Ready to Introduce Live Rock?

[Dylan Norton]

Hello! I'm happy to be posting here for the first time & I hope to have some great responses & discussion. I'm new to the marine aquarium trade. I've been tinkering with my 30 gallon tank for months, taking water samples, buying equipment needed with each paycheck, reading several marine aquarium books, & getting the tank ready for live rock & corals. I had months ago bought a Green Spotted Puffer & he has been my friend along my journey here. Marine life is so fascinating!

I received my GSP in 0.010 gravity water, & after having gotten larger, I had for a couple months slowly increased the salinity. He is now at a 0.024 gravity level & doing great!

I believe I maybe be ready for live rock! That is what I have been waiting on so long. Can you guys with your expert knowledge tell me if my tank is ready or not?


Main Aquarium Specifics:
standard 30 gallon
20 gallon sump w/ refugium
(about to buy Bubble Magus Curve 5 skimmer
1 reactor w/ PhosGuard media
Hydor ATO w/ 2tsp per gallon kalkwasser drip

Water Specifics: -is from RO/DI
PH: to be discussed
ALK: 7 dKh
CAL: 480ppm
-biological filter established w/ no ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites

My PH....

My PH is of my concern here. It varies a lot & my goal has been directed at an 8.2-8.3. Never have I seen it dip into an 8.4, but often it runs low. I am dripping Kalkwasser to combat the low PH. Although I have it hooked up to my ATO, it seems that replacing all of my evaporated water with Kalk solution is not enough for the PH. I also have my skimmer air intake taking it's air from a CO2 scrubber filled with soda lime. No carbon dioxide is entering my skimmer. With the windows open the PH sets at about a perfect 8.2. With the windows shut, however, my PH goes a good bit down. Right now the windows have been shut and the PH rests at about a 7.92. Sometimes it will dip down to a 7.8. Between 7.8 and 8.35 it fluctuates.

I have great circulation in my tank with powerheads. My skimmer is not receiving any Co2. The other day I introduced a handful of macroalgea (must be grape caulerpa) in my refugium. I am dosing Kalkwasser appropriately, I believe, & my PH still dips down low.
Is there anything else I can do?

I've read people saying to worry mainly of Alk, Cal, & Mag? According to the books, my PH has to be in check. Is it in check? Is my PH okay?

Am I alright to full my aquarium with live rock now? Or should I fix this? What should I do?

 

[1WildBill]

Live rock works as a filter. Is the LR cured? If not you’ll have to cure it first. What type of LR? I know the rock from reefcleaners.org doesn’t need curing.
You’ll likely go thru a mini cycle when you do add LR.

 

[Dylan Norton]

Live rock works as a filter. Is the LR cured? If not you’ll have to cure it first. What type of LR? I know the rock from reefcleaners.org doesn’t need curing.
You’ll likely go thru a mini cycle when you do add LR.

I just would not want anything on the rock to die because my PH would not be in check.

I was looking at getting some of my live rock already cured from a local fish store I have around where I live.

 

[1WildBill]

LR might bring your PH into check. Throw a couple small pieces and see. I’m sure the LR will be fine though.

 

[Dylan Norton]

I had actually done that. I have in there three rocks. One of them I learned today has several anemones on it. I fed them.

 

[Mark Gray]

Welcome to R@R if I were you don't chase your PH my tank that is up and running right now is at 7.9 it varies a little some times 8.1 but have seen it go down to 7.8 often. How is your oxygen in you tank. OK I see you do not have a skimmer yet this will help some with the dissolved oxygen in your tank and raise you PH hopefully but don't worry it will most likely be ok

 

[Dylan Norton]

I bought a Reefkeeper system w/ Ph & Temp control. I'm thinking of now just switching to two part from Bulk Reef. I was going to dose according to the PH & have the PH setpoint at an ideal 8.2.

How does this sound? Is dosing sodium bicarbonate & calcium chloride my best option?

 

[Mark Gray]

I bought a Reefkeeper system w/ Ph & Temp control. I'm thinking of now just switching to two part from Bulk Reef. I was going to dose according to the PH & have the PH setpoint at an ideal 8.2.

How does this sound? Is dosing sodium bicarbonate & calcium chloride my best option?

In my opinion i would dose for what your tank is using. How much calcium and Alkalinity does it use? don't chase your PH

 

[mike werner]

welcome,hey can you put up some pics of the anemone on your live rock?just want to make sure they are not a pest anemone.

 

[Dylan Norton]

In my opinion i would dose for what your tank is using. How much calcium and Alkalinity does it use? don't chase your PH

How can I find out how much ALK & CAL my system is using? I imagine it's using a small amount, but I don't have any corals to absorb it.


& I don't know what to think about this anemone.

 

[mike werner]

ok pics are a little fuzzy on my end but I don't think it's aptasia or majanos .i'm sure someone else with a bigger monitor will give you an id.better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Dylan Norton]

ok pics are a little fuzzy on my end but I don't think it's aptasia or majanos .i'm sure someone else with a bigger monitor will give you an id.better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Centerline]

Hi have had a bunch of issues with PH and feel your pain and can tell you from personal experience that coral calcify and grow much better at a PH of 8.1-8.3. But dont take my word for it - we have a very knowledgeable member named Randy Holmes-Farley AKA @Randy Holmes-Farley who speaks to this and other issues in the following article. I have read it a couple of times. You may find it useful.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/o...-reef-aquarium-by-randy-holmes-farley.173563/

As @Mark Gray pointed out, when you bring your skimmer on-line you should find that it helps outgas. You will also find it greatly improves the efficiency of the C02 scrubber. I myself use C02 scrubbers as a mitigation strategy on a couple of different tanks at home and they can help a great deal. One thing I have noticed is that adding a little water to the bottom of the scrubber seems help a bunch. No idea why.

