2 month old tank parameters

[Nanook]

Nitrate is 15

Phosphate is .21

Alkalinity is 7.4

Calcium is 475

Magnesium is 1350

Temp is 78

SG is 1.025


Tank is almost two months now, 320 pounds of live rock plus another 100 pounds in the sump. I've probably overfed Larry's frozen reef formula and pellet food by NLS. I haven't water changed yet or run GFO. Wanting to add frags in a week or two and curious what the experienced SPS folks would advise. Tank is 470 gallons with 4" DSB.

Thanks

 

[jgal912]

Would bump your alk a bit and try to keep the alk stable.
You should prolly get your nitrates down to.
Maybe start with cheap frags.

 

[reefmutt]

Well, if nuisance algae is not an issue and you plan to keep current parameters where they are, then why not?
But if you want to pull down p, which even for me, is a bit on the high side, I’d say do that first.
Alk and n are perfect in my books
Forget.. do you run an algae fuge? Carx or dosing? Are/will you carbon dose?

 

[reefmutt]

Oh! I just noticed for the first time that you have a big tanganyikan tank! I looooove tanganyikan cichlids. Favorite cichlids. They are what got me into reefing.
Post a pic! Just a quick one... or two.. come on! Nobody’ll notice, I swear!!

 

[fishguy597]

With all that live rock I would've thought your nitrates would be lower. Do you have fish in already? Just curious going to start up my 400 in the next few months.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Do a 50% water change if possible. That should get no3 and po4 just about perfect. Then add sps, should be fine. Start with hardier monti caps, birdsnest, digi, these are all good start up sps for a new tank.

 

[abhishek@1985]

You are an experienced reefkeeper yourself man ! Nothing new to tell you . If these parameters are holding, thats all that matters to me. Sure PO4 is a little high by standards but many successful reef tanks have way higher .

SPS - Stability Promotes Success as Greg Carroll says . If its stable I wont sweat it man . They look just fine to me .

Regarding starting with cheap frags - its personal decision ! Doesnt mean I would put a RR Jaw Dropper or a Tyree Purple Monster. But I always believe put corals you would love to keep long term , not just test subjects . If you really love caps and birdsnest so be it ! But I won't put it just for the sake of testing water only to struggle to take them out later as they take up woo much real estate.
There are lots of cheaper frags of acropora that you might want to keep long term .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Yeah I was surprised to see Nanook asking a question like this as well, pretty experienced reefer. You got this man. I still would do a big water changes but thats just me, I would also ne waiting a little longer to add corals. But again thats just me and what I do from what I have learned. Not saying its not safe to add corals now.

 

[Pife]

Dave I think you know that I'd drip lanthum chloride into your skimmer body to cut those phosphates. It's cheaper than gfo and I think easier. A couple 200 gallon water changes would work too. Let me know if you need a hand with either.

 

[Nanook]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies!

I did a 200 gallon water change and put a 4x20" GEO media Reactor with a couple pounds of GFO in the sump. I have a heavy hand with feeding Larry's reef food and pellets, but I have a ton of critters I'm trying to build up too in the rock/sand. I also have a decent fishload for a two month old tank.

I started with filler corals last time around and learned to put in now what I want to look at for the next few years If it's ugly it'll grow like a weed:lol:

I'm still adding live rock to my sump to help beef up the filter as well. I'm Leary of using LACL.

 

[Nanook]

375 Tanganyika pics for reefmutt

 

[reefmutt]

Nice! Thanks Dave
Altolamprologus may be my favorite group of fresh water fish.
Love your filtration system for the tank as well.

 

[Nanook]

Thanks! That’s just shy of 30 gallons of bioballs. The fish are all babies, so there will be some challenges as they grow, for sure the Frontosa will be thinned down to 9-12 adults.

Current list:

27 Gibberosa Lupota
2 altolamprologus compressiceps Gold head
2 alt comp Chaitika Gold
6 julidochromis marksmith
2 alt calvus Zambia
2 alt calvus Chaitika white
2 alt calvus Livua Congo black
6 neolamprologus leleupi
6 greenwoodchromis bellcrossi
Coming next week 4 Gnathochromis permaxillaris

Should be beautiful when they grow up, debating a manzanita stump/root to add some height dimensionality.

 

[reefmutt]

Challenges.. I’ll say. 27 frontosas!
How much does the root affect ph and alkalinity? I guess in that large a tank, it’s not so bad.. unless it’s a big piece..
Love that fish list.
Do you have a fts?

 

[Nanook]

Manzanita is pretty much inert. I’ll get a good full tank shot

 

[jda]

Is the rock live, or was it dry? If live, then just keep on going. If dry, then I would get some GFO on there never letting the P get below .05... you are going to have more to come.

The parameters are all fine.

As the sand gets established with anoxic areas in the deep, the N will drift down near zero.

Do you have a fuge? If one is in your plans, then you might be ready for it.

 

[Nanook]

Is the rock live, or was it dry? If live, then just keep on going. If dry, then I would get some GFO on there never letting the P get below .05... you are going to have more to come.

The parameters are all fine.

As the sand gets established with anoxic areas in the deep, the N will drift down near zero.

Do you have a fuge? If one is in your plans, then you might be ready for it.

It was flown in Fiji Pukani live rock, very fresh! I did add some GFO for good measure as well. I'm going a bit fast so this is somewhat expected I guess.

 

[jda]

Change some water. The growing microfauna might need some trace minerals for their proper development.

 

[abhishek@1985]

Thanks! That's just shy of 30 gallons of bioballs. The fish are all babies, so there will be some challenges as they grow, for sure the Frontosa will be thinned down to 9-12 adults.

Current list:

27 Gibberosa Lupota
2 altolamprologus compressiceps Gold head
2 alt comp Chaitika Gold
6 julidochromis marksmith
2 alt calvus Zambia
2 alt calvus Chaitika white
2 alt calvus Livua Congo black
6 neolamprologus leleupi
6 greenwoodchromis bellcrossi
Coming next week 4 Gnathochromis permaxillaris

Should be beautiful when they grow up, debating a manzanita stump/root to add some height dimensionality.

Forget the reef tank !!!! Now my eyes are glued on the fronts ..
I always wanted to setup a tropheus and petrochromis only tank but the damn expense of reef and especially acros have always got in the way .

Post some pics of the alpha male among the fronts .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[DesertReefT4r]

375 Tanganyika pics for reefmutt

Very cool. Love a well done cichlid tank.