Help with new 125 gallon build

[tassod]

Did the test with my test kit and it looks like my probe is off . According to the test my PH is around 8.2

 

[SimonSKL]

It is rare to see new tank with high PH if you are not even dosing alk. Time to recalibrate your probe.

 

[tassod]

Can I use the same calibration fluid?

 

[SimonSKL]

If they were not cross contaminated last time you used them you can reuse. You should have a ph7.0 and a ph 10.0 control solutions. If you plan to reuse these fluids, make sure you rinse the probe well with RODI water in between.

 

[tassod]

going to have to get new solutions as they were cross cont. At least i know that PH is normal.

 

[tassod]

I'm assuming that any 7.0 and 10.0 calibration solutions are acceptable to use on an apex probe. Getting ready to order some.

 

[tassod]

I have also ordered Eshine LED's for lighting but that's about it that i have for equipment.

Its definitely a start! Actually that was the first piece of equipment that I ordered as well. Which ones did you get and did they come with controllers?

 

[tassod]

My injured chromis is nowhere to be found this morning! I looked everywhere but cant see him and he did not come out when i fed the others which are fine.

 

[SimonSKL]

I was kind of expected that. With such an injury the fish usually won't survive long. Since you don't have any CUC and if you can't find the dead fish, keep an eye on your ammonia as it will go up from the decomposition of the carcass. You may have to do a water change if ammonia spikes. Hopefully the bacteria in the tank can handle it.

 

[tassod]

Yeah i'm hoping also. I'm using Salifert test kit now instead of API and i had as of yesterday zero ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Cyano has gotten worse as you predicted, my rock and sand bed is totally covered! That CUC can't get here any sooner thats for sure. How long does this typically last?

 

[tassod]

At what point can i look to add new fish or perhaps some corals? Its a small world, i actually found out yesterday that my neighbor across from me also has a 125g reef tank. He's been doing this for many years and his current tank has been running close to 2 years now. I saw it yesterday and he has plenty of fish with a good mix of LPS and SPS corals. He has a few pieces that are just to big right now for his tank and would like to give them to me.

 

[SimonSKL]

Can you post a picture of the rock so I can see how they look. Is the stuff covering the rocks slimy and thick?

Here is a picture of what my rocks looked like when my tank cycled. The brown stuffs were not slimy or thick so I thought mine was a diatom bloom which cleared in 4 days.

If yours is slimy and thick, it is probably cyanobacteria and that will take a lot longer to clear and you may have to cut your photoperiod down.

 

[tassod]

This is from a couple of days ago, so just picture the rocks totally covered:

Sandbed is almost totally covered - again this is from a couple of days ago

My lights as i have them now are turning on at 8am for blue and 9am for white...then they white turns of at 930pm and the blue at 1030pm.

 

[tassod]

i'm also noticing hair and bubble algae on the rocks

 

[SimonSKL]

After looking at the pictures I think they are diatom, a form of algae, which is all part of new tank cycling. Diatom feeds on silicates which come from sands and rocks. They will go away eventually. So be patient. CUC will speed up the process as they feed on diatom.

 

[tassod]

I took some updated pictures this afternoon of my rock and sand. Actually it looks a lot better today, perhaps its starting to go away. Here they are:

Here's some pics of the 2 chromis left....still can't find the other...real strange how he can just disappear like that...did the other eat him?

 

[SimonSKL]

I am now pretty sure what you have is a diatom bloom which is part of new tank recycling. It really doesn't look too bad. I am sure it will clear up in 2-3 days. I doubt very much the injured Chromis got eaten by the others. I think the carcass must have been stuck behind rocks. Turn up your Vortech and see if you can flush it out somehow.

 

[tassod]

CUC should be here Friday hopefully. Simon, how oftern do you perform water changes? Should i be doing another one soon or only if i get an ammonia spike? I'm also planning to setup my 2 part dosing hopefully tonight. Do I need to wait longer to introduce more fish or even corals?

 

[SimonSKL]

Initially I do a water change once weekly and replaced about 10-12g. Now I do it every 2 weeks and replace about 15g.

You can go ahead and set up your two-part dosing equipment but there is no need to dose anything until you start putting corals in the tank. Once you do, take baseline levels of your Ca and alk. Then adjust your dosing pumps to keep alk between 8-9 and Ca around 400. Make any change gradually so you can see the actual consumption.

 

[tassod]

Initially I do a water change once weekly and replaced about 10-12g. Now I do it every 2 weeks and replace about 15g.

You can go ahead and set up your two-part dosing equipment but there is no need to dose anything until you start putting corals in the tank. Once you do, take baseline levels of your Ca and alk. Then adjust your dosing pumps to keep alk between 8-9 and Ca around 400. Make any change gradually so you can see the actual consumption.

So i can start adding more fish and corals now?