Starting a new tank with dried out live rock?
- Thread starter MarkD
- Start date
Picked up another nassarius snail and a pair of tank bred ocellaris clowns. They're still small and they've had them for a while. I've been scoping them out for a few weeks.
I just acclimated them Saturday with lights off. They seemed to have settled in nicely so far.
They ate pretty good yesterday afternoon the first time I fed them.
I'll have to get some pics up, started keeping lights on for about 6hrs right now but I'll probably increase to 8?
I just acclimated them Saturday with lights off. They seemed to have settled in nicely so far.
They ate pretty good yesterday afternoon the first time I fed them.
I'll have to get some pics up, started keeping lights on for about 6hrs right now but I'll probably increase to 8?
Happy New Year!!
I was wondering about the stock skimmer on my rsm130d. I've had it running for maybe a couple weeks straight but don't seem to get much foam etc. (maybe to soon or not enough waste)?
I only have three snails, two reef grazing hermits and two clowns, all doing great by the way.
I was looking at things today and have always kept the overflow box with the top of the teeth at the waterline, which had the sump level at or just above max. I've also had a little film on the surface so I decided to higher the overflow box to skim the surface better. Well today I just happened to read the manual and I set it up the way it describes - have teeth a little above waterline and sump level just below max, which does skim surface better and film gone.
do you think I just don't have enough waste yet or skimmer not broke in yet (it was a used setup by the way)?
I also adjusted the skimmer per the manual - Set foam adj at max height with air valve fully opened, no foam rising up so lowered foam adj until foam was getting near surface and left it there for now?
Let me know if that's seems correct, I remember reading some posts about setting it up, I'll have to find them.
Another question on lights, I'm leaving them on about 6hrs and really no algae yet. should I have them on longer and I guess I want?need to go through the ugly algae stages correct, it's just part of the process of a maturing tank?
Can you get there and grow coralline with out getting much brown diatom, red cyanobacteria, green filamentous algae (taken from rsm manual) etc? I guess I just want to understand if the algae blooms are going to happen either way and it's a good thing and part of the process before the good algae?
Appreciate any help/advice
Thanks
Thanks
I was wondering about the stock skimmer on my rsm130d. I've had it running for maybe a couple weeks straight but don't seem to get much foam etc. (maybe to soon or not enough waste)?
I only have three snails, two reef grazing hermits and two clowns, all doing great by the way.
I was looking at things today and have always kept the overflow box with the top of the teeth at the waterline, which had the sump level at or just above max. I've also had a little film on the surface so I decided to higher the overflow box to skim the surface better. Well today I just happened to read the manual and I set it up the way it describes - have teeth a little above waterline and sump level just below max, which does skim surface better and film gone.
do you think I just don't have enough waste yet or skimmer not broke in yet (it was a used setup by the way)?
I also adjusted the skimmer per the manual - Set foam adj at max height with air valve fully opened, no foam rising up so lowered foam adj until foam was getting near surface and left it there for now?
Let me know if that's seems correct, I remember reading some posts about setting it up, I'll have to find them.
Another question on lights, I'm leaving them on about 6hrs and really no algae yet. should I have them on longer and I guess I want?need to go through the ugly algae stages correct, it's just part of the process of a maturing tank?
Can you get there and grow coralline with out getting much brown diatom, red cyanobacteria, green filamentous algae (taken from rsm manual) etc? I guess I just want to understand if the algae blooms are going to happen either way and it's a good thing and part of the process before the good algae?
Appreciate any help/advice
Thanks
Thanks
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
I think you don't have enough bioload from the skimmer to be doing much yet. Getting it set right is a lot of trial and error, but I'm not sure you can even do much yet until you get a decent bioload. Put it in the middle and we what happens. Move it up or down a little and see what happens. But, don't sweat it too much yet.
You don't have to go through an ugly tank phase. Many people do, but I never did. I had a diatom bloom the took care of itself and I still have occasion very small outbreaks of GHA and Cyano, but nothing all that bad and it usually clears up with improved maintenance.
So, don't get discouraged if you have an ugly tank phase, but also don't ask for one if you don't have to.
All that said, I think 8 hour lights would be OK if you want. You can try it and see. You'll be doing it at some point anyway.
You don't have to go through an ugly tank phase. Many people do, but I never did. I had a diatom bloom the took care of itself and I still have occasion very small outbreaks of GHA and Cyano, but nothing all that bad and it usually clears up with improved maintenance.
So, don't get discouraged if you have an ugly tank phase, but also don't ask for one if you don't have to.
All that said, I think 8 hour lights would be OK if you want. You can try it and see. You'll be doing it at some point anyway.
