Been awhile since I posted. I got my new skimmer in SC-150 (ebay). It looks like a bubble magus NAC-7.
It does not fit in my gutted wet/dry so I am going to buy a new 10gallon to use as a sump.
My rock has been cycling for 2 weeks now, but I still have ammonia around 1 ppm. I’m pretty sure my ammonia should be dropping by now. It doesn’t smell as bad as it used to! It could be that my test kit is expired and I need a new one.
Here is my fish wish list (say that 10 times fast).
Coral Beauty
A wrasse to be named at a later date
2 percula clowns (maybe plats?)
I was going to attempt a kole tang instead of the wrasse but I am hesitant because the kole COULD outgrow my tank.
Update: Added the rock, plumbed in the sump and fired up my new skimmer SC-150. It’s infinitely easier to dial in than my old super skimmer. Can’t comment on performance yet though.
Biopellets should be coming soon! I still need an ATO reservoir and to hook up my JBJ ATO.
I need to turn the TV off when taking pictures lol.
There is alot of dust from adding the rocks and micro bubbles from just adding the skimmer in, it’s not broken in either. It makes the spotlighting from the LEDs look alot worse than it really is.
[quote=“jtnova13, post:21, topic:5377”]
Been awhile since I posted. I got my new skimmer in SC-150 (ebay). It looks like a bubble magus NAC-7.
It does not fit in my gutted wet/dry so I am going to buy a new 10gallon to use as a sump.
My rock has been cycling for 2 weeks now, but I still have ammonia around 1 ppm. I’m pretty sure my ammonia should be dropping by now. It doesn’t smell as bad as it used to! It could be that my test kit is expired and I need a new one.
Here is my fish wish list (say that 10 times fast).
Coral Beauty
A wrasse to be named at a later date
2 percula clowns (maybe plats?)
I was going to attempt a kole tang instead of the wrasse but I am hesitant because the kole COULD outgrow my tank.[/quote]
If you need to use another ammonia test kit feel free to borrow mine, I’m not too far away.
[quote=“dunk, post:25, topic:5377”]
Looks good I kind of like led spotlighting. If its two or three not 50 lol. It gives you options of lower light specimens at the same height.[/quote]
I didn’t even think about that. I could keep some red brains on the bottom.
I’ve never done barebottom before. I think it will work out better and will be easier to clean the acrylic since i dont have to worry about sand scratching.
weekly update. I added some mature live rock to my tank from a local reefer’s sump so that should help seed my base rock faster.
Still have ammonia around 1 ppm…
No nitrite, no nitrate. I bought a new set of test kits so they’re definitely right. I am wondering why my ammonia spike hasn’t gone down yet. It has been 3 weeks since I started cycling the rock.
[quote=“jtnova13, post:28, topic:5377”]
I am wondering why my ammonia spike hasn’t gone down yet. It has been 3 weeks since I started cycling the rock.
Here are my tank params:
Ammonia: ~1 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
pH: 8.2
Temp: 80F[/quote]Other than live rock have you added any bacteria supplements to speed things up?
The microbacter 7 is good stuff. I have also had luck using nite out 2 and special blend by microbe lift. The special blend smells horrible though! :~S The tank is looking good so far.
If I remember the bottle has directions for using with bio pellets. I can’t recall the specifics so you will need to check. Diatom bloom is normal progression in the cycle of algae appearances, there is a list of it I will try to find for you. If you need a big turbo snail LMK when ready.
Diatoms are all gone. Have some green hair algae growing on the back wall and 1 rock lol. It was a piece base rock, is that normal?
I think it’s just a coincidence and it’s just that the PH is blowing directly on it.
Went to DPA and bought 7 red leg hermits, 10 ceriths and 5 nassarius. The rest are coming from reefcleaners today.
Biopellets were tumbling for about a week and then clumped up. I think it’s because I left the sponges in (oops). I’m taking them out and the TLF screens are on their way.
Side note: My SC-150 skimmer pulls the most disgusting crap I’ve ever seen/smelled from my system and there is hardly any bioload right now. I am attributing this to both the effectiveness of this skimmer and the biopellets.
Looking good.
As for the biopellets clumping up that is prob because they get caught in the sponge thats why you have to use the screens which can also be bought from a.c.moore in the sewing section and then cut to size.
[quote=“JustSumGuy, post:36, topic:5377”]
Looking good.
As for the biopellets clumping up that is prob because they get caught in the sponge thats why you have to use the screens which can also be bought from a.c.moore in the sewing section and then cut to size.[/quote]
Damn, wish I would have known that before I ordered from Marine Depot. Oh well, at least I know if I ever need them again.
I am thinking about switching to GFO because I am reading 0 nitrates but .1-.25 phosphates. The nitrates could be at 0 because of the GHA though, right?
I will probably wait a month or 2 to see if the biopellets do anything more for the phosphates.
I have found in the early stages nitrates for me were non existent especially right after the cycle plus you added the bio stuff to help speed the cycle up. I think the nitrates hit me further down the road when the tank was fully stocked with corals and fish and the inverts.
The hair algae feeds off of phosphates and nitrates I believe. Its all normal you are still going through a cycle.
For me I honestly love the biopellets. When I added them I noticed a big difference in a matter of days and don’t plan on ever eliminating them from my system.
Don’t forget you need good flow for the biopellets, I had to upgrade to a mag5 pump to keep them tumbling good in a TLF 150 reactor.
Took the foam out of the BP reactor and added some pellets. Everything is tumbling good.
I added a medium sized Kole tang yesterday he has done nothing but hide but I woke up this morning and the entire left side of my tank is GHA free so he must have put in work overnight.
I wish I could get pics for you guys but he’s super shy. I’m sure this will change when he gets comfortable in the tank.
New pics! I think I overdid it with the white balance on my camera Kole tang shots are a little grainy because he was swimming all over and i had to turn the ISO to keep it from getting blurry.
Random ZOA
Red Shroom
GSP
Green Shroom
Kole tang (GIANT scratch haha)
Another Shot
FTS
