Marksey's RSM 250 - Help Much Appreciated!

[Marksey]

Hi there,

got myself a RSM 250 and just added the live rock today ready for the fun and games in front of me!

this is my first marine tank, and would appreciate your opinions on some very newbie things, btw have a 20mm live sand substrate, 25kg live rock from the LFS. I am curious on what clean up crew members you would recommend?

Most importantly, I would like to report my first creature, a tiny crab named Steve who appeared about an hour ago!

Many Thanks

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

to ReefSanctuary and the RSM Club, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members

Cheers for starting a new tank thread & share your tank with us so we can follow along - we love pics after 5 post you can add pics

I love snails for CUC

 

[DianaKay]

Hi Marksey
A great BIG :welcomera WELCOME to Reef Sanctuary
Congratulations on an AWESOME TANK & :yehoo: CHEERS for starting a tank thread :yehoo:
1st advice is to get a close up good picture of Steve the Crab....most hitchhiker crabs are not good guys

You can post pictures after 5 posts....hope to see Steve & your tank soon

 

[Pat24601]

Tiny crabs named Steve are fun. Welcome.

 

[Marksey]

Thanks for the speedy and warm welcome, cant wait to post pics so you guys can pick me to bits, but hey, that's half the fun!

Must admit I keep having to check every fifteen minutes to see if there any new arrivals lol

This reefing is addictive

What snails would you suggest adding first?

 

[Mrsalt]

Welcome to reef sanctuary mate

Loads of people on here with rsm250's

 

[DianaKay]

Please don't add any CUC (clean up crew-snails & such) until AFTER your tank cycles. That should give you about 4 to 6 or 8 even weeks to shop around for what to put in 1st.
Do you have a basic saltwater test kit to start testing your water?

 

[Marksey]

Please don't add any CUC (clean up crew-snails & such) until AFTER your tank cycles. That should give you about 4 to 6 or 8 even weeks to shop around for what to put in 1st.
Do you have a basic saltwater test kit to start testing your water?

Of course I wont be adding anything until the tank cycles, have performed a set of tests today with the API Master test Kit, results are as follows:

pH - 8.0
Ammonia - 0.25
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 5.0 (Why would this be reading this high on the first day?)
Temperature - 28.7 Celcius (A little high but unplugged the heater and Noctua cooling fans on permanent)

 

[goma]

Of course I wont be adding anything until the tank cycles, have performed a set of tests today with the API Master test Kit, results are as follows:

pH - 8.0
Ammonia - 0.25
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 5.0 (Why would this be reading this high on the first day?)
Temperature - 28.7 Celcius (A little high but unplugged the heater and Noctua cooling fans on permanent)

Welcome to RS!!
Seems odd your NO3 is so high with no noticeable NO2. Your might want to take a water sample to your LFS and have them check it, your NO3 test kit may be bad.

 

[Marksey]

Welcome to RS!!
Seems odd your NO3 is so high. Your might want to take a water sample to your LFS and have them check it, your NO3 test kit may be bad.

I wondered why this was so high, kinda hoping you were gonna say 'that's evidence of one of those 2 day miracle cycles'

Will do a full set of tests tomorrow when I get back from work and if the NO3 is still reading that high then a trip to the LFS.

BTW love your avatar

 

[Danreef]

If you added ALL live rock and ALL live sand you will not have a 2 day Cycle but almost Yes to a 2 week cycle. Pay attention to the start of green and/or brown algae growing in rock and sand. Add at that moment the CUC. Not let that algae growth because it will be more difficult for snails to eat it. Add now a frozen shrimp ( the ones used in salads) and wait 1-2 weeks before adding a hard fish.

Daniel

 

[Roy Page]

You are in for a wonderful experience.
We are at day 79 of starting up our first reef tank in a C-250 and slowly getting there.
Lots of good folk here to help you.

Photos when you can.

Good luck

Roy

 

[Mark9]

I am curious on what clean up crew members you would recommend?

Welcome to RS.
My opinions on the CUC
- hermit crabs, they can be annoying and also will kill snails, avoid
- astrea snails, gets old real quick having to flip them, avoid
- margarita snails are a colder water species, avoid
- trochus snails, one of the best snails hands down
- fighting conch, tireless sand cleaner, wonderful addition
- nassarius snails, good to have some to eat uneaten fish food
- ceriths, good

 

[Mark9]

btw have a 20mm live sand substrate, 25kg live rock from the LFS.

If all of that rock was "live", you probably won't have a long cycle.
You might not even have one at all.
You'll just have to test.
If you truly have nitrate, you may be done.
It can happen.

 

[Joeys Tank]

Jolly good morning, Marksey, and welcome!!

I started up my first-time tank last week ... currently Day 8 into my cycle.

Looking forward to following you on your journey.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

so you guys can pick me to bits

One thing you will find out that makes RS very special & unlike many other reefing forums, is you won't see Flames on RS, Only lots of great members trying to help everyone have sw success

When the owner of RS (Travis) picked the name REEF SANCTUARY he had in mind, a Sanctuary of reefing forums !


Love snails for CUC
Asterea, Trochus, Cerith, Nerites, Margarita, Mexican Turbos & Nassariu

 

[Marksey]

cheers guys and gals for your advice on the CUC, really looking forward to choosing them soon!

I done a full set of tests just now so see the results below (Day 2)

pH - 8.0
Ammonia - 0.50
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 0 (Was 5 yesterday, must have been a dodgy test)
Temperature - 27.7 Celcius (Weather a bit cooler today)

Ammonia is rising slightly so back on track for a normal cycle!

Again thanks for the warm welcome, much appreciated!

Pics will be coming soon, gotta work out how to do it first lol

 

[Marksey]

Here are some pics of Day 2 of my adventure

 

[Marksey]

Kinda just put the LR in when the water was cloudy so had no idea what I would end up with lol

 

[Marksey]

Hitchhikers on my live rock, any ideas?