125 Gallon Build

[roberthu526]

Finally closed on our new house 10 days ago. The first thing I moved over is of course the aquarium and my tools for building the stand.

Some 2X4s and 2X6 and the stand is done. Still needs to wrap it up but at least I have something to put my tank on.

I used Caribsea base rock and Special Grade live sand. Here are some photos after adding sand and water in the tank. It was cloudy for 4 days until I turned the return pump on...

I basically used epoxy to attach some small rocks to two quarter inch think acrylic sheets and put them in the tank as my aquascaping base so the rocks don't slide around. Then dumped the live sand in and tried to move them around with my hands. I got say it was hard than I thought because the tank is so deep and the stand I built was a little too high...

But I am glad it finally cleared up after almost a week. The aquascaping took me another 3 days which involved a couple of times totally redo everything but here is the product I am pretty happy with.

 

[roberthu526]

I hooked the heaters up to the Apex controller and test the water for another week and made sure the tank is pretty stable. Then headed to the LFS and got a pair of clowns, a solon fairy wrass and a orange spot goby. I also got a scarlet shrimp and 10 hermit crabs.
Used two bottles of bio-spira. Today is day three and I test the water with 0 ammonia which is a good sign. Everyone is eating fine the fairy wrass because I can't find him any where... He was eating brine shrimp fine yesterday. Hopefully he is Okay. Don't think he jumped out because I have the full tank covered. We will see if he comes out tomorrow.

 

[roberthu526]

Today is Day 5 and the solon fairy wrass has been missing since yesterday but my wife confirmed she saw it swimming this afternoon so at least it's still in the tank, alive. But one of the nemos disappeared today...
One thing that is comforting is everything I can see through the glass seems to be healthy and happy. Hopefully the wrass and nemo will show themselves soon.
Water tested Okay with 0 0 0 results.

 

[thegrun]

Did you cycle the tank before adding livestock?!!!

 

[MMacro]

If your levels are reading 0 0 0 after 5 days then your cycle has most likely not even started yet...

 

[MrsReefK]

You seem to have some knowledge, writing 000 tells us you know what a cycle is. Did you have proof of a cycling occurring?

 

[roberthu526]

Thank you for your concerns. I used two bottles of Bio-Spira before adding live stock. I expect to see signs of nitrate later this week. I think part of the reason nitrate is showing 0 is the tank is too big for 4 small fish that are about 10 inches in length combined. Besides I only feed 1/3 cube of brine shrimp every day.

I have used Bio-Spira to cycle my 40G and 20G QT with very good results so that's why I trust it in my 125G. Also since the inverts are doing fine I feel pretty comfortable about the cycling process because inverts are more sensitive about ammonia and nitrite.

My plan is once I see nitrate, I will turn my skimmer on. Plan to do the first water change this Saturday.

 

[roberthu526]

Another thing about nitrate I have observed is a good protein skimmer really works wonders. I have an in-sump skimmer rated for 180G working on my 40 breeder and it pulls really dark thick skimmate. Despite the fact that I feed heavily considering there are only 4 small fishes in that tank, the nitrate level in that tank is constantly low either non-detectable or between 0-5ppm.

On the other hand my 20G QT with a HOB skimmer always have over 20 nitrate no matter even if I do 15% water change twice a week and there are only two fishes in there.

So to determine if a tank is fully cycled, readings on water parameters really can't be relied on solely which is somewhat concerning..

 

[roberthu526]

Did another water test tonight and as expected ammonia is still at 0 and nitrate was finally detected maybe around 5ppm. One thing made me worry is the solon fairy wrasse is in hiding again. Is it normal for the wrasse to hide if the environment is relatively dark?

 

[bif24701]

Did another water test tonight and as expected ammonia is still at 0 and nitrate was finally detected maybe around 5ppm. One thing made me worry is the solon fairy wrasse is in hiding again. Is it normal for the wrasse to hide if the environment is relatively dark?

How long do you let your test sit before you check it?

 

[bif24701]

Also do you shake the nitrate testers?

 

[bif24701]

Thank you for your concerns. I used two bottles of Bio-Spira before adding live stock. I expect to see signs of nitrate later this week. I think part of the reason nitrate is showing 0 is the tank is too big for 4 small fish that are about 10 inches in length combined. Besides I only feed 1/3 cube of brine shrimp every day.

I have used Bio-Spira to cycle my 40G and 20G QT with very good results so that's why I trust it in my 125G. Also since the inverts are doing fine I feel pretty comfortable about the cycling process because inverts are more sensitive about ammonia and nitrite.

My plan is once I see nitrate, I will turn my skimmer on. Plan to do the first water change this Saturday.

You should have done a water change before adding live stock

Bio-Spira doesn't instantly cycle a system

You should be running the skimmer now. Skimmers remove waste before they break down into ammonia, nitrate, nitrite.

You need to change the water asap.

Just because you tank is over 125 gallons doesn't mean you won't have ammonia problems. If I where you I would be concerned with ammonia and nitrite not nitrate.

Adding that much live stock to a new system can still cause a deadly ammonia spike even if your tank was cycled properly and it wasn't.

If you didn't add a source of ammonia then there can not be nitrifying bacteria to break down the toxic ammonia.

 

[bif24701]

Did another water test tonight and as expected ammonia is still at 0 and nitrate was finally detected maybe around 5ppm. One thing made me worry is the solon fairy wrasse is in hiding again. Is it normal for the wrasse to hide if the environment is relatively dark?

Did you test nitrite? That is much more toxic than nitrate.

 

[bif24701]

Read this about the nitrate test.

 

[roberthu526]

Read this about the nitrate test.

I see you are very concerned and I appreciate. But yes I have read this post years ago before I started my first freshwater tank and I follow the instruction religiously. Also, Bio-Spira does cycle a tank instantly. It is not my first saltwater tank and I have read many articles and reviews about it and based on my past experience I am confident with it. Also I know Mr. Saltwatertank on youtube also trust bacterial additives.

Regarding the water change. All I know is if you use dead live rock with dead organics, you will need to cure the rock with heated saltwater so the organic matters can breakdown. At the end of curing process you should change 100% of the saltwater before puttting the rock in the tank. But the rock I use is reef saver which was mined from inland so it doesn't have any organic matters attached to it. That's I didn't go through the curing process.

I appreciate your concerns and finding the links for me. I have been doing that for 8 months now and I researched for 6 months before I started my first saltwater tank. This is 125G is my 3rd tank and I am still researching and learning new things everyday.

 

[bif24701]

Well then congratulations on your new house and aquarium.

 

[roberthu526]

Thank you I am excited about my new journey!
I really hope some who have experience with solon fairy wrasse can share their thoughts on why my fish is hiding so much.

 

[bif24701]

How is the tank? Did you find your fish?


Aaron