Time to buy!

[Irishman360]

So my company just awarded me with a hefty amount of Amazon GC's:bounce3:, so I have decided to use them towards my tank. My tank is almost done cycling, is has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 2.0 nitrate (Red Sea test kit) and I just started ghost feeding to get it up to 2PPM for ammonia to see if it will clear out in 24hrs. How soon can I test to see if I get an ammonia spike? I am feeding with pellets.

Any ways I was plan on getting a 2-3 power head units. One to mix my salt water and two for my tank. Do I need two for my tank or would I be okay with just one? Does the flow rate matter for mixing the salt water compared to the flow in the tank?

Second buy would be an RO/DI unit. Are there any goods ones out there that can do a 1:1 ratio or do the good ones usually have a higher ratio?

Third buy would be a skimmer for my sump. My room in the sump is 11 1/2 x 8. Are there certain skimmers I should stay away from? Before I built my sump I was going to do the Reef Octopus space saver since it came with the pump installed on the bottom of it.

And my last buy would be stuff for my QT tank. HOB filter, air stones, pump.

Is there anything else to consider getting for my tank that I might need down the road? Also I only have one heater for my tank can I move it to my sump or would it be smart to get a second one? If i got a second one what tank size would it need to be? 60 gallon because of the display, 20 gallon for the sump or a happy medium of 40-30 gal size?

[ericarenee]

I would Get a Water pump for your mixing tank not a wave pump.
For the display tank two wave maker pumps prob 600 gph range each would be plenty. Get something with a controller might be best if you have the funds.
As far as the skimmer check bulkreeef suppy on skimmers that are for a tank a bit larger then yours. you can then shop on amazon for one. Reef Octopus would be fine . Just get a name brand. Mine is a Skimz brand and it seems to be great. The heater you want to be for the total water volume. I bought a coralife rodi unit and had issues with the fittings leaking.. I Would get a good name brand like from brs or spectrum. I am sure there are others that are good. You can get less waste water by getting a Dual membrane RO UNIT. They also produce 150 gpd . it basically pushes the waste water back thru membrane a second time. .Get one with a Dual tds meter and Pressure guage.. Be sure it comes with DOW CORNING Membrane . in my opinion none other will due...

Good Luck and HAPPY SHOPPING..

[thegrun]

If the tank has cycled (did you see an initial ammonia spike?) you may never see another spike by only ghost feeding, you would need to add pure ammonia without surfactants to do that.
It would be better to use two powerheads in your tank to get better cross flow and avoid very low flow areas. The size pump you need to mix saltwater depends upon how big of a container you are using to mix the saltwater. I use a 500 gph pump in a 30 gallon brute trash can.
I think you are going to see a greater than 1:1 waste water rate unless you buy a very high end unit with a booster pump.
I like the AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer for that footprint.

[Irishman360]

I would Get a Water pump for your mixing tank not a wave pump.
For the display tank two wave maker pumps prob 600 gph range each would be plenty. Get something with a controller might be best if you have the funds.
As far as the skimmer check bulkreeef suppy on skimmers that are for a tank a bit larger then yours. you can then shop on amazon for one. Reef Octopus would be fine . Just get a name brand. Mine is a Skimz brand and it seems to be great. The heater you want to be for the total water volume. I bought a coralife rodi unit and had issues with the fittings leaking.. I Would get a good name brand like from brs or spectrum. I am sure there are others that are good. You can get less waste water by getting a Dual membrane RO UNIT. They also produce 150 gpd . it basically pushes the waste water back thru membrane a second time. .Get one with a Dual tds meter and Pressure guage.. Be sure it comes with DOW CORNING Membrane . in my opinion none other will due...

Good Luck and HAPPY SHOPPING..

Thanks for the solid advice and response. Since this being my first time I want to make sure I start off right.

If the tank has cycled (did you see an initial ammonia spike?) you may never see another spike by only ghost feeding, you would need to add pure ammonia without surfactants to do that.
It would be better to use two powerheads in your tank to get better cross flow and avoid very low flow areas. The size pump you need to mix saltwater depends upon how big of a container you are using to mix the saltwater. I use a 500 gph pump in a 30 gallon brute trash can.
I think you are going to see a greater than 1:1 waste water rate unless you buy a very high end unit with a booster pump.
I like the AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer for that footprint.

About two weeks ago I threw some raw shrimp in the tank for 3 days, took it out and tested the next day and had a spike of 2 PPM. I thohght I read you could ghost feed to get a spike and if it's gone in 24 hrs your tank has cycled. How much ammonia would I have to dose with to reach the 2PPM and would it give me a reading on the kit right away?

[ericarenee]

Thanks for the solid advice and response. Since this being my first time I want to make sure I start off right.



About two weeks ago I threw some raw shrimp in the tank for 3 days, took it out and tested the next day and had a spike of 2 PPM. I thought I read you could ghost feed to get a spike and if it's gone in 24 hrs your tank has cycled. How much ammonia would I have to dose with to reach the 2PPM and would it give me a reading on the kit right away?

He is actually right. If the tank Has a Sustainable Amount of beneficial Bacteria . Feeding alone will not spike the Ammonia. You are just feeding them to maintain there Population. adding pure Ammonia will stress there levels(feeding them more then they can consume in short time frame). then the 24 hour period they catch up and Clear the ammonia away..This is why you NEVER add a bunch of fish at once . To let the Bacteria build as the Bio load does.
So you may be Further along on that part then you thought. There is not really a set time period for the tank to become stable.But waiting a few more weeks is certainly in your favor .
the above comment is also true about the ro/di unit.Of Course you can get a standard unit and upgrade it as you can. That is what I have done.