00W's AIO Smorgasbord

[Calmwaters]

You don't have algae yet

I have some diatom algea growing on the sand and some on the back glass that I left on purpose for the cuc when I cleaned the tank.

 

[Calmwaters]

The coral will be an addiction. Lol

So many pretty choices!

 

[fishguy242]

she did start w live rock...

 

[Calmwaters]

Anyone correct me if I'm wrong, but expect 3 or 4 major ugly stages in your tank through the first year.

The BRS videos said if you did it their way you would have little to no ugly stages... guess they lied...

 

[Calmwaters]

she did start w live rock...

And sand

 

[00W]

Anyone correct me if I'm wrong, but expect 3 or 4 major ugly stages in your tank through the first year.

Possibly longer, yes.

 

[tbrown]

Anyone correct me if I'm wrong, but expect 3 or 4 major ugly stages in your tank through the first year.

Not necessarily since she started with an existing system. Maybe 1 good short ugly phase here in a couple of days to a week or so while the tank rebalances.

 

[tbrown]

The BRS videos said if you did it their way you would have little to no ugly stages... guess they lied...

Don't believe all of what BRS says.

 

[00W]

And sand

Will definitely give you a head start/leg up.
I have not watched any BRS videos so I will not comment there.
I trust us guys not them guys.
Just saying...

 

[Calmwaters]

Not necessarily since she started with an existing system. Maybe 1 good short ugly phase here in a couple of days to a week or so while the tank rebalances.

I like your version much better!

 

[Calmwaters]

Don't believe all of what BRS says.

I'm beginning to see that.

 

[tbrown]

I set my tank up 3 weeks ago, started with mostly dead sand, all dead rock, about 15 gallons of 70 of aged water from the 125, 10 pounds (out of 80) of live sand, and nitrifying bacteria in a bottle. I went through about a week of uglies last week and am coming out of that currently.

 

[tbrown]

I like your version much better!

However, I only have 1 fish in my 70, 5 hermits, and 7 snails. No corals after 3 weeks, and the only reason the fish is there is because he was getting picked on and getting skinny.

 

[Calmwaters]

I set my tank up 3 weeks ago, started with mostly dead sand, all dead rock, about 15 gallons of 70 of aged water from the 125, 10 pounds (out of 80) of live sand, and nitrifying bacteria in a bottle. I went through about a week of uglies last week and am coming out of that currently.

I had all live sand and rocks and have added bacteria. Today when I got home from work was the first time I noticed what i think is diatom algea.

 

[tbrown]

Just because we can, doesn't mean we should.

Before adding hard corals (as opposed to soft, not as opposed to easy) make sure you can accurately test for things like magnesium, alkalinity, calcium, nitrates, ultra low phosphates, pH, and temperature or you risk flushing money. You don't have to go crazy on tests but you want basic information about your water quality.

 

[Calmwaters]

Oh and I also used all the aged water from the tank.

 

[tbrown]

I had all live sand and rocks and have added bacteria. Today when I got home from work was the first time I noticed what i think is diatom algea.

That's typically stage 1 of the uglies.

 

[00W]

I set my tank up 8 years ago from my old 29 with existing live rock and 60 pounds of live rock off of Craigslist and petco and never had uglies.
But the tank didn't mature for almost 2 years.
I also only had 2 fish in that 2 years, no coral and 10 snails.
That was it.

 

[Calmwaters]

Just because we can, doesn't mean we should.

Before adding hard corals (as opposed to soft, not as opposed to easy) make sure you can accurately test for things like magnesium, alkalinity, calcium, nitrates, ultra low phosphates, pH, and temperature or you risk flushing money. You don't have to go crazy on tests but you want basic information about your water quality.

I am thinking about getting the Hanna test kits I think they have one for each of those if I'm not mistaken.

 

[00W]

I'm beginning to see that.

All my tank knowledge started in the 80s.
I read a lot. That's all I had to go on.
I pretty much do things and see things the same way.
Glad equipment got better though.