TheSilverSurfer's RSM 130D
- Thread starter TheSilverSurfer
- Start date
TheSilverSurfer
Member
Ok good to know.. so when I put the first CUC crew and maybe a coral or two what would you advise feeding them? I have a better idea about food for fish when I get them eventually but not CUC or corals etc ....
I'll agree with BigAl - the phyto isn't needed, and could just pollute the tank. Most corals do fine on light energy alone. You can always drop in a few fish food pellets or flake if you're worried about the brittle star. Just don't overdue it. I wouldn't even worry about trying to feed the amphipods. I don't feed my corals at all, and they go great. My serpent star and shimp share the fish food.
I'm with Terry (who's with me . . .) on not feeding. If you REALLY want to feed it then drop a sinking shrimp pellet into the tank once or twice a week. The pellet will break down and feed the "small stuff" as well as the star. I've got a frag tank with a decent CUC and a purple lobster. I drop a shrimp pellet into the tank once a week. I don't see any "Draw-back" to this habit because the lobster is now 32 months old. Not bad IMHO.
always remember YMMV
always remember YMMV
TheSilverSurfer
Member
DAY 10
The diary continues ... Brown algae appearing all over the rocks and sand. (See images below). Little bubbles are over both rocks and sand now which i believe to be nitrogen bubbles from inside the rocks. Tiny green algae filaments appeared on glass of the tank but I gave that a mag scraper clean as it was looking unsightly. Haven't touched the sand or rocks at all.
Below are my day 10 test results, (results really haven't changed that much in the first 10 days for me):
26 degrees
1.024 salinity
8.4 PH
0.15 Ammonia
0.07 Nitrite
10 Nitrate
450+ Calcium
Thinking about adding CUC in a few days time as am expecting and hoping that the levels reduce to allow for this
The diary continues ... Brown algae appearing all over the rocks and sand. (See images below). Little bubbles are over both rocks and sand now which i believe to be nitrogen bubbles from inside the rocks. Tiny green algae filaments appeared on glass of the tank but I gave that a mag scraper clean as it was looking unsightly. Haven't touched the sand or rocks at all.
Below are my day 10 test results, (results really haven't changed that much in the first 10 days for me):
26 degrees
1.024 salinity
8.4 PH
0.15 Ammonia
0.07 Nitrite
10 Nitrate
450+ Calcium
Thinking about adding CUC in a few days time as am expecting and hoping that the levels reduce to allow for this
Attachments
I am sure a big part is the silicates... normal progression & good, eating & using them up
I recently added, about one pound of new sand to my tank that has been algae free for months & it turned a light brown for a few days... this was the 1st sand I had added since setup & I am sure it was correlated to the silicates. I knew it would soon go away
Cutting back on your light will knock it back as Terry suggested, but in the early stages for tank progression, not a bad idea to let it run it course, it will go away in time & you will have a pretty tank - not to worry (I did when I had it) but I listened to others here & the progression happened just as they said it would
I recently added, about one pound of new sand to my tank that has been algae free for months & it turned a light brown for a few days... this was the 1st sand I had added since setup & I am sure it was correlated to the silicates. I knew it would soon go away
Cutting back on your light will knock it back as Terry suggested, but in the early stages for tank progression, not a bad idea to let it run it course, it will go away in time & you will have a pretty tank - not to worry (I did when I had it) but I listened to others here & the progression happened just as they said it would
I always thought it was strange that when you add new substrate or new pieces of rock, that they go through the diatom phase. I once read that new tanks go through a diatom phase because with all new saltwater you have to exhaust the silicates coming in with the salt. But that doesn't seem to explain why adding new substrate or pieces of rock to a mature tank causes a mini-diatom-bloom just on those?
TheSilverSurfer
Member
To be honest I am not that worried about the diatoms and will let them run their course... once my levels go down to 0, I will add clean up crew which will help other algae phases Am intending on getting:
4 x Ceriths
4 x Nassarius
2 x Super Turbos
2 x trochus?
1 x sandsifting starfish
2 x emerald crab
On a good note I got in touch with SteveT and bought his Tunze cup, media holder and some chemi-pure elite . When that arrives I will add the new Tunze skimmer and remove the bio balls and carbon media and free up the last compartment of the RSM ...
Yaaaaay!
