Ugly stage?

[attiland]

Hi fellow reefers! I am ne to this process and would like some advice please.
I think I’m in the ugly stage? I have been consulting with my local aquarium store but just started watching the 5 minute Guide to Reefing, which I now realize I should have done BEFORE I set up the tank lol.

I have a 35 gallon tank and Fluval Canister filter. Originally when I bought the tank, I was not instructed to add live rock, so I only added the sand and salt water mix. Left it for about a month, then found out I should have added Live Rock. I bought the Live Rock from the aquarium store uncured and put it in the tank. Waited some time and then the store recommended adding 5 hermit crabs, which are in there now.
After watching some of the 5 Minute Guides to reefing, I want to make sure my tank is still salvageable or what steps to take next since I did things a bit out of order. Based on my research I think I am in the ugly stage? Any guidance on next steps would be much appreciated





I don’t know if I added these links right to show pictures, if not, guidance on that would be great too lol

The short answer is yes it is part of the Ugly stage. In fact nothing is wrong with your tank in a sense you do not need to give up. It will be easy to correct.

No I did not, I just used tap and mixed the salt, waited a month and added the hermits. I will be investing in the system for future water changes though.

Well this is problem 1. Tap water contains likely silicates / nitrate / phosphate / metals. Hence your tank looks like this. Many of us make this mistake. You need to get an RODI filter to avoid unwanted chemicals / minerals to come to your tank.

My tank is going through the same. If you leave the lights off, the diatoms will be controlled really quick. However they can come back once you turn them back on. This happened to my tank as well. I have 2 clowns in mine. After a couple of weeks of going through the stage I notice that the diatoms are slowly fading. I am also starting to see spots clearing out on the rocks.

For the white stuff on the walls, it looks like it could be calcium buildup. You can use a steel razor blade to remove it, or use a flipper.

I also recommend testing the water with a kit. That would allow you to see the parameters and will show you where you need to work on. This will be useful when keeping lifestock in it and corals.

This is a good advice. You haven't list water parameters so I assume (could be wrong) you didn't think they are important maybe not even testing for it. and I would call it problem 2. Easy to resolve buy non API test for Magnesium/Alkalinity/Calcium/Nitrate and Phosphate. If these 5 are in line you re good to go.

Most of us will debate the ideal water parameters but here is what I go for.
Alk: 8-9dkh (I use Hanna checker)
Ca: 400-440ppm - (I use Red Sea test)
MG: 1300-1350ppm - (I use Red Sea test)
Nitrate: 5-10ppm - (I use Red Sea test)
Phosphate: 0.03-0.1ppm (I use Hanna checker)

You may already have it but here is what I think you may need in terms of equipment:
The 5 test kit as above
RODI system - must have in most of the city in the word
ATO - must have
Algae reactor/algae scrubber - later at about 1 year time
Algae scraper - I just recently bought Tunze's - boy this is good

microscope - I strongly recommend it -not a must but things like on your sand could be so many things and it will help you to ID them.

Have fun.

 

[agueybana81]

The short answer is yes it is part of the Ugly stage. In fact nothing is wrong with your tank in a sense you do not need to give up. It will be easy to correct.

Well this is problem 1. Tap water contains likely silicates / nitrate / phosphate / metals. Hence your tank looks like this. Many of us make this mistake. You need to get an RODI filter to avoid unwanted chemicals / minerals to come to your tank.

This is a good advice. You haven't list water parameters so I assume (could be wrong) you didn't think they are important maybe not even testing for it. and I would call it problem 2. Easy to resolve buy non API test for Magnesium/Alkalinity/Calcium/Nitrate and Phosphate. If these 5 are in line you re good to go.

Most of us will debate the ideal water parameters but here is what I go for.
Alk: 8-9dkh (I use Hanna checker)
Ca: 400-440ppm - (I use Red Sea test)
MG: 1300-1350ppm - (I use Red Sea test)
Nitrate: 5-10ppm - (I use Red Sea test)
Phosphate: 0.03-0.1ppm (I use Hanna checker)

You may already have it but here is what I think you may need in terms of equipment:
The 5 test kit as above
RODI system - must have in most of the city in the word
ATO - must have
Algae reactor/algae scrubber - later at about 1 year time
Algae scraper - I just recently bought Tunze's - boy this is good

microscope - I strongly recommend it -not a must but things like on your sand could be so many things and it will help you to ID them.

Have fun.

Can you add the blades to this one or they wouldn't be necessary ?

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hi fellow reefers! I am ne to this process and would like some advice please.
I think I’m in the ugly stage? I have been consulting with my local aquarium store but just started watching the 5 minute Guide to Reefing, which I now realize I should have done BEFORE I set up the tank lol.

I have a 35 gallon tank and Fluval Canister filter. Originally when I bought the tank, I was not instructed to add live rock, so I only added the sand and salt water mix. Left it for about a month, then found out I should have added Live Rock. I bought the Live Rock from the aquarium store uncured and put it in the tank. Waited some time and then the store recommended adding 5 hermit crabs, which are in there now.
After watching some of the 5 Minute Guides to reefing, I want to make sure my tank is still salvageable or what steps to take next since I did things a bit out of order. Based on my research I think I am in the ugly stage? Any guidance on next steps would be much appreciated





I don’t know if I added these links right to show pictures, if not, guidance on that would be great too lol

Welcome! Glad you joined. Patience is great for this hobby because you will hear over and over that only bad things happen fast.

