My 280g Custom upgrade.....

I will definitely take a look at that link. So my ammonia is dropping to zero over a 24hr period of time. I added a dose yesterday morning and test an hour later to get a level of about 1ppm and I just tested this morning to get a level of 0 ppm. My nitrites are still holding at 1ppm and my nitrates are around 20 ppm now. I will keep adding ammonia but do you think I should be adding a higher daily amount?
 
So I did some research about dosing ammonia during my commute home tonight on the bus and here's what I found.....

Higher water temp will speed up the growth of the bacteria...suggested mid 80's

