Diary of a New Tank

vito525

vito525

Member
Hello,
This thread will keep you up to date on a newbies 30 gallon long tank. Here's the specifics. Mind you, this tank was done on an EXTREME budget so don't flame me for my equipment.
30 gallon long tank
2 power heads pumping about 300 GPH
1 Penguin? 330 filter w/ one side filled with LR remnants and the other w/ charcoal and filter
1 SeaClone 100 skimmer
1 JEBO compact 110w lights
40 lbs LR
1 VERY interested Kitten
4 VERY interested kids ages 8,6,5,4
1 newly interested Fiance
3/1/05 LR and Lights arrived, arranged LR as best I could and clouded the crap out of my tank.
3/2/05
PH 8.2
Temp 78
salinity 1.023
Ammonia 8.0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
spotted little worm like things and a 2 inch long worm like thing coming out of the rock.
3/3/05 rearranged LR and clouded the tank AGAIN
lots of decaying matter off LR, hoping levels come down soon for a cleaning crew.
 
vito525

vito525

Member
I rearranged the LR and got rid of the power filter...too much turbulence...I've got over 400 GPH w/powerheads and coral was reaching out w/fine filiments and getting blown all over...
Seaclone Skimmer...
My results...If you mess with it, or the tank, it stops and goes into microbubble mode until it gets back to usual....about 2 hours in my case...otherwise it is back to producing skimmage
 
vito525

vito525

Member
3/4/05
PH 8.2
Temp 78
salinity 1.023
Ammonia 7.0
Nitrate 5.0
Nitrite 0
A little progress, the rocks seem happier, more things popping out of them.
 
vito525

vito525

Member
Levels of ammonia are coming down and nitrates are rising...good sign...ph, temp, and salinity within reef parameters. I took a gamble and bought 2 blue leg hermits ($4.12) to commence cleaning operations and they are happily going to work, the LFS also threw in 5 bigger shells. If they make it a couple days I'll get 10 more to clean up the crap on my rock.. I figured if they die they are smaller than a shrimp for cycling.
 
vito525

vito525

Member
I got 2 more blue legs for a total of 4....They are making great progress cleaning the gunk from my LR....The have survived 48 hours in the tank so I guess the levels aren't that bad....I'm going to add 10 more on Friday and let them have at it. It must be like a buffett for them. I am a little disappointed about the lack of hitchikers or small animals on my LR. I hope they are just hiding.
 
hagfish

hagfish

Active Member
In case you don't realize it, an ammonia level of 7 is very toxic. If it's still that high I wouldn't add anything else until it and nitrites were zero for at least a week.
 
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