Recipe For Success

[darkiss]

Just wanted to know if this sounds like a good Recipe for Success

29gallon tank
Oceanic Sea Salt: Currently at 1.024-1.025
one power head moving 425gph and another pengium filter hanging on back
100w heater kept at 78F


The water was filled up with normal tap water, but with all future water changes I will be using RO water.

The tank has cycled, during the first few days it turned very cloudy then it turned clear. Day or two after that 29pounds of live rock was added in to the tank. The live rock is full of coral and living organisms.

Daily the tank gets purpleUP.

Take age is perhaps 2weeks+


Alkalinity levels are at 120ppm so that is a bit low, so yesterday I added in reef fusion part 1 and part 2. Will not add any more reef fusion until tomorrow depending on alkalinity levels.

ph is low some, where between 7.5-7.8 ( going to have to buy a better ph testing kit ). Lots of fresh air around the tank, several windows open.

light is a Kessil A150W deep blue, the coral life on the live rock seam to love it, cept this one coral that retracts it's tenticals when the light is on, and then expands it when the light is off.



Clearly I don't know much about saltwater but I believe that I am learning quickly and very open to suggestions.

[sponger0]

Stop using Purple Up. Its a waste of money. Especially if you are going to use 2 part.

Secondly I would recommend getting a skimmer and ATO.

You havent mentioned any test results. Dont dose for anything you dont test for. You only mentioned Alk.

Dont go chasing pH. Just test for alk.

[darkiss]

I don't know if purple up is a wast of money, but perhaps it is if I am using 2 part. I have noticed that my rocks have been getting more purple over less than a week of using it.

Okay, I will no longer go chasing ph

Do you know all of the proper tests that I need to perform, and what brand to buy?

[sponger0]

If you are already dosing, purple up is a waste. Purple up is intended to help with coralline growth. All you need for coralline growth is proper alk and calcium levels. Dosing 2 part already does that.

But you dont know your calcium levels or havent stated them. So first thing you need to do, IMO, is stop dosing. Get some quality test, not API, and test calcium, alk, and magnesium. Now being a new tank, I would think you dont have any corals, so dosing isnt going to be necessary at this point. Most likely water changes will take care of that.

Brands of tests I would recommend are Salifet, Red Sea Pro (the ones in plastic black cases, or Hanna Checkers (minus the calcium one as it is reported as a major PITA)

[darkiss]

Correct, I have not tested my Calcium since I do not have a test for it.

So I will have to call all the stores around here and see if they carry any of the brands for tests in,
Calcium, Alkalinity , Magnesium and perhaps a new pH test just for fun

[darkiss]

[ msg erased due to double posting ]

[MrTuskfish]

Do you have a quarantine tank? If not, you're not ready for fish.

[sponger0]

Do you have a quarantine tank? If not, you're not ready for fish.

I agree that a QT should be setup.


Also...stop dosing until you know what your levels are at. They may just be fine and you just need to do weekly water changes.

[darkiss]

Yes I am not saying that I want to ad in fish or anything like that.... But I do have a extra 20gal long

Basically I just want to make sure everything is balanced and stay balanced before I think about fish.

[darkiss]

Sponger0, you said I might just need to do weekly water changes.. How would I know if I need to do weekly water changes? ( Test the water of the tank, then test the water after I mix in the salt and see if they are different? ) I can't do this until my RO water machine comes, should be some time next week.

[sponger0]

Yes I am not saying that I want to ad in fish or anything like that.... But I do have a extra 20gal long

Basically I just want to make sure everything is balanced and stay balanced before I think about fish.

The only thing you need in order for fish is a cycled tank and salinity of 1.022-1.026

Sponger0, you said I might just need to do weekly water changes.. How would I know if I need to do weekly water changes? ( Test the water of the tank, then test the water after I mix in the salt and see if they are different? ) I can't do this until my RO water machine comes, should be some time next week.

Check your water. Calcium alk and magnesium should be a certain level.
Alk 8-11
Magnesium - 1350
Calcium 550

But water changes never hurt when a tank is first started. Check with your LFS and see if they sell saltwater. Most LFS do.

[kurt_n]

...The tank has cycled, during the first few days it turned very cloudy then it turned clear. Day or two after that 29pounds of live rock was added in to the tank. The live rock is full of coral and living organisms.

Yeah... I know. I've already commented about the cycle in your other thread. But you didn't mention in that thread that you added the live rock AFTER you think it cycled. If you just had a tank filled with saltwater and sand with no ammonia source, there wasn't anything to cycle.

Daily the tank gets purpleUP.

Yeah... as others have said, throw that stuff away. It will do more harm than good.

[darkiss]

Currently it looks like my levels are:

Salt 1.025-1.026
Carbonate 143.2-179
Calcium 460ppm
ammonia .25-.50
ph 8.2-8.4

[darkiss]

Originally I was using <font size="4" color="#0000FF">profanity removed</font> Walmart testing strips. I now switched to less <font size="4" color="#0000FF">profanity removed</font> API and will have to switch to a good known brand once I balance out my checkbook.

[sponger0]

Your still cycling bro. IMO you shouldn't be dosing anything

[darkiss]

Yep I will stop all dosing of all things, this is true, I have already stopped and will continue to stop for a few weeks

[Supra97]

Your still cycling, just worry bout salinity, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate

[darkiss]

Great thanks I will just keep watching my ammonia until it goes to zero, then I will know the cycle has been completed, from the information i am learning.

[woodsonfan]

I agree with a lot of the above. If you don't have your standard test kit (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate), you can't really be sure if you're good to go.

I'm new, too. If you want the recipe for success - just take your time. I know how easy it is to want to get "stuff" in there, but enjoy the process, as it is hard work, and you will soon reap the benefits of your patience.

[acabgd]

Great thanks I will just keep watching my ammonia until it goes to zero, then I will know the cycle has been completed, from the information i am learning.

You would really need a nitrate test as well.

[darkiss]

I have a nitrate test but it is from Walmart on the test strip

[darkiss]

Anyway I am going to just wait and not drop any more chemicals in there till it is ready, even though fish store owner said to use purpleup

[ryeguyy84]

Anyway I am going to just wait and not drop any more chemicals in there till it is ready, even though fish store owner said to use purpleup

Of course he did... That's how he pays his bills. Coraline will come on its own I a few months

[Michigan Mike]

Coralline will come in time, mine took off after a few months.
Test three out of the big four. Ammonia,nitrite, nitrate,not so much PH.
I'm assuming you know how to cycle a tank...?

[kurt_n]

Originally I was using <font size="4" color="#0000FF">profanity removed</font> Walmart testing strips. I now switched to less <font size="4" color="#0000FF">profanity removed</font> API and will have to switch to a good known brand once I balance out my checkbook.

At this stage, API will do just fine for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate. No need to shell out more money than you have to at this point. Shoot... I still use API for ammonia and nitrite. But once you start adding livestock, you might want to switch to something with lower resolution for the nitrates. Salifert is a good one for that.

[darkiss]

Michigan Mike
Yes I just have live rock and live sand in there and just waiting for my ammonia levels of .25-.50 to drop down and raise my nitrite before I do a smaller water change.

Kurt_n
Thanks yes I bought 6 api tests for 30$ because I told the fish store owner that is all i had =] I am happy they read better than the walmart strips