Finally tank is up

[sgallagher7]

Thanks. That information really helps. I hoping that I will be able to get some by the end of the month, nut wont get anything until the water is right. No need to looses the patience that I have used over the past 6 months.

I do see a difference in curing this rock compared to the 30 lbs I bought a week ago. The biggest difference is that by running only actinics, my rock is not bleaching and looks good and health. I hope it stays that way.

[newreefbishop]

Depending on how fast your rock cures, you may be able to start with your snails etc, before the end of the month. After your first change....start runing your daylight lights slowly....first 1 hour a day...the 2...then three...then 4 and so on. It will speed up the process. As soon as you see the signs of an algae bloom, do another water change and then you can start stocking you clean up crew.....

[sgallagher7]

That sounds like a very effective plan. would 10% water changes be appropriate?

[newreefbishop]

In a 90 gallon I would say do at least a 5 gallon change, initially, then after the large spike that you may or may not get, do a 10-15 gallon water change, after which you can wait a day or two for the chemicals in the water to properly mix, and test again, then start stocking.

Basically, its been my experience that you can stock your cleaning crew after this water change, and start with one or two fish and coral after your third water change.

With that being said, I stock right after a water change, simply because thats when water is at its purest, and the pullutants are at their lowest levels, keeps fish and coral from experiencing shock as much as possible. By the way, are you setting up a quarantine? Or planning one for the furture?

[sgallagher7]

I plan on QT'ing all the fish I purchase. Im going to go slow at first and go with a cleaning crew, then a zoa or 2, then fish. I want to stay patient. I tested the water today and ammonia was only at .25. I was happy with that. The rock appeared real fresh, I took off as much sea weed and grass as possible, scrubbed off a few sponges, and then gave it a qiuck swirl in tank water that I had drained off. The skimmer is putting out some good crud, but it appears to be "thinner" and a bit more clear than in day one and 2. I'm assuming that these are good things. Bought some cheato, and should be arriving in a couple of days. My local LFS's didnt have any. Im sure that will clean up the nitrates that seem to be high.

[PatMayo]

I'm assuming your are, but I would wait a good 6 weeks or longer before adding anything. You need to wait until the ammonia goes to zero and then wait a bit longer to ensure you don't have a relapse. A good healty water change at this point and you should be good to go.

To add any critters before this happens is not good. It hurts em.

Very nice start to your tank.

Have fun.

Regards,

Pat

[sgallagher7]

Thanks for the feedback. Im in o ruch, and want things to be right. Im watching the parameters like a hawk.

[sgallagher7]

Well I found some more life in the tank. I knew staring at it 18 hours a day would finally reap rewards. I found one polyp of a zoa. It closes up when i turkeybaste the rock, then opens up. I also found a stalk of some sort of sps, and also a baby snail. Im not sure if I have something coming out at night, but the many limpets that came with the rock are now empty shells on the sand. Im not sure if this is just them not surviving or some other "creature".

Parameters have been good, with only a slight increase in ammonia, and my nitrates staying high. Im sure the cheato will take care of that.

Im thinking of starting newreefsbishops recommendation of slowly introducing the daylights. So far algae has been minimal.

One question I have is what should I do with some of the debris on the sand? Wait for a clean up crew?. Its tough to pick up cuz its so lite. Are there any clean up crew critters that are like goats, and will eat everything and anything?

[newreefbishop]

Well, part of that will have to wait till you add fish maybe. I think a goby, will toss the sand nicely and keep it fresh looking apart from that snails would be the best bet. Sorry no goats.

[shramj]

looking good, make sure you post some pics of your live rock after you get it in the tank!

[sgallagher7]

Here are some pics with the rock being in the tank 5 days. Only actinics are running.



[IMG] http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/...87IMG_0384.JPG [/IMG]



And one of a zoa I cant identify yet.

[JerseyWendy]

It's looking great, Shawn!

Awesome that you're finding so much life, and you must be super thrilled to have found a Zoanthid. So what if it's only one polyp, in no time it'll multiply.

The "stuff" on the sand, could it be diatoms? If it is, once you add snails they'll take care of it, but I believe "time" will take care of them, too.

I'm a bit perplexed about your Nitrates being high. You did say "nitrAtes", right?

My cycle went something like this: First the ammonia spiked (way way high), then, as it was coming down my nitrites rose (way high, too). Once the ammonia was all gone, I still had nitrites. They took longer to go down than the ammonia. Then I began detecting nitrates, but they never reached high levels, and almost immediately after adding the macro the nitrates went down to 0.

---
Wendy

[sgallagher7]

I have read on other posts that the nitrates will be a bit crazy. In Randy Holmes Farley's article on water parameters he recommends not even to test fro nitrites, so I havnt. Never even got a kit. I have read that other than causing an algea bloom, nitrates are not toxic, yet I dont have much algae. Just 2 or 3 bubble algae, and bery small areas of hair. The stuff on the sand is some loose debris that came off of the rock. More greyish than anything.

Overall Im very happy with the progress. Im no longer obsessed with water tests daily. Will probably do them weekly other than ammonia, which I will do every 3 days this week. Things seem to be settling in nicely.

