Updates on new SW tank
- Thread starter woodymdt
- Start date
divingdi
Member
Quick update on my four-day-old set-up: So far, no significant changes in pH, NO2, NO3, Ammonia or salinity. I'm adding fresh water every day to compensate for evaporation.
Question #1: Is any reverse-osmosis or distilled water OK? The stuff I bought indicates it's purified by RO and/or de-ionization.
The shrimpy thingies are happily building tunnels in the top layer of the sand. I'm now suspecting they're arthropods of some sort.
The cocktail shrimp is doing its thing -- unfortunately on the side of one of the live rocks.
Question #2: The substrate and powerheads are accumulating a fine layer of what looks like greenish/brownish dust. Isn't this a bit quick, given that my tank is less than a week old? Is this the infamous diatom buildup I've read about? I'm at work, so can't take a picture at the moment, but will tomorrow morning, if that will help.
Question #3: I'm not convinced the surface movement is adequate. There seems to be several dead spots, and dust wants to accumulate on the surface. Any suggestions on what i can do? I'm running a CPR bak-pak with a Maxi-jet 1200 powerhead and a Rio 180. TIA.
:notsure:
Question #1: Is any reverse-osmosis or distilled water OK? The stuff I bought indicates it's purified by RO and/or de-ionization.
The shrimpy thingies are happily building tunnels in the top layer of the sand. I'm now suspecting they're arthropods of some sort.
The cocktail shrimp is doing its thing -- unfortunately on the side of one of the live rocks.
Question #2: The substrate and powerheads are accumulating a fine layer of what looks like greenish/brownish dust. Isn't this a bit quick, given that my tank is less than a week old? Is this the infamous diatom buildup I've read about? I'm at work, so can't take a picture at the moment, but will tomorrow morning, if that will help.
Question #3: I'm not convinced the surface movement is adequate. There seems to be several dead spots, and dust wants to accumulate on the surface. Any suggestions on what i can do? I'm running a CPR bak-pak with a Maxi-jet 1200 powerhead and a Rio 180. TIA.
:notsure:
divingdi
Member
Originally posted by gfk
yes RO/DI water is ideal. its what comes in those water machines outside of walmart and safeway etc. it is reverse osmosis/ di ionized water that you want
Thanks! That makes me feel better. I was afraid it had to be reverse osmosis AND de-ionized water, not either/or.
woodymdt
Member
Yes that is probably diatoms...they'll burn off as your tank cycles and the chemical levels straighten out.
As far as surface movement, I'm not sure about the skimmer, but you might try moving your PH flow towards the top, let it churn at the surface and then move through the tank. With a 1200 and your small tank, that should be sufficient, unless your LR is blocking some of the flow. Play around with it, see what works best for your setup!
As far as surface movement, I'm not sure about the skimmer, but you might try moving your PH flow towards the top, let it churn at the surface and then move through the tank. With a 1200 and your small tank, that should be sufficient, unless your LR is blocking some of the flow. Play around with it, see what works best for your setup!
divingdi
Member
Thanks, Woody. I moved the PH as high as it would go (which was only about a half inch from where I had it) and removed the outlet adapter. That improved the surface movement a bit. I'll watch to see if that works better over the long haul.
The little arthropods (or whatever they are) are having a wonderful time, and the sand is clean as a whistle everywhere but one corner that they haven't yet discovered.
The little arthropods (or whatever they are) are having a wonderful time, and the sand is clean as a whistle everywhere but one corner that they haven't yet discovered.
woodymdt
Member
Originally posted by DivingDi
Thanks, Woody. I moved the PH as high as it would go (which was only about a half inch from where I had it) and removed the outlet adapter. That improved the surface movement a bit. I'll watch to see if that works better over the long haul.
The little arthropods (or whatever they are) are having a wonderful time, and the sand is clean as a whistle everywhere but one corner that they haven't yet discovered.
They'll make their way to it before long. If not, once you start adding your snails and crabs, they'll find it tasty as well.
Sounds like your tank is coming along fine.
no real news to report here...Murray is making quick work of the hair algae. Emeril is helping as well. Things are going along swimmingly.