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
BTW, this was my post on setting the C250 skim adjuster when the time comes.
Adjusting Skimmer on RSM C-250
Adjusting Skimmer on RSM C-250
Another thing is in the back chamber, I put the black sponge on the top left (cut in half top to bottom to make half as thick) but I left it just below the water surface. I have now moved it all the way down, at least that's what it looks like in the manual.
I'm thinking before some of the water was able to go underneath it without going through the sponge.
My lights are the older rapid led white and blue. They don't show power or percentage but I have the dial about 1/3 p on the white and 1/2 on the blue.
I'm thinking before some of the water was able to go underneath it without going through the sponge.
My lights are the older rapid led white and blue. They don't show power or percentage but I have the dial about 1/3 p on the white and 1/2 on the blue.
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
Sounds good to me. I took my sponges out, but when I had them that's where I put them.
Hey Pat, you said you lowered yours (foam adjuster?) it didn't skim and did to much when you raised it?
Mine seems to be opposite, when it's all the way up the foam doesn't reach the top with air valve all the way open.
I lowered the foam adjuster until foam comes to the top but no water comes out?
Again, I don't think I have enough bioload yet but I do get some gunk on the inside of the adjuster.
I'll just keep, an eye on it and adj as needed. I'm planning on getting the tunze 9001 and putting in the media basket soon anyway
Mine seems to be opposite, when it's all the way up the foam doesn't reach the top with air valve all the way open.
I lowered the foam adjuster until foam comes to the top but no water comes out?
Again, I don't think I have enough bioload yet but I do get some gunk on the inside of the adjuster.
I'll just keep, an eye on it and adj as needed. I'm planning on getting the tunze 9001 and putting in the media basket soon anyway
Mark if you want your skimmer to start working better, try this...
raise your 130D surface skimmer cup up to 1/8 to 1/4 inch from it's top position
add sw until you are at the top line in your water level window
top off daily (if you don't have an ato) about a quart of rodi (not sw) or 1/2 gallon every other day
have helped many sort... hope this helps
Note these tip above are for a RSM 130D model
raise your 130D surface skimmer cup up to 1/8 to 1/4 inch from it's top position
add sw until you are at the top line in your water level window
top off daily (if you don't have an ato) about a quart of rodi (not sw) or 1/2 gallon every other day
have helped many sort... hope this helps
Note these tip above are for a RSM 130D model
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
I misremembered, Mark. I thought you had a C250.
Oxylebius
Well-Known Member
Any chance you can post some pics of these crabs? It might be worth it to know what species they are and thus what to expect from them as they grow.
No problem Pat, thanks anyway.
Thanks Glenn, I think I'm pretty close to that now but I'll verify.
Yes, I still need to get some picks on here, the lfs store just called them reef grazing hermits (large and small). They do have red legged, emerald, blue etc. also. I'm assuming I'll need some extra shells in there also if I keep them for a while to try to help prevent them going after snail.
They're pretty small right now.
I only have one trocheus and two nassarius and the nassarius pretty much stay on/in sand so was thinking one more astrea, trocheus or turbo for glass and rocks. I think they have a few different turbo, Mexican etc. Also margarita etc.
I only saw one clown this morning, got a little nervous since they are always close by each other. Found him in the overflow box, must have got to close while sleeping or jumped in but seems fine, whoosh!
Thanks Glenn, I think I'm pretty close to that now but I'll verify.
Yes, I still need to get some picks on here, the lfs store just called them reef grazing hermits (large and small). They do have red legged, emerald, blue etc. also. I'm assuming I'll need some extra shells in there also if I keep them for a while to try to help prevent them going after snail.
They're pretty small right now.
I only have one trocheus and two nassarius and the nassarius pretty much stay on/in sand so was thinking one more astrea, trocheus or turbo for glass and rocks. I think they have a few different turbo, Mexican etc. Also margarita etc.
I only saw one clown this morning, got a little nervous since they are always close by each other. Found him in the overflow box, must have got to close while sleeping or jumped in but seems fine, whoosh!
that is how many run them on the 130D
Just picked up another truochus and a Margarita snail, I'm starting to get some light brown algae on the rocks and some small patches on the sand. I watched the small hermits eat it up on the sand while I was watching
My question is, do I want to leave it alone or try to brush it off as I see it?
Is coraline the only algae you really want to leave?
Thanks
My question is, do I want to leave it alone or try to brush it off as I see it?
Is coraline the only algae you really want to leave?
Thanks
I usually used a turkey baster & blew it into suspension off the rocks & sand right before a wc.