Help with new 125 gallon build

[tassod]

Have you started your phantom feeding yet? If not, now is a good time. Notice any Cyanobacteria on your rocks? They are usually red and slimy but can be other color.

No, haven't done any phantom feeding yet, was waiting to get zero's first on the tests. So just throw a few fish flakes in there?

Did not notice any of that red Cyano to be honest, although i have noticed some light green spots (small) and actually some purple which i believe is coraline algae.

 

[tassod]

ok i'm posting some pictures of my rocks. I took my first test this afternoon since i phantom fed last night late. Still getting 0 ammonia and nitrite.

How long do I need to phantom feed?

 

[SimonSKL]

I can't believe how clean your rocks look! Are you turning your lights on? If not, I would suggest you now start running the lights. You probably will see cyanobacteria start covering your rocks after you turn on your lights.

I would phantom feed for another 5 days. After that if both ammonia and nitrite are zero. you can put a couple hardy fish in. Time to think about what kind of fish you want to add. I am sure you are getting anxious and excited but patience is the name of the game in this hobby. We don't want to rush before the system is ready.

 

[tassod]

I can't believe how clean your rocks look! Are you turning your lights on? If not, I would suggest you now start running the lights. You probably will see cyanobacteria start covering your rocks after you turn on your lights.

I would phantom feed for another 5 days. After that if both ammonia and nitrite are zero. you can put a couple hardy fish in. Time to think about what kind of fish you want to add. I am sure you are getting anxious and excited but patience is the name of the game in this hobby. We don't want to rush before the system is ready.

Ok, what kind of a schedule should I run the lights on? Remember they are the basic on/off models. What time should I have my apex turn on the White and Blue LED's and for how long?

 

[SimonSKL]

It all depends on the period you view your tank. Is it mostly during the day, early evening or late evening. Since you can only control your lights with on and off timing without dimming control. I would just start out with 8 hrs photo period. The blue would come on first and then the white will come on half to an hour later. For an eight hour period, the whites will go off at the end of 6 hrs after on and the blues go off half to an hour later.

 

[tassod]

It all depends on the period you view your tank. Is it mostly during the day, early evening or late evening. Since you can only control your lights with on and off timing without dimming control. I would just start out with 8 hrs photo period. The blue would come on first and then the white will come on half to an hour later. For an eight hour period, the whites will go off at the end of 6 hrs after on and the blues go off half to an hour later.

I want to be able to view my tank mostly in the evening to late evening. Does this mean i would not turn them on until 2 or 3 pm?

 

[SimonSKL]

This is just to start the photo period. You can gradually increase the length as you want. I don't see any problem with running a 14-hour period if that's what you want but since you don't have any corals yet a longer photo period seems to be a waste of electricity.

 

[tassod]

ok i see, thanks.

 

[tassod]

I'm assuming I should start running my reactors now. Also what do i need to do with the refugium. Going to get a PAR30 LED light and i guess i should run that opposite my DT lights. Do I need to initially purchase some cheato to put in the fuge and grow or will turning on my light simply start growing it?

 

[tassod]

got a Hannah checker for Alkalinity. It gave me a reading of 126. Is that good? Got a question on my left side drain that flows into the fuge. I get a lot of micro bubbles in there and a constant gurgle from the drain that is very annoying. The drain on the skimmer side is dead silent, i don't even see one bubble in there. Why is this?

 

[SimonSKL]

I have never use a Hanna Alkalinity meter so I don't know what 126 means. As far as the gurgling from the drain, is the water level in the left overflow dropping below the elbow opening? If yes, close the gate valve a little to control the outflow to keep the water level in the overflow steady. The gurgling will stop.

 

[SimonSKL]

I'm assuming I should start running my reactors now. Also what do i need to do with the refugium. Going to get a PAR30 LED light and i guess i should run that opposite my DT lights. Do I need to initially purchase some cheato to put in the fuge and grow or will turning on my light simply start growing it?

I think it is a good idea to run the reactors now. You need to get or buy some chaeto for your fuge before you run the fuge light.

 

[tassod]

As far as the gurgling from the drain, is the water level in the left overflow dropping below the elbow opening? If yes, close the gate valve a little to control the outflow to keep the water level in the overflow steady. The gurgling will stop.

I'm sorry I didn't quite explain it correctly. It's not gurgling but it sounds like to much air in trapped in the drain. The sound is mostly coming from underneath the DT in the piping. The water level in the corner flow is up all the way to the air line tube almost and its pretty silent in that area. Maybe because of the air that is why i am getting so may bubbles in the fuge.

 

[tassod]

I have never use a Hanna Alkalinity meter so I don't know what 126 means.

Just figured out the reading needs to be converted from ppm to dkh by multiplying by 0.56. My alkalinity is 7.056 dkh. Here is also a handy website that will convert it for you.

http://www.saltyzoo.com/SaltyCalcs/AlkConv.php

So is 7.056 dkh a good reading?

 

[Beenalongtime79]

got a Hannah checker for Alkalinity. It gave me a reading of 126. Is that good? Got a question on my left side drain that flows into the fuge. I get a lot of micro bubbles in there and a constant gurgle from the drain that is very annoying. The drain on the skimmer side is dead silent, i don't even see one bubble in there. Why is this?

126 * 0.056 = 7.056 dkh which is on the Lowish side.

If you are growing SPS, you want it at least above 8.0 and preferably above 9.0.

Cheers,
John

There is also a question of the value being dkh of 0.7 off when compared to other kits, especially vs. salifert. My salifert kit shows an alkalinity that is 0.7 higher than my hanna alkalinity kit. You want the value to read around 150-160s on your hanna kit. Boost alkalinity with soda ash you can get from bulkreefsupply or you can dose kalkwasser water.

 

[SimonSKL]

I'm sorry I didn't quite explain it correctly. It's not gurgling but it sounds like to much air in trapped in the drain. The sound is mostly coming from underneath the DT in the piping. The water level in the corner flow is up all the way to the air line tube almost and its pretty silent in that area. Maybe because of the air that is why i am getting so may bubbles in the fuge.

How far is your fuge drain pipe extended into the water or below the water surface? It shouldn't be more than an inch.

 

[tassod]

How far is your fuge drain pipe extended into the water or below the water surface? It shouldn't be more than an inch.

I believe it extends a lot more than an inch...i'll have to change that and see if it makes a difference. Thanks.

 

[SimonSKL]

It takes some force to push the air into the water so the deeper the pipe the more water it needs to push the air down. Some of the air bubbles get compressed into bigger bubbles and popped out of the pipe thus making the noise. I think.

 

[tassod]

Would it also have anything to do that this drain has an airline tube? The right side which is full siphon is dead silent and has no bubbles at all in the skimmer section. Mind you the drain extends less than an inch below the water.

 

[SimonSKL]

The factory design for the overflow in each cornerflo has an airline tube. We modified the right side but we kind of left the left side alone using the factory design. I expect some noise from that side. Once you have chaeto growing in the fuge, it helps dampen the noise also.