Author Topic: 1st tank ever (Read 14240 times)

Twizted1 · « **Reply #25 on:** February 09, 2012, 23:39:09 »

Thanks for the vode of confidence Hunger. The water is clearing up quite well. Water perimeters today are as follows.
Ammonia=1.0
Kh=9.2 dkh
Ca=465ppm
Mg=1610ppm ?? Off the chart. Not sure why. Maybe I did something wrong on test.
Po4=.12ppm
No3=.36ppm
No2=.40ppm

Is keeping a sw tank rocket science?

Twizted1 · « **Reply #26 on:** February 11, 2012, 21:02:10 »

Here are the water perimeters today. Hope I'm not boring everyone with these posts. I just thought maybe this info could help someone somewhere someday,,.

Ammonia is .25 coming down already?
Kh=9.1 dkh
Ca=470ppm
Mg=1600ppm at least it's back on the chart
Phosphate=.12ppm
No3=.25ppm
No2=0

The sand is settling finally. Also noticed that when sand is desturbed, it settles quickly. Tank looks better than pic.

DarinSchmidt · « **Reply #27 on:** February 12, 2012, 08:53:10 »

I have the same aragonite sand in my tank and its all settled, it moves around and i push it back once in a while, i have a 3k+gph powerhead blowing around in my tank with a 1200gph return pump and a 900gph powerhead all blowing around in there. But if you are still having issues, i agree, get some crushed coral and throw it on top/mix it in. As far as substrate getting caught under layers, i wouldnt worry too much about it, as long as you get some sand sifting snails and starfish, they will help keep it stirred up and bacteria will break the rest down. Certain fish like small Gobies, even horseshoe crabs do better with finer sand IMO.

With the aragonite, it took a while for my tank to clear up, i'd like to say less than a week and several sock changes during that week (sometimes twice a day but usually once a day). The scrubber isnt needed right now but it doesnt hurt anything, it's roll will be of better use when you get some fish in there and have to feed every day, though the high spikes in ammonia and Phosphates will help the screen develop.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #28 on:** February 12, 2012, 09:39:07 »

Thanks Darin.
The tank is crystal clear today. I have cleaned & changed that sock alot. I understand the scrubber is for future use. But I figured it wouldn't hurt to run it, maybe help build up and be ready when I did need it. As far as the sand, I like it alot & now even when I desturb the sand in some way. Looking @ the perimeters, could my tank be on the end of its cycle already? It has only been a week today. Thanks for all the info.

DarinSchmidt · « **Reply #29 on:** February 12, 2012, 10:49:13 »

you very well could be coming to the end of the cycle, but i would give it another week at most and keep an eye on the parameters daily just to make sure its actually done.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #30 on:** February 21, 2012, 21:00:11 »

I think I am past due for a water change. I think I may have mistaken patience for procrastination as I haven't checked my water in 3 days now. My parameters today are Ammonia=0, Kh=10.9 dkh, Ca=440ppm, Mg=1600ppm, Phosphates=.36 ppm, No3=2.0, No2=3.0
I thought trites would drop as trates climbed??? Needless to say I have a large water change to do very soon. I have the water heating up & mixing already.
Now that I have been schooled on filter socks I have the proper one on the way. The tank has cleared up alot, but not as much as it should be.
I had a 55 gal tank I was going to try to use as my sump but, it doesn't fit. I figured this out only after I took my 30 gal out. So it gave me a chance to clean some of the sand dust off everything in it.
I did get some ls& lr. I put it in the sump, so I think that has helped.
I just hope I can have everything ready before the swap. I would like to bring home my 1st coral then. Not sure it's goona happen tho.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #31 on:** February 22, 2012, 10:57:26 »

This morning I woke up & seen this in the sand.

Is this caroline algae? ust grownig on the sand?

