DeepFreeze
New Member
Latest update:
My cycle is complete.
Parameters:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - Less than 5
PH - Fluctuates from 8.0 to 8.2
Phosphates - 0
Calcium - 400
dKH - 7.7
SG - 1.024
Salinity - 32
Temp - 77.7
I also completed my lighting for now. I am currently running two actinic 55w CF's, two current USA moonlights, and a 175w USHIO 10k MH. I am running the CF's from 9 to 9 and the MH from 1 to 7. The moonlights are on at night, obviously. The fuge light is on 24/7.
I added covers to the fans. The covers on top are your typical computer fan covers and are basically there to keep the cat from getting caught in the fans. The one on the right is a mirrored dragon cover that I found at a computer store online. It is pretty cool and I love dragons.
I also modded my skimmer. I did a gate valve mod and enkmat mod to the pump. I finished it a couple of hours ago and it is amazing how much of a difference it made. First, adjustments are so easy with the gate valve. Second, the enkmat mod seems to be chopping the air bubbles up more and I have much finer bubbles, as well as more of them. It already seems to be skimming better. Obviously I don't have much for it to skim right now, but it looks like it will easily keep up with the tank when it is completely stocked.
I have a bit of a diatom bloom, completely expected, and I will be getting 30 nassarius and 6 turbo snails next weekend to clean things up. I also expect to add the eel around in about two weeks. I anticipate adding the lionfish a couple of weeks after that. The rest of my cleanup crew are going to be 4 serpent stars (added later in the summer once the tank has had some time to mature a bit), a fighting conch, and two carribean striped cucumbers.
Pics will be added as things progress.
My cycle is complete.
Parameters:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - Less than 5
PH - Fluctuates from 8.0 to 8.2
Phosphates - 0
Calcium - 400
dKH - 7.7
SG - 1.024
Salinity - 32
Temp - 77.7
I also completed my lighting for now. I am currently running two actinic 55w CF's, two current USA moonlights, and a 175w USHIO 10k MH. I am running the CF's from 9 to 9 and the MH from 1 to 7. The moonlights are on at night, obviously. The fuge light is on 24/7.
I added covers to the fans. The covers on top are your typical computer fan covers and are basically there to keep the cat from getting caught in the fans. The one on the right is a mirrored dragon cover that I found at a computer store online. It is pretty cool and I love dragons.
I also modded my skimmer. I did a gate valve mod and enkmat mod to the pump. I finished it a couple of hours ago and it is amazing how much of a difference it made. First, adjustments are so easy with the gate valve. Second, the enkmat mod seems to be chopping the air bubbles up more and I have much finer bubbles, as well as more of them. It already seems to be skimming better. Obviously I don't have much for it to skim right now, but it looks like it will easily keep up with the tank when it is completely stocked.
I have a bit of a diatom bloom, completely expected, and I will be getting 30 nassarius and 6 turbo snails next weekend to clean things up. I also expect to add the eel around in about two weeks. I anticipate adding the lionfish a couple of weeks after that. The rest of my cleanup crew are going to be 4 serpent stars (added later in the summer once the tank has had some time to mature a bit), a fighting conch, and two carribean striped cucumbers.
Pics will be added as things progress.
