I would add CUC before adding any fish at all. i waited near 2 months before adding any fish at all.Some do add fish then but i supose you will just have to choose what you want but in any case do it slowly or you could set your tank back into another cycle if it cant cope with the extra biomass
Rien his RSM C 250 adventure
- Thread starter Rini
- Start date
Rini
Well-Known Member
That was my thought to.
So first the clean up crew. Thanks Desmond.
Day 13 of the reef program.
Today I did the water measurement of my Nano. Since i had everything ready, did some testing of the Max as well.
Not bad at all.
Salt 34.
PH 8.5
dKH 8.7
Nitrite 0 was 1. So thats good.
Ammonia 0
Nitrate10 coming down from 25
Phosphate 0,04 was 0,08.
Everything going pretty well.
Happy to see that the nitrite is 0 now. Hope it stays this way.
Ammonia was already 0 the past days.
With a good feeling we go into the weekend.
So first the clean up crew. Thanks Desmond.
Day 13 of the reef program.
Today I did the water measurement of my Nano. Since i had everything ready, did some testing of the Max as well.
Not bad at all.
Salt 34.
PH 8.5
dKH 8.7
Nitrite 0 was 1. So thats good.
Ammonia 0
Nitrate10 coming down from 25
Phosphate 0,04 was 0,08.
Everything going pretty well.
Happy to see that the nitrite is 0 now. Hope it stays this way.
Ammonia was already 0 the past days.
With a good feeling we go into the weekend.
Those results are looking good so they are 
You ph is a little higher than i would prefer but i think you will be fine. Mine stays at 8.3 always. When you add some fish this the co2 released should be enough to bring your PH into balance. Corals may not like a ph of 8.5. You should check your reading at night also as you algae could effect the ph readings also. What test kit do you use for ph. I got a digital reader from ebay and calibrated myself as i was part of job i had before.
You ph is a little higher than i would prefer but i think you will be fine. Mine stays at 8.3 always. When you add some fish this the co2 released should be enough to bring your PH into balance. Corals may not like a ph of 8.5. You should check your reading at night also as you algae could effect the ph readings also. What test kit do you use for ph. I got a digital reader from ebay and calibrated myself as i was part of job i had before.
Rini
Well-Known Member
Hi Desmond. Thanks for your reply.
For PH I use an digital reader i got from Ebay as well.
In my nano tank the PH is 8.5 as well. I guess it is because i'm trying to level up the dKH a bit, like I did the past days with the Max as well.
For the max i do not need to add coralline for a higher dKH for now, so I guess the ph will come down a bit.
Basically the PH was around 8.3 before I started to work with the coralline to level up the dKH.
For PH I use an digital reader i got from Ebay as well.
In my nano tank the PH is 8.5 as well. I guess it is because i'm trying to level up the dKH a bit, like I did the past days with the Max as well.
For the max i do not need to add coralline for a higher dKH for now, so I guess the ph will come down a bit.
Basically the PH was around 8.3 before I started to work with the coralline to level up the dKH.
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
I think you did the right thing in doing a second test of some kind. One thing I almost always advise...especially for newer tank owners...is that if you are getting a reading that doesn't make sense verify the test before doing anything about it. For example, take your water to your LFS to have them re-test it. One of the downsides to testing is it's possible to get wrong numbers and then mess up your tank trying to "correct" those wrong numbers when everything might have been fine in the first place.
Sand is really up to each individual person you can add it with no problems at all now either kind. Some use live sand and some dont. Either way in time normal sand will become live . I have used live sand on a nano i had and it did help with cycle in my opion but i did not use on my new tank as i used aragonite instead.
you can add it with no problems at all now either kind. Some use live sand and some dont. Either way in time normal sand will become live . I have used live sand on a nano i had and it did help with cycle in my opion but i did not use on my new tank as i used aragonite instead.
Rini
Well-Known Member
Hi Desmond. yes I had calibration stuff. But it did not really work i think. Or i did wrong, most likely.
As far I know i followed the description. After calibration ph was 7.9 for nano and Max.
The test with the drops where 8.2-8.3. Did calibrate again. Ph was then 8.4.. So i have no faith in it.
I had it for 2 - 3 months, if i need to go through this proces each 2-3 months, then this is a no go for me. To complicated. It was an very cheap PH reader. So can't expect to much.
About the sand, living sand sounds pretty good. Just the sound: Living sand. But that is probably the most stupid reason to get it.
Does it mean when adding living sand that I can add the Nassarius snails directly?
I guess with not living sand it will take time before adding them.
As far I know i followed the description. After calibration ph was 7.9 for nano and Max.
