Guys please opinion

[jpontier212]

My 55 gallon fish/reef to on its last stages of cycle. Parameters are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 90. I come home from work and the tank looks like a snowball paper weight. Is this normal and if not what should i do? I was told to wait a week and do a 40% water change and i should be ready for fish or at least a clean up crew. Help

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Hi
What week are you in? What method of cycling did you use. Dry rock.
And is it stinky?

 

[jpontier212]

Hi
What week are you in? What method of cycling did you use. Dry rock.
And is it stinky?

I'm actually in week 3 of the cycle and i used a 6lb piece of live rock in my sump, 50lbs of dry rock in my aquarium and a fresh tiger prawn sat in the tank for the first 3 days

 

[jpontier212]

I'm actually in week 3 of the cycle and i used a 6lb piece of live rock in my sump, 50lbs of dry rock in my aquarium and a fresh tiger prawn sat in the tank for the first 3 days

And no its not stinky at all. It was the first few days

 

[fragit]

First off that metal clamp you have holding your return line to your return pump has to come off. I can already see it corroding (rust) you should be using plastic, and IME a barb fitting is really all you need to keep it intact. As for everything else I would wait a little while longer to see if your Nitrates come down at all, I don't think your tank is done with the cycle yet. Have you had any algae blooms?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yet another good link.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycling-tank.181066/

As far as the snow, id guess minor bacterial bloom, or, is the shrimp still in there? could be flesh.
and it looks like some algae coming in on the rock maybe. oh yea some funk on the sump glass too

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Oh found Melevs shrimp write up.
http://melevsreef.com/node/1970

 

[jpontier212]

First off that metal clamp you have holding your return line to your return pump has to come off. I can already see it corroding (rust) you should be using plastic, and IME a barb fitting is really all you need to keep it intact. As for everything else I would wait a little while longer to see if your Nitrates come down at all, I don't think your tank is done with the cycle yet. Have you had any algae blooms?

Where can i get a plastic clamp and idk what a barb fitting is. Sorry for being ignorant but it's my first tank setup from scratch. The last one i had was already fully setup when i got it.

 

[jpontier212]

Where can i get a plastic clamp and idk what a barb fitting is. Sorry for being ignorant but it's my first tank setup from scratch. The last one i had was already fully setup when i got it.

I tried to just slide the house on and leave it and it would keep blowing off making a massive mess.

 

[jpontier212]

Hose i meant. Lol

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

common at fish stores and
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=plastic+hose+clamp

 

[jrose323]

+1 on the metal clamp. Saltwater and metal do not mix at all!

 

[jsker]

Where can i get a plastic clamp and idk what a barb fitting is. Sorry for being ignorant but it's my first tank setup from scratch. The last one i had was already fully setup when i got it.

There called shark bites, at your local big box home improvement store, go to the irrigation department. The ones in plumbing have brass

 

[jpontier212]

common at fish stores and
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=plastic+hose+clamp

Thank you so much. I really appreciate all the help and advise. Once I'm ready i will add my clean up crew and post pictures. I'm truly grateful. [emoji4]

 

[jpontier212]

There called shark bites, at your local big box home improvement store, go to the irrigation department. The ones in plumbing have brass

Thank you very much. I appreciate the advise. I am a true newbie to the hobby.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate all the help and advise. Once I'm ready i will add my clean up crew and post pictures. I'm truly grateful. [emoji4]

you should know we cant read. so we like to see pictures.
happy reefing

 

[fragit]

Read a lot, then read some more, research everything 10 times over, ask questions. Remember there are no stupid questions just stupid answers. And in 10 years when you think you have a handle on reefing something will happen and you will know that we can't know everything it's just that complicated. Oh and don't give up, never give up. Welcome to reefing my friend!

 

[Davereefman]

People don't realize this but if you set your calcium,ph and magnesium levels you won't get ugly algae and your clean up crew won't die.

 

[jpontier212]

People don't realize this but if you set your calcium,ph and magnesium levels you won't get ugly algae and your clean up crew won't die.

I'll keep that in mind. I was never told anything about magnesium and what the benefits are. But i thought those things as far as calcium and magnesium was for sps only. Lps don't require as much attention to detail

 

[Davereefman]

Calcium pH and mag go together.if you set all three everything does better everything. But when you have corals,they deplete it. Buy a small quantity of calcium magnesium and pH buffer and set it You will eliminate algae blooms and quickly grow beautiful coralline algae.