Reds first sw tank

[BLAKEJOHN]

Get a refractometer...

[Reddog170]

Well to gt things up to speed. I did a 10 gallon water change last night. The levels are odd. The ammonia is a color of orange that is not on my color code chart thing my PH is darker than my color code chart thing my nitrites are between .25 and .5 my nitrates are between 10 and 15. apastasia has decided to spread throughout the tank feather duster running wild and the red algae is peeling away all over the place. This has got to be the ugliest tank ever, thats even considering some lfs tanks I have seen. I do not plan on doing much to correct any of the algae right now as I figure it will not be long before it uses up the nutrients it need as long as I do not put and more in. I figure that my bacteria levels have got to be on the rise as well. I have decided to view this like my daughter, nine monthes to get it ready then BOOM the big day. I may not take nine months but will take my time. I looked at a Tank with lots of hard and soft corals growing and looking great under T5's He just said to keep the bulbs clean, and change them regularly. I thinkI can go about six months on a set of bulbs, but not sure so this means, MORE research. I think I have read more stuff in the last three months than I did all through high school. Dont bother me though. Keeps me from doing something stupid in the tank.
Some of the corals that I have decided that I want to keep are frogspawn, hammer, birdsnest, and leathers. It is a short list so far but I am being very careful on what I want in my tank as I do not want anything that is not for beginers and I cannot take care of. I figure in another year I will get some other stuff but that can wait. I still have several weeks at least before I can add anything so I will research, read and study diffrent corals this way I have a good I dea of just what I want. I want to end up with the perfect tank. I figure I should be able to get close to that in about 50 years or so. Take it easy, enjoy your reefs and I will be back again, Shaun

[BLAKEJOHN]

I would retest those. When something like than occurs it is usually user error. Be sure to rinse the tubes with RO well and then before filling and testing also rinse with sample water also. Also the time frame that yours test kit says to wait is important when getting proper readings. If you test say to wait 5 min. before reading the results, wait the five min. if you wait say 7-10 min. your readings will be wrong. Same if you only wait 3min.

[Reddog170]

Well I got complete new tests. The results
Temp 80
Sg 1.027
Nitrates 0 to 5
Nitrites 0
PH 8.1
Ammonia 0.6
I know that this tank has not fully cycled and I can not even force it to with deli shrimp. What is going on here? Do I have to good of filtration or not enough? My skimmer has taken off and is now pulling LARGE amounts of green mud out everyday. Should I remove the skimmer? I want this tank up and running and it seems to have just stalled out. I have taken to just testing it and nothing else except for top off and cleanning out the overflow filter as it plugs up with algae every couple days. Do not know what else I can do. I even tossed in a dead fish ,stuffed in a rock, and guess what, NOTHING changed. I am also finding this to be giving me a lesson in patiance. Do not know how long it will take but I will get it, even if I get fustrated along the way, like now.
Well all will be good in the end, Shaun

[Reddog170]

Just thinking. Wondering if I managed to mess something up so bad that I need to just drain everything out and completely restart from scratch. Just do not know. The tank has been up sense 10-10-08 and has had some big spikes everywhere. I thought that it had cycled and was done then it had ammonia come up a bit and just sit there. Now the ammonia is the only thing that is up. I put in the deli shrimp and had no results. still everything is good to go except the ammonia. I cannot get it to come down cant get a cycle to get going it like like being stuck in the mud and no tow available. Water changes do nothing, lighting changes do nothing additives do nothing. Seems like the only thing I can get is nothing. I am how ever getting VERY frustrated with it. I cant put anything in or it will be hurt, try to get it to cycle and cant get that to work. Even the guy that runs the LFS that I only go to once and a while as it is a long drive cant figure out what is going on. He tested my water, and looked over pics of everything and has no ideas as to what is going on in it, he says it should be ready but cannot explain the ammonia and I will not be happy until I figure it out. I have torn EVERY part of the system apart to find a source and turn up nothing. I just know I will have pulled all my hair out before this is done. Really hate to completely restart but if that is the only option that I have.... The other thing that is bothering me is with no bio why is the skimmer pulling so much skimmate out everyday? All that is left in the tank is a couple emerald crabs and some snails. And a whole crapload of algae.
I really love reefing and the challenges that go along with it so do not get me wrong. Like I said I am just getting very frustrated with this and do not even know if I am doing the right things. Like daily testing, weekly water changes, top offs, and minor cleaning just to keep the mechanicals working right. I have quit doing water changes to try to speed up this cycle, no change yet. I have also unplugged the skimmer. I have people that have frags for me and I just keep telling them my tank is not ready. A couple people think I just do not want there frags. But most understand that getting started can take months to get it all started and at the rate I am at maybe next fall I will be ready for frags

[BLAKEJOHN]

Hold off on the water changes it will only weaken the cycle and prolong it. The only thing I can think of is that you don't have enough bacteria to uptake all the ammonia. And you have an equal amount of bacteria to convert what nitrites you have into nitrates. therefore you see no nitrites but you do see ammonia. Just a guess here. But dont do anything but maybe a little cleaning here or there for the removal of the algae and just wait. I know its very frustrating, right now I have a 10g cycling and its been up since 9/21/08 and still has .25 nitrites.

[yungreefer2410]

hmmm. maybe you need more lr? how much do you have?

[Reddog170]

I only have about 30 lbs of LR, I do have a BUNCH of live sand, should I add that?

[CATALYST]

I'm trying to see what might be going on with your tank. To me, it looks like you might want to add more live rock. I think most places recommend 1 lb per gal or more. Since it's a big part of your filter, and it's where your bacteria lives, it may be a benefit to add more. I didn't see what test kits you were using. I really like the Salifert ones. You may get a different reading with a different test kit. Maybe read more about the recommended amount of live rock. I didn't see how much sand you have but it may help you too. I think recommended depth is 2-3 inches. I'm definitely not an expert, but I followed these general guides in my tank and it seems to be working.

[Reddog170]

It is doing something!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! i now have ammonia at 2.4 my nitrites are at 1.25 my nitrates are now at 15 and my PH is 8.3 . This is a good day indeed. The only thing I changed was that I put a little more live sand in and shut the skimmer off for now, no bioload for it anyway. Looking forward to seeing how this progresses. My tank has decided, oviously that it wants a nice slow long cycle. Well if that is what it wants then that is what it will get. Talk to you all later, Shaun

[Reddog170]

well my ammonia is up to 2.4 my nitrites is only .25 today my nitrates are about 15. It is going, just slowly. Put Put for the fun of it....... LOL I will keep this posted as it progresses so until then. Catch ya later, Shaun

[Reddog170]

Well tonight my tank looks bare. Nothing there, almost no algae. Cant see anything moving anywhere. There are no feather dusters apastasia seems to have disappeared ha gone macro garden gone looks like nothing but water rocks and sand. my ammonia tested at 0 tonight. Good sign? what happened to the life? cant even find any crabs or snails. everything is gone. Have I created a dead zone? What I did i do not know. Hope this does not mean that I have to do some additives or special treatments. I know a lot of things not to do and how not to get a tank up and running, what I seek is the right way. I am certain I will get it and hope that I have it but I an almost never certain of myself. I always question what I do so dont think I am getting discouraged just making sure I am going the right direction.

[BLAKEJOHN]

Test it again and shake up the bottles of regent. I dont see going from 2.4 to 0 over night but I guess it could. Did you test the Nitrites too?

[Reddog170]

the ammonia did not drop, I retested with the new test and it was about 1.2 or so, hate the color match when it is between colors.

[bratyboy2]

well way to go your tank is almost cycled and you should be able to add life here soon!!! sorry didnt read it all but what are your fish stocking list looking like?