The test with the drops where 8.2-8.3. Did calibrate again. Ph was then 8.4.. So i have no faith in it.
I had it for 2 - 3 months, if i need to go through this proces each 2-3 months, then this is a no go for me. To complicated. It was an very cheap PH reader. So can't expect to much.
About the sand, living sand sounds pretty good. Just the sound: Living sand. But that is probably the most stupid reason to get it.
Does it mean when adding living sand that I can add the Nassarius snails directly?
I guess with not living sand it will take time before adding them.
Being honest you can add them no matter what sand you have. The live sand is an extra boost for your system with bacteria that is present that will seed your tank faster. Some love it some hate it.
I would think you could add some snails now as long as you levels are as posted.They eat flake food frozen food pretty much everything. Just dont over feed or you could get ammonia spike of N02 spike.
I would think you could add some snails now as long as you levels are as posted.They eat flake food frozen food pretty much everything. Just dont over feed or you could get ammonia spike of N02 spike.
Also with a good live sand you will have No silica which can cause algae issues. Just make sure you place the sand in as easy as you can and turn all pumps off it will make the water cloudy so dont panic.I added mine in a container before to get it in the bottom as easy as i could, it will clear in a day or so when you have all in and turn pumps on. Remember to empty skimmer it will work overtime.
Rini
Well-Known Member
What started as a good weekend, ended up in an little disaster..
I have an nano (30 liter) Dennerle marinus. What was my first experience with saltwater. Because of this little nano we decided to go bigger.
In that nano are 2 large rocks. They only just fit in the nano. Yesterday morning I came downstairs, and saw the water of the nano looking like coffee.... OHNOOOOO..
Seemed that 1 LR was broken, and the whole thing was collapsed. All corals of the rock in the sand.. The shrimp and Leo not happy. So i decided to grap Leo & the shrimp and put them in small bucket. Since the water was not clear, i started to add some water of the max to it. When I was working on the nano, i decided to place the shrimp and Leo in the Max. Goal was anyway to get an clean up crew this weekend. Every 5 - 10 minutes i did some water of the max to the small bucket. Meanwhile i was trying to get the best of the Nano. Had to remove the corals (just a few gladly), put them in an small bucket as well. Then the rocks.
Long long story short. (this took hours and hours, not the saturday we had planned.....)
After an struggle with the rocks, I decided to stop with this. It didn't work out as plannend.
Around the evening i decided to place the corals in the max as well. The water of the nano was so messed up.
The nano has been cleaned and is now put in the cabinet of the max. Just in case something goes wrong i have now an quarantine tank.
Before i added the very small clean up crew to the max, I did test the water to be sure no ammonia & Nitrite was there. And gladly, nothing i could measure. The past days I already didn't measure Nitrite.
So thats how I spend my saturday....
My Hulk ( we call the green leather the Hulk). Was opening in 20 minutes after joining the max.
The button frags started to open as well.
Hopefully they survive this...
As soon everything has settled then i will find them the final place in the Max. For now they are just placed into the tank.
Leo & The shrimp doing fine. Leo is really working hard to get the algae from the rocks.
He is such fun thing to watch. Love my first crab!
I have an nano (30 liter) Dennerle marinus. What was my first experience with saltwater. Because of this little nano we decided to go bigger.
In that nano are 2 large rocks. They only just fit in the nano. Yesterday morning I came downstairs, and saw the water of the nano looking like coffee.... OHNOOOOO..
Seemed that 1 LR was broken, and the whole thing was collapsed. All corals of the rock in the sand.. The shrimp and Leo not happy. So i decided to grap Leo & the shrimp and put them in small bucket. Since the water was not clear, i started to add some water of the max to it. When I was working on the nano, i decided to place the shrimp and Leo in the Max. Goal was anyway to get an clean up crew this weekend. Every 5 - 10 minutes i did some water of the max to the small bucket. Meanwhile i was trying to get the best of the Nano. Had to remove the corals (just a few gladly), put them in an small bucket as well. Then the rocks.
Long long story short. (this took hours and hours, not the saturday we had planned.....)
After an struggle with the rocks, I decided to stop with this. It didn't work out as plannend.
Around the evening i decided to place the corals in the max as well. The water of the nano was so messed up.
The nano has been cleaned and is now put in the cabinet of the max. Just in case something goes wrong i have now an quarantine tank.
Before i added the very small clean up crew to the max, I did test the water to be sure no ammonia & Nitrite was there. And gladly, nothing i could measure. The past days I already didn't measure Nitrite.
So thats how I spend my saturday....
My Hulk ( we call the green leather the Hulk). Was opening in 20 minutes after joining the max.
The button frags started to open as well.
Hopefully they survive this...