[sgallagher7]

Well its been almost a week, so here is an update. The tank has been curing very nicely. Less and less dieoff after one final light scrubbing. Nitrates were still driving me crazy. Purchased some chaeto and got it last wed. By saturday my nitrates went from 100 to 30. Ammonia and phosphate at 0. What an eating machine.

I found 2 very cool looking critters that I found out later where very toxic to a tank. They were sea slugs. Black with neon pink and green spots. I was able to pick them out with ease. I have also found one tiny crab, and some small snails. Since these things have been doing well, I decided to get a few snails and crabs to start with the clean up. I purchased 10 blue legged hermits (small) and 10 Astreas. They have been doing ok, but prefered the waterline more than the rock. I decided this weekend to get 3 Mexican Turbos. Man can these things eat. They are cleaning up the tank in no time (although the algae hasnt been overwhelming). Also picked up 10 nassarius snails for the sand. I wanted to keep things in check. No more cleanup crew for a while. I want to make sure they dont starve.
One final thing. I wanted to get the hang of doing Kalk as a topoff water. I messed up my parameters a bit, driving the alk up to 4.5. Went to the chemistry porton of RC for help. Seems that I went a little high hith 2 tsp per gallon. There hasnt been any effect on the tank critters or rock.

[JerseyWendy]

Oh my goodness, Shawn, you've been busy, yes? You are progressing nicely. Too bad about the sea slugs, would have loved to have seen them since I've never seen one before. What type of crab(s) do you have?

My snails hung out at the waterline for quite a while as well when I first introduced them. But once they found their way down and into the algae, they were quite busy - and happy, I assume.

---
Wendy

[techreef]

careful with your nass. snails. they are carnivores, and will need a little food put in to keep them alive during this part of your tank's lifespan. normally they sail around eating the leftover fish food and any decaying flesh in the tank.

[sgallagher7]

Not sure about the crab. He is tiny, with tiny claws. Only got a chance to see his arms, but he picks at algae. Here is a pic of the slug ( a bit blurry)

[JerseyWendy]

Shawn, how's your tank doing?

---
Wendy

[sgallagher7]

wendy.. Was gona post next week. Things are going well. Only problem has been not being able to get nitrates down below 25. Running chaeto, Ph is 8.2, but have lots of critters living. Featherdusters, a few crabcs, snails, and a few polyps. All other parameters are good. Did have a breakout of diatoms, cyno, and some dino, but seem to have goten that under control. Im thinking of getting my first corals and shrooms after the first. That will put the tank at 7 weeks cycled. I liked your mushrooms, and am thinking of getting a few of those. Still doing the research regarding the corals.

Havnt heard from you in awhile. How are things with your tank?

[JerseyWendy]

Originally posted by sgallagher7
wendy.. Was gona post next week. Things are going well. Only problem has been not being able to get nitrates down below 25. Running chaeto, Ph is 8.2, but have lots of critters living. Featherdusters, a few crabcs, snails, and a few polyps. All other parameters are good. Did have a breakout of diatoms, cyno, and some dino, but seem to have goten that under control. Im thinking of getting my first corals and shrooms after the first. That will put the tank at 7 weeks cycled. I liked your mushrooms, and am thinking of getting a few of those. Still doing the research regarding the corals.

Havnt heard from you in awhile. How are things with your tank?

Yay, sounds great. You must be SO excited. Are you sure you had dinos, because they would have killed your snails if I'm not mistaken. I know you said you were still researching the corals you're interested in, but please don't keep me in suspense - which ones are you favoring?

Things are great in my tank. Haven't added too much lately because I wanted to wait a while and see how things grow. I did get a rock with 3 different types of zoos and mushrooms though for super cheap. I also got an orange monti cap, a purple birds nest frag and a blue millepora frag, all of which are doing great. Oh, and I got rid of the (new) Bicolor Blenny because he was eating the polyps off my acros with a vengeance. When I get a chance I'll update my threat with some pics.

---
Wendy

[nss9400]

very nice lr

[DaltonJames]

are you grtting any more LR and do you have LS in there

[sgallagher7]

Well its been a long while since I updated things. I have been very patient in this project. My rock and tank as a whole has now cycled for 2 1/2 months. Over that time the only addition has been cerith, turbo, and astrea snails, as well as blue legged hermits and a serpant star ( not the green death). Everything has survived. I have had a bit of a problem with dino's, but seem to have them under control. All parameters have been good except a nitrate level that wont go below 15. I run cheato in my fuge and it doubles in size once a month. So I am about to purchase my first corals. Here is the list for the next 3 months.
Frogspawn
Torch
Zoa's
Ricordia yuma
Mushrooms
star polyps
favia
plate
galaxea.

All seem to be good starter corals. Thinking of getn them either online or from members of the RC. Donations are gratefully accepted. : )

[JerseyWendy]

Terrific news, Shawn.

Love your choices of corals, too. Gees, I just realized I haven't updated my thread in ages either. Perhaps I should get to it, yes?

Shawn, please post pictures once you add some corals, would you?

---
Wendy

[sgallagher7]

wendy. Great to hear from you. Look forward to your posts.