New Tank Question. Ounce of Prevention Question :)

[Faccia di Pesce]

I have my 40 Gallon Breeder set up with my first fish added 10 days ago and they are doing great (clown fish). Everything is running well and numbers are steady and good.

I will be adding more fish slowly.

What preventive measures can I take to address algae and other issues? Is there a product that I should be adding to my tank for maintenance and to eventually get it ready for coral (down the road)?

Thanks!

 

[Daddy-o]

What are your current parameters?

 

[lapin]

I would start a testing schedule. With these numbers you know where you are at and where you need to go.
Calcium
Alkalinity
Magnesium
Nitrate
Phosphate

Algae will happen as its one of the first things to grow. Cleaning will need to be done. There is no magic cure for algae thats good for your tank.

 

[Daddy-o]

Wait a minute! Have you cycled the new rock sculpture?

 

[Faccia di Pesce]

Wait a minute! Have you cycled the new rock sculpture?

Daddy O throw me in reef prison! . Rookie Mistake! I did not, and checked my numbers again and Nitrite levels rose to .025ppm, so I put them back in the quarantine tank so they are safe. Now I will have to wait till the new rock cycles. I did keep some of the old rock which is sitting behind the structure and along with the live sand and filter so i thought that would be OK but I guess not. Lesson learned. Thankfully my fish did not die.

 

[lapin]

I did not, and checked my numbers again and Nitrite levels rose to .025ppm, so I put them back in the quarantine tank so they are safe.

They were safe.
When you have time read this article. If no time then scroll to the charts

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php

 

[Faccia di Pesce]

They were safe.
When you have time read this article. If no time then scroll to the charts

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php

ok so not sure what that means. They are going to die anyway?

 

[lapin]

They were not in danger at .025 ppm
Nor would they be at 25ppm

To quote Randys article
Marine species are less susceptible to nitrite toxicity because chloride (at 19,350 ppm in seawater) outcompetes nitrite for the same uptake mechanisms. Nevertheless, it is possible for some marine fish to take up nitrite via both their gills and their intestines after swallowing seawater. For example, when exposed to 46 ppm nitrite in seawater, the European flounder (Platichthys flesus) takes up 66% of its nitrite via ntestinal routes. Further, its internal nitrite concentration was found to remain below the ambient nitrite level in the water. At these concentrations,there was some alteration of internal biochemical parameters (such as an increase in methemoglobin levels from 4% in nonexposed fish to 18% of hemoglobin in exposed fish). Nevertheless, there were no mortalities under these conditions, and the difference between this result and what is often observed in freshwater fish at similar nitrite concentrations is attributed to differences in their internal nitrite concentrations.

 

[Faccia di Pesce]

Glad I caught this early. Yesterday my ammonia levels were fine. Today not so much. Here is a pic of ammonia levels comparison between my quarantine tank and my 40 gallon

Quarantine is yellow.

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

@daboom319 your rockscape is great! Just, take it slow...Patience, time, and not fighting your tank are the key to a successful and long-lived tank! Good luck, and I'm looking forward to seeing how your tank progresses!!

 

[Daddy-o]

I love when a potential problem can be avoided.
Cheers! Mark