As soon everything has settled then i will find them the final place in the Max. For now they are just placed into the tank.
Leo & The shrimp doing fine. Leo is really working hard to get the algae from the rocks.
He is such fun thing to watch. Love my first crab!
Rini
Well-Known Member
In the nano are 2 LR, pretty big (to big to be honest) for the nano. It was build not very stable to say. 1 leg of the LR has broken, and that made the whole structure collapse. The nano had to much LR in it, 2 big stones.
Thats why I decided to have less LR in the max, and not an complicated structure. The nano had much rocks, and basically not much place for corals. Just bad beginner design of the LR.
It was really my learning tank. And learned MUCH of it.
Thats why i'm a bit sad it ended so fast yesterday with the Nano. The goal was to have the corals and clean up crew going to the max anyway. But not so fast.
For now the corals seems to do pretty fine. Keeping our fingers crossed.
Now lunch, after lunch time for measuring the water. We are on day 15 of the reef mature program.
Thats why I decided to have less LR in the max, and not an complicated structure. The nano had much rocks, and basically not much place for corals. Just bad beginner design of the LR.
It was really my learning tank. And learned MUCH of it.
Thats why i'm a bit sad it ended so fast yesterday with the Nano. The goal was to have the corals and clean up crew going to the max anyway. But not so fast.
For now the corals seems to do pretty fine. Keeping our fingers crossed.
Now lunch, after lunch time for measuring the water. We are on day 15 of the reef mature program.
Rini
Well-Known Member
And we landed on day 14 of the reef mature pro program. Not 15 as i said above.
Today we had to do 5% water change. That went pretty well. Used the old waterpump of the nano to transport it out of the sump.
Need a longer hose.
Everything looking pretty good at the moment.
PH 8.3 with the new red sea tester
dKH 8.4. As described in the reef mature pro manual.
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0 (nh3 / nh4)
Nitrate 5. Coming down from 10. But to be honest, i'm not sure since i have troubles to read the salifert color scheme. When i'm done with the salifert i will try the red sea one.
Salt 35 so thats back to normal.
Things going pretty Ok i think.
Still not sure about the skimmer is setup correctly.
I noticed on top there is an opening, if i put my finger on the small hole, the noise is gone.
Will try to make a photo.
Didnt find anything i understand in the manual about this opening.
Today we had to do 5% water change. That went pretty well. Used the old waterpump of the nano to transport it out of the sump.
Need a longer hose.
Everything looking pretty good at the moment.
PH 8.3 with the new red sea tester
dKH 8.4. As described in the reef mature pro manual.
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0 (nh3 / nh4)
Nitrate 5. Coming down from 10. But to be honest, i'm not sure since i have troubles to read the salifert color scheme. When i'm done with the salifert i will try the red sea one.
Salt 35 so thats back to normal.
Things going pretty Ok i think.
Still not sure about the skimmer is setup correctly.
I noticed on top there is an opening, if i put my finger on the small hole, the noise is gone.
Will try to make a photo.
Didnt find anything i understand in the manual about this opening.
I think your corals will be fine now all your readings are lloking good I would not worry too much about them. The salifert can be difficult alright. Do you have a test for your P04 ? that may be the next test for you.As for the skimmer this could possibly be the air inlet but i am sure there is someone on here who may be able to help you
I would not worry too much about them. The salifert can be difficult alright. Do you have a test for your P04 ? that may be the next test for you.As for the skimmer this could possibly be the air inlet but i am sure there is someone on here who may be able to help you
Rini
Well-Known Member
I have most common tests:
PH / KH / NO3 / MG / CA : Red sea testers
NO3 : Salifert
This is what I used for my Nano. No spore testers though. Perhaps i should get some too. Like strontium?
Guess this is indeed the air inlet. Won't touch it then. Was just wondering if i put my finger on it : silent.
And it make a lot of noise.
Hopefully it will be a bit more quiet when there is something to skim.
For now, we turn up the radio a bit. Or television if we are watching.
PH / KH / NO3 / MG / CA : Red sea testers
NO3 : Salifert
This is what I used for my Nano. No spore testers though. Perhaps i should get some too. Like strontium?
Guess this is indeed the air inlet. Won't touch it then. Was just wondering if i put my finger on it : silent.
And it make a lot of noise.
Hopefully it will be a bit more quiet when there is something to skim.
For now, we turn up the radio a bit.
Or television if we are watching.
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
The only thing I really ever test for now that I'm cycled is calcium, alkalinity, and sometimes phosphates and nitrates if I think I have a problem. I never test for other trace elements. I just assume my water changes are taking care of it. Of course, I do pretty big water changes, so I have a good reason to assume that...