The plunge - 90 gallon new build & newb question - Page 4

R.W. · 04/03/2008, 08:34 PM

the slower water movement is probably the cause of the diatoms bloom in the sump. Are you also running any lighting at the moment? If so i wouldn't for the next few weeks to eliminate the diatom bloom. Once everything hits zero slowly bring your lighting up to the number for hours you want to have them on.

Linina · 04/03/2008, 08:42 PM

Ah yes I've been running the sump light about 16 hrs/day and the main display lights about 3 hrs/day.

Now that I've got cheato I need the sump light though, right?

Heres the cheato WOOT!

and here's the closeup of the questionable white stuff on the rock. Honestly I assumed it was something bad like mold or something but I am admittedly a complete rookie.

Tswifty · 04/03/2008, 09:13 PM

The lighting more than likely explains the build up on your sand in the fuge. Yes you should run the lights on the fuge now that you added the cheato.

It's nice you have a beginning picture... just wait till a few months when its the size of a basketball!!!

Linina · 04/09/2008, 06:33 PM

Ok finally after nitrite being maxxed for many days, Sunday it started to noticably go down and by monday night it was 0. Did a water change tuesday morning. Today I picked up our first life. The kids are extremely excited to finally have fish!

freddie40 · 04/09/2008, 06:38 PM

Very Nice.

Dave

JUNI0R · 04/09/2008, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Linina
Today I picked up our first life.

Congratulations on the addition

Aquarist007 · 04/09/2008, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Linina
Alright I got my avatar to the appropriate size AND I got cheato from a very generous local reefer, so YAY! Let the nitrate reduction begin!

love the new avitar

re nitrate reduction with cheato--that chaeto ball in there is going to take about 2-3 months to grow enough for you to start to have the benefit of nitrate reduction from it---and at that point your nitrates will measure at zero anyways so you won't notice any measurable difference anyways.
What you won't have is any algae

Aquarist007 · 04/09/2008, 07:56 PM

refugium at start up:

2 months later

Linina · 04/09/2008, 08:09 PM

holy crap now THAT is some growth. Wow!

Aquarist007 · 04/09/2008, 09:20 PM

thanks--you will get that too---the point of posting was that's the amount you eventually need to reduce nitrates and phosphates effectively

check out this thread on refugiums---some great ideas and pic on it

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1349443

gmatta · 04/10/2008, 04:49 AM

your scape looks fine imo, glad to see livestock, will be taging along

Linina · 04/19/2008, 09:51 PM

Well, things are going well, my nitrates dropped like a rock. They are now < 2. The cheato is growing well and, to my surprise when I turned it over today, Mr. Evil Crab appears to be actually living INSIDE the cheato. I had assumed he had been burrowing but it seems not.

The clowns are doing great but definitely have chosen what is, in my opinion, a very lame spot to claim as their territory, about 6 inches off the sand but at least in the front of the tank so they are visible. They are very cosy and have no apparent respect of each other's "personal space" as we call it in my house.

I also picked up a few snails, and a couple corals that were half off that I couldn't pass up. And lastly a cleaner shrimp that my husband just HAD to have.

Levels are still doing great and I'm starting to look at adding 2 part for alk/calcium.

Ammon = 0, Nitrite = 0
Nitrate < 2
Calcium = 350
Alk (KH? - i have a tetra kit as a standin until my LFS gets the salifert in that i bought) ~ 6

zoa rock that I nabbed for 20 bucks including an emerald crab hitchhiker!

frogspawn, not terribly colorful but I rather liked it and as I fill in the tank eventually I think it'll look great.

my cleaner shrimp who is rather cool and definitely growing on me (I never would've bought him if not for the hubby's pressure)

And finally I also redid the rock again. As soon as I placed the frogspawn I realized my layout stunk. Tried again and this is how it currently is:

Linina · 04/19/2008, 09:54 PM

You can see the frogspawn, the clowns (in their lame spot) and the cleaner shrimp all on the right area of the tank. Next thing I buy I will have to place on the left because no one ventures over there at all yet.

