Is it safe now?

[brocnizer]

I just restarted my tank. To get it going all I had was my old live rock that I bleached, vinegar bath, then cooked for a little.

So it was essentially dead rock.

I put in dry sand, the now base rock and 1/4 cup of ammonia into a 36 gallon tank.

The ammonia was off the charts for 3 days! I thought I really screwed up. On day 10 the tank finished its cycle.

Even though I am using RO/DI water my diatom bloom just started 3 days ago (1 week after cycle end). I added some 4 crabs and 2 snails just to get a little life in there.

I'm not sure though when I will be adding more but I guess sooner than later as I do not want to lose the bacteria as I have been reading in your thread.

 

[kenchen77]

Looks like a feather

Looks like a feather

HI! Guys,

I am well into my 16th day now after i have put in the live rock. I have now been experiencing a full fledged diatom bloom. I has noticed some white feather like organisms growing on my live rock after I have been running my Metal halides for 3 days. Can somebody help tell me what these are?

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/215992feather.jpg

I also wanted to know if it was ok to put in a cuc in the tank like probably a few hermit crabs. And are hermit crabs reef safe?

 

[Michael]

your ph seems high, unless your dosing with limewater or a reef buffer it may well be testing error, as for adding cuc, if you have been testing the tank daily and monitoring results and logging them, and if the ammonia and nitrite has not been evident for a few days id say go ahead and introduce some snails.

 

[kenchen77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15419703#post15419703 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Michael
your ph seems high, unless your dosing with limewater or a reef buffer it may well be testing error, as for adding cuc, if you have been testing the tank daily and monitoring results and logging them, and if the ammonia and nitrite has not been evident for a few days id say go ahead and introduce some snails.

I have been testing my ph every night and its been giving me 8.8. Do you think this will pose a big problem and if so how do u suggest i combat it as i have not been dosing calcium. I plan to dose calcium at a later date as my test today gave me a 520 reading. Could the high calcium reading have been because of the argonite that i am using as a substrate.

 

[Michael]

8.8 seems really high kenchen, i havent read the whole thread but do you use tap water, i ask because mine is high,i know because i used to test it regually when i bred african cyclids, otherwise id suggest a second kit to confirm the reading, as for calcium levels, well 520 is high but mine has been at that level before and it didnt affect my tank, the aragonite will be alkaline in general and can give a raised reading,in the long run you will need to get the balance right, dkh 8-10, ph around 8-8.2 if possible, although 7.8 -8.4 is considered ok if stable,calcium around 400-420 and mag at 13-1400 and everything should fall into place, all tanks and readings vary, but id suggest you confirm that ph reading first

 

[kenchen77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15419762#post15419762 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Michael
8.8 seems really high kenchen, i havent read the whole thread but do you use tap water, i ask because mine is high,i know because i used to test it regually when i bred african cyclids, otherwise id suggest a second kit to confirm the reading, as for calcium levels, well 520 is high but mine has been at that level before and it didnt affect my tank, the aragonite will be alkaline in general and can give a raised reading,in the long run you will need to get the balance right, dkh 8-10, ph around 8-8.2 if possible, although 7.8 -8.4 is considered ok if stable,calcium around 400-420 and mag at 13-1400 and everything should fall into place, all tanks and readings vary, but id suggest you confirm that ph reading first

I bought another kit today and the reading says 8.4 i used the ph test strips this time. The 8.8 reading came from the API test kits. I also wanted to know if it was ok to use activated carbon in the sump as a filter medium. I also hear that when an anemone or star fish dies one should use activated carbon to take care of the toxins that are released into the water

 

[Reef_Matrix29]

Well I'm glad that you found out that it was a faulty kit that was giving you unusally high pH. You can run carbon in the sump, but put it in a high flow area for direct filtering, not passive if you do decide to run it.

I personally use carbon if I find something has died or if my corals are attacking neighbors to prevent chemical toxin build up, but that's about all I use it for...the choice is up in the air really.

 

[Michael]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15425253#post15425253 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kenchen77
I bought another kit today and the reading says 8.4 i used the ph test strips this time. The 8.8 reading came from the API test kits. I also wanted to know if it was ok to use activated carbon in the sump as a filter medium. I also hear that when an anemone or star fish dies one should use activated carbon to take care of the toxins that are released into the water

well im please the ph is fine, thats good news, yep run carbon, nothing will be effected by it, it will make the water crystal clear and also will help with any chemicals released into the tank