I am Fraser by the way)
Am intending on getting:4 x Ceriths
4 x Nassarius
2 x Super Turbos
2 x trochus?
1 x sandsifting starfish
2 x emerald crab
On a good note I got in touch with SteveT and bought his Tunze cup, media holder and some chemi-pure elite . When that arrives I will add the new Tunze skimmer and remove the bio balls and carbon media and free up the last compartment of the RSM ...
Yaaaaay!
I am Fraser by the way
)
Well hi Fraser! It might be a bit early to add a sandsifting star. The concensus is that they only do well in large and mature tanks, and supposedly can wipe out the sand bed fauna quickly in a smaller tank like ours. There won't be much in the sand in a new tank to keep it alive. Anyway - that's what I usually hear about them. I have seen them in RSMs, but I'm not sure how well those have done. Maybe someone that has/had one can add more on that. The rest of the CUC look like good choices.
It might be a bit early to add a sandsifting star. The concensus is that they only do well in large and mature tanks, and supposedly can wipe out the sand bed fauna quickly in a smaller tank like ours. There won't be much in the sand in a new tank to keep it alive. Anyway - that's what I usually hear about them. I have seen them in RSMs, but I'm not sure how well those have done. Maybe someone that has/had one can add more on that. The rest of the CUC look like good choices.
TheSilverSurfer
Member
Good to know.. no sandsifting star for me then
just a suggestion... but in a 130, I would start out with only 1 emerald, my only emerald cleaned out a whole tank of angle hair at about month two, in one week
TheSilverSurfer
Member
DAY 12
The diary continues ... Well the brown algae that was appearing all over the rocks is now turning a reddish brown and the green hair algae is appearing over the back of the tank and now on some of the rock.
I have also had a slight 'aqua-rescape' as again I wasn't completely happy with the layout .... but now I am - yaaaaay!
Below are my day 12 test results ..
26 degrees
1.025 salinity
8.4 PH
0.05 Nitrite
5 NitrAte
Ok now on to the Ammonia .. The level now is almost yellow and am guessing it is around 0.10 from the RSM colour chart? I read the RSM Ammonia instructions again and the table results give a 14% toxic Ammonia level from my PH/TEMP levels. If the toxic ammonia level is 14% of 1mg per litre does this mean that the exact toxic Ammonia result is 0.10 x 14/100 = 0.0015?
Am a little confused here .....
The diary continues ... Well the brown algae that was appearing all over the rocks is now turning a reddish brown and the green hair algae is appearing over the back of the tank and now on some of the rock.
I have also had a slight 'aqua-rescape' as again I wasn't completely happy with the layout .... but now I am - yaaaaay!
Below are my day 12 test results ..
26 degrees
1.025 salinity
8.4 PH
0.05 Nitrite
5 NitrAte
Ok now on to the Ammonia .. The level now is almost yellow and am guessing it is around 0.10 from the RSM colour chart? I read the RSM Ammonia instructions again and the table results give a 14% toxic Ammonia level from my PH/TEMP levels. If the toxic ammonia level is 14% of 1mg per litre does this mean that the exact toxic Ammonia result is 0.10 x 14/100 = 0.0015?
Am a little confused here .....
WatchinFish
Member
your cycle should be done soon. as soon as it is then do a water change and make sure you water is safe for life before you add anything. i keep my nitrites, nitrates and ammonia at 0. as soon as i see a small amount of anything then i do a water change. i actually havnt seen my nitrites or amonia move from 0 in over a year
TheSilverSurfer
Member
Thanks WatchinFish .. I understand this but what I dont understand is the ammonia testing as i mentioned above: any ideas?
TheSilverSurfer - don't know if it helps... but during my cycle... I just watched for the peaks... (and discounted my RSM test small variations)
I just watched for the ammonia to soar, then fall off, as the nitrites peaked, followed by thier fall off while the nitrates climbed - then started my water changes to reduce the nitrates.
Maybe one of the chemist among us can give you a more precise answer to your question.
I just watched for the ammonia to soar, then fall off, as the nitrites peaked, followed by thier fall off while the nitrates climbed - then started my water changes to reduce the nitrates.
Maybe one of the chemist among us can give you a more precise answer to your question.
TheSilverSurfer
Member
I just used the API test strips and Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates are all Zero! Will get the full API test kit and if zero is the case then its a water change and CUC this weekend!
