Brand new to the Hobby!

[lalaallieu]

Hey,

I'm Lauren! I'm working on my first tank in a long time. I've had two other saltwater aquariums in the past, (a 10g nano tank) and a 29g biocube. I just purchased a 60g aquarium and am getting it set up. This is the first time i've mixed my own water (always purchased from fish stores previously) so when I went to make mine I used tap water. My nitrates were through the roof, and I was getting diatoms in my tank. All my other levels were at 0. So, quickly learning from my mistake, I purchased a 4 stage RODI system and it will be here tomorrow. I am planning to drain the tank this weekend and maybe scrub my live rock to get the diatoms off the tank. I also plan to refill the tank. I'm using Instant Ocean salt mix. I do plan to keep corals and read that I need to have very specific calcium levels and a few other levels. My question is that with the master test kit I purchased it doesn't include a test for calcium? Do I need to buy a calcium test kit? How do I get calcium and other elements needed in my tank for proper coral growth?

Sincerely,
Lauren the Noob

 

[top shelf]

Welcome!
I wouldn't worry about scrubbing your LR as diatoms are a natural part of tank progression and they will come and go with time as the tank ages and matures. What brand test kit did you buy? If it lacks a calcium test I wouldn't call it a master test kit. To start all you will need is ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to track the cycle. After that get a decent test for CA, Alk, mag, phosphate, and nitrate should be leftover from original cycle. The main elements you are referring to are magnesium, calcium, and alkalinity which will be in your salt. In the beginning wc should be enough to keep.up with consumption. After you start stocking with corals depending the type you will need to start 2 part dosing, utilizing lime water, or reactors. The stickies at the top are very useful tool and can answer many questions you may have. Enjoy your tank and take it slow, nothing good happens fast.

 

[lalaallieu]

Can you explain what wc means? What is 2 part dosing? Also, the master test kit I bought is API brand and I got it from Petsmart.

 

[TDB]

Can you explain what wc means? What is 2 part dosing? Also, the master test kit I bought is API brand and I got it from Petsmart.

WC water change

You should not have to worry about 2 part dosing until you start added corals to your tank. You have plenty of time ahead of you

 

[James404]

Can you explain what wc means? What is 2 part dosing? Also, the master test kit I bought is API brand and I got it from Petsmart.

WC= water change

2 part dosing is a method used to maintain calcium and alk levels. They are solutions that you can either make yourself or buy, 1 for alk, 1 for calcium (hence the 2 part name) magnesium will need to be kept in line as well.

I would get a decent test kit for alk,cal and mag. Red Sea, Salifert or Nyos are the brands I would recommend. API I would not recommend for these tests (for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate API is OK.)


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[thegrun]

After the cycle where you will need ammonia, nitrite and nitrate test kits, you will initially only need to test for alkalinity. It will take awhile before you have enough calcium demand from stony corals and coraline algae to where you need to worry about calcium, normal weekly 10% water changes will provide all the calcium you need initially.

 

[Ryan Darilek]

Congrats on the new set up Lauren!
Baby steps. You don't need to worry about calcium and/or magnesium levels for a few months... In fact, the less you add, the better while your tank stabilizes for the first 6 months. Like others have said, just focus on the nitrites, nitrates, ammonia and PH levels starting off and do WEEKLY 10% water changes ("WC"). Water changes will supplement/add the calcium and mag you need starting off. My newest tank is just over 6 months old (pictured below) and I just started adding 2-part (B-Ionic) and mag about two weeks ago. As you can see, it's completely stocked with corals and they have all been thriving and growing without supplements
Keep the questions coming, it's much easier to learn from others than the hard way! Good luck!!

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[lalaallieu]

Good Morning! Today my RODI system should be here, so I'm going to get the tank drained and (hopefully) refilled tonight. My only issue is that I don't have an extra powerhead (I was using a tiny one I had for my nano tank years ago) to help mix the water. Will it still work if I just stir it with a clean kitchen spoon? Or should I take the one out of my tank. I also only have one powerhead for my tank, should I have two for a 60g?

