New to saltwater

[Serobb]

Hello There,

Im new to saltwater, even I have / had success on fresh water aquariums, I consider myself as beginner

With my boys last week we have finally started a new saltwater aquarium. Its a small 75L tank, with the sump behind. We got live rock and sand as well a protein skimmer, wave maker and lights. In the LFS suggested to use the Red Sea Reef Mature Pro kit, so we got that one too with test kit of pH, KH, NH3, NO2, NO3 and a hydrometer.

Now Im coming to the point: a few days ago started the life sand and the live rock becoming brown. I did did some reading and found out this an algae and its normal. Since my live rock was uncured I had a lots of Ammonia in the past days, including NO3. On Sunday I did a 10% water change and the ammonia dropped from 8ppm to 0.25ppm by this morning, I guess this is getting better?

Another point is, most of the animals, worms has died off, but I got one little guy (a bug?) who is still survived. Is it ok to keep him, is there any harm to the reef?

If the ammonia is dropping to 0 by this weekend Im planning to get the clean up crew starting.
Any suggestion?

By the way: loos like I got on the live rock some coralline algae (the pink ones) ?

Thanks in advance and happy to be part of this family!

Rob

 

[Joeganja]

Welcome! Awesome tank! and Red Sea Test Kits are one of the best so good buy there! i see your tank has a skimmer and thats a great start to any reef tank. If your nitrates, ammonia, and nitrites are high i reccomend you use seachem stability its great for new establishing aquariums and lowers the nitrates and nitrites dramatically.
and for your hitchhikers I.D. in this hobby we reffer to http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhi....lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml as its great for newbies and everyone needing and I.D. and knowing if its a good hiker or bad. The rock does but since it's a new aquarium its gonna take some time for it to grow. And last thing i suggest to you is if you can invest in a refractometer becuause they are far more accurate especially for reef tanks but all in all your set! and Good Luck! if you need any assistance, have questions, need suggestions, or need advice, just send me a Private Message and I'll be glad to help

 

[Tahoe61]

Welcome.

Your unidentified looks like a chiton, a harmless algae grazer. Let the tank cycle and stabilize for another week or so before adding live stock.

It's a great little tank. I highly recommend an automatic top off system for these types of small tank.

Fantastic start.

 

[mr.reeferman]

i would reccomend not doing a water change until tank is stable

 

[saltyphish]

Agreed on chiton and waiting a bit for tank to stabilize. Your ammonia dropped because the bacteria turned it into nitrite. when you have 0 ammonia and nitrite wait a week to make sure none of them spikes then add a cuc.

 

[mike007]

Welcome to R2R.

 

[Serobb]

Thank you all for the replays, and sorry for the late answer, I was busy with work/kids...

I just saw you guys recommended not to change the water, well I just did today again a 10% change, because the Ammonia was still 0.5 and the Nitrite as well 0.5. The Nitrate however is over 160... hopefully still will be fine.
Now all live rocks fully and the sand partially covered with the brown algae, looking very ugly...

I highly recommend an automatic top off system for these types of small tank

Since the tank is in the living room, it would be difficult to build the auto top off. Any suggestion?

 

[glb]

Thank you all for the replays, and sorry for the late answer, I was busy with work/kids...

I just saw you guys recommended not to change the water, well I just did today again a 10% change, because the Ammonia was still 0.5 and the Nitrite as well 0.5. The Nitrate however is over 160... hopefully still will be fine.
Now all live rocks fully and the sand partially covered with the brown algae, looking very ugly...



Since the tank is in the living room, it would be difficult to build the auto top off. Any suggestion?

Your tank is doing exactly what it's supposed to do. The brown algae is normal and will eventually go away. I'd hold off on water changes until the ammonia and nitrates are zero. Sounds like it's almost done!

 

[mr.reeferman]

its suppose to do this the point of the cycle is to allow beneficial bacteria to grow to a sufficient amount to properly change amonnia to nitrate and nitrates to nitrites after the ammonia is 0 and nitrates 0 then its time for a water change to remove nitrite the brown shows the start of the nitrogen cycle it will turn green and then you should start seeing coraline algea this is when i added my fish

 

[mr.reeferman]

but test again to make sure ammonia and nitrates are zero

 

[sprinklerdudes]

Just part of the cycle process, algea, diatoms, etc. it will stabilize quicker if you leave it along, then do a water change, may also run a little carbon in the filter system. nice size tank, give it time, you will enjoy it, just have to get past this stage.

 

[Serobb]

OK, thanks guys.
I just than sit back and only do the dosing and parameter checking. (by the way: I should still clean the skimmer top tank when is it full of dirty water right?)

I will post more photos when the time is coming.

I still have question tho about clean up crew. When should I start and what snails, shrimps you guys recommend?
I did some reading and some one said for the size of my tank I should have about 16 snails, and 4 hermit crabs would be OK.

 

[mr.reeferman]

Well if you want a lighter bio load I would get about five snails a few cleaner shrimp and a cherub Pygmy angel the angel cleans as much as five snails and you will never have problem algae