RyanC
Community Member
hello everyone! My name is Ryan and I am a newbie to the aquarium hobby. My family and I started this hobby about 6 weeks ago for our sons 3rd birthday. He absolutely loves going to the local aquarium and can spend hours watching the fish so the wife and I decided to get a home aquarium as a family hobby and we are more than pleased with our decision.
We purchased the Aquatop Recife Eco 40 gal all in one aquarium. After a couple weeks of research and shopping, we decided this was our best option being newbies. We purchased 22 lbs of live rock and 40 lbs of live sand. This is an FOWLR tank right now but will be looking to add corals in a few months when we get the testing down and parameters stable enough. We also, after much research and debate, purchased 2 occeralis clownfish. I know a lot of people say to wait for the cycling period to end before adding the fish, but we used the quick start (API) and I’m happy to say they are alive and well. The reason we ultimately decided to add them early was because of their hardiness and to help speed up the cycling period. I use two different LFS stores and both said that it wasn’t a bad idea.
Last week we had our water tested and it seems as though the cycling period is done. Other than my nitrates, all my levels are spot on.
Ph-8.0
Ammonia-.125 I use the API test kit and the colors is in between zero and .25. I also use the ammonia test that you stick in the tank and it’s reading in the yellow.
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-20 ppm, I will be asking about this
Salinity-1.021, I’m trying to bring up
About 4 days ago I added my first clean up crew.
6 red legged hermit crabs
6 snails, all different species
An emerald crab
A cleaner shrimp
A brittle star fish
All inhabitants are healthy and running around my tank eating away.
Here is my nitrate question. I just did my first water change today, 25%, and tested the water about 30 minutes after and all my readings stayed the same to include my nitrate level at 20 ppm. I know this is high and I want to bring it down. Did I test to early? Will I have to due a bigger water change? Will I have to do smaller water changes but a couple times during the next week or two? With the all for one system, I have a sponge, protein skimmer, mechanical, biological and chemical filtration. Almost looks like a sump on the back of my tank. I’ve researched and seen some people remove the protein skimmer and create a refugeium in the chamber instead. Is this a good idea and will that be better for lowering nitrates.
I also purchased an eheim quick vac to help get the fish waste and uneaten food off the bottom. I tested it last night and since u can’t put it in the sand due to it clogging the propeller, it seems to not have enough suction power to really get anything. I feed my tank twice daily. One small pinch of pellet food, which I give 2 minutes and whatever is not ate, I remove, and one cube of frozen brine shrimp. The two clowns eat I’d say 80% of both and I’ve noticed the invertebrates take care of the majority of the rest. I know one way to lower nitrates is to reduce feeding so I’m going to start once a day for the next week or so to see if that helps.
Sorry this post is so long and thank you for any advice given! The family and I are really enjoying this new hobby and want to make sure our new family members are well taken care of
We purchased the Aquatop Recife Eco 40 gal all in one aquarium. After a couple weeks of research and shopping, we decided this was our best option being newbies. We purchased 22 lbs of live rock and 40 lbs of live sand. This is an FOWLR tank right now but will be looking to add corals in a few months when we get the testing down and parameters stable enough. We also, after much research and debate, purchased 2 occeralis clownfish. I know a lot of people say to wait for the cycling period to end before adding the fish, but we used the quick start (API) and I’m happy to say they are alive and well. The reason we ultimately decided to add them early was because of their hardiness and to help speed up the cycling period. I use two different LFS stores and both said that it wasn’t a bad idea.
Last week we had our water tested and it seems as though the cycling period is done. Other than my nitrates, all my levels are spot on.
Ph-8.0
Ammonia-.125 I use the API test kit and the colors is in between zero and .25. I also use the ammonia test that you stick in the tank and it’s reading in the yellow.
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-20 ppm, I will be asking about this
Salinity-1.021, I’m trying to bring up
About 4 days ago I added my first clean up crew.
6 red legged hermit crabs
6 snails, all different species
An emerald crab
A cleaner shrimp
A brittle star fish
All inhabitants are healthy and running around my tank eating away.
Here is my nitrate question. I just did my first water change today, 25%, and tested the water about 30 minutes after and all my readings stayed the same to include my nitrate level at 20 ppm. I know this is high and I want to bring it down. Did I test to early? Will I have to due a bigger water change? Will I have to do smaller water changes but a couple times during the next week or two? With the all for one system, I have a sponge, protein skimmer, mechanical, biological and chemical filtration. Almost looks like a sump on the back of my tank. I’ve researched and seen some people remove the protein skimmer and create a refugeium in the chamber instead. Is this a good idea and will that be better for lowering nitrates.
I also purchased an eheim quick vac to help get the fish waste and uneaten food off the bottom. I tested it last night and since u can’t put it in the sand due to it clogging the propeller, it seems to not have enough suction power to really get anything. I feed my tank twice daily. One small pinch of pellet food, which I give 2 minutes and whatever is not ate, I remove, and one cube of frozen brine shrimp. The two clowns eat I’d say 80% of both and I’ve noticed the invertebrates take care of the majority of the rest. I know one way to lower nitrates is to reduce feeding so I’m going to start once a day for the next week or so to see if that helps.
Sorry this post is so long and thank you for any advice given! The family and I are really enjoying this new hobby and want to make sure our new family members are well taken care of
