[Reefer769]

So far everything is working awsome on my new tank. the skimmer is taking out so much junk i had to empty it out everyday for the past 5 days.
here are some picture updates:

[Poseidon]

Very Cool Indeed.... All cleared up and a QUALITY skimmer to boot!! Bet you can't wait to add your fish from the 10 gallon eh? MAKE SURE TO TEST FIRST!!!

[Leddy]

hey reefer, looks good. lets get a picture of the scum in the skimmer, i'd like to see how well the cpr's work. i think that pro-pack skimmer you posted about a while back is a descent deal, considering it looks the same as the cpr's. maybe a more powerful powerhead or something. i'm rockin a seaclone that people on the site aren't too fond of, but its pulling out some nasty black muck. anyway, keep up the good work. cool

leddy

[reewik]

So far looks good. Have you thought about getting an overflow and making the 10 galon a sump?

[Reefer769]

i dont really know much about overflows, and i would have no idea how to plumb the sump, so im probably just gunna use the 10gal for Q tank or just a hospital, or i just might take it down totaly, one tank is enough for me , and if anyone is interested i can hook you up with a 10gal, a bio filter, a heater, and some gravel.

[Reefer769]

i just took some pics of the scum my filter takes out, as you requested Leddy. they might not be that great becuase they are over view, i will try and get one from the side.

[Leddy]

wait till it gets stinky, mucky, nasty nasty. it'll probly start pulling out the black muck in about a week or so.

[Reefer769]

alright, i havent said anything here in a while so heres the updates. the tanks been running now for 2 weeks, i am going to go out and buy some test kits to see how the cycle is doing(any suggestions on good test kits?), hopefully its done! once i know the cycle is complete im gunna transfer my fish in.
-can i transfer the fish in the same day?
-if i wanted to put some more live sand in, would i need to wait for it to cycle again!?
-oh and about the lights, im starting to save up for that 150W PFO HQI mini MH pendent!
-and im starting up a couple DIY projects, like making a mini moon light fixture, and im gunna make something to hold a couple of fans to cool the water surface. ill post the projects here in this thread.

**ill have some picture updates soon.

[Reefer769]

heres the picture update for my 30gal, and ive also included a pic of how my 10gal is looking:

[Leddy]

do you get many bubbles returning to your tank from the CPR? Just wondering, cause I'll be setting up 2 of them sometime next week.


leddy

[Reefer769]

um... not really, the return tube on mine it sticking out of the water a little, so it makes some bubbles, but there arent many micro bubbles, and if yours makes any you can just get an attachment to trap them. its a really good skimmer, and has been working great for me so far. good luck.

[Reefer769]

i just checked my Ph and salinity. it read 8.0, and the salinity is 1.024. i still havent checked the ammonia or nitrates, but hopefully i will go out tonight and get some testkits. do i really need to buy test kits, if my water quality is already at a Ph level of 8.0?

[Reefland]

Yes. You need to check ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, temp and salinity.

[Reefer769]

what should everything read?

[Reefland]

The nitrogen cycle will be complete with the ammonia and nitrite both rise and fall to 0. At this point, the bacteria populations have developed enough to maintain the waste from the current life in the tank. This is important because adding new life will need to be done slowly so that the population can continue to develop and maintain with the added load.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Reefer769

what should everything read?

Ammonia should be undetectable. Nitrite should be 0.0-0.1 ppm; nitrate should be <20.0 ppm before adding corals, <10.0 ppm before adding SPS and eventually <5.0 ppm.

Specific gravity should be 1.024-1.026 (salinity = 34-35ppt).

pH should be between 8.1-8.4 (never below 7.9 or above 8.5)

Temperature should be as constant as possible with daily variances no greater than 4 degrees Fahrenheit, no greater than 2 degrees Fahrenheit would be even better. Some people choose to keep their tanks in a range of 80-84F, others prefer 78-82F and still others prefer 76-80F. All of those ranges are acceptable but a daily range of 75-85F is not acceptable. You might want to shoot for a daily range somewhere around 78-82F.

[Reefer769]

i just tested, and the test results were:

-Ammonia-0.25
-Nitrate-20-40ppm
-Nitrite-1.0-2.0

can i add fish? or do you think i should still wait another week?

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Reefer769

i just tested, and the test results were:

-Ammonia-0.25
-Nitrate-20-40ppm
-Nitrite-1.0-2.0

can i add fish? or do you think i should still wait another week?

No, don't add fish yet. It's too soon. Wait until after the ammonia is undetectable and the nitrite is much, much lower than it is now -- no more than 0.25 ppm.

[Reefer769]

Hey Everyone!


I just thought i would post an update on my 30gal tank.

-Ive already added my 2 clowns into the 30gal, after all the tests came out good.
Ammonia-0, Nitrite-0-.25, Nitrate-0, Ph-8.2, Salinity-1.024
-I have added the live rock from my 10gal into my 30gal, and i just took down the 10gal today, ill put it away for now and maybe sometime i will make it into a sump for the 30gal.
-the clowns seem to be happy, and not stressed AT ALL, they dont seem to be attacking eachother, that is becuase i added them in at the same time, and i also put both my blue legs in the 30 too. hopefully tommarow i will go out and buy a clean up crew to get started on this tank.

Here is a pic:

[Reefer769]

i just added 3 more blue legs, and 3 new turbo grazers to the tank, and everything seems to be going good so far.