75 gal with 55 gal sump newly setup (new to hobbie)

[Staisman]

DAY 14: Ammonia 0; Nitrites finally started to move down and now 2 ppm; Nitrates skyrocket to 80 ppm and Phosphates 0.5 ppm.

 

[Shawn O]

I like the 3d background.

 

[Staisman]

Thank you, I can't wait when it's gonna be covered in coralline algae


Who knows what is it? I have this fuz all over my rocks

 

[Staisman]

DAY 15: Ammonia 0ppm; my Nitrites finally dropped to 0 ppm; Nitrates are 80 ppm. I did 40% water change and my nitrates went down to 40 ppm.
I went to the LFS and bought my CUC: 5 Turbo snails, 5 Nassarius snails, two emerald crabs, 1 fire shrimp, 5 blue hermit crabs, one urchin and some chaeto for my refugium. The two emeralds went to my rocks and start eating that fuz off my rock like crazy. Very happy, now I can watch some movement in my aquarium .

 

[Aerixx]

Thats one huge impressive looking sump!

 

[Staisman]

Thats one huge impressive looking sump!

Ha ha yea it's little overkill for my 75 gal but listen why to spend more for another tank so I decide to utilize what I have . The sump brings me to the 100 gal overall volume of my system (minus the rock and sand) which is good
Also my refugium section is 21''x12''x14'' which is 15 gal.

 

[uncleL]

That is Looking Outstanding! Makes me want to upgrade now!

 

[Staisman]

Thank you

 

[Staisman]

Here is couple pics of my new inhabitants

 

[Staisman]

I have a question about refugium lighting, i am currently running them for 8 hours at night opposite from my tank, should I increase to 12 hours?
Also I am using one 12'' single T8 bulb that usually comes with aquarium kits is it enough?

 

[Teenreefer15]

Beautiful tank! I don't see why you would just diss the cichlids and switch over so quickly. That must have been very hard on you. Anyway I'm glad you did it. I enjoy my reefs with great pride. Have fun!

 

[Staisman]

Thank you, I didn't ditch them quickly, I had this tank for over 3 years and I wanted saltwater so badly so finally I decide to switch. It was hard, won't argue here

 

[Staisman]

Shrimp vs Emerald crab battle for piece of sea weed.

PS Crab WON

 

[Staisman]

Got today additions to my CUC from Reef Cleaners. All came alive except half of the limpets were separated from its shell and bag smelled bad. Right now only 2 from 10 are moving, lets hope rest will acclimate soon.

Here is what i got.
Qty Product Name Price Total
5 Scarlet Hermit Crab* $3.00 $15.00
10 Nerite Snail $0.75 $7.50
10 Limpets* $0.75 $7.50
10 Florida Cerith $0.60 $6.00
15 Empty Hermit Shells $0.08 $1.20
30 Dwarf Cerith $0.17 $5.10
5 Nassarius Vibex $0.45 $2.25
1 5 Red Mangroves $6.00 $6.00
1 Chaeto $5.50 $5.50
1 Pods+ $10.00

 

[Staisman]

UPDATE: It is almost 4 weeks since I set my tank up. Everything was great until I start having DIATOMS bloom. My Nitrates jumping everyday from 10 ppm to 80 ppm. I did two water changes but they keep rising.
Find out that my RO/DI filters need to be replaced. So I replaced all three filters and my water purity is 23ppm right now, and I have 45 ppm from a faucet. So I ordered a new membrane and will replace it before I gonna do another water change. I doubt that is a cause of my diatom bloom though.
I guess I gonna wait for now and monitor it.
My parameters now are:
10/8/2014 CA -440ppm KH -200ppm PH -8.3 SG -1.025 Po4 -0.25 No3 -80ppm

 

[Pigpen17]

Very nice set up. Following.

I miss my Green Spotted Puffer, Sigmund. My forever fish. I had him for close to 12 years before he passed. The last 5 or so in his own 30 gallon cube.

Ditto on the background. I really like the look of it. CUC looks good too.

 

[cgonzalez]

great looking aquascape

 

[CodeBlueMedic]

Yeah I gotta say...I'm flippin jealous!

 

[Staisman]

Thank you guys, but it looks like **** right now with all that rusty diatoms everywhere. My CUC can't keep up with it and I am running with no lights right now.

Today I found that my Fire shrimp molted, it was really scary, I thought it died. Last week two of my hermits molted also, I bought shells for them and three of them changed their shells same night. I love salt water even it's so much money compare to FW but it also so much fun.

 

[Staisman]

Ok time for an update. Diatoms are all gone, took about two week for them to disappear.
Also I acclimate my old friend Green Spotted Puffer to salt water and he is the first fish in my tank. Looks good in there.

Also I got some hitchhikers with a rock, they look like Polyps or Zoas