Mykawl
Active Member
Long noobish post please bare with me else i'd suggest doing something different cause this might give you a headache : ) i know it sure has given me many, new to reefing and there is so much to understand unfortunately I MUST understand things. it's borderline a disease
Tank - Innovative Marine 14
Flow - stock return & Hydor Nano, spinstream attachment on the way.
Skimmer - Ghost protein skimmer
Light - Hipargero Aqua Knight, soon to be AI Prime HD.
Water: RO, eventually getting D/I as well, instant ocean salt.
Heater: Neotherm
Additives:
15 lbs Dry rock (BRS)
Bio Spira
Carib sea sand (fine) i think aragonite? used all 15 lbs. leaving over 2" of sand in tank.
Using Seachem Prime as a conditioner, purigen and phosguard... probably keeping purigen but adding carbon and replacing phosguard with gfo or does it matter?
In the first week I also added chaeto from LFS lol didnt end well but i think i got a copepod out of it who was able to eat the remains of my dying zoa, saw him doing it @ 2 a.m.! dont think hes still alive anyways read on.
oh also took some coraline rock chips from LFS
Current Stats:
Temp: 78 stable now
Salinity: 1.020 for first week or two, took a lot more salt that directions said and so i've been slowly bringing it up to 1.025
pH: 8.2 @ start, has fallen and "stabilized" @ 7.8, not planning on messing with this for now unless advised otherwise.
Ammonia: 0.25, been like this for a week i think it's just the test kit or maybe cause i rinse the vial in tap water and not very well at that. I also sometimes add a drop too many etc.. lol but definately either a yellow or super slight green tint. I left a frozen shrimp in there for a day or two, have also added around a tsp of NLS pellets and lotta bugs in the south so some fall into the trap... I'm just adding this info here to show what organics have been in the tank, saying i think the tank can process ammonia...
Nitrite: Unless i'm color blind it's a standard purple which looks to me to be off the charts (over 5.0 ppm even after a 25% and 10% water change, although i've read seachem prime can cause nitrite readings, albeit it's only been 2-3 weeks so the nitrite decline may still be on the way just hoping i haven't stalled the cycle.
Nitrate: Pointless to test until nitrite is under control correct? I've read nitrite will skew nitrate readings.
Planning on doing a 100% water change before purchasing first fish and any corals.
Currently only have API test kit.
Also probably going to order a Hanna phosphate & alkalinity checker, but i know i probably need calcium and magnesium too eventually or are those just as urgent?
My current understanding is all perameters are obviously important but is this order of importance generally correct? Salinity>pH>Ammonia>Nitrate>Phosphate>Alkalinity>Magnesium>Calcium
will be adding pics, feigning for a goby/shrimp pair and ofcourse clowns as i have a 2 & 3 yr old.
next in line would be a 6 line wrasse but i can wait for him if you guys say 14 gallons is too small as i may be upgrading the tank soon cause well 14 is too small : )
Tank - Innovative Marine 14
Flow - stock return & Hydor Nano, spinstream attachment on the way.
Skimmer - Ghost protein skimmer
Light - Hipargero Aqua Knight, soon to be AI Prime HD.
Water: RO, eventually getting D/I as well, instant ocean salt.
Heater: Neotherm
Additives:
15 lbs Dry rock (BRS)
Bio Spira
Carib sea sand (fine) i think aragonite? used all 15 lbs. leaving over 2" of sand in tank.
Using Seachem Prime as a conditioner, purigen and phosguard... probably keeping purigen but adding carbon and replacing phosguard with gfo or does it matter?
In the first week I also added chaeto from LFS lol didnt end well but i think i got a copepod out of it who was able to eat the remains of my dying zoa, saw him doing it @ 2 a.m.! dont think hes still alive anyways read on.
oh also took some coraline rock chips from LFS
Current Stats:
Temp: 78 stable now
Salinity: 1.020 for first week or two, took a lot more salt that directions said and so i've been slowly bringing it up to 1.025
pH: 8.2 @ start, has fallen and "stabilized" @ 7.8, not planning on messing with this for now unless advised otherwise.
Ammonia: 0.25, been like this for a week i think it's just the test kit or maybe cause i rinse the vial in tap water and not very well at that. I also sometimes add a drop too many etc.. lol but definately either a yellow or super slight green tint. I left a frozen shrimp in there for a day or two, have also added around a tsp of NLS pellets and lotta bugs in the south so some fall into the trap... I'm just adding this info here to show what organics have been in the tank, saying i think the tank can process ammonia...
Nitrite: Unless i'm color blind it's a standard purple which looks to me to be off the charts (over 5.0 ppm even after a 25% and 10% water change, although i've read seachem prime can cause nitrite readings, albeit it's only been 2-3 weeks so the nitrite decline may still be on the way just hoping i haven't stalled the cycle.
Nitrate: Pointless to test until nitrite is under control correct? I've read nitrite will skew nitrate readings.
Planning on doing a 100% water change before purchasing first fish and any corals.
Currently only have API test kit.
Also probably going to order a Hanna phosphate & alkalinity checker, but i know i probably need calcium and magnesium too eventually or are those just as urgent?
My current understanding is all perameters are obviously important but is this order of importance generally correct? Salinity>pH>Ammonia>Nitrate>Phosphate>Alkalinity>Magnesium>Calcium
will be adding pics, feigning for a goby/shrimp pair and ofcourse clowns as i have a 2 & 3 yr old.
next in line would be a 6 line wrasse but i can wait for him if you guys say 14 gallons is too small as i may be upgrading the tank soon cause well 14 is too small : )
. Rushed the hipargero light in off 