 

[lalaallieu]

By the way Ryan, your tank is beautiful!

 

[top shelf]

What size powerhead do you have? With that size tank 2 is recommended as it will help to eliminate dead spots easier. That being said depending the size of your current powerhead and what corals you want to keep will help determine your flow needs. Easy to keep soft corals will require less flow whereas an sps tank will need much more. Many have 40-50x turnover and higher. I have a 45 cube which is a little smaller then yours and I use an mp10 along with I think a koralia 425 behind my rock structure. The biggest factors are the corals you want to keep and do you have any dead spots where detrious builds up.
As for mixing salt I use a small powerhead as so many others but I'm sure there are some that just use something clean and sterile to mix salt up. Best to aerate your new mixed water before adding to tank.

 

[Ryan Darilek]

By the way Ryan, your tank is beautiful!

Thanks Lauren! Looking forward to seeing yours progress!

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[Jekerry]

For my first wc I just used a spoon and let everything sit for about 24 hours. Seemed to mix up fine.

The reef master has the calcium in the API brand. Mine seems to match what my LFS measures, but seems there might be better brands.

Best luck! We are new to this too.

 

[lalaallieu]

I bought a Jebao PP8 powerhead for my tank. I want to keep frogspawn definitely. Maybe some brain coral, zoanthids, toadstools? Honestly, I know I really want frogspawn, after that I'm not 100% sure, but these are some I'd consider. I haven't given much thought to it since I'm just trying to get it up and running.

 

[Ryan Darilek]

I bought a Jebao PP8 powerhead for my tank. I want to keep frogspawn definitely. Maybe some brain coral, zoanthids, toadstools? Honestly, I know I really want frogspawn, after that I'm not 100% sure, but these are some I'd consider. I haven't given much thought to it since I'm just trying to get it up and running.

I recommend starting with toadstool and zoas first, then frogspawn/torches and acans last. LPS will need more stable parameters that your tank won't offer until about 3 months in


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[lalaallieu]

How long do I let my tank sit for after adding the water and arranging the rock? What should I add first? Inverts/corals/fish? How do I know if my tank is cycling? When I got my 40lbs of live rock the guy said the rock we purchased had been cycled for years. How do I know when it's done cycling? With the water in there now all my levels are 0 except nitrates. The guy at the store said my nitrates are due to me using tap water.

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[lalaallieu]

So these are my results for the RODI water. The pH is a little high coming in at 8.8 but everything else is at 0. Is that going to be okay? How do I fix the pH issue?

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[top shelf]

If your rock has been established for years you won't have a cycle as it's already got all the bacteria it needs. During cycling you will first see a spike in ammonia followed by a spike in nitrite then a spike in nitrate. Once ammonia and nitrite are 0 your cycle is done. Just give it a couple weeks then you can start adding your clean up crew. Then if you want you can add a fish or some easy to care for corals. Make sure to quarintine any new fish and best to dip any new corals as well. You can buy coral dips or a Bayer dip works just as well and what I personally used. Don't worry about pH, let it be what it's gunna be. You'll do more damage trying to chase it then good.

 

[lalaallieu]

Working on refilling it tonight. I still need to buy a second light, but that can be done anytime in the next few days. It's coming together.

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[Shamous113]

So these are my results for the RODI water. The pH is a little high coming in at 8.8 but everything else is at 0. Is that going to be okay? How do I fix the pH issue?

RODI Water is pure water with 0tds testing the ph is pointless because their are no buffers in the water. Don't chase the ph.

 

[lalaallieu]

RODI Water is pure water with 0tds testing the ph is pointless because their are no buffers in the water. Don't chase the ph.

Thank you so much! I was worried! Will it all sort itself out once the tank is full? My pH I tested was 8.8 and I've read corals and fish need 8.4?

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