With respect to dripping kalk - dont bother it you dont need it yet though it may help with Coraline growth. I think kalk is FANTASTIC but likely a small water change will work just fine until you start adding live stock. Keeping the tank PH elevated with kalk alone can work with the right water volume and evaporation rates but this may be premature. Corals will grow at 7.8-7.9, if not optimally. I would let the tank mature a bit more, get that skimmer online / hooked up to the C02 reactor and fiddle with the lighting schedule and temperature first.

Your numbers look fine though I would consider raising the ALK a little as the tank starts consuming it to giver yourself a buffer. 7 is at the low end of the scale when it comes to an expectable level (again - read Randys article) - 8 or so gives you a safe range and may help with your PH a bit. Some people - such as myself run ALK much higher but most often this is not the case. As a new reef keeper I would stick with the norms.

With respect to finding out how much ALK and CAL the system is using - invest in test kits. ALK/CAL/MAG/N03/P04 - all of these are important to understand and the best way to do so is with water testing.

Again, I suggest you consider reading Randys article. Lots very good information and he is a very reliable (and approachable) member.

Good luck!

 

[Mark Gray]

Hey I would remove that anemone if I were you Do a Calcium and an Alk test and see wherte they are at. I would not dose until you know where your numbers are at. I would be willing to bet when you bring a skimmer online your PH will go up. also you might try to increase your surface movement of your water

 

[Dylan Norton]

Hey I would remove that anemone if I were you Do a Calcium and an Alk test and see wherte they are at. I would not dose until you know where your numbers are at. I would be willing to bet when you bring a skimmer online your PH will go up. also you might try to increase your surface movement of your water

Why should the anemone be removed, Mark? & I should just measure my ALK & CAL, then from that data, dose however much to dose to get to the *ideal* number?

 

[Mark Gray]

Why should the anemone be removed, Mark? & I should just measure my ALK & CAL, then from that data, dose however much $t o dose to get to the *ideal* number?

Hey Dylan i can't 100 percent tell i am llooking at it on my phone but ot looks like aphasia it will multiply quickly. Yes get your Cal & Alk measurements and dose what you need

 

[Sabellafella]

Hello! I'm happy to be posting here for the first time & I hope to have some great responses & discussion. I'm new to the marine aquarium trade. I've been tinkering with my 30 gallon tank for months, taking water samples, buying equipment needed with each paycheck, reading several marine aquarium books, & getting the tank ready for live rock & corals. I had months ago bought a Green Spotted Puffer & he has been my friend along my journey here. Marine life is so fascinating!

I received my GSP in 0.010 gravity water, & after having gotten larger, I had for a couple months slowly increased the salinity. He is now at a 0.024 gravity level & doing great!

I believe I maybe be ready for live rock! That is what I have been waiting on so long. Can you guys with your expert knowledge tell me if my tank is ready or not?


Main Aquarium Specifics:
standard 30 gallon
20 gallon sump w/ refugium
(about to buy Bubble Magus Curve 5 skimmer
1 reactor w/ PhosGuard media
Hydor ATO w/ 2tsp per gallon kalkwasser drip

Water Specifics: -is from RO/DI
PH: to be discussed
ALK: 7 dKh
CAL: 480ppm
-biological filter established w/ no ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites

My PH....

My PH is of my concern here. It varies a lot & my goal has been directed at an 8.2-8.3. Never have I seen it dip into an 8.4, but often it runs low. I am dripping Kalkwasser to combat the low PH. Although I have it hooked up to my ATO, it seems that replacing all of my evaporated water with Kalk solution is not enough for the PH. I also have my skimmer air intake taking it's air from a CO2 scrubber filled with soda lime. No carbon dioxide is entering my skimmer. With the windows open the PH sets at about a perfect 8.2. With the windows shut, however, my PH goes a good bit down. Right now the windows have been shut and the PH rests at about a 7.92. Sometimes it will dip down to a 7.8. Between 7.8 and 8.35 it fluctuates.

I have great circulation in my tank with powerheads. My skimmer is not receiving any Co2. The other day I introduced a handful of macroalgea (must be grape caulerpa) in my refugium. I am dosing Kalkwasser appropriately, I believe, & my PH still dips down low.
Is there anything else I can do?

I've read people saying to worry mainly of Alk, Cal, & Mag? According to the books, my PH has to be in check. Is it in check? Is my PH okay?

Am I alright to full my aquarium with live rock now? Or should I fix this? What should I do?

Hey! Short answer, Yes! Go cherry pick some beautiful pieces of live rock, since you have a smaller tank you can make a unique aquascape with smaller pieces(without breaking the bank)

If your at the starting point of stocking - Your ph is subjected to change, wether the tank is new or not. I would not worry about it untill everything gets settled in. Then you can troubleshoot issues like c02 or alk levels from there.

Although its not necessary, you may want to soak that live rock for a day or so in a bucket of fresh heated saltwater with some aeration. Just to make sure if there is some death in or on the rock, it wont linger in your aquarium.