First BC 29
- Thread starter DustanT
- Start date
What are you looking to fix?
I have a reactor and haven't used it. I bought it for biopellets, but instead I'm just doing vodka and haven't touched the reactor yet. I could use it for GFO too, but haven't felt the need to use GFO, and my tests are confirming I don't need to use it.
Chaeto is good, but honestly it sounds like people have a really hard time growing it in a nano. I'd either go with biopellets in a reactor and run very slow flow, or just don't do anything. If you want to do something, maybe check out the marinepure blocks for reducing nitrates. It provides the equivalent of substantial amounts of liverock, which we can't have in our tanks.
I have a reactor and haven't used it. I bought it for biopellets, but instead I'm just doing vodka and haven't touched the reactor yet. I could use it for GFO too, but haven't felt the need to use GFO, and my tests are confirming I don't need to use it.
Chaeto is good, but honestly it sounds like people have a really hard time growing it in a nano. I'd either go with biopellets in a reactor and run very slow flow, or just don't do anything. If you want to do something, maybe check out the marinepure blocks for reducing nitrates. It provides the equivalent of substantial amounts of liverock, which we can't have in our tanks.
Was looking to help for the little phosphate and nitrate reduction, they are not high but I think the dry rock is the cause. Phos is .25ppm and nitrates are 5ppm. My water is very murky and not clear, just seems like it has alot of floaters. I have 28lb of rock right now. I'm struggling with flow to, the PP-4 is really strong on lowest setting, it's hard to point it somewhere it doesn't kick up sand. My filter floss is always brown by morning. Purigen is tan now and 6 weeks old, chemi-pure elite (11oz) is same age.
Did a full test today, once a week I've been doing a full test.
Ammonia 0
Nitrite .25? I might have feed a bit to much last night?
Nitrate 5
Phos .25
salt 1.025
PH 7.8 It refuses to get any higher!
calc 480
I don't have any other test kits. What should I have combined to be testing?
And i think one of my pumps my be running hot, i just looked at temps 80 now, lifted hood and added my 120mm fan between the hood and rim.
Did a full test today, once a week I've been doing a full test.
Ammonia 0
Nitrite .25? I might have feed a bit to much last night?
Nitrate 5
Phos .25
salt 1.025
PH 7.8 It refuses to get any higher!
calc 480
I don't have any other test kits. What should I have combined to be testing?
And i think one of my pumps my be running hot, i just looked at temps 80 now, lifted hood and added my 120mm fan between the hood and rim.
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Sounds like a warm pump (or room might be warm, I have to keep my AC at 76 which keeps the room at like 78, to keep my tank at 81 during warm months).
pH won't matter for a long time. The nitrite is probably a tank maturity thing. Calcium is good to measure, but alkalinity is more important IMO. Long-term, you'll just be testing salinity, nitrate, alk, calcium, maybe magnesium, maybe phosphates (if you are having algae issues). At this point, I mostly just test salinity and alkalinity. If I get unexpected algae, I check nitrate and phosphate (I use a hanna low range phosphorous test and then multiply it up to get the phosphate levels).
What test kit are you using for phosphate? Most of them suck because they are inaccurate and hard to read. Check out this great test comparison.
pH won't matter for a long time. The nitrite is probably a tank maturity thing. Calcium is good to measure, but alkalinity is more important IMO. Long-term, you'll just be testing salinity, nitrate, alk, calcium, maybe magnesium, maybe phosphates (if you are having algae issues). At this point, I mostly just test salinity and alkalinity. If I get unexpected algae, I check nitrate and phosphate (I use a hanna low range phosphorous test and then multiply it up to get the phosphate levels).
What test kit are you using for phosphate? Most of them suck because they are inaccurate and hard to read. Check out this great test comparison.
I have the maxi jet 1200 so ya, I'd like to get a really good pump so going to start looking into it. For test kits all I have is the API. I'll pick up the red sea nitrate and look into the mag, and alk. My house is normally 72~76. The fan over the back works great tho. I need to get the temp probe for the storm and hook the fan to that so it can control the temp. I should upgrade my cheap glass heater sometime to. I'm thinking in the near future an apex is in store, not sure what one I should get tho. For the corals the green flower pot is really extending nicely and the zoa's are moving along to, the poor torch doesn't seem to be happy tho. GSP i think is just frustrated with the shrimp pouncing on it all the time. The clown is doing great and the lawn mower blenny is eating and letting the shrimp clean it.
Livestock
Torch
GSP
Flower pot
red, blue mushroom
Zoa's 3 kinds
clown
lawn mower blenny
2 turbo snails
5 nassarius snails
2 cerith snails
7 hermits
2 trochus snails
Emerald crab when back to LFS after eating the corals.
