Black Friday Tank Build

[leviburns89]

I should also add, expect a wicked cloudy tank for up to a day. My tank took about 16 hours to settle fully, with filter running full blast. It's normal. You can and should vacuum at least once a week, and after about a month, the fines will be removed, twas my experience at least

 

[Lilbitreefer]

The tank is a Deep Blue 120 reef ready tank. Yeah this is going to be interesting. Not sure 30 gallons will cover the rock. I have already done the measurements. and it is going to be about 14 " I think. I used a calculator and with the dimensions of my tank I will only be able to get 6". I think I posted some pic of how the rock is going to be set up. I have some plate rock so maybe since those will be on the top maybe I can just rest those under water and then when I have enough water to run the rest then I can put them in place. I just realized the test kit I have does not measure phosphates. I can only see ammonia which is really high. I did a water change today so I guess we'll check back in a week. The weird thing is I cured some rock for about a month then read about the phosphates and muriatic acid and since I just got in some new rock to cure as well I decided to acid wash it all. Well I think the acid got rid of the outer later of rock and revealed all the phosphate ridden nooks and crannies because now it smells pretty bad. There wasn't such a problem the first go around before the muriatic acid.

 

[leviburns89]

Did you neutralize the acid via backing soda?

I don't know where you live, but where I am, I have found several Craigslist offers for totes and brutes, just to be able to give you the added initial volume.

I found out that the initial filling of the tank, was the hardest part so far. Just having to make that much sw at once, and then once it's done, you never have to make that much again.

Maybe you can check with your local club and see if someone has a brute or two you can use just till you have enough to cover the rock.

As far as your ammonia, have you been ghost feeding? Where is the ammonia coming from?

 

[mgoulding]

Following along!

 

[Lilbitreefer]

Water inside!

Water inside!

So I finally got my rock cured......I think it was ammonia was zero.

 

[Lilbitreefer]

Is this enough rock for 120G? I also have a bunch of rubble rock in the sump. IT is Pukani rock.

 

[leviburns89]

It looks about right, you can add more as time permits. The key is keeping your sump stocked with as much as you can.

That is a wicked shelf

 

[Lilbitreefer]

So I got the skimmer up and running. started the cycle. I am trying the red sea reef mature pro kit to see if that helps cycle it faster or better. here are pictures of underneath. I still got a bit of pipe noise but that is just minor.

 

[Yaneznayu]

Following along and like your setup. Curious to see if the reef sea mature kit helps speed up the cycle for you.

 

[Lilbitreefer]

I will be posting my lab values as well in accordance with what the directions says
Day 2
Alkalinity 237 Caco3
13.2 Dkh

 

[Lilbitreefer]

I plan on putting mated pairs of fish to see if they will reproduce. The rock I have has some decent sized nooks and crannies that would create a safe haven't for baby fish.

 

[leviburns89]

Lol love the tube lights in the sump area, makes it look pretty cool.

What light is that above the dt?

 

[Lilbitreefer]

Current US marine orbit 36-48".

 

[Lilbitreefer]

So I am day 3 into my red sea mature pro reef cycling kit. Everything is going according to the directions. lab values are
Alkalinity: 13.9
Nitrite: 0.1
Nitrate: 15

 

[Lilbitreefer]

Sand question

Sand question

So this carib sea instant ocean direct I bought is really I mean really fine. There are some good chunks in it but if I barely touch it a big plum erupt and makes my tank cloudy. So far any horizontal surface in my tank is coated in this thin film,. Is there anything I can do about it? Will it hurt any future fish gills? I am worried the fine sand will clog their gills and kill them any thoughts?

 

[Lilbitreefer]

So yesterdays lab values were not able to be obtained due to working 36 hours this weekend and out of an only 48 HR weekend. I did the water change and the alkalinity was 12.2, Nitrates were at 50 I think, protein skimmer did not seemed to skimming much. I played with it today and I think it is actually doing what it is supposed to do now. Nitrites were 0, ammonia was 20 or so. Do I need to be working about the alkalinity being so high?

 

[Lilbitreefer]

Test Results
Ammonia 0.2
Nitrite o.1
Nitrate 20

 

[leviburns89]

The alk does seem a bit high. Not too sure on if that will be a hazard.

Cycle seems to be going well, just keep on course until that ammonia disappears.

What is your water change routine?

Also, is your sand piling up in off places, or is it just cloudy when disturbed? It took my sand about 4 rounds of vacuum during wc to finally mellow out on the cloudiness. It still gets a bit murky, but those first few times it was milk

 

[Lilbitreefer]

Just when I disturb it. Should I be vacuuming the sand and letting the sock filter out the milk just in the water column> I have to turn off the ATO because the water will back up in the socks. I am following the directions and it says to do a 5% water change on day 7 and 14.

 

[Lilbitreefer]

Super excited. I was checking out the abis of white rock and sand started seeing brown patches all over the tops of the rock and some parts of sand! Looks like I am going in the right direction. I tossed in a hermit crab the other day and he is still alive. Kinda weird but any time I come near the tank he hides in his shell. I guess he is a little traumatized cause when I scooped him out of the other tank I scrubbed his shell to get rid of the hair algae. Not sure if I should have done that but now he is cleaned.