Aquareef 400 tank setup/progress
- Thread starter Kial
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Kial
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I'll be getting some of those for sure.
Need a little advice on my cycle. My ammonia is at 0 but my nitrite has been at 0.5 for the last 3 days, but my nitrates has rise massively to 50 on the Red Sea test kit.
Is this normal?
With the Red Sea mature kit I'm using the n0p0 nitrate reducer but seems to have no effect what so ever.
Need a little advice on my cycle. My ammonia is at 0 but my nitrite has been at 0.5 for the last 3 days, but my nitrates has rise massively to 50 on the Red Sea test kit.
Is this normal?
With the Red Sea mature kit I'm using the n0p0 nitrate reducer but seems to have no effect what so ever.
Instigate
Valuable Member
I've never used that kit but if 2ppm ammonia can be processed in 24 hours then it's safe for inhabitants. You would need like 300+ ppm of nitrite to be dangerous for marine fish.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php
If I were you I would do a WC to get the nitrates down to less than 5 or 10 ppm and add a fish and/or some inverts.
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Kial
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I'm scheduled to do a 5% water change tomorrow as the programme states.
It also said to add some inverts a few days ago but was wary about if it was OK to do so.
I think I will order some today
Thanks for the reply.
It also said to add some inverts a few days ago but was wary about if it was OK to do so.
I think I will order some today
Thanks for the reply.
Instigate
Valuable Member
For sure! As long as the tank can process the 2ppm ammonia in 24 hours you're good as far as I know. I've read conflicting info on doing a large water change before the nitrites fall off but IME it doesn't matter. But I dont't have a ton of experience so maybe someone else will chime in about the WC. Or just do the 5% like the kit says. I believe toxic levels of nitrate are fairly high as well.
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Kial
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I went ahead with the water change, did about 10% because my nitrates were registering at 50 on the red Sea test kit.
As my CUC are arriving tomorrow and I don't have a qt tank ready yet I'm a bit worried about my nitrates level. After my water change they are registered at 20ppm which I'm sure are to high for adding snails?
As my CUC are arriving tomorrow and I don't have a qt tank ready yet I'm a bit worried about my nitrates level. After my water change they are registered at 20ppm which I'm sure are to high for adding snails?
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Kial
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I have a bottle of nitrobac from red Sea which I've added some more of after my water change also the N0 P0 nitrate and phosphate reducer so I hope it makes a difference before tomorrow.
If the nitrates are still high, around 20 would that be harmful for the CUC? Just got 5 snails going in
If the nitrates are still high, around 20 would that be harmful for the CUC? Just got 5 snails going in
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Kial
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dang, knew I should of waited a bit longer. Was all going well with the parameters, day before I get the CUC it all goes south lol.
Fingers crossed it''s lower tomorrow
I've got 3 trochus, 2 turbos and 1 other which I cant remember the name aha
Fingers crossed it''s lower tomorrow
I've got 3 trochus, 2 turbos and 1 other which I cant remember the name aha
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Kial
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so the snails are in, immediately started roaming around and they seem to be doing well. Turns out i got mixed up with what type I was getting, I have 3 trochus, 1 nassarius and 1 cerith.
Nassarius shot off behind the rock and started to bury himself.
The trochus has purple markings in patches on their shells, I'm not sure if it's true or not but I remember reading they can actually grow coralline algae on their shells?
Nassarius shot off behind the rock and started to bury himself.
The trochus has purple markings in patches on their shells, I'm not sure if it's true or not but I remember reading they can actually grow coralline algae on their shells?
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Kial
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Yeah definitely going to get more of them. Surprised how quick it moved to be honest. As I put it in, it landed upside down, flipped himself back over and was gone haha.
I don't have a huge amount of diatoms, should I get some sort of seaweed, sea veggie packet?
I don't have a huge amount of diatoms, should I get some sort of seaweed, sea veggie packet?
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Kial
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Snails are doing well. Nassarius is never really seen, only appeared a few times.
Starting to go through the ugly stage now as a lot of diatoms are growing on the sand, cuc doesn't touch it though which is a shame.
Starting to go through the ugly stage now as a lot of diatoms are growing on the sand, cuc doesn't touch it though which is a shame.
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Kial
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Added 2 clowns in today finally! Drip acclimated them but the smaller one does not seem to be very happy, floating around the over flow not moving very much 
Bigger one seems to be very happy and swimming around the whole tank. Is this normal for clowns until they get used to the tank?
Bigger one seems to be very happy and swimming around the whole tank. Is this normal for clowns until they get used to the tank?
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Kial
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Not updated my build thread in a while.
Made quite a bit of progress, with some new additions of a royal dotty back, fire tail goby, hammer coral and some zoas.
The tank went through the diatom phase and cleared itself up but unfortunately it came back with a vengance
I'm really enjoying the aquareef 400, the only downside is I still get a slight leak now and again from the bulkhead.
The standard skimmer which comes with the tank can be a pain, g220 pro skim. after each clean you have to readjust settings, which usually leads to it over flowing
Made quite a bit of progress, with some new additions of a royal dotty back, fire tail goby, hammer coral and some zoas.
The tank went through the diatom phase and cleared itself up but unfortunately it came back with a vengance
I'm really enjoying the aquareef 400, the only downside is I still get a slight leak now and again from the bulkhead.
The standard skimmer which comes with the tank can be a pain, g220 pro skim. after each clean you have to readjust settings, which usually leads to it over flowing