Livestock
Torch
GSP
Flower pot
red, blue mushroom
Zoa's 3 kinds
clown
lawn mower blenny
2 turbo snails
5 nassarius snails
2 cerith snails
7 hermits
2 trochus snails
Emerald crab when back to LFS after eating the corals.
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FindingEmily
New member
I wouldn't worry too much. Maybe feed a bit less and shorten lighting schedule, but otherwise the tank is still new and you'll be seeing algae and diatoms come and go for awhile. A lot of people don't consider a tank to be mature for at least 6 months or even 1 year.
LQT
Active member
Yeah don't sweat it, it's part of the process. I'm a little over three months in myself and just have 2 clowns and a firefish and am going through the exact same thing. I've got ugly brown diatoms all over my rock work. I've got a combination of Astreas and Mexican Turbos as CUC and I've got to say, the Astreas are by far, the more effective snail at mowing down the brown. Can't wait till this part of the process is over so I can finally start adding coral.
Thanks guys for the response just didn't know if the brown slim was the normal or the bad stuff. Also today I was doing some glass cleaning and noticed some red/purple stuff between the glass and sand. I normally don't vacuum the sand but with so much brown I did the sand bed and scraped the glass and sucked it out. Just did a 5 gallon change tonight. I'm still having issues getting my lawn mower blenny to eat, it has been 5 days and he is getting very skinny, I have tried pellets green algae sheets and the meaty stuff. I think he is going to die, so that's 2 out of 3 died from not eating 
Well lost the blenny, I think I'll ask about where the next fish came from, tank raised or wild. My tank raised clown is a crazy little guy who hangs out by me all the time. Great personality and eats like a cow, I feed him so his belly is full then he acts like he is in a food coma and floats to the bottom lol
homer1475
New member
Your fish recognize you as a food source, so whenever your near the tank they think they are getting fed, hence the feeding response and always acting like they are hungry.
Are you not quarantining your fish before putting them in the display? One of the reason we quarantine(other then the obvious reason of curing an illness), is to get finicky fish eating what we feed, get them used to our light schedule, and get tem used to our feeding regime.
Are you not quarantining your fish before putting them in the display? One of the reason we quarantine(other then the obvious reason of curing an illness), is to get finicky fish eating what we feed, get them used to our light schedule, and get tem used to our feeding regime.
Nope sound good to me, I read up on what is needed, tank, pump, heater and a place for fish to hide. I think I'm going with a permanent QT. I can get all that stuff for less than 50 bucks. All I have to do is cycle it first. Gives the DT time to clear up anyway it's still pretty brown and filters are replaced every 12 hours because they are brown, skimmer cup is 3 days for cleaning.
Thanks for your help!
Thanks for your help!
Ok I can't stand it anymore, this brown is not normal it's getting worst by the day, I just don't get it I have low to no levels of nitrates and phosphates 10 hour light schedule and weekly 5 gallon WC. The brown is coating everything including the glass. It only take a few days to come back after scrubbing the glass.
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LQT
Active member
Dude, take a deep breath. Remember, your tank is still brand new. It's what, only two months old? My tank is also just 3 months old with only three fish in it. Same 5 gallon weekly water changes as you. Nitrates are 0 and phosphates are .02 yet my rocks have also been coated in ugly brown diatoms for nearly a month now. I've found astrea snails to be the the most effective at munching through it. Continue to be diligent with your maintenance routine and don't overfeed. Above all else, be patient and let the process happen. This is that ugly period that all new tanks will go through. How you handle this part of the process will determine your long term success in this hobby.
Trust me, I'm pulling for this part to be over for both of us!
Trust me, I'm pulling for this part to be over for both of us!
So I grabbed a 10 gallon tank with HOB filter heater and mj400 powerhead. What is used for the bacteria to grow on in the QT tanks? Is what I have for equipment going to be ok? Should I cycle this tank or just use it temporary? I have a bottle of Seachem Cupramine.
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Take some filter floss from your display tank when you need bacteria for the quarantine tank. I wouldn't leave anything in there, and the tank never cycles (you can if you want to, but no reason to, as the copper or whatever treatment you use each time will reset the cycle). Floss holds bacteria, adds it to the tank on aerobic media, and then when you're done with QT, toss the floss, and use a new piece from the display next time you need the QT to be going.
Might be worth picking up a Seachem ammonia alert badge (though there is discussion around its usefulness) to make cycle monitoring easy.
Might be worth picking up a Seachem ammonia alert badge (though there is discussion around its usefulness) to make cycle monitoring easy.