magdelan · 04/19/2008, 10:51 PM

This is a great thread!!! You had some great progress early on to get things moving. You stayed on top of things and are on your way to a very nice system. Well done

tony45power · 04/20/2008, 07:00 AM

just a easy tip on your return line you can add another T with a shutoff valve and hook up a hosebib connector so when you do water changes you can pump your water out side or into the sink w/out carrying buckets. after a year or 2 you will get tired if the water changes

Aquarist007 · 04/20/2008, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Linina
You can see the frogspawn, the clowns (in their lame spot) and the cleaner shrimp all on the right area of the tank. Next thing I buy I will have to place on the left because no one ventures over there at all yet.

nice pics as usual
the frog spawn will colour up with good lighting

BTW
it is not a good idea to re-do the rock work esp if your disturb the bottom pieces, after you have a new bioload in the tank. It could cause an ammonia spike and be problematic for your new additions

OceanSpray · 04/20/2008, 08:48 AM

Looks great! Its great the way everyone in a family seems to be drawn together on these projects. I love the avatar! I'm approaching the 100 mark myself, so I've got to find myself something cool. Great job on the whole system, looks like you did your homework ahead of time and had it all planned out nicely.

Aquarist007 · 04/20/2008, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by OceanSpray
Looks great! Its great the way everyone in a family seems to be drawn together on these projects. I love the avatar! I'm approaching the 100 mark myself, so I've got to find myself something cool. Great job on the whole system, looks like you did your homework ahead of time and had it all planned out nicely.

to you Oceanspray for following it closely--you can learn alot from these build threads:

here are some more if interested:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...6#post12055086

Linina · 04/21/2008, 08:23 PM

Alright I'm now in cleanup mode. I picked up some more snails (turbo snails this time - big dudes with gorgeous shells I just love em!). They are doing a number on the green algae in the Main tank, which is good.

I have a question about my Cheato. The local reefer I got it from said there was some "grape caulepera" mixed in - I see a different kind of greenery which I assume is the that - but what is this red fuz? Part of the plant? or should I pull it out and toss it?

Linina · 04/21/2008, 08:28 PM

Darn this picture stinks. The brownish clumps are actually algae on the glass. The red stuff looks like cotton almost and is actually mixed in on the side of the cheato (not on the glass). You can barely see the picture of the other greenery (caul.?) which is mixed in with the red fuzz, it's stalkier.

Another side view:

Tswifty · 04/21/2008, 08:35 PM

I have the same caulerpa... The caulerpa is doing great, and the purple fuzz died off... but I know this... You want to get the purple fuzz OFF!!!

I just talked to a local reefer, who also has the same caulerpa... He just got over fighting an extreme breakout of "the fuzz" in his Display tanks. He said it spread like crazy through all his tanks, was all over everything, so much so he was tearing it out by his hands.

When I saw his tanks it was about all contained, and he had some crazy snails he ordered special that were munching on what was left.

Tswifty · 04/21/2008, 08:38 PM

Here's a pic of how well the Caulerpa is doing now though (fuzz free):

The guy also told me that it does best when it isn't in a tight ball, and is loosley held together... you may have to wait until it matures a little more though.

Linina · 04/21/2008, 09:04 PM

Rock on, thanks. I pulled it out (with a bit of good stuff too, but I figure better to lose a little good than keep bad) and tossed it.

I started to wonder as I noticed a couple patches of purple stuff on the sand - my first clue maybe this wasn't part of the good plant.

Anyway, thanks again!

R.W. · 04/21/2008, 10:16 PM

eventually you will find a aqua scape that you are satisfied with. It took me forever and i still wish i did something else.

As for the cheato, like capt said, give it some time and within a few months it will be huge.

melev · 04/21/2008, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tswifty8
Here's a pic of how well the Caulerpa is doing now though (fuzz free):

The guy also told me that it does best when it isn't in a tight ball, and is loosley held together... you may have to wait until it matures a little more though.

That is one healthy looking refugium. Very clean, and I love how the plants are fully submerged instead of at the surface. How is it anchored?

