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Thread: wvfisher BC14

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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    wvfisher BC14

    Well, I have finally set up my tank. I have followed alot of the threads on talkingreef and they have been so helpful. I am sure I will continue to have lots of questions and problems that you can all help me with. I used Marco Rocks and some lr rubble from PA. I bouught 15 lbs of MR and 5 lbs of lr rubble but I couldn't get it all in the tank. Oh well, I am going to take the extra MR to my lfs and show them what [B]good[B] base rock looks like. I am enclosing a pic because I need your guys input. Do I have too much rock in my tank? I looked at quite a lot of pic on line and my wife tells me she thinks it is too crowded. What do you think?
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    Last edited by wvfisher; 09-22-2007 at 10:06 AM.

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    Here's your pic.



    It does look a little crowded to my eye, but it's really personal preference.

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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    Well I took my wife's and your advice and changed my aquascape. My wife helped me this time so I know it will be better. It always is if I follow her advice!! Here is another pic, what do you now think?

    I think the cycle is starting:

    Temp 79
    Ammonia .5
    Nitrite .25
    PH 8.8

    The PH is high but I think that is the rock. Should I do a water change, or add Proper PH to lower to 8.2?
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    Looks better IMO. Sounds like your cycle is on it's way. That pH is a little high, but I don't think I'd sweat it at this point.

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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    I have nothing in my #1 Chamber and lr in #2 and heater and pump in #3. I want to add chaeto and light to #1 later. How soon should I wait before adding chaeto?

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    I didn't set my fuge up until the tank had been running for a while, but I don't see why you couldn't add the cheato as soon as you start seeing nitrates.

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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    Thanks for the info. I just ordered some chateo from ebay.

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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    Yep, your cycle sounds like it is on the way. I would not worry about even measuring pH at this point. It will continue to swing as your cycle continues. That Marco Rock has lots of volume for its weight. I like the second aquascape.
    Carmie


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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    Thanks Carmie, I was really impressed with the Marco Rock. I am going to take a piece to my lfs. They haven't heard of it! I told them they need to get out to some of the forums.

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    Apprentice mikellini's Avatar
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    I like the second aquascape as well. It'll be much easier to clean the glass on the sides now. I'm gonna stay tuned to this one, I'd love to get myself one of these!

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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    Well my cycle is really working now.
    Ammonia: 3.0 ppm
    Nitrite: 4.0 ppm

    The tank is really starting to clear up. I got my lights for my fuge in #1 Chamber today. I will get the chaeto in a couple of days. If I put it in too early will it kill the pods in the chaeto? I am going to have the lights for the fuge on a opposite cycle with my other lights. I think that will stop any PH swing.

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    If possible, I would indeed wait until the ammonia and possibly the nitrite are back down to 0.
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    I have another question for all of you. Is the following CUC too much for my tank?

    8 Nerite Snails
    4 Cerith Snails
    5 Nassarius Snails
    5 Dwarf Whiteleg Hermits
    4 Blueleg Hermits
    1 Red Bristle Starfish
    1 Fighting Conch

    Does the CUC raise the bioload in the tank, if so, should I add some of these things at a time or all at once? Also I don't have any decent lfs in my area. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good place to get my CUC? Thanks everyone. I decided that since I was always picking your brains I may as well go ahead and start supporting the team. By the way, next month I will have a headphone w/mike so that I can join in for the live show.

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    That seems like an aweful lot to me. I'd deffinitely cut down those numbers and leave out the star and conch all together. In my 12, I have 2 turbos, 1 blue leg and a pepermint shrimp, and they do just fine cleaning. Yes, the CUC adds to the bio-load, and in a nano, should be added gadualy. What are your plans fish-wise?

    My local club just ordered a big CUC group order from reeftopia.com. Top flight operation as far as that order went.
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    I am relatively new to nanos but that is a bigger CUC than I have in my 24. Is a Red Bristle Starfish a kind of brittle star? If so it will not be a good choice for a nano. Mini brittle stars like these Family Ophiactidae sp. #2 mini brittlestars (Difficult) - Project DIBS Forums are good choices. I don't have them but you can probably find a TR member that has them breeding in their tank and who would send you some if you pay shipping.

    While the cleanup crew does exactly that they also contribute to the bioload and I feel they should be added piecemeal. If you are buying them by mail order it may not be economically feasible to pay to have them shipped in batches. If that is the case you will have to monitor your parameters and do water changes to keep them in check.
    Carmie


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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    Thanks for the info. That CUC is what Reef Scavanger.com recommends for a 5-15 gal tank! I thought it was a lot. I'm not ready yet but I was just planning. Phurst, I only want a couple of fish. My granddaughter(5) tells me we have to have "Nemo" but I don't know what else. Any suggestions? I would like to have lots of color and be very active.

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    Well a clown is a good choice then. You could probably add somthing else small. Maybe some kind of goby or blenny, or maybe a firefish. or a colorful invert like a skunk cleaner, or blood shrimp.
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Apprentice mikellini's Avatar
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    Colorful and active? A sixline wrasse! Their eyes are soo cool, and they're always swimming around, very colorful and active. Also, I love my purple firefish goby Spike, he's usually out and about as well

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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    Thanks Mike, I have thought about a wrasse. Will have to wait for awhile. I just got my chaeto and I don't know whether I should put it in tank or not.

    Ammonia is 0 but nitrite is 2 and nitrate is 20. I don't want to mess up my cycle. What do you think?

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    I think you'd be OK to add it now. Ammonia is by far the worst, and after all, pods survive full cycles in rocks, so I think they'll be fine.
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    Here is my new list for my CUC:
    2 Nerite Snails
    3 Cerith Snails
    2 Nassarius Snails
    2 Dwarf Blue Leg Hermits
    2 Dwarf White Leg Hermits
    1 Red Leg Hermit

    I would still like to have a fighting conch. Do you think it would be too big for my 14?

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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    Question

    Here is another picture of my tank. As you can see, the live rock is a different color than the Marco rock. The lr looks like it has a brown algae on it. The parameters are doing great.

    Ammonia - 0
    Nitrite -1
    Nitrate - 10
    PH 8.4
    Temp 79

    That brown on the rocks wouldn't be a diatom would it?
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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    As the base rock becomes live, a process that doesn't take long, it will all blend in and look the same. The brown stuff could be diatoms. Was it there when you got the LR? Is there any on the sand?
    Carmie


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    Insightful Reefer bubbletip's Avatar
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    Definitely a brown diatom bloom - start of a healthy cycle - nothing to worry about here. This is a good thing as the good bacteria that you want for your biological load is growing and will soon eat all the brown diatoms that you see. Right on schedule
    "Jim" - always learning


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    Apprentice wvfisher's Avatar
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    Thanks for the info and Carmie yes it is starting on the sand today. Yea!!! I can't wait.

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