DKOSDROS's 75 GAL REEF BUILD

[dkosdros]

Today's Test Results: Ammonia 2 Nitrite 1 and Nitrate 3-5 I'm confused on what's going on. The water went from cloudy to crystal clear overnight. The stinky smell in the fish tank room has gone. The water doesn't smell off anymore either. I'm puzzled on what's going on so I will wait some more and retest tomorrow to see what happens.

 

[dkosdros]

Today's test results:
Temp 78
salinity 1.026
Ammonia 1.2
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 10

Haven't added anything. Just waiting it out. Water is crystal clear. I did fire up the Two Little Fishies 150 Phosban Reactor. I put carbon in it to keep water polished and from going green on me.

I've read up some more and talked to the LFS. I think I am going to follow a strict QT plan. I plan on fresh water dipping my fish for 3-5 minutes, then I will do a 45 Minute bath in Ich-X, then I will put them in my 10 gal QT tank for 30 days with copper and monitor. I really want to keep the DT clean/parasite free and I feel this is going to be the best way to do it. Going to really take patience but I think in the end the patience will pay off by not having any issues in the DT that I will have to contend with.

For Corals I plan on doing a dip in Coral RX dip or something similar and then putting them in the DT tank. I have a feeling these will be the culprits of bringing anything in so I'll have to be diligent to select the best corals and buy from places that are doing their due diligence on their end.

 

[dkosdros]

Today's Test Results
Temp 78
Salinity 1.026
Ammonia1.2
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 5

Only difference I see is Nitrates dropped. I don't know if this happened naturally (which I don't believe does) or if it was because last night I noticed excessive foaming building up around the intlets from the DT to the sump. So I turned skimmer on the lowest setting to one help break it it and two so I could reduce or get rid of the foaming that was about to overflow onto the floor. Today I noticed the foaming has almost completely gone away. So I assume the skimmer is removing the nitrates and removing the foaming of the water.

Not sure if I should add the ammonium chloride drops. I keep waiting for the ammonia and nitrites to drop lower. Once I saw that I was going to add the drops. Kinda scratching my head. But I know in this hobby it's all about patience so I will not add them and instead keep waiting and testing. I will also post a separate post to have someone look at numbers and see if things look on course or if I'm stalled in some way.

 

[jpontier212]

IMO until your ammonia and nitrites are not at 0, you're not done. Once you get those down to nothing, then water changes will take care of nitrates. Be patient, not good happens fast in this hobby. From one newbie to another. I learned the hard way

 

[dkosdros]

Thanks. Yea I've been down this road before but last time cycles with a live shrimp. Took over a month to cycle the tank with many odors and algae stages. I just wasn't sure if the cycle stalled or something since I don't see a change in the ammonia and nitrites but it sounds like I just need to sit tight and keep testing everyday.

 

[jpontier212]

Thanks. Yea I've been down this road before but last time cycles with a live shrimp. Took over a month to cycle the tank with many odors and algae stages. I just wasn't sure if the cycle stalled or something since I don't see a change in the ammonia and nitrites but it sounds like I just need to sit tight and keep testing everyday.

I'm not an expert by no means but that's what i was told when i was at the same cross roads you're at. Slow and stay wins the race. Happy reefing

 

[dkosdros]

Woke today and found this brown layer growing on the rocks. Also noticed some on top of the sand. I believe this is the brown diatoms people talk about seeing. Will be testing water shortly. Curious to see what if anything is different now that I see the diatoms.

 

[dkosdros]

Today's test results:
Ammonia 1.2
nitrite 1
Nitrates 10

Making no changes, going to sit back and watch brown algae do its thing

 

[dkosdros]

Just got back from golfing so I couldn't check on tank all day. Just checked it and the diatoms are covering 80% of the rocks and a lot of the sand. It's crazy to me how fast it spread all over everything. They must give off something because they are releasing tiny air bubbles which are floating up to the surface. Can't skimmer is getting funky green stuff I left it on the settings it said to break in skimmer so I'll leave that a week like it said and then fine tune it after that.

 

[dkosdros]

Today's results
Ammonia 1.2-2
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 10

Skimmer has been turned up a notch as far as motor speed. Trying to to not throw it in high gear and then cause the cup to overfill. Still getting use to how much I can turn the pump up and still get a good skim and not just get a clear or light green water.

