New to reefing, general questions.

[Brady4000]

Good morning!

Been using these forms to fill my brain with as much information as possible so thank you.

Here is my first post.

Like the title says I am extremely new.

I am building two tanks a Reef tank in a Biocube 32 and a Macro Algae DT with a Mantis shrimp in a 60g acrylic corner tank with a 10g wet dry sump. I have been in tank build up faze for 3 weeks and it’s time to start scaping.

Question 1: I was able to obtain 130lbs of dry Fiji (I think) off offer up, this has been sitting out of water for two years. Can I just clean it off with tap water and start building? I still need to cycle after I am done, would cleaning it with tap even matter?

Question 2: lowest light setting to grow Macro, I need it dim for the peacock mantis. (Light is a pop bloom) I got a coral light in case I change my mind after the build lol, but it’s dimmable.

Thanks

 

[LiveWire]

Welcome to the REEF!! I would just rinse the rock off to get anything that could be on it from sitting.

I'm not sure about how dim the light needs to be for macro algae but I am sure someone else here could help you with that. You may even be able to use a dim grow light.

 

[harley32907]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Brady4000]

Welcome to the REEF!! I would just rinse the rock off to get anything that could be on it from sitting.

I'm not sure about how dim the light needs to be for macro algae but I am sure someone else here could help you with that. You may even be able to use a dim grow light.

Thanks! Appreciate the feedback, looks like today is going to be a building day!

 

[Alchameth]

Tap water on the rock at this point is fine, looks like a few pieces are coral skeletons too not that it matters, they looks clean.

what spectrum are you looking for on the Macro? I use grow lights off Amazon in my sump for mine. Latest one I'm using is this. It is 30W, has a clip, all metal is coated, and 3 adjustable arms with some brightness adjustments, can change between the blue, red-pink, or both, and a timer at the push of a button.

Azawa Grow Lights 30W, 60 LEDs Plant Light for Indoor Plants, Full Spectrum IP55 Waterproof Growing Lamp with Automatic ON Off, 3 6 12H Cycle Timer, 3 Light Mode, 6 Dimmable Levels

 

[Brady4000]

Tap water on the rock at this point is fine, looks like a few pieces are coral skeletons too not that it matters, they looks clean.

what spectrum are you looking for on the Macro? I use grow lights off Amazon in my sump for mine. Latest one I'm using is this. It is 30W, has a clip, all metal is coated, and 3 adjustable arms with some brightness adjustments, can change between the blue, red-pink, or both, and a timer at the push of a button.

Azawa Grow Lights 30W, 60 LEDs Plant Light for Indoor Plants, Full Spectrum IP55 Waterproof Growing Lamp with Automatic ON Off, 3 6 12H Cycle Timer, 3 Light Mode, 6 Dimmable Levels

Thanks for the reply, I installed popbloom marine LED light, which should be capable of growing coral. (Kinda committed to it now lol) I knew I didn’t need such an expensive light, but if I ever got a wild hair and wanted to grow coral with it I could.

As for as the Spectrums go, I know the shrimp dose well with blues, but I am open to ideas. Building the tank around the peacock.

if I ran the light at 5%s will this grow Macro or are the more dependent?

 

[Alchameth]

but if I ever got a wild hair and wanted to grow coral with it I could.

As for as the Spectrums go, I know the shrimp dose well with blues, but I am open to ideas. Building the tank around the peacock.

if I ran the light at 5%s will this grow Macro or are the more dependent?

Sure that if will become a when really fast! lol

Algae likes that red and blue light, others will work but these work and still keep the tank dim for your peacock.

That light is full spectrum and doesn't look to have a lot of red to it. All lights will work, just need more of it so the tank will be brighter.

 

[Bfragale]

 

[Brady4000]

Sure that if will become a when really fast! lol

Algae likes that red and blue light, others will work but these work and still keep the tank dim for your peacock.

That light is full spectrum and doesn't look to have a lot of red to it. All lights will work, just need more of it so the tank will be brighter.

So did I mess up, and should return the light, to get a one with more red?
Or is it fine to run with dim blue and even less red?

Brains going to explode with how much information I have learned over the last few months lol, the Biocube so far is definitely the Easier Tank, straightforward at least hah.

Took a look at it after I read your comment, your right not very much red at all. Thought I could double dip and get a coral light just in case.

Here is the tank BTW

 

[vetteguy53081]

Red light will promote algae. As fir rock, place in a brute container ir Rubbermaid tubs and add a little bleach and allow to soak overnight with use if a power head for agitation and then tun cold water through providing a cold water rinse which neutralizes the bleach until you can smell any bleach and allow to sun dry

 

[vetteguy53081]

Welcome to the R2R community and family !!

 

[Brady4000]

Sure that if will become a when really fast! lol

Algae likes that red and blue light, others will work but these work and still keep the tank dim for your peacock.

That light is full spectrum and doesn't look to have a lot of red to it. All lights will work, just need more of it so the tank will be brighter.

Just wanted to say thanks, sold the coral light on offer up and got this (see attached).
Thanks again for the advice, that was a $60 lesson lol.... I hope I don’t make too many more that’s avoidable like this one...

 

[ScubaFish802]

 

[Alchameth]

Just wanted to say thanks, sold the coral light on offer up and got this (see attached).
Thanks again for the advice, that was a $60 lesson lol.... I hope I don’t make too many more that’s avoidable like this one...

I like them, ran 2 of their lights on my bio-cube with good results.

 

[Brady4000]

I like them, ran 2 of their lights on my bio-cube with good results.

hook speakers to them? Worth it?

 

[jeffrey750750]

Hello and welcome

 

[Alchameth]

hook speakers to them? Worth it?

hook speakers to what? huh?

 

[Brady4000]

hook speakers to what? huh?

you said you were running 2x Current USA SereneSun LE PROs, it has speaker hookups, background hookups, Thunder storms etc... thought it was gimmicky but it also has a 24 hr timer, sunrise/sunset and good reds for my macroalgae. The one I bought didn’t come with all the gimmicky stuff just the 24hr timer. Was asking if you hooked speakers to yours.

 

[Brady4000]

Unless you were just talking about the brand. still working my way through the weeds lol, have not look at Current USAs other product. Was purely Looking at what would grow my algae and not give me a bright pink tank lol.

 

[Brady4000]

Thank you to everyone who has welcomed me! This form is very welcoming.