Here I go!

[earlybird]

How much flake should I feed my rocks and how often at this point? I'm going to check again but I'm not reading any ammonia. Also, should the food be removed (after time) since nothing is eating it or just let it rot away?
Hoping that ghost feeding will cause some hitchers to show their faces. Still none to speak of.

 

[reefkprz]

just a tiny pinch will be enough, and you leave the flake in so it rots thats how you check to see if you have enough bacteria by letting it break down through the nitrogen cycle (If you dont see any ammonia or trites your doing good) I would just do every three or four days.

 

[earlybird]

And I should do this when Amm is gone or when both Amm and Trites are gone? I still have trites.

 

[reefkprz]

when both are gone. sorry I think I neglected to mention that. I think I only mentioned ammonia the first time. sorry.

 

[earlybird]

So no benefits to feeding now okay. what about my hitchers? I'm dying to see something and there was nothing visible even when I first received the rock.

 

[reefkprz]

Critters hitchikers are hit or miss, if you ordered cured rock the chances are lower of you getting hitchikers because they cure the rock and hve it suspended in vats and most retailers hose the rock down with salt water to get the hitchikers off.

 

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
most retailers hose the rock down with salt water to get the hitchikers off.
Sons a.... That's why I need some true live sand, I really want worms.

 

[earlybird]

Seriously

means everything is going great.
Ammonia down to ZERO, trites are less than last test, and trates are increasing.

I have a few microbubbles and I think they attached to the diatoms but I'm not sure. Anyone?

Poor picture but this is a very bright green algae, growing daily but not hairy.

 

[earlybird]

Ammonia is back in minute amounts in my DT but QT reads ZERO. I'm going to feed my QT this evening.
Diatoms look darker and don't appear to be spreading on the sand more just filling out what was there. I've since disturbed it to fill in a hole. Looking good.

 

[renogaw]

hey EB. when youtook the magnets out, did you see rust coming out of them? I was wondering if maybe iron is getting attracted OUT of your water onto the magnets. I have no problem with the epoxy and the glue i used.

 

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by renogaw
hey EB. when youtook the magnets out, did you see rust coming out of them? I was wondering if maybe iron is getting attracted OUT of your water onto the magnets. I have no problem with the epoxy and the glue i used.
I was pretty bummed about my magnet situation. Some epoxy on the edge was gone. I used superglue gel but I suspect the epoxy was gone in some places because they hit each other. Those magnets are strong and I tried to be gentle but I wasn't as gentle as I thought. The rust was very noticible so yours sound okay. What kind of glue did you use and where did you attach the magnet to the powerhead?

 

[renogaw]

I used a blue bottle of super glue, not crazy glue... and of course it has since been left open and dried up so i threw it out so i'm not exactly sure what it was. i got it at michaels though (they didn't have crazy glue gel), and it had the same exact ingredients list.
I know what you mean about how strong they are. I removed one of my powerheads to get at a coral frag, and not thinking didn't hold onto the magnet outside the tank very tight. they smacked together and took a chunk off of the other magnet. i'm glad i didn't have my finger there, and that they went after each other instead of cracking my glass.

 

[earlybird]

Did you glue the magnet to the actual pump or to the suction cup cradle? I'm going to try silicone but not sure if I'll be able to get the old magnets off of the suction cup cradle and I don't want to pull my pumps out so that the silicon can cure.

 

[renogaw]

put them on the cradles themselves.

 

[earlybird]

I ghost fed (love that term btw) my QT yesterday even though nitrites are still present (0.08). I thought I'd see a spike but ammonia was still at zero today. I didn't feed all that much but I think I need a better understanding of portion size. I'll feed a little bit more in a few more days.
I did not feed my DT b/c ammonia was at 0.1 yesterday but is down to
≤ 0.02 today. The color of some of my rocks is getting BEAUTIFUL. Diatoms are getting darker but have appeared to be spreading a lot slower.
Still having fun.

 

[reefkprz]

sounds good I am excited vicariously through you!

 

[azfishgal]

Originally Posted by earlybird
So no benefits to feeding now okay. what about my hitchers? I'm dying to see something and there was nothing visible even when I first received the rock.
I had 100 lbs of live rock and two months later I finally saw my first hitchiker, it's a very small snail, I've only seen him once. And the other day I noticed some type of filter feader, bright pink, kind of pretty. So just because you don't see anything now, doesn't mean you won't later. Keep an eye out, you might be surprised what you find.

 

[earlybird]

Woke up to find that my diatoms have faded a lot over night. How photosynthetic are diatoms? I'm wondering if they will be back this afternoon when my lights are on for a while.
Question- I've had some blue media pad in my sump wedged between baffles since I began my cycle. It is very discolored and dirty. Do I leave it? What should I do with it?

 

[vpotts28]

Originally Posted by earlybird
Woke up to find that my diatoms have faded a lot over night. How photosynthetic are diatoms? I'm wondering if they will be back this afternoon when my lights are on for a while.
Question- I've had some blue media pad in my sump wedged between baffles since I began my cycle. It is very discolored and dirty. Do I leave it? What should I do with it?

Based on my experience EB I had a diatom bloom then it faded and never came back. I still have some evidence on the glass and such, but there isn't anymore on the sand.

 

[renogaw]

oh my, the diatome bloom!!
i had it COVERING everything, even the glass. i didn't clean the sand storm residue off the glass and the diatoms got a foothold, and i eventually had to scrape it off the glass when i saw hair algae forming on it

but my mexican turbos took care of most of them. i keep telling you to get your cleaning crew started...