DarinSchmidt · « **Reply #32 on:** February 22, 2012, 12:01:08 »

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/diatomandslimemicroalgae/a/redslimealgae.htm

HUNGER · « **Reply #33 on:** February 22, 2012, 12:39:18 »

Most like not enough flow andthe tank being so new

Twizted1 · « **Reply #34 on:** February 22, 2012, 14:11:44 »

ok thanks. Sounds like I've got some work to do.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #35 on:** March 10, 2012, 15:41:43 »

Just thought I would tho out an update. My phosphates are stilla little high .08 ppm no 2 & 3 are 0, kh is 7.6 dkh is that low? I have a problem with brown algae, I beleive its from my lighting being poor. I hope to get leds soon. Also I do have some coralline algae starting on a few rocks & scraped a little patch off the front glass today. I think thats good. I did add alot more flow.
I have 5 crabs, 4 snails, & 5 fish so far. Things to come soon are new return pump & lighting.
Here are some pics.

lazylivin · « **Reply #36 on:** March 11, 2012, 01:29:24 »

Nice job on the aquascaping. Your algae is going to get worse don't fret. Most new tanks go through it. That is good you got coraline growing. Keep scraping it off the glass. That will broadcast the spores and they will settle in rock crevices which is good.

Cole Harlow · « **Reply #37 on:** March 11, 2012, 17:24:18 »

I like the rocks work and the grain size of your sand looks really good

Twizted1 · « **Reply #38 on:** March 11, 2012, 22:31:47 »

Thank you both. The sand has been kind of a pain. But I really do like it. And the longer the tank goes the faster the sand settles when desturbed.

volcano · « **Reply #39 on:** March 31, 2012, 18:27:23 »

Quote from: Lazylivin on March 11, 2012, 01:29:24

Nice job on the aquascaping. Your algae is going to get worse don't fret. Most new tanks go through it. That is good you got coraline growing. Keep scraping it off the glass. That will broadcast the spores and they will settle in rock crevices which is good.

Excellent tip! I'll add..be careful not to scratch your glass in the process.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #40 on:** April 02, 2012, 10:44:36 »

Finally got a qt. It's all set up & ready to go. The power head is out. I was useing it to stire the sand. Should have done that out side the tank as it left the bottom of the tank hazy. Here is a pic.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #41 on:** May 01, 2012, 08:12:49 »

I got a stack of these yesterday. Gonna be a busy day today. Is it normal to take the day off work just so you can play with new things you get for your tank?

Boonjob · « **Reply #42 on:** May 01, 2012, 08:37:53 »

I think it is perfectly appropriate to take dayS......One just might not be enough.

micki · « **Reply #43 on:** May 01, 2012, 08:55:26 »

Ha ha ha, I like the way you boys think!!!

Twizted1 · « **Reply #44 on:** May 01, 2012, 19:18:14 »

Ok well it's all done. & like everything else I have done on this tank, It's just not enough. I think I need 1 more Sol. It may be enough light to grow things, but I don't like the shodows in the middle of the tank. I have them set @ w=25% b=30% rb=30%. I will wait & see what it looks like when I ramp them up in a few weeks. But I leaning towards @ least 1 more.

lazylivin · « **Reply #45 on:** May 01, 2012, 21:20:18 »

That is very nice. Try playing with the camera white balance to get the right color spectrum.

referinohio · « **Reply #46 on:** May 02, 2012, 07:43:58 »

Quote from: twizted1 on March 11, 2012, 22:31:47

Thank you both. The sand has been kind of a pain. But I really do like it. And the longer the tank goes the faster the sand settles when desturbed.

+1 I love my sugar fine sand

Twizted1 · « **Reply #47 on:** May 02, 2012, 09:29:30 »

Thanks Lazy, I use my iPhone for pics. I have to look into an app to help with that.

Twizted1 · « **Reply #48 on:** September 17, 2012, 22:22:55 »

The 180 is plugging along. So I have started a new project. I am calling it the triple 30. Here is a pic of the racks I am using. I ordered sand & supplies for it today. I have some rock that's been sitting in the garage all summer I need to figure out what todo with. But things are moving forward.

lazylivin · « **Reply #49 on:** September 18, 2012, 00:13:54 »

And so the obsession begins

2024 Ohio Reef Frag Swap

Author Topic: 1st tank ever (Read 14240 times)