Lighting

[kelly4687]

I am trying to decide on lighting for my tank . Right now there are 4 bulbs in there but they don't work. I need new ones.
What do you think of 2 blue 46.5 VHO URI Actinic and 2 white 46.5 VHO URI Actinics?
If not, what do you suggest? I don't have any coral yet just live rock and no fish, going through the cycle right now. I would like to add some coral but not for a while and I just want to get the right lighting from the start.
Also, my nitrate and nitrite reading are a little too high I think. How can I get them lowered?

 

[scottallert]

id go with 2 blue 1 white and 1 50/50
to lower to nitrites and nitrates just do a water change then check again and if there still not right wait 3-4 days then do it again.

 

[kelly4687]

Okay...this may sound dumb but I really just don't want to

[hr]
anything up so I am nervous about this tank!!!
How do I do a water change? I haven't done one yet but I know I have to, duh!! I have a good amount of water missing anyway but need to change some of it? How much should I change since my readings are just a little too high, not crazy high.

 

[robertmathern]

First off top off you tank if you are mising water. Then all I do for a water change is vacume the tank. I have a sump so as I vacume the tank I have a 5 gal bucket of saltwater syphoning into my sump. Now I watch the water level in the sump while I vacume (cuz the vacume pulls water out faster than it goes in. But you just put or hand over the vacume and wait for the water to rise then proceed. Once the 5 gal bucket is empty your done or refill the bucket with salt water and do it again. I used to use pumps but one of my hoses came out of my tank needless to say I had a mess to clean up.

 

[wangotango]

Most people do about 20% every week or two.
Mix your new water up at least 24 hours in advance. Put a heater and powerhead in the mixing water to bring the temperature to where you need it and to dissolve the salt. You want the SG or salinity to be close or a little lower than what your DT is at.
Use a syphon to remove the old water from the tank, and a powerhead or pitcher to add the new water back.
If your water level has been getting lower due to evaporation you want to add freshwater to top the tank off. The water will evaporate but the salt will remain making the water saltier which is not a good thing.
-Justin

 

[robertmathern]

just please top off the tank you dont want to make your new water to the same as the tank intill you top off the tank to know what you have in there right now it will be alot higher than you want.

 

[kelly4687]

Okay- so just go get some water, de-chlorinate it and add in to top off. I don't need to heat the water to top it off?
Then in order to do a water change, how many 5 gal buckets should I heat with water so the salt dissolves? Then tomorrow if it sits today siphon out the water and add the new water?

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by kelly4687
http:///forum/post/2883885
Okay- so just go get some water, de-chlorinate it and add in to top off. I don't need to heat the water to top it off?
Then in order to do a water change, how many 5 gal buckets should I heat with water so the salt dissolves? Then tomorrow if it sits today siphon out the water and add the new water?
No, you dont need to heat it up,however you'll need to drip-add it.. to prevent a flactuation.
Personally i mix my water and salt and drop a couple powerheads for strong aeration..Luckly 24hrs later, my water's temp is identical to the DT. (the powerheads do the heating)

 

[kelly4687]

Okay...so how do I drip add it?
Now topping off the tank I don't need salt water but when I take out the water and add new I need to add the salt correct?

 

[robertmathern]

ya that is correct. Top off with fresh water only. Change water with salt water. And the drip top off is easy there are many way to do it. All you are trying to acomplish is adding the water slowly so there is not a huge drop in salinity. For it could stress you fish. Now as for how many 5 gal buckets you need to do a water change depends on the size of your tank. Look to do between 10-20% of your water volume in the tank. So if you have a 50 gal tank 1-2 buckets. I am sure you can do the math from there.

 

[culp]

Originally Posted by WangoTango
http:///forum/post/2883852
Most people do about 20% every week or two.
i do a 20% water change each week.

 

[kelly4687]

I don't have any fish in the tank yet. I am in the middle of cycling the tank and only have live sand and live rock in there with some power heads and a filter. Do I still have to do the drip tech is there is no fish?