[Samper]

I'll cut the fiji premium down to two boxes, start with that then a week and a half later get the rest.

[DonW]

Originally Posted by Samper

I'll cut the fiji premium down to two boxes, start with that then a week and a half later get the rest.

Good idea, thats alot of rock. You dont want to end up with to many dead spots due to to much rock.

Don

[Samper]

I don't know how much flack I'll get from this post but I'm gonna post it anyway. Last Friday 2 cups of urine was added to the system and a piece of shrimp from the super market. I also added a half of a container of biozyme and a huge ziplock full of rubble to the refugium. The idea is to build up as much nitrifying bacteria as possible before the funds come in for rock. I went ahead and cut the light on in the fuge section. Today I went in to check and the fuge is in full diatom bloom and the shrimp is decomposing nicely. Thursday the rest of the biozyme will be added.

The reactors have both been running since I got the SG dialed in and my homemade 2 part and magnesium supplements were used to bring Ca Alk and Mg in line.

Mg is still a little low but everything else is well within range. I'm not testing Ammonia, Nitrites or Nitrates yet because there is no point in doing so right now. Friday I'm going to check them though and am hoping the majority of this cycle will be over by the time funds come in for rock early next week.

[DonW]

Originally Posted by Samper

I don't know how much flack I'll get from this post but I'm gonna post it anyway. Last Friday 2 cups of urine was added to the system and a piece of shrimp from the super market. I also added a half of a container of biozyme and a huge ziplock full of rubble to the refugium. The idea is to build up as much nitrifying bacteria as possible before the funds come in for rock. I went ahead and cut the light on in the fuge section. Today I went in to check and the fuge is in full diatom bloom and the shrimp is decomposing nicely. Thursday the rest of the biozyme will be added.

The reactors have both been running since I got the SG dialed in and my homemade 2 part and magnesium supplements were used to bring Ca Alk and Mg in line.

Mg is still a little low but everything else is well within range. I'm not testing Ammonia, Nitrites or Nitrates yet because there is no point in doing so right now. Friday I'm going to check them though and am hoping the majority of this cycle will be over by the time funds come in for rock early next week.

[kgeorge]

Hey man, I added the ammonia to mine and added some bacteria in a bottle that's just like biozyme. People I know thought I was crazy but I cycled in two weeks to the day!

[Reefland]

I think the liverock itself will add more than enough to cycle the tank. And as long as the rock isn't fresh (i.e. cured like PA's) then the tank is going to cycle pretty quickly anyway.

[Samper]

I know this isn't necessary however I don't like adding new LR to a system unable to handle some of the load. It makes much more sense to cycle a system as far as possible before adding LR from biodiversity preservation standpoint. This way there is already significant bacterial populations in place to handle some of the die off and keep the spikes lower.

[Poseidon]

Eww.... You PEE'd in your tank! LOL!

[Samper]

I didn't physically stand there and pee in it.

[Poseidon]

LOL!!! Ya that would have been a sight huh?

Honestly I think your method has merit, if it works GREAT, if not, nothing really lost but some PEE!!!

[Samper]

This is the fourth system I've gotten started this way. It works for me and since I'm getting some really nice LR in I wanted to get as ready as possible.

[DonW]

Originally Posted by Samper

This is the fourth system I've gotten started this way. It works for me and since I'm getting some really nice LR in I wanted to get as ready as possible.

Ive never heard of doing such a thing but if it works, why not. I'm setting up my buddies 55 this week end. Cant wait to see the look on his face when I let grandson pee in his sump.

Don

[Samper]

Well I have cut the lights on in the display because the refugium is in full diatom bloom. Within 24 hours the display was also in bloom. The diatoms are laying a nice thin light brown mat across the sandbed and the water is cloudy with bacteria blooms. I'm leaving what's left of the shrimp piece in the fuge....there isn't much left. It should be gone in a few days and the money for rock will be here any day. By this weekend the water should be much more clear and I will begin testing to see where I'm at. If everything is ok with this initial cycle I'll go ahead and order the first batch. I have some pictures but I'm at school and have no way to upload them so I'll do so tonight.

[reefbeginner]

Man, how exciting! Can't wait for more progress. I think it takes serious dedication to carefully pee in a cup for you AQ (well maybe not as hard for boys!)
You clearly care very much for your marine life and I bet this tank will show the tlc is got from you in its long life to come.

[Poseidon]

Wait.... You have diatoms and you have not added anything but pee to the tank???? What have you been eating Chuck????? LOL!!!!!

[charlie]

I know there is a joke in here somewhere.....................................:rof l:

[Samper]

I'm sure I'm violating some sort of social norm as usual.

Sorry about the glare in the pics.

[Samper]

The funds are here. I ordered 135lbs of Fiji LR from Pacific Aqua Farms Friday afternoon. It was supposed to be in Memphis at 8:30 am Saturday. I got up a few hours early and made the drive only to find that it got delayed in MN and wouldn't arrive until 7:15 that evening. I spent the day going to a few LFS in the city. Nothing that impressive and I didn't buy anything however I did get a considerable discount from Kermits Reef on dry goods for ASU. Makes it worth not ordering a lot of things online so that's nice.

So the rock arrives closer to 8 pm. I pick it up, drive straight to the school unpack it and in it goes.

Here are some pics of the rock.

The premium Fiji rock From Walt Smith is pretty decent rock. It doesn't have the best color but the shapes are definately appropriate for building a reef base. Averave size on them was 9" X 6" but there was some larger and some smaller. I also got a ton of rubble which went into the refugium and was spread over the sandbed area. This is 135lbs of rock.

[Samper]

I decided to build the foundations for 3 seperate islands in the display as I'm planning on isolating some things. The islands on the overflows sit a little ways out from it for flow behind them and will slope towards the front. The center island will be pretty tall. This rock went much further than I had anticipated so that's good. You get a good idea of where I'm going with the aquascape from these pics. They were taken today.

[Samper]

And finally one of me tired but in good spirits and most of the guts of this beast.