Whats Up with this Cycle? - Page 2

themummra · 03/18/2017, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

Hopefully the nitrite will be zero in a few days.

If things keep going well!

Then it will be time to add some CUC. I know I want a hermit crab and a shrimp, not sure on what kind or what snails yet.

themummra · 03/19/2017, 05:51 PM

Ammonia still down, nitrites going down and Nitrates are 100+ppm

Found a store with a clean, organized invertebrate section. And they are in a fishless system. Which is great as I do not have a quarantine setup yet.

themummra · 03/19/2017, 08:18 PM

Did a pH test as I hadn't done one yet.
I can't tell what color this is?

btb72 · 03/19/2017, 09:21 PM

I'd say 8.1 so perfect. Don't worry about ph honestly.

themummra · 03/20/2017, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by btb72

I'd say 8.1 so perfect. Don't worry about ph honestly.

That confirms what I've read, basically its not worth chasing pH. That will be determined by alkalinity and CO2 exchange.

bertoni · 03/20/2017, 11:44 AM

That's correct. The pH will be set by the carbon dioxide level in the water and the alkalinity, and a fairly wide range, 7.8-8.4, will be fine. The corals might grow a bit more rapidly at the higher levels, but that's the only effect.

themummra · 03/20/2017, 05:48 PM

Progress!

I put a couple flakes of food in yesterday, now my nitrites are 0 or close to it. Should I do a water change and then stock CUC?

themummra · 03/20/2017, 05:49 PM

bertoni · 03/20/2017, 06:03 PM

I think that a few water changes would be a good idea, but I'd wait to see whether the ammonia test result gets more towards the zero color. A day or two should be fine. Ammonia kits often measure small levels of ammonia in clean water, though.

themummra · 03/20/2017, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

I think that a few water changes would be a good idea, but I'd wait to see whether the ammonia test result gets more towards the zero color. A day or two should be fine. Ammonia kits often measure small levels of ammonia in clean water, though.

Yeah it was actually more yellow and the blue lighter in person, I'll wait another day or two and see how the tests go.

bertoni · 03/20/2017, 07:26 PM

Okay, the ammonia probably is zero, then, but waiting a day or two should give more margin for error.

themummra · 03/21/2017, 09:41 PM

Ammonia from the flakes I added is coming down, nitrites about 0.

I want to get a CUC soon but I still have no algae. If I get just 1 hermit and 5 snails will they have enough to eat without any visible algae.

themummra · 03/22/2017, 05:01 PM

Ammonia *shakes fist*

postaldave · 03/22/2017, 05:18 PM

looking good. next stop Diatoms.

don't over buy CuC.

and remember. only bad things happen quickly in a reef tank.

bertoni · 03/22/2017, 05:22 PM

Most hermit crabs are fine with a bit of fish food to eat. I'd wait on the herbivorous snails until the algae shows up.

themummra · 03/22/2017, 10:38 PM

Ill grab 2 blue leg hermits then!

themummra · 03/23/2017, 06:00 PM

I have some raw scallops leftover. Can I cut them into tiny pieces and freeze them to feed to the crabs?

themummra · 03/23/2017, 06:50 PM

Also, Would it be ok for me to get 2 hermits and a small coral if my media basket wont be installed until sometime tomorrow or Saturday? I just have a Biocube Filter w/ carbon in it currently.

themummra · 03/24/2017, 06:14 PM

Life!

Frogspawn after Bayer dipping

30m Later

bertoni · 03/25/2017, 10:50 AM

I suspect the crab will be happy to eat the shrimp, and a few more animals like that, and a coral, probably will be fine. The live rock should be the primary filtration.

themummra · 03/25/2017, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

I suspect the crab will be happy to eat the shrimp, and a few more animals like that, and a coral, probably will be fine. The live rock should be the primary filtration.

The crabs LOVED the scallops! It was so cool. Once I got the pipette close to the crab it would smell it and start reaching for the food.

Picked up a couple pieces of acrylic yesterday as well. Im going to build my media basket today if I can find acrylic cement.

themummra · 03/27/2017, 11:31 PM

Got some acrylic + Weldon and made a ghetto media basket. Measurements are all uneven and I had to use a razor blade to do cuts. But it will last until I can laser cut some next week.

Water is still a little cloudy from installing the basket and an MJ1200. This pump is so much quieter!

03/20/2017, 11:44 AM	#31
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That's correct. The pH will be set by the carbon dioxide level in the water and the alkalinity, and a fairly wide range, 7.8-8.4, will be fine. The corals might grow a bit more rapidly at the higher levels, but that's the only effect. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/20/2017, 06:03 PM	#34
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I think that a few water changes would be a good idea, but I'd wait to see whether the ammonia test result gets more towards the zero color. A day or two should be fine. Ammonia kits often measure small levels of ammonia in clean water, though. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/20/2017, 07:26 PM	#36
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Okay, the ammonia probably is zero, then, but waiting a day or two should give more margin for error. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/22/2017, 05:22 PM	#40
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Most hermit crabs are fine with a bit of fish food to eat. I'd wait on the herbivorous snails until the algae shows up. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/25/2017, 10:50 AM	#45
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I suspect the crab will be happy to eat the shrimp, and a few more animals like that, and a coral, probably will be fine. The live rock should be the primary filtration. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/19/2017, 05:51 PM	#27
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100	Ammonia still down, nitrites going down and Nitrates are 100+ppm Found a store with a clean, organized invertebrate section. And they are in a fishless system. Which is great as I do not have a quarantine setup yet.

03/19/2017, 08:18 PM	#28
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100	Did a pH test as I hadn't done one yet. I can't tell what color this is?

03/19/2017, 09:21 PM	#29
btb72 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: KY Posts: 657	I'd say 8.1 so perfect. Don't worry about ph honestly.

03/20/2017, 05:48 PM	#32
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100	Progress! I put a couple flakes of food in yesterday, now my nitrites are 0 or close to it. Should I do a water change and then stock CUC?

03/20/2017, 05:49 PM	#33
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100

03/21/2017, 09:41 PM	#37
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100	Ammonia from the flakes I added is coming down, nitrites about 0. I want to get a CUC soon but I still have no algae. If I get just 1 hermit and 5 snails will they have enough to eat without any visible algae.

03/22/2017, 05:01 PM	#38
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100	Ammonia shakes fist

03/22/2017, 05:18 PM	#39
postaldave Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 54	looking good. next stop Diatoms. don't over buy CuC. and remember. only bad things happen quickly in a reef tank.

03/22/2017, 10:38 PM	#41
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100	Ill grab 2 blue leg hermits then!

03/23/2017, 06:00 PM	#42
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100	I have some raw scallops leftover. Can I cut them into tiny pieces and freeze them to feed to the crabs?

03/23/2017, 06:50 PM	#43
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100	Also, Would it be ok for me to get 2 hermits and a small coral if my media basket wont be installed until sometime tomorrow or Saturday? I just have a Biocube Filter w/ carbon in it currently.

03/24/2017, 06:14 PM	#44
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100	Life! Frogspawn after Bayer dipping 30m Later

03/27/2017, 11:31 PM	#47
themummra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 100	Got some acrylic + Weldon and made a ghetto media basket. Measurements are all uneven and I had to use a razor blade to do cuts. But it will last until I can laser cut some next week. Water is still a little cloudy from installing the basket and an MJ1200. This pump is so much quieter!