for some comments that will help. Last night I saw the first sign of life in my tank. The photo is below. I've seen this before, but I can't remember what it's called to look it up. It sort of helped give me a lift since I was beginning to wonder if I screwed up with the lights. I hope it's not some sort of pest...It doesn't look like one.

Thanks for any help.

[lamphere]

Its a featherduster, a filterfeeder, and completely cool.

[jdjeff58]

Originally posted by lamphere
Its a featherduster, a filterfeeder, and completely cool.

Thanks. Yeah....it's cool to watch. It responds to any change in light....zzzip....back in the hole. 5 minutes later it cautiously comes back out.

[jdjeff58]

bump

[jthao]

you have a 120g w/3 koralia #4s? I gotta say that's a lot of flow!! are you going to be able to put corals in there without it blowing all over the place? and the rs180 is overkill, but I like that! I have a 100g and the 2 koralia #3s do great in there, especially with the return pump working as extra flow. Nice set up!!!!

[jdjeff58]

Originally posted by jthao
you have a 120g w/3 koralia #4s? I gotta say that's a lot of flow!! are you going to be able to put corals in there without it blowing all over the place? and the rs180 is overkill, but I like that! I have a 100g and the 2 koralia #3s do great in there, especially with the return pump working as extra flow. Nice set up!!!!

Yeah...it is a big skimmer and I was hankering around between a RS135 and RS180. The 180 is the same height so I bought it. The guy who told me to get the 3 Koralias likes to use alot of tank flow with a lower return flow...the Mag 7 is giving me about 550. He also said I may end up taking one of the Koralia's out if it's too much.