UV during new tank setup?

[TonapahNorth]

Should one run a UV during new tank setup? I ran my UV during the first 4 hours of putting water a live rock/sand in the tank. However, I've not run it since. I'm thinking about starting it again to minimize some of the algae. I've not seen a single spike of ammonia in 5 days, though. I think that's a bit weird.

Thought?


Tona

When all is said and done, there is too much said than done. - Grandpa

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Have you introduced an ammonia source such as piece of raw shrimp or fish food?

 

[TonapahNorth]

Have you introduced an ammonia source such as piece of raw shrimp or fish food?

No, I didn't put anything in. Just RODI water, live rock, live sand. And mixing it up with an MP10.

I'm such a newb. What step did I skip? Put a piece of food in? What kind? How long? Do I run the UV while it's in there?


Tona

When all is said and done, there is too much said than done. - Grandpa

 

[TonapahNorth]

Well ... It was appropriately mixed reef salt water.


Tona

When all is said and done, there is too much said than done. - Grandpa

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Personally, I wouldn't run the UV until after you see ammonia and nitrite spike.

In order to get the ammonia spike, you need to introduce an ammonia source. I have used a piece of shrimp (like you would eat) and put it in the tank to decay. Once the ammonia goes up, I remove the shrimp. Then, I monitor closely. Once the ammonia and nitrites are zero, I lightly ghost feed the tank to see if the ammonia rises. This is when I would turn on the UV. Also, at this time you should see the nitrates lowering.

 

[bct15]

You don't need to run the uv sterilizer yet, or any lights.

 

[TonapahNorth]

Do you run the UV permanently at that point? Or is an intermittent tool?

How long should it take for the shrimp to create the first ammonia spike? Do I just ignore the diatoms that grow in the interim?


Tona

When all is said and done, there is too much said than done. - Grandpa

 

[TonapahNorth]

Ok - shrimp is in the tank. Jumbo, raw, peeled - looked good too ....

Lights out, no UV. I will try to be patient. And suffer through the ugly diatoms that I'm sure will grow wild.


Tona

When all is said and done, there is too much said than done. - Grandpa

 

[bct15]

Diatoms will come and go, that is normal and try not to worry about them to much. I run my uv 24/7.

 

[Palting]

UV is somewhat controversial. You've probably read all the good about it since you bought one. OTOH, some say it doesn't do enough good to make it worthwhile, but that it does enough bad that it's not good.

I bought a UV sterilizer to help with an Ich infestation in my tank. To make a long story short, it didn't work, and had to do the long story to cure the Ich. Once the Ich was cured, I used the UV sterilizer on the new tank. When I read about the bad things it can do (kill pods and other beneficial organisms along with killing the bad ones), I took it off line. Tank remained clear without the UV sterilizer, and my pod eaters are growing and getting fat. The UV sterilizer has been sitting on a shelf for over 3 years now.

As to an ammonia source, you actually had one even without the shrimp. You had live rock, and placing those in your tank will cause some die off from the rock: the die off is your ammonia source. The shrimp will now test your biofiltration, a good thing, and if you have enough bacteria in your live rock you may not see an ammonia spike at all.

 

[TonapahNorth]

Good to know. Thank you.

I'll keep it in mind. A friend of mine said my rock appeared to be dry rock because it was so light and didn't appear to have anything growing on it. The LFS said they had it in their holding tank for a month or more. It did take me about 10 hours to get it home and into the tank though.

I hope the rock and sand (which was wet and straight from the bag) got the bacteria going.




Tona

When all is said and done, there is too much said than done. - Grandpa

 

[Palting]

Good to know. Thank you.

I'll keep it in mind. A friend of mine said my rock appeared to be dry rock because it was so light and didn't appear to have anything growing on it. The LFS said they had it in their holding tank for a month or more. It did take me about 10 hours to get it home and into the tank though.

I hope the rock and sand (which was wet and straight from the bag) got the bacteria going.




Tona

When all is said and done, there is too much said than done. - Grandpa

Ah, that explains your lack of an ammonia spike. There may not have had enough die off from the rock nor sand to give you an ammonia spike. What are your nitrite and nitrate levels? If they are 0 as well, then you have to start the cycle with an ammonia source. Dead shrimp seems to be popular. If you have nitrite and nitrate present already, then I would "ghost feed", pretend you have fish and pretend to feed them with real fish food. Keep an eye on your levels, and this will let you know at what stage you are in your cycle.

 

[TonapahNorth]

Ah, that explains your lack of an ammonia spike. There may not have had enough die off from the rock nor sand to give you an ammonia spike. What are your nitrite and nitrate levels? If they are 0 as well, then you have to start the cycle with an ammonia source. Dead shrimp seems to be popular. If you have nitrite and nitrate present already, then I would "ghost feed", pretend you have fish and pretend to feed them with real fish food. Keep an eye on your levels, and this will let you know at what stage you are in your cycle.

Nitrite and nitrate levels as well as ammonia have been at zero ppm from the outset. It did not appear as if I had any cycle going at all.


Tona

When all is said and done, there is too much said than done. - Grandpa

 

[Palting]

Nitrite and nitrate levels as well as ammonia have been at zero ppm from the outset. It did not appear as if I had any cycle going at all.


Tona

When all is said and done, there is too much said than done. - Grandpa

Put a dead shrimp in there, keep your UV out, twiddle your thumbs, and wait .

 

[TonapahNorth]

Put a dead shrimp in there, keep your UV out, twiddle your thumbs, and wait .

Well, i tested parameters tonight (as I've been doing nightly about the same time of evening). Here are the results:

Day 6: 10/19
1.027
Temp 78.9
Ph - 8.2
Ammonia - .70ppm
Nitrites - 0ppm
Nitrates -10ppm
Mg - 1380
Kh - 10.6
Ca - 440

Looks like things are happening.
What do you feed when you "ghost feed"? And how much/often do you do it? I have a 38g tank (about 27g in the display area).

Tona


Tonapah

 

[Palting]

Aha, good old ammonia is there, nitrates are showing! Your cycle is on it's way! For ghost feeding, I would take a pinch of fish food, about how much one or 2 small fish would eat, and do it daily. I like the sinking stuff, either pellets of mixed food or of dried shrimp, so they don't get sucked into the overflows. I would wait until the ammonia starts to go down, though, before ghost feeding.

 

[TonapahNorth]

Aha, good old ammonia is there, nitrates are showing! Your cycle is on it's way! For ghost feeding, I would take a pinch of fish food, about how much one or 2 small fish would eat, and do it daily. I like the sinking stuff, either pellets of mixed food or of dried shrimp, so they don't get sucked into the overflows. I would wait until the ammonia starts to go down, though, before ghost feeding.

Thanks! I'll keep the updates going in the tank thread.


Tona

When all is said and done, there is too much said than done. - Grandpa