This is a good reference book type article that I still sometimes use (search intermission and go down from there for 'ugly' phase but there is GREAT info in the top, too):

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is no...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[attiland]

Can you add the blades to this one or they wouldn't be necessary ?

it comes with blades. I used a stock picture

 

[Big Smelly fish]

Diatoms is going to happen, no big deal, I don't really worry about them, they will go away. it's the other things that may pop up I consider the ugly stage. the unwanted algae's

 

[agueybana81]

it comes with blades. I used a stock picture

Thank you. I will give it a go once my flipper ages a bit.

 

[Baba Ganoush]

Thank you ALL for the advice!!! I bought a tester kit today, wish me luck!!! I will be back for more tips and tricks

 

[LeftyReefer]

Thank you ALL for the advice!!! I bought a tester kit today, wish me luck!!! I will be back for more tips and tricks

Not API, I hope?

 

[Baba Ganoush]

Not API, I hope?

No, just a regular ‘eye it’ testing kit lol

 

[Baba Ganoush]

No, just a regular ‘eye it’ testing kit lol

Oh wait yes it is. Oops. Sorry still learning the lingo. ‍ I’d that bad?

 

[Big Smelly fish]

Thank you ALL for the advice!!! I bought a tester kit today, wish me luck!!! I will be back for more tips and tricks

Be patient, goes along way in this hobby.

 

[agueybana81]

Oh wait yes it is. Oops. Sorry still learning the lingo. ‍ I’d that bad?

It will still be ok to start with. I bought the same and I'm just going through it cause it's already bought. It's just not as accurate as other test kits for some tests like nitrite and pH, it can be pretty hard to read and in some cases lie (nitrate). This is why I will be buying a different kit when this one is almost finished.

 

[attiland]

It will still be ok to start with. I bought the same and I'm just going through it cause it's already bought. It's just not as accurate as other test kits for some tests like nitrite and pH, it can be pretty hard to read and in some cases lie (nitrate). This is why I will be buying a different kit when this one is almost finished.

The problem wit API is not only accurate reading. Because of bad documentation every reefer does the test differently and reads it differently.
Some like calcium test is something I gave up on and eventually I just put the whole thing to the bin. Ask my wife it is a rare thing me to do

 

[agueybana81]

This is how mine looks. I hate it but it's part of the process. One thing I have no idea about, is the pinkish spot on the dry rock. There's a few of them that developed over time.

 

[Baba Ganoush]

It will still be ok to start with. I bought the same and I'm just going through it cause it's already bought. It's just not as accurate as other test kits for some tests like nitrite and pH, it can be pretty hard to read and in some cases lie (nitrate). This is why I will be buying a different kit when this one is almost finished.

T

This is how mine looks. I hate it but it's part of the process. One thing I have no idea about, is the pinkish spot on the dry rock. There's a few of them that developed over time.

just did s

Hi fellow reefers! I am ne to this process and would like some advice please.
I think I’m in the ugly stage? I have been consulting with my local aquarium store but just started watching the 5 minute Guide to Reefing, which I now realize I should have done BEFORE I set up the tank lol.

I have a 35 gallon tank and Fluval Canister filter. Originally when I bought the tank, I was not instructed to add live rock, so I only added the sand and salt water mix. Left it for about a month, then found out I should have added Live Rock. I bought the Live Rock from the aquarium store uncured and put it in the tank. Waited some time and then the store recommended adding 5 hermit crabs, which are in there now.
After watching some of the 5 Minute Guides to reefing, I want to make sure my tank is still salvageable or what steps to take next since I did things a bit out of order. Based on my research I think I am in the ugly stage? Any guidance on next steps would be much appreciated





I don’t know if I added these links right to show pictures, if not, guidance on that would be great too lol

i did a water test and change and am feeling much more confident.

 

[Baba Ganoush]

Should I wait to add fish? That is where I’m confused. I know they help with the tank but I also don’t want to kill them. Was just thinking a clown fish or two?

 

[agueybana81]

Should I wait to add fish? That is where I’m confused. I know they help with the tank but I also don’t want to kill them. Was just thinking a clown fish or two?

Test the water and see how the parameters are doing. I waited until my tank finished cycling. Then I added some ammonia to verify how quick the bacteria would turn it into nitrite. I also waited for it to go through nitrite and nitrate states. For my tank it took a couple of days to go through the whole cycle finishing with 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates. Ammonia will be the most important one since adding fish will result in adding ammonia out of their waste and food, so you want the bacteria to be matured enough to handle their bioload. Also you dont need to wait for all levels to be 0 like I did. My build was done with a very strict budget so I had time to burn kinda thing.

 

[attiland]

Should I wait to add fish? That is where I’m confused. I know they help with the tank but I also don’t want to kill them. Was just thinking a clown fish or two?

You can if you want. You are finished cycle long time ago. The ugly stage is a proof.