We might move our clown fish purchase up a week or two. Will keep everyone apprised of that.
:jumping:
gonefishn
Member
Hello.
Nice thread going, very informative. Thanks.:happy:
You all never talk much about PH. Is that something that just carries itself from the live rock? I just can't imagine you buy water from walmart that has a ph of anything but about 7 right? What do you do to get your ph right?
Nice thread going, very informative. Thanks.:happy:
You all never talk much about PH. Is that something that just carries itself from the live rock? I just can't imagine you buy water from walmart that has a ph of anything but about 7 right? What do you do to get your ph right?
woodymdt
Member
OK, so the Mrs. wanted to go to our local LFS and look around...so we're there, and we see a couple things that look cool, are easy to keep (according to the LFS girl, whom we've come to trust) and they're not that expensive.
So we buy a very (VERY) small pink zenia for $8, and two small mushroom pieces for $8.
Get home, acclimate, a few hours later I take the zenia out of the bag and put it on a rock...a couple minutes and it's floating in the breeze (ok, current, but anyway)....get the shrooms placed, they seem to be doing ok.
The zenia I put lower in the tank, and it looks like it's ok, not being pushed around...when it pops loose, and goes under a piece of rock...well I pull the rock up, can't find it....look a few other places, still can't find it. Did my fire shrimp eat it? I don't know....
but somewhere underneath my LR, there is a small (bout the size of a q-tip top) piece of zenia hanging out somewhere......
There is my $8 lesson for the day. DO NOT BUY super small pieces of coral. Unless someone wants to give me the cure all for placing them???
So we buy a very (VERY) small pink zenia for $8, and two small mushroom pieces for $8.
Get home, acclimate, a few hours later I take the zenia out of the bag and put it on a rock...a couple minutes and it's floating in the breeze (ok, current, but anyway)....get the shrooms placed, they seem to be doing ok.
The zenia I put lower in the tank, and it looks like it's ok, not being pushed around...when it pops loose, and goes under a piece of rock...well I pull the rock up, can't find it....look a few other places, still can't find it. Did my fire shrimp eat it? I don't know....
but somewhere underneath my LR, there is a small (bout the size of a q-tip top) piece of zenia hanging out somewhere......
There is my $8 lesson for the day. DO NOT BUY super small pieces of coral. Unless someone wants to give me the cure all for placing them???
woodymdt
Member
Originally posted by Gonefishn
Hello.
Nice thread going, very informative. Thanks.:happy:
You all never talk much about PH. Is that something that just carries itself from the live rock? I just can't imagine you buy water from walmart that has a ph of anything but about 7 right? What do you do to get your ph right?
Gone, we haven't added anything yet to increase PH, and since my tank cycled, our PH has stood at 8.0 - 8.2
Maybe we're just lucky...?
Thanks for the kind words, keep reading, it's bound to get better.
We're about two weeks from getting our clown pair, and hopefully an anemone that they will/are hosting.
divingdi
Member
My pH has been pretty much constant at 8.2 also Gone -- perhaps because I started with water from my lfs. Of course, the tank is only a week old, so who knows what may happen. Meanwhile the brown algae or diatoms or whatever are running AMOK!
Originally posted by woodymdt
We're about two weeks from getting our clown pair, and hopefully an anemone that they will/are hosting.
That's VERY exciting, Woody! I was browsing today, and can hardly wait to put some "real" livestock into my setup.
Btw, does anyone have any IDs on the critters I posted yesterday? Please? :notsure:
Originally posted by woodymdt
We're about two weeks from getting our clown pair, and hopefully an anemone that they will/are hosting.
That's VERY exciting, Woody! I was browsing today, and can hardly wait to put some "real" livestock into my setup.
Btw, does anyone have any IDs on the critters I posted yesterday? Please? :notsure:
woodymdt
Member
Originally posted by DivingDi
And does anyone know what this critter might be? I just noticed both it and the white fluffy thing tonight for the first time.
:notsure:
Not sure on this one...but it's cool. the white flowery thing...might be a feather duster...we have LOADS of them on our LR.