Just had my setup

[Fudsey]

Looks like pods to me but I am no expert. #reefsquad what do you think?

 

[Rick.45cal]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[Maritimer]

They could very well be pods ... but they look like little white dots in the photo. If they're 'pods, then welcome them with open arms! 'Pods will help you keep your tank cleaned of detritus and uneaten foods, and will later provide tasty treats for your fish.

The bubbles under your liverock may be an accumulation of microbubbles coming from your filtration systems. They can be reduced by tweaking things downstairs in the sump.

Welcome to Reef2Reef, and may your journey be _just_ difficult enough to keep it from becoming boring!

~Bruce

 

[glb]

With the test numbers you posted, your tank is done cycling. I’d take out the shrimp you just put in and just add some fish food daily instead. No need for the nitrates to get any higher, yet you don’t want the nitrifying bacteria you just developed to starve. Now you’ll want to bring the nitrates down with some big water changes. A 50% water change would bring them down to 80ppm. You’ll need to do several to get the nitrates down. Each 50% water cuts nitrates by 50%. Once the nitrates are down to 30-40, you could add fish (some might say you could add them at even higher levels but this is what I did). They’re not as bothered by nitrates as corals are and they would provide the ammonia from there on out. Since there’s nothing in the tank yet, big water changes aren’t a problem. They are a pain in the neck but remember that this is probably the only time in your tank’s life that this amount of water needs to be replaced. Good luck!

 

[Canan]

With the test numbers you posted, your tank is done cycling. I’d take out the shrimp you just put in and just add some fish food daily instead. No need for the nitrates to get any higher, yet you don’t want the nitrifying bacteria you just developed to starve. Now you’ll want to bring the nitrates down with some big water changes. A 50% water change would bring them down to 80ppm. You’ll need to do several to get the nitrates down. Each 50% water cuts nitrates by 50%. Once the nitrates are down to 30-40, you could add fish (some might say you could add them at even higher levels but this is what I did). They’re not as bothered by nitrates as corals are and they would provide the ammonia from there on out. Since there’s nothing in the tank yet, big water changes aren’t a problem. They are a pain in the neck but remember that this is probably the only time in your tank’s life that this amount of water needs to be replaced. Good luck!

Thank you so much for your detailed response.
I will immediately start adding daily fish food to the tank and will remove the shrimps (one is almost dissolved completely, other is half of the way only)
I had made 1 more test 1 day later than the first test and measured the nitrate as 80 ppm (came down by half without changing any water). I am not sure whether this can be a measurement error or something else, I will verify this today evening again.

As you suggested, I am getting prepared for a water change - this looks to be a task!!!

BTW, Merry Christmas !!!

 

[glb]

Thank you so much for your detailed response.
I will immediately start adding daily fish food to the tank and will remove the shrimps (one is almost dissolved completely, other is half of the way only)
I had made 1 more test 1 day later than the first test and measured the nitrate as 80 ppm (came down by half without changing any water). I am not sure whether this can be a measurement error or something else, I will verify this today evening again.

As you suggested, I am getting prepared for a water change - this looks to be a task!!!

BTW, Merry Christmas !!!

80ppm will be much easier to bring down. If you’re using API test kits, it was probably a test error. The difference between 80 and 160 on the color chart is very difficult to tell apart. If money permits, I’d recommend upgrading your test kits once you get livestock. I use API during cycling too. Once the tank is up and running, here’s what I use:
Alk and Phosphates: Hanna Checker
Ca, Nitrates: Salifert
Salinity: Refractometer

Good luck!