My first RSM250

[fallesen]

Hi guys,

I a guy from Denmark, 28 years old, and have had aquaria for some years. Lately freshwater, and in february i switched to saltwater I started out with a BOYU 128 (TL-550), but now I have just upgraded, since I moved in my girlfriend and have some more room.
I bought a used RSM250 at a very low cast, since the ligthing and fans were doomed. I just ordered new fans, and I have replaced the lighting with LEDs instead.

Equipment in the tank:
Lights
2 x 18cm X 2.2cm X 40cm (7.1"X0.9"X15.8") Aluminum Heatsink
2 x Epileds LED 3W Ultra Violet(UV)
1 x Heatsink Plaster (5g)
1 x 56 LEDs Controller DIY kit (LED Color Options: 21 White 21 Blue 7 Violet 7 Pink, Optics: 80 degree)

Deltec MC500 Skimmer (used)
Tunze modded 6025 pump
Nano koralia 1600
WP-25 circulation pump (china-pump, but works great!)
2 Tunze return pumps, a big and a small one. Dont know which ones...but the big one makes a lot of noise :/

9 kilos of live sand (fiji pink - need some more, but I have some dry sand lying around I might use)
Live rock from my old aquarium and from the guy I bought the RSM250 from - have some more dry rock lying and waiting for the cycle to get further

New fans (arriving tuesday)
2 Scythe mini-KAZE SY602012L - 60x60x20mm
4 FD Silent Series 60x60x25mm, 19 db
2 Zalman FANMATE 2 regulator

I started the aquarium with 200 liters of demineralized water and salt. The last 50 liters was tap-water. The tank have been cycling for a little more than a week, and the first algeas are showing I very excited already!
I hoping for the new fans to arrive very soon, since the currents ones makes A LOT OF NOISE while cooling the LEDs.

Here are some pics

More pics later tonight

Cya

 

[goma]

Welcome to RS! Thanks for starting tank thread so we can follow along!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

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

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

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

 

[fallesen]

Some new pictures from this everning. Note: The rockwork is not finished at all. This is LIVEROCK only, i have some more rock lying around (dead), that I will wash/rinse down and put in, when the algea cycles are finished.

Sorry for the dirty glass

The first algeaphase has started, and I'm very excited Looking into the tank every day, and every time i pass by. Looking for life/critters and algeas. I started with live sand and liverock. Hoping to cut down on the cycling time.

 

[goma]

Love your rock work! Live rock and live sand might reduce your cycle time by quite a bit, just keep checking your parameters. Here is a chart that will show a typical cycle (many factors can change the amount of time across the bottom so don't get stuck on that). The key is the rise and fall of nitrites!

 

[fallesen]

Cool chart! Thanks. I have not yet started to meassure yet. Maybe I should try it. I didnt want to meassure before the cycling really kicked in, since the nitrates has to rise and fall anyway Im gonna meassure it tomorrow!

 

[goma]

Start by testing for ammonia, you should see it rise and fall (though you may have missed this already). Next start testing for Nitrites!!

 

[fallesen]

I hope the amonia is done I have my old tank waiting...corals and crabs waiting for the new home. My old tank is in my old appartment, and that place has to be empty by the 30th of August!

 

[fallesen]

By the way, when should I hook up my skimmer? During or after the cycle?

 

[david42]

Skimmer can wait until after the cycle.
No need for it until cycle is over. Running it during cycle might even make the cycle take longer.

 

[Bman562]

Just add a bit more sand and your set!

Just started to cycle my tank too.

 

[fallesen]

Well, NO2 is zero. I dont have a ammonia test-kit...forgot about that.

 

[fallesen]

It seems like my cycling has stopped...no new algeas are appearing. I havent had the big algea boom of either brown or green. I started having a thin layer of brown algeas on the sand and rocks, but they dont seem to be growing.
Now I have a few/a thin layer of green'ish algeas on the glass, but no boom here either. Can the cycle already be finished?

It has been cycling with live rock, live sand and some filtermaterial soaked in water over several months from my old tank. I have seen small bugs on the rocks. Other than that, I have some flame-algea growing in the tank, and it seems to be going fine.

Can anyone help me here? I have all of the test-sets, except ammonia...

 

[goma]

It is possible your cycle is over. Your Nitrites are at zero, what are you Nitrates at?

 

[fallesen]

Hi guys,

Nitrites is around 1. But I was not able to meassure Ca and Mg.
KH = 6
Alk = 2.16

How does that look?

Pictures from tonight. Messed around with the aquascaping Not sure im satisfied...

 

[nivek]

Nice scape. Your kh seems a bit low. Can you test the rest of the parameters?

 

[fallesen]

Yeah. Im gonna test it first thing in the morning. Just didnt have the time.

Do u think I can put in a few corals? Hammercoral and sarcophyton?

 

[goma]

It looks like you are nearing the end of your cycle. Please measure Nitrites and Nitrates in the morning.

 

[fallesen]

Okay guys, meassurements of the day

Mg = I cant meassure this...nothing happens. Is this good or bad?
NO2 = 0
NO3 = 0,05 - 0,1
KH = 7
Alk = 2,5

Am I ready for some corals from my old tank?