What is growing in my tank?

[ErinAus2020]

Regardless your CUC will make quick work of w/e it is, dead or not lol.

Add them first if you can't scrub it all off, they're also a good cheap indication if something else maybe is wrong after you do the water change and get your params under control.

yeah I scrubbed the glass for 20 minutes yesterday. I couldn't get it all, and I said why do i even care again XD. it's empty.

Oh, yes I forgot to add that! I put some trochus and cowrie snails in already. They’ve definitely been going to town. I’m taking it as a good sign that they’re still alive lol

 

[terraincognita]

Oh, yes I forgot to add that! I put some trochus and cowrie snails in already. They’ve definitely been going to town. I’m taking it as a good sign that they’re still alive lol

yeah, if you're producing nitrates/nitrites you're at the end of the "cycle."

Slow fish addition should keep you humming along nicely.

You could add some BB if you're still unsure. But I'm pretty sure a hardy fish or two is fine.

I cycle my tanks completely differently and weirdly, so i never get the nitrite/nitrate spikes just Phosphate spikes at the tail end.

 

[ErinAus2020]

yeah, if you're producing nitrates/nitrites you're at the end of the "cycle."

Slow fish addition should keep you humming along nicely.

You could add some BB if you're still unsure. But I'm pretty sure a hardy fish or two is fine.

I cycle my tanks completely differently and weirdly, so i never get the nitrite/nitrate spikes just Phosphate spikes at the tail end.

Lol, I’d love to know your weird way!
My last tank was going along so beautifully until I added a yellow tang with ich. My fault for not QTing him. I’ve lost all but 2 fish =( So I’m trying to make sure I don’t rush into this one!

 

[terraincognita]

Lol, I’d love to know your weird way!
My last tank was going along so beautifully until I added a yellow tang with ich. My fault for not QTing him. I’ve lost all but 2 fish =( So I’m trying to make sure I don’t rush into this one!

It's just a combination of lots of seeding with live rock, live sand, and water from existing set-ups.

I always get small phos spikes at the end. And honestly i'm sure if I was checking params every day 3 times a day I'd catch a nitrite or nitrate boost as well, but I never seem to. I just test once a day or every other day and then add the GFO once i see it.

But I recently did something where I put all my Live Rock and Live Sand in the tank and filled it with Fresh RODI water, and let it run for 3 days. I killed off a bunch of inverts and things on the live rock, but from everything i've studied 75% of BB survives Saltwater to Freshwater.

But I wanted to try this out as I wasn't sure of the LR source point.... funny almost all the feather duster worms on the LR survived..... so idk....

I then cleaned out the tank and sump from any big remaining particles i could see, and detritus or dead bodies from worms.

I then raised the salinity up to 1.026 over 4-5 days. then I added a 2 oz bottle of Dr. Tims.

I saw no ammonia or nitrate or nitrite, but after 3 days I saw a big phosphate spike, (it was coupled with Dino's and Cyano) I have GFO always on hand, and it balanced it out in a couple hours,

Dino's died after I added corals shortly after that, and then Cyano slowly fading with time.

It's hard to say exactly what caused it though, the tank was also sitting in a room by the sun for 2 days before I realized that was happening....

anyway, a lot of interesting things with that tank but It's starting to shape up. It's about 3 weeks old now.

excuse the right corner.

the scape is still under construction.

 

[ErinAus2020]

It's just a combination of lots of seeding with live rock, live sand, and water from existing set-ups.

I always get small phos spikes at the end. And honestly i'm sure if I was checking params every day 3 times a day I'd catch a nitrite or nitrate boost as well, but I never seem to. I just test once a day or every other day and then add the GFO once i see it.

But I recently did something where I put all my Live Rock and Live Sand in the tank and filled it with Fresh RODI water, and let it run for 3 days. I killed off a bunch of inverts and things on the live rock, but from everything i've studied 75% of BB survives Saltwater to Freshwater.

But I wanted to try this out as I wasn't sure of the LR source point.... funny almost all the feather duster worms on the LR survived..... so idk....

I then cleaned out the tank and sump from any big remaining particles i could see, and detritus or dead bodies from worms.

I then raised the salinity up to 1.026 over 4-5 days. then I added a 2 oz bottle of Dr. Tims.

I saw no ammonia or nitrate or nitrite, but after 3 days I saw a big phosphate spike, (it was coupled with Dino's and Cyano) I have GFO always on hand, and it balanced it out in a couple hours,

Dino's died after I added corals shortly after that, and then Cyano slowly fading with time.

It's hard to say exactly what caused it though, the tank was also sitting in a room by the sun for 2 days before I realized that was happening....

anyway, a lot of interesting things with that tank but It's starting to shape up. It's about 3 weeks old now.

excuse the right corner.

the scape is still under construction.

Looks amazing!

 

[terraincognita]

Looks amazing!

THANK YOU!