Question while cycling

jsb

jsb

Member
A week ago, I was given a free salt tank, but it wasn't taken real good care of. When I was given it, it had been drained to about 3 to 4 inches of water. I don't see hardly any growth on the LR, and it had two blue damsels, and a black and white striped damsel. I've now got the tank cycling. My Ph is 8.4 and my salenity is 1.024, my Alk is around 2.8. Isn't that a little low for Alk. I want it to be a reef tank mainly, with a few fish.
The person that gave it to me had a crushed coral in the bottom, and I was wanting live sand. I'm affraid to remove the crushed coral because I think by leaving everything the same it's helping my tank cycle a little faster. If I pull out the old substrate, will it knock my tank out of wack? Can I just layer live sand over the crushed coral, or will that look like crap? What do you recommend? I was told the live sand would actually be better for a reef tank.
Jeremy
 
dreeves

dreeves

Active Member
If the tank only had 3-4 inches of water...then it is already knocked out of whack...
Best to do everything you want to it now before the cycle finishes..versus finishing and then causing another one...
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't put live sand over the crushed coral. You could add the sand now and (temporarily) put the old Cruched coral on top. that will maintain any bacteria to help seed the sand. The you can slowly remove the Crushed coral if you want.
 
overanalyzer

overanalyzer

Active Member

Originally posted by beaslbob
I wouldn't put live sand over the crushed coral. You could add the sand now and (temporarily) put the old Cruched coral on top. that will maintain any bacteria to help seed the sand. The you can slowly remove the Crushed coral if you want.
Take the crushed coral and put it into an old nylon - so you can put it on top like bob sugests. This will seed your sand bed. I would personally start it now and I would look to get rid of those damsels now too. See fy ou can get some store credit by returnignthem...
 
scotts

scotts

Active Member
Do a search on this board for changing CC to LFS. Many people have asked how to change over. Since you are just starting out now is the time to do the change. You may start a cycle. But it is better now than later.
BTW. Good job on getting a free tank. What size of tank is it?
Scott
 
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