First attempt at reefing 75G build

[ryboy707]

Just looks like a giant blob of hair algae. You need to stay on top of that. It can get out of control fast. And since you have no corals it's easy for you now to take the rocks out and scrub them with a tooth brush. Whats your phosphates at? Might have to use some go already. How long has the tank been cycling? Did you dump a bottle of bacteria in when you started?

Gfo***

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Just looks like a giant blob of hair algae. You need to stay on top of that. It can get out of control fast. And since you have no corals it's easy for you now to take the rocks out and scrub them with a tooth brush. Whats your phosphates at? Might have to use some go already. How long has the tank been cycling? Did you dump a bottle of bacteria in when you started?

It's completely isolated to that one spot. Nowhere else in the tank. I yanked the long piece out. I'll clean the rest off at some point. Cycle is a little over a month. Phosphate peaked around .8 but haven't checked lately

Better photo

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Hi guys need your advice.

Been awhile since I have tested anything but nitrite. Nitrite is still high. Ran the full tests today and discovered my ph is low. Normally at 8 today it is at 7.4. I assume this can have an effect on my cycle?

What do you recommend? Raise with soda ash?

Alk is 9.8 DKH
Cal 400
Mag 1320
Am 0
Nitrite 5
Nitrate 20
Phos .2

Thanks in advance

 

[Bayareareefer18]

So since my ph was low I went ahead and picked up some soda ash. Thankfully stuff like this is quick and easy to grab from my wholesale supplier.

Wasn't sure exactly what it would take so I added a quarter cup of soda ash. Prob was a little much but brought my ph to 8.4 from 7.4. Wasn't too worried since there was no livestock. Alk shot up to about 14dkh

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Things are greening up. Guess that's next stage in the game...

Also seeing more and more specks of coraline

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Nitrite still high after a couple months.

Thanks to Randy for providing me with some guidance and recommend just moving on with the process at this point.

Tool a peek into the fuge last night and could see a few pods and what I believe are spirobid worms on the glass.

I suppose signs of life are a good thing at this point.

Looking forward to getting a cuc in this puppy

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Quick question...

My sump has 2 fine foam blocks in the bin me trap section. Last night I noticed a few good sized pods trapped on the upper block. Should I run without these blocks to allow the pods to move from the sump to the tank ?

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Added some CUC today.

2 emerald crabs
8 astrea snails
6 nassarious snails

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Received my cuc from liveaquaria today.

Got a mixture of

Nerite snails
Trochus
Ceriths
Fighting conch
Red tuxedo urchin

Hopefully these guys will make a dent in the uglies.

Also received my Orphek 120 UV light bar. Very nice light

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Mounted my lights today using the current USA tanks mounts. Mounts worked out perfectly to be able to mount my Orphek led bar between the two.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

And we finally have fish!! Almost 3 months in
Took the fam to the LFS today and they ultimately decided on a gold nugget and a lighting.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

First frags today! Thanks to the @reefraftusa fathers day sale!!

Bad pics with blues but don't want to blast with lights after shipping and dipping

 

[MLSReefer]

as a complete newbie, glad to see all this progress and questions. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of your build!

 

[Bayareareefer18]

as a complete newbie, glad to see all this progress and questions. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of your build!

Thanks I appreciate that. You can read so much how to and watch videos all day, which I do, but so much more beneficial to learn from others experinces... good and bad

 

[MLSReefer]

Thanks I appreciate that. You can read so much how to and watch videos all day, which I do, but so much more beneficial to learn from others experinces... good and bad

Right, that's why I love this forum. I just read everyones experiences and its help me understand the videos much more. I really can't wait to move out of the apt and get my system up and going . I got a sweet set up from a local for a really good price (he was hooking me up since I'm a new reefer) I don't want to set it up now because we'll be moving in 5 months but once I'm in the new home I'm setting it up right away! 5 more months of learning and studying

 

[MLSReefer]

Thanks I appreciate that. You can read so much how to and watch videos all day, which I do, but so much more beneficial to learn from others experinces... good and bad

Besides BRS videos, do you have any books or other channels you would recommend?

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Right, that's why I love this forum. I just read everyones experiences and its help me understand the videos much more. I really can't wait to move out of the apt and get my system up and going . I got a sweet set up from a local for a really good price (he was hooking me up since I'm a new reefer) I don't want to set it up now because we'll be moving in 5 months but once I'm in the new home I'm setting it up right away! 5 more months of learning and studying

Really smart to wait. That takes some restraint and will pay off in the long run

Besides BRS videos, do you have any books or other channels you would recommend?

I really like inappropriate reefer. I learned a lot and its entertaining lol. Again nice to see people trials and tribulations and not just text book.
Reef dudes, vivid aquariums and cjs are all channels that I have watched a lot of videos

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Frogspawn now that's it's open

 

[Bayareareefer18]

After putting the frags in today was very happy to come home from work and see them all open and polyps extended. Looking happy

Here's one of the flame hawk hanging with the acans

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Quickly update on frags. Everything looks fat and happy. Crazy how much polyp extension the burnin banana stylo gets. Looks like a furry cyphstrea lol