KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Day 6
Temp: 78 F
Ammonia: 2
Nitrite: 2
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34 ppt
Temp: 78 F
Ammonia: 2
Nitrite: 2
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34 ppt
First Time Reefer - My Tanks Journey
- Thread starter KaCee Bunn-Smith
- Start date
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Things are going well. I'm not too worried about the brown, as most threads say, it is a phase.
My levels are looking good so far as I can tell. Just waiting for the ammonia to drop now.
My levels are looking good so far as I can tell. Just waiting for the ammonia to drop now.
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Woke up this morning to something odd in the tank. I can only assume it came out of the live rock...
Sorry the pictures arn't great, but it is 2 white jelly like masses. They look to have come out of the live rock.
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Sorry the pictures arn't great, but it is 2 white jelly like masses. They look to have come out of the live rock.
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KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Any advice on how to set my LEDs for better pictures?
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Walked in to check on the tank about lunch time and the white fog has completely cleared.
On a hunch, decided to do a test.
Ammonia is on the downward drop!
On a hunch, decided to do a test.
Ammonia is on the downward drop!
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Some better pictures of these odd growths. Anyone have any idea what they are?
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Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Last edited:
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Day 7
Temp: 78 F
Ammonia: 1.2
Nitrite: 0.2
Nitrate: 10
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34 ppt
Temp: 78 F
Ammonia: 1.2
Nitrite: 0.2
Nitrate: 10
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34 ppt
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Disaster strikes again. I got a call from my wife while I'm at work. "The carpet in front of the tank is wet..."
Turns out that the pressure on the return pump pipe caused it to work loose. Inside of the sump sprayed, water running out into the carpet.
Tank is now drained. The water is in a paddling pool outside. The rock is in the pool under water. Tank has been dried and pulled into the middle of the room. Space heaters and fans on the carpet which has been rolled back to dry quicker.
Realistically, does anyone know how long the live rock will stay 'live' in a pool of tank water without heaters or anything?
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Turns out that the pressure on the return pump pipe caused it to work loose. Inside of the sump sprayed, water running out into the carpet.
Tank is now drained. The water is in a paddling pool outside. The rock is in the pool under water. Tank has been dried and pulled into the middle of the room. Space heaters and fans on the carpet which has been rolled back to dry quicker.
Realistically, does anyone know how long the live rock will stay 'live' in a pool of tank water without heaters or anything?
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Last edited:
sorry to hear... you should be fine with your LR if it's not too cold... maybe a bit of a mini cycle from some die off...
the good news is your good bacteria is on the surfaces of the LR & sand & very little is in the actual water, so mix up some new sw & you will have just done a large wc - here hoping all drys out soon
the good news is your good bacteria is on the surfaces of the LR & sand & very little is in the actual water, so mix up some new sw & you will have just done a large wc - here hoping all drys out soon
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
My brother in law has been amazing. We have managed to break down the tank, dry the carpets, and set the tank back up in only 5.5 hours. We saved about 80% of the original water (in a kiddy pool with the rock, and as of tonight the tank is looking good again. We did have a lot of brown diadems on the rock which seems to have died off so yea, expecting ammonia. And we were just on the downward scale too, almost to nitrites 0.
I suppose it is a good thing it happened before we added anything though.
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I suppose it is a good thing it happened before we added anything though.
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KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Just tested the waters.
Over all, it could be a lot worse. The ammonia is exactly where it was yesterday. Nitrates and Nitrites are up slightly.
Day 9
Temp: 77 F
Ammonia: 0.2
Nitrite: 1
Nitrate: 10
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34 ppt
Over all, it could be a lot worse. The ammonia is exactly where it was yesterday. Nitrates and Nitrites are up slightly.
Day 9
Temp: 77 F
Ammonia: 0.2
Nitrite: 1
Nitrate: 10
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34 ppt
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
WE HAVE ZEROES!
Day 11
Temp: 78 F
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34 ppt
Day 11
Temp: 78 F
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34 ppt
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
12 Days in and we seem to have completed the cycle.
Just in time as well. I didn't want to leave the tank still not stable and we leave for our holiday Saturday morning.
Day 12
Temp: 78 F
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34 ppt
Just in time as well. I didn't want to leave the tank still not stable and we leave for our holiday Saturday morning.
Day 12
Temp: 78 F
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34 ppt
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Been away for 2 weeks. Returned today and the tank is grown up with "grass".
Day 33
Temp: 78
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 35
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Day 33
Temp: 78
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 35
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Last edited:
Time to add a cuc (clean up crew) - Snails - maybe a couple dozen or so to start... (90 gallon tank - one per gallon works well)
Asterea, Trochus, Cerith, Nerites, Margarita, Mexican Turbos & Nassariu
Asterea, Trochus, Cerith, Nerites, Margarita, Mexican Turbos & Nassariu
Last edited:
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
Today I have added 15 mixed snails (mainly turbos and cerith) along with 2 cleaner shrimp and 2 hermit crabs (I also added about 2 dozen empty shells)
I have also ordered a Algae Eater Blenny and a pair of Clown fish from the LFS. They will be ready to pick up in 1 weeks time.
I have also ordered a Algae Eater Blenny and a pair of Clown fish from the LFS. They will be ready to pick up in 1 weeks time.
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
I have trimmed out most of the "grass". I'm pretty sure it is hair algae, but it could be some other form of sea plant that came in on the rocks. To be honest, I know that some people try to eliminate it completely, as long as I can keep it under control at the moment it looks quite nice. (I will add a new pic once the lighting is right in the room).
My CUC seems to have settled in nicely. The Cleaner Shrimp seem to have settled into regular spots, the snails have gone everywhere. The 2 crabs to be honest I am not seeing much of, but there are a number of hiding places, so that doesn't worry me too much.
I have also added 3 small button polyps as a bit of a test.
Now just settling in and waiting for Blenny and the Clowns to arrive.
Day 36
Temp: 78
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.4
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34
My CUC seems to have settled in nicely. The Cleaner Shrimp seem to have settled into regular spots, the snails have gone everywhere. The 2 crabs to be honest I am not seeing much of, but there are a number of hiding places, so that doesn't worry me too much.
I have also added 3 small button polyps as a bit of a test.
Now just settling in and waiting for Blenny and the Clowns to arrive.
Day 36
Temp: 78
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.4
Alkalinity: 8
Salinity: 34
KaCee Bunn-Smith
Member
No fish in the tank yet. Just snails, crabs, and shrimp.
Algae is under control. I pulled some of the larger clumps out by hand and the CUC are going to work on the bits that are left.
I will also be picking up an Algae eater blenny on friday, so he will be in for a nice feast.
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Algae is under control. I pulled some of the larger clumps out by hand and the CUC are going to work on the bits that are left.
I will also be picking up an Algae eater blenny on friday, so he will be in for a nice feast.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
You could turn the lights off for a few days with no problems and it will help get rid of the algae even more.Have you done a water change ? If not might be a good time to do so 
your reading look very nice Can i ask is your store going to have the fish in Quarentine for a few days to make sure they are ok ? Getting fish sent to him and then you taking them straight again will add extra stress on them and also if they have anything wrong with them they would die in the store other thna in your tank. Always something to think about. Most good stores will quartine fish.
your reading look very nice Can i ask is your store going to have the fish in Quarentine for a few days to make sure they are ok ? Getting fish sent to him and then you taking them straight again will add extra stress on them and also if they have anything wrong with them they would die in the store other thna in your tank. Always something to think about. Most good stores will quartine fish.