Bites RSM 130D

[Bites]

First of all, I would like to thank the people on this forum of all the helpful information on the RSM. This is my first saltwater tank and I learned a lot here the past few months.

Mods so far
- inTank media rack and 9002 skimmer cup (Thanks SteveT)
- Tunze 9002
- Vortech MP10
- Stealth 150W Heater
- Tunze Osmolator

- 40 lbs Caribsea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink Sand Substrate
- 35 lbs Live rock (from a 10 yr tank)

Future mods:
LED Strip for the shimmer. Maybe a Ecoxotic Panorama Module or 2. They just released a full actinic one.

Cycle:
So far no spikes in ammonia, going to try the deli shrimp method.
Day 2
- Temp: 79
- Salinity: 1.025
- PH: 7.9
- Ammonia: 0
- Nitrites: 0
- Nitrates: 0

Using the API test kit and a refractometer.
Leaving the lights on 5 hr. because there are a few mushrooms.
Skimmer is off and running filter floss and carbon in the rack. Will change the carbon to CPE and Purigen in a month or so.

Found a few hitchhikers:
- aiptasia (got rid of a few with aiptasia-x)
- Maybe some feather dusters, one clear-green, one red and one black. The retract very quickly when they detect any light changes.

Will post some pics once I figure how to on the forums and once i figure out how to take good macro pics.

Victor

 

[Dweezil]

Welcome to RS Victor! You really did get off to a good start with everything. Good to have you aboard.

 

[Bites]

Pics:

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Victor - Congrats on the new 130D, I love mine - great tanks !

to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members

Sound like you are off to a great start & have been doing your homework !

Looking forward to the pics, always nice to have a new member in the RSM Club & a new tank to follow !

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Just saw your aquascape - looks great & the LiveRock looks very nice too !

 

[StevieT]

inTank you

 

[redsea reefer]

Hi and Welcome to RS Victor! Good luck with your tank...

 

[Reefmack]

Great to have you join us! Very informative post to start off your tank thread. Nice rock and aquascaping. You're off to a great start!

Good job on the pictures. Here's another way to post pictures:

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...ay-post-pics-photobucket-nanoreefing4fun.html

 

[Bites]

A better shot of my rockscape

Day 3: Still no spikes in ammonia, deli shrimp was placed in.

A bunch of feather dusters, I think...
Posted in the hitchhiker ID thread too.

 

[Reefmack]

They do look like feather dusters. I've never seen one as dark as the one in the first picture. At first I thought it might be an Aiptasia, but probably a duster.

 

[Bites]

I was thinking that it is a feather duster but never seen a black one before. It retreats very quickly with any signs of light changes

 

[Nowellsy SNR]

Hi and welcome to RS

Tanks looking great love the rockwork

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Filter feeders are good

 

[Bites]

So, I got the deli shrimp in and my ammonia started to spike. First day was at 0.5 and second day 1.0. How long should I leave the shrimp in? nitrites and nitrates are still 0. Using a API test kit.

Thanks

 

[David Shaw]

I have 5 little black feather dusters on a small piece of rock.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

How long should I leave the shrimp in?

5 - 7 days is usually recommended, some just leave it in... till it gone, you can mush it up a bit to help the break down.

Good news on the ammonia starting to rise !

 

[Bites]

Thanks Glenn.

Makes the water smell bad and cloudy.

I was thinking of adding a Ecoxotic Panorama LED strip to supplement the existing lights. It comes with 12 actinic blue LEDs. Does anyone have any experience with these?

 

[Dweezil]

Bites ~ Check this thread out. Dave really likes this and said it was very easy to install LED Lights

 

[Reefmack]

So, I got the deli shrimp in and my ammonia started to spike. First day was at 0.5 and second day 1.0. How long should I leave the shrimp in? nitrites and nitrates are still 0. Using a API test kit.

Thanks

After the ammonia spike you should see nitrites start to spike, then nitrates beginning to show up. It's typically recommended to wait till ammonia drops to zero, then nitrites to zero, and then use water changes to drop nitrates. If you're only seeing ammonia you haven't yet got the proper bacteria to turn ammonia into nitrites. Patience isn't easy but wait & test daily.

 

[Bites]

Thanks Terry,

At what level of ammonia is harmful to inhabitants? I have a bunch of snails and mushrooms that came on the LR.

Also, my PH is on the low side, around 7.8. Do I need to be concerned about it or is that just from the cycle