Even more diatoms have covered more rocks and sand. I took a turkey Baster and blew off the rocks that I could reach. It blew right off with no problems. Hoping skimmer and fuge area will take care of the stuff I got suspended in the water column.

I for sure though that ammonia or nitrite would have come down by now. So none the less im going to wait. I want to get like 5 hermits and 5 snails and get them in there but I'm worried the water levels might be to toxic for inverts

 

[dkosdros]

Decided tonight to go lights out for a few days. Will see if the diatoms go away on their own.

 

[ScottMyers123]

Diatoms are just part of the cycle. Weather you turn lights out or not, they should go away once the cycle has be complete.

 

[dkosdros]

Oh ok. I read that turning lights out helped them go away quicker so that's what that was trying to accomplish.

Today's test results:
Temp 78
Salinity 1.025
Ammonia .8
Nitrites 1+
Nitrates 20

Very happy that ammonia is starting to come down. When I first added the drops I knew that it had to be better because it didn't turn the light green like it usually does when starting off. It stayed clear for a bit and then got darker with time.

Nitrates are skyrocketing it seems. My skimmer is going at 80% and this is the gunk its pulling out.

Making no changes at this time. Waiting for my ATO to come into the LFS Thursday so I can hook that up and then won't need to do manual top offs anymore.

 

[dkosdros]

Today's Results
Ammonia .2
nitrite 1+
nitrate 20-25

Diatoms seems to be going away. Happy ammonia is dropping. Just wish the nitrites would too. Not sure if I should add ammonium chloride. Or wait till nitrites drop and then add the ammonium chloride i got from Dr Tims.

Cannot wait for the cycle to be over to order my fish. Decided on 2 Picaso clowns or 2 black ice clowns, blue hippo tang, 2 cardinals, blue spot goby, scarlet cleaner shrimp, a few fairy wrasses, and eventually a RBTA, going to have soft corals, might eventually try an SPS but mostly softies and some LPS. Once I get ATO up and running I am going to look into the Apex Gold since its $100 off this month. I kno I was going to get one anyways but was planning on around Black Friday in hopes of sale but not sure if I would get $100 off then.

 

[JackDE]

Looks like you're on the right track. Please research the needs of each animal before adding them to your tank. Liveaquaria.com is a good place to start.

 

[dkosdros]

Looks like you're on the right track. Please research the needs of each animal before adding them to your tank. Liveaquaria.com is a good place to start.

Thanks. I have looked into their needs using that source. Are you concerned I wouldn't be able to meet the needs of something on the list? I just worried I overlook something. Now you have me second guessing the list.

 

[JackDE]

Thanks. I have looked into their needs using that source. Are you concerned I wouldn't be able to meet the needs of something on the list? I just worried I overlook something. Now you have me second guessing the list.

I actually am new myself so I don't know much about most of those fish but I do know that the blue tank needs a tank sized 180 I am sure you could get away with a smaller tank but I am not so sure about a tank your size.

 

[dkosdros]

Yea you're right when they are full sized they do require more room. I've had one in the past and got him when he was tiny. I had him for I believe two years by the time I had to take down tank when I moved and he was good size but not crazy big. My plan is to buy him small again and then if he ever outgrows the tank I'll find a good home or LFS that will help me find a good home.

 

[dkosdros]

Today's test results Anmonia 0. Nitrites 1+. Didn't bother testing anything else at this point. So happy ammonia is at zero. So I dosed 120 drops of ammonia chloride. Will test tomorrow and I hope that ammonia tests zero again. If so then I know my cycle is complete. Wondering if I have a bad nitrite test kit. Anxiously will wait to test tomorrow to see what happens. Also get to pick up my ATO tomorrow. Cannot wait.

 

[dkosdros]

Today's test results. Ammonia back to zero. Nitrites still 1+ added my Hydor ATO. Turned it on and it over filled and the alarm went off on it. So rather than install a smaller pump I put a valve on the hose to lower the amount of water going into sump. If it's slow enough the pump will turn off in time and it won't overflow. Tested it and it worked great. Here is a pic of the sensor.