Finally Taken the Plunge, and First Question

[Smiler1875]

Hi All

After finally taking the plunge after reading this forum almost hourly for months, I purchased a 210 litre 60x60cm Cube type Aquarium, I Cycled using start up bio, and after 3 weeks did all water tests and LFS confirmed water all ok to add couple of clowns, which I did. Tank has had crystal clear water from day 1, LFS said leave around 5 weeks before a water change, and put skimmer on after 3 weeks, which I did on Thursday, overnight today water has gone cloudy (not massively), Just wondered is this part of the new tank cycle, or is it connected with the skimmer, (which May have nothing to skim so to speak). water checked all ok by LFS on Friday. I was told to put in Gophos weekly, All for Reef weekly and Elim NP which I did on Sat also. I have sparingly fed the clowns, frozen brine and flakes alternate days. Seems like a light white film on Glass (pics enclosed).

Thanks in advance for any assistance

 

[Waters]

It is most likely due to bacteria, which will balance out on its own as the tank matures. To speed it up, you could add UV if you wanted. It also could be micro bubbles from the skimmer since it is new and still breaking in. Either way, it isn't harmful.

 

[fishface NJ]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[Specific Ocean]

Welcome! Glad to have you here. protein skimmer needs to break in. Give it a week or two

 

[Smiler1875]

Thanks all, Looking forward to being a part of the community

 

[JumboShrimp]

Great looking set-up.

 

[thedon986]

I would be careful with the GoPhos unless you are testing phosphate with an accurate tester (like Hanna). I would say not to use it on a tank so new. Same with All for Reef. Do you have any coral in there? If no, you likely don’t need to dose that and especially not without testing alkalinity.

I have a new setup a little larger than you and since I got it going in November I have not needed to dose anything like All for Reef and I have corals on about 1/3 of my rock work from an older tank. Same for phosphate; I actually had a problem with phosphates being too low and then I got a nasty outbreak of dinoflagellates which I am still fighting 3 months later.

Bottom line, before dosing either of those, test and be sure of your trends by testing consistently such as 2 to 3 times a week. If you don’t want to test yet, just don’t dose those and things will likely be fine with such a light bio load. in the meantime read up on nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity and calcium levels and prepare yourself for testing and monitoring in the future. Your salt information from the manufacturer should tell you roughly what alkalinity and calcium your salt should mix to so you will know when your levels are off when testing or if you want different levels you will know what to dose.

I test alkalinity, nitrate and phosphate every two days. With a new system and dinoflagellates things have been all over the place for me so frequent testing really helps. Skimmer and water change advice looks good.

 

[New&no clue]

I agree with above, I wouldn't dose anything without testing first. Especially something that effects phosphates or nitrates. Having too high or too low on those will cause issues that can take months to recover from.

 

[Smiler1875]

I would be careful with the GoPhos unless you are testing phosphate with an accurate tester (like Hanna). I would say not to use it on a tank so new. Same with All for Reef. Do you have any coral in there? If no, you likely don’t need to dose that and especially not without testing alkalinity.

I have a new setup a little larger than you and since I got it going in November I have not needed to dose anything like All for Reef and I have corals on about 1/3 of my rock work from an older tank. Same for phosphate; I actually had a problem with phosphates being too low and then I got a nasty outbreak of dinoflagellates which I am still fighting 3 months later.

Bottom line, before dosing either of those, test and be sure of your trends by testing consistently such as 2 to 3 times a week. If you don’t want to test yet, just don’t dose those and things will likely be fine with such a light bio load. in the meantime read up on nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity and calcium levels and prepare yourself for testing and monitoring in the future. Your salt information from the manufacturer should tell you roughly what alkalinity and calcium your salt should mix to so you will know when your levels are off when testing or if you want different levels you will know what to dose.

I test alkalinity, nitrate and phosphate every two days. With a new system and dinoflagellates things have been all over the place for me so frequent testing really helps. Skimmer and water change advice looks good.

Thank you and I have been testing and taken water to LFS twice before buying anything, no corals yet today I just purchased 1 small frag of zoa to just see how I go, below is my last test results whihc (I Think) are all ok

Carbohydrates 0.13 Magnesium 0.1 Calcium 0.33 Phosphate 0.03 Amonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 Nitrate 0.00 PH 8.3

 

[thedon986]

Thank you and I have been testing and taken water to LFS twice before buying anything, no corals yet today I just purchased 1 small frag of zoa to just see how I go, below is my last test results whihc (I Think) are all ok

Carbohydrates 0.13 Magnesium 0.1 Calcium 0.33 Phosphate 0.03 Amonia 0.00 Nitrite 0.00 Nitrate 0.00 PH 8.3

That’s good. At .03 depending on the test used could be closer to .00. Would definitely work on getting that and nitrate a little higher. Low N and P in new tanks can be inviting for dinos. Raising those will bring on other algae like hair algae but that is easier to deal with via clean up crew and fish than dinos. You can probably wait to dose all for reef for at least another month if not more. Water changes will get you by on element replacement.

 

[Smiler1875]

That’s good. At .03 depending on the test used could be closer to .00. Would definitely work on getting that and nitrate a little higher. Low N and P in new tanks can be inviting for dinos. Raising those will bring on other algae like hair algae but that is easier to deal with via clean up crew and fish than dinos. You can probably wait to dose all for reef for at least another month if not more. Water changes will get you by on element replacement.

Thanks all, had water tested at LFS and all good, in fact the tank is now almost crystal clear again, I did the first 15% water change yesterday, and sadly it looks as though my cleaner shrimp is dying, he's just hid under rock hardly moving yet day before he was all over the tank and reading up a few people say they are not good with water changes, but i would have thought 15% was ok

 

[homer1475]

Look around the tank. The cleaner shrimp may have molted. They like to molt around water change days, or when first added to a new tank, or on a regular schedule while growing,. When they molt they tend to hide for a day or so while their new exoskeleton hardens.

 

[Smiler1875]

Look around the tank. The cleaner shrimp may have molted. They like to molt around water change days, or when first added to a new tank, or on a regular schedule while growing,. When they molt they tend to hide for a day or so while their new exoskeleton hardens.

Ah thanks, I can see him hidden but hardy moving, fingers crossed its that