5 Days in on my new 130D!

NYCreefer

NYCreefer

Member
Hi all! New here to the forums and wanted to say a big hello. :hallo: Been poking my head around for some time and without a doubt, this feels like the friendliest most helpful forum I've come across.

So a little about me. Was bitten by the fish bug a few years back when I was living in San Diego .. a good buddy of mine had a beautiful 120g reef tank and ever since it's always been something in the back of my mind. Well here I am now in New York City, against my will I might add (my company relocated here about a year ago) and thought what better place amongst this concrete jungle to add a little beauty. After a few months of research i decided that the RSM 130D was the tank for me, and 5 days ago .. my journey began :)

Using RO/DI water, the salt and sand that came with the RSM starter kit and just this weekend purchased 25lb of live rock.

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Thinking I might be a little light on the rock, was hoping to get some opinions from you guys. Also the rock that I do have has what looks like dead plant matter, or perhaps some type of coral. My concern is that it will an ammonia factory, so should I be scraping that off?

My water figures seem extreme for only 5 days in. Using the RSM kit, maybe need to buy another brand. Thoughts?

temp: 76.82
Salinity: 1.026
Ammonia: .5
Nitrite: .2
Nitrate: 5-25


- Johan
 
Nowellsy SNR

Nowellsy SNR

Active Member
Hi and welcome tank looks like its off to a great start if you can add more rock i would recommend you do, on the dead plant when i got my rock i had some and it just went away
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
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to Reef Sanctuary and the RSM Crew.

More rock would be helpful. Live rock is really key to having enough bacteria to keep the nitrogen cycle under control. Fish excrete ammonia, which can be deadly to them and other life in the tank. Bacteria in the rock will convert ammonia to nitrites (not quite as toxic), and eventually the nitrites to nitrates. Nitrates can be controlled with water changes, and with more time the bacteria will develop that can convert nitrates to harmless nitrogen gas. This is what's called the nitrogen cycle. (you probably know all this already).

You could take the rock out and brush off the dead matter (in saltwater, not freshwater), or you might be better off leaving it in the tank to rot. At this point in time the ammonia is a "friend" in that it's food to get the good bacteria multiplying on the rock. It looks like your rock is already capable of doing the nitrogen cycle, as you have a good bit of nitrates showing. If the die-off on the rock isn't a large amount I'd probably leave it till the ammonia and nitrites drop to zero, then reduce nitrates with water changes.

If you'll add more rock, now would be a good time, to avoid another cycle later on. As to how much to add - you don't want too much rock or you'll run out of space. Maybe 35 - 40 pounds? It depends on the rock and how dense it is.

A lot of us have switched from the Red Sea tests to API or Salifert (or others). Unfortunately the Red Sea tests aren't considered the most accurate.

I'm sure you'll get more advice, and helpful links, as others find your tank thread. I'd say you're off to a great start! :)
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
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to ReefSanctuary and the RSM Owners Club, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members
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Thanks for starting a tank thread so we can follow along.
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+1 on adding a bit more rock...

My concern is that it will an ammonia factory
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imo - this would be a good think, while cycling a new tank
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, I chose uncured LR to start my tank & wanted it to do just that.

You off to a good start & with the support of all the members of the RSM club & RS, you will sure to have sucess ! Feel free to ask any questions you have, as often as you like, no flames here, just lots of helpful support !
 
T

tvreaves

Member
Hi Johan. Welcome! I'm only 2 days ahead of you. I will enjoy following your journey and comparing it to mine. I bet I'll learn a thing or two. I hope you are having as much fun even in the early days as I am!
 
NYCreefer

NYCreefer

Member
Thanks all for the kind welcome. =) Almost glad to hear about the need for more rock, gives me an excuse to head out to my new favorite LFS this weekend! Finding it a bit of a pain living here in the city .. as live rocks aren't necessarily the easiest thing to carry on a subway .. NYPD was pretty rude to me last time around.

So I noticed some new life forms on my rocks!

Having trouble getting my cheap camera to focus, but found this amazing looking red centipede looking creature.
IMG_0299new.jpg


Also these mini starfish looking guys have started coming out.
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So excited!
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
Good one Glenn! The second ones are most likely micro brittlestars from the looks of those banded legs. Pretty common and harmless. Lottsa nice stuff to occupy your time rock watching - one of the best parts of a reef tank!
 
Shamus

Shamus

Active Member
Welcome to the club! Glad to see another tank up and running - good luck with it! One thing you also might want to consider is whether you want to run the biomedia or not (saw it in the chamber of death on the second picture). Some people keep it in but others remove it. If you have enough live rock in your tank, you really don't need the additional biomedia (and basically from what I understand it acts as a nitrate dispenser for the tank if not rinsed enough). Others have had success with leaving the biomedia in (Glenn - I think you still leave yours in right - but I seem to recall that you rinse it with hot water and basically kill off the bacteria so it really is serving as a 'shelf' for your carbon?).

Welcome again, and good luck with the cycle!
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
but I seem to recall that you rinse it with hot water and basically kill off the bacteria so it really is serving as a 'shelf' for your carbon?).
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Steve you are 100% correct
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I like to get my CPE up off the bottom, because I feel the flow through it is improved this way. I do rinse my bio-media monthly & it looks like new, am not using it for anything but a shelve, to improve flow through the CPE (carbon & gfo).
 
NYCreefer

NYCreefer

Member
Hey all, thanks for all the feedback so far!

So regarding the Bio material, my plan was to leave it in for the cycling period and then slowly start to pull it out once the cycle was complete. Does this sound like a reasonable plan or am I just looking for trouble down the road?

Also as the stock skimmer was driving me nuts due to the noise, I purchased the Tunze 9002 along with the media rack and the new skimmer cup from In Tank. Also picked up some filter floss, CPE and Purigen. Shipping was super quick and all around a pleasant experience. The rack itself feels very sturdy and well made while the cup seems a little less so .. I guess my only complaint is that the top sits pretty loose, but that's really a null point.

My question regarding the media rack is, do I begin using the CPE and Purigen right away or do I wait until my cycle is complete? From what I understand these products may be removing the ammonia, nitrate/nitrites that i need for the cycle.

Thanks for your input!

- Johan
 
Dweezil

Dweezil

Well-Known Member
Johan ~ I would just run the carbon that came with the tank until your cycle completes. After that I would run the other media. Personally, I never put the bio-balls in my tank. If your going to remove them at some point anyway you might as well just do it now. :) Keep us updated on progress. So far it's looking great. :)
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
+1 Johan ~ I would just run the carbon that came with the tank until your cycle completes. After that I would run the other media
 
Paulbav

Paulbav

Member
Looking great! I will be following your thread with intrest :coffee2: as I have just started my 130D my thread is here:
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It will be interesting to see how our tanks develop? keep up the good work.

Paul
 
Paulbav

Paulbav

Member
Hello

Your tank looks great! I will be following your thread with interest:coffee2: as I have just set up my 130D also, link here;
Linky

It will be good to see how our two tanks develop? Keep up the good work.

Paul
 
NYCreefer

NYCreefer

Member
Awesome! can't wait to get off work to install my new skimmer and media rack :bouncer:. As you guys recommended, I think I'll be removing the bio media and will leave just the carbon bag in.

As far as the filter floss goes, is one layer sufficient? Does it matter which way it's facing .. as I recall there is a white and a blue side. And how often do I change it?

Sorry for all the questions, just want everything running smoothly =)
 
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