04/03/2008, 08:34 PM	#76
R.W. Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 890	the slower water movement is probably the cause of the diatoms bloom in the sump. Are you also running any lighting at the moment? If so i wouldn't for the next few weeks to eliminate the diatom bloom. Once everything hits zero slowly bring your lighting up to the number for hours you want to have them on. __________________ 180g FOWLR "Sun bathing on the floor next to your tank is not, in any way equivalent to spending time outdoors."

04/03/2008, 08:42 PM	#77
Linina Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aurora, Colorado Posts: 366	Ah yes I've been running the sump light about 16 hrs/day and the main display lights about 3 hrs/day. Now that I've got cheato I need the sump light though, right? Heres the cheato WOOT! and here's the closeup of the questionable white stuff on the rock. Honestly I assumed it was something bad like mold or something but I am admittedly a complete rookie. __________________ 40 breeder, Elos Mini Current Tank Info: 40 breeder, elos mini

04/03/2008, 09:13 PM	#78
Tswifty Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: PA Posts: 14,022	The lighting more than likely explains the build up on your sand in the fuge. Yes you should run the lights on the fuge now that you added the cheato. It's nice you have a beginning picture... just wait till a few months when its the size of a basketball!!! __________________ "Enough light? Heck I could go barebottom and grow SPS in the stand!" - DiscoReefRover

04/09/2008, 06:33 PM	#79
Linina Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aurora, Colorado Posts: 366	Ok finally after nitrite being maxxed for many days, Sunday it started to noticably go down and by monday night it was 0. Did a water change tuesday morning. Today I picked up our first life. The kids are extremely excited to finally have fish! __________________ 40 breeder, Elos Mini Current Tank Info: 40 breeder, elos mini

04/09/2008, 06:38 PM	#80
freddie40 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Aurora, Co Posts: 1,415	Very Nice. Dave __________________ At D.A.R.C. we are all Premium Members. Current Tank Info: 75gal with T5 lighting and 29gal Biocube with LED lighting

04/09/2008, 07:56 PM	#83
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	refugium at start up: 2 months later __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

04/09/2008, 08:09 PM	#84
Linina Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aurora, Colorado Posts: 366	holy crap now THAT is some growth. Wow! __________________ 40 breeder, Elos Mini Current Tank Info: 40 breeder, elos mini

04/09/2008, 09:20 PM	#85
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	thanks--you will get that too---the point of posting was that's the amount you eventually need to reduce nitrates and phosphates effectively check out this thread on refugiums---some great ideas and pic on it http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1349443 __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

04/10/2008, 04:49 AM	#86
gmatta Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Austin, Tx. Posts: 168	your scape looks fine imo, glad to see livestock, will be taging along

04/19/2008, 09:51 PM	#87
Linina Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aurora, Colorado Posts: 366	Well, things are going well, my nitrates dropped like a rock. They are now < 2. The cheato is growing well and, to my surprise when I turned it over today, Mr. Evil Crab appears to be actually living INSIDE the cheato. I had assumed he had been burrowing but it seems not. The clowns are doing great but definitely have chosen what is, in my opinion, a very lame spot to claim as their territory, about 6 inches off the sand but at least in the front of the tank so they are visible. They are very cosy and have no apparent respect of each other's "personal space" as we call it in my house. I also picked up a few snails, and a couple corals that were half off that I couldn't pass up. And lastly a cleaner shrimp that my husband just HAD to have. Levels are still doing great and I'm starting to look at adding 2 part for alk/calcium. Ammon = 0, Nitrite = 0 Nitrate < 2 Calcium = 350 Alk (KH? - i have a tetra kit as a standin until my LFS gets the salifert in that i bought) ~ 6 zoa rock that I nabbed for 20 bucks including an emerald crab hitchhiker! frogspawn, not terribly colorful but I rather liked it and as I fill in the tank eventually I think it'll look great. my cleaner shrimp who is rather cool and definitely growing on me (I never would've bought him if not for the hubby's pressure) And finally I also redid the rock again. As soon as I placed the frogspawn I realized my layout stunk. Tried again and this is how it currently is: __________________ 40 breeder, Elos Mini Current Tank Info: 40 breeder, elos mini

04/19/2008, 09:54 PM	#88
Linina Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aurora, Colorado Posts: 366	You can see the frogspawn, the clowns (in their lame spot) and the cleaner shrimp all on the right area of the tank. Next thing I buy I will have to place on the left because no one ventures over there at all yet. __________________ 40 breeder, Elos Mini Current Tank Info: 40 breeder, elos mini

04/19/2008, 10:51 PM	#89
magdelan Fish? Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gananda, NY Posts: 3,785	This is a great thread!!! You had some great progress early on to get things moving. You stayed on top of things and are on your way to a very nice system. Well done __________________ "Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent, used to build monuments of nothingness. Those who specialize in them, are seldom capable of anything else."

04/20/2008, 07:00 AM	#90
tony45power Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: islip ny longisland Posts: 401	just a easy tip on your return line you can add another T with a shutoff valve and hook up a hosebib connector so when you do water changes you can pump your water out side or into the sink w/out carrying buckets. after a year or 2 you will get tired if the water changes

04/20/2008, 08:48 AM	#92
OceanSpray Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Alabama / Roll Tide Posts: 162	Looks great! Its great the way everyone in a family seems to be drawn together on these projects. I love the avatar! I'm approaching the 100 mark myself, so I've got to find myself something cool. Great job on the whole system, looks like you did your homework ahead of time and had it all planned out nicely. __________________ "Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 90 - Mixed Reef / 30 Sump

04/21/2008, 08:23 PM	#94
Linina Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aurora, Colorado Posts: 366	Alright I'm now in cleanup mode. I picked up some more snails (turbo snails this time - big dudes with gorgeous shells I just love em!). They are doing a number on the green algae in the Main tank, which is good. I have a question about my Cheato. The local reefer I got it from said there was some "grape caulepera" mixed in - I see a different kind of greenery which I assume is the that - but what is this red fuz? Part of the plant? or should I pull it out and toss it? __________________ 40 breeder, Elos Mini Current Tank Info: 40 breeder, elos mini

04/21/2008, 08:28 PM	#95
Linina Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aurora, Colorado Posts: 366	Darn this picture stinks. The brownish clumps are actually algae on the glass. The red stuff looks like cotton almost and is actually mixed in on the side of the cheato (not on the glass). You can barely see the picture of the other greenery (caul.?) which is mixed in with the red fuzz, it's stalkier. Another side view: __________________ 40 breeder, Elos Mini Current Tank Info: 40 breeder, elos mini

04/21/2008, 08:35 PM	#96
Tswifty Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: PA Posts: 14,022	I have the same caulerpa... The caulerpa is doing great, and the purple fuzz died off... but I know this... You want to get the purple fuzz OFF!!! I just talked to a local reefer, who also has the same caulerpa... He just got over fighting an extreme breakout of "the fuzz" in his Display tanks. He said it spread like crazy through all his tanks, was all over everything, so much so he was tearing it out by his hands. When I saw his tanks it was about all contained, and he had some crazy snails he ordered special that were munching on what was left. __________________ "Enough light? Heck I could go barebottom and grow SPS in the stand!" - DiscoReefRover

04/21/2008, 08:38 PM	#97
Tswifty Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: PA Posts: 14,022	Here's a pic of how well the Caulerpa is doing now though (fuzz free): The guy also told me that it does best when it isn't in a tight ball, and is loosley held together... you may have to wait until it matures a little more though. __________________ "Enough light? Heck I could go barebottom and grow SPS in the stand!" - DiscoReefRover

04/21/2008, 09:04 PM	#98
Linina Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aurora, Colorado Posts: 366	Rock on, thanks. I pulled it out (with a bit of good stuff too, but I figure better to lose a little good than keep bad) and tossed it. I started to wonder as I noticed a couple patches of purple stuff on the sand - my first clue maybe this wasn't part of the good plant. Anyway, thanks again! __________________ 40 breeder, Elos Mini Current Tank Info: 40 breeder, elos mini

04/21/2008, 10:16 PM	#99
R.W. Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 890	eventually you will find a aqua scape that you are satisfied with. It took me forever and i still wish i did something else. As for the cheato, like capt said, give it some time and within a few months it will be huge. __________________ 180g FOWLR "Sun bathing on the floor next to your tank is not, in any way equivalent to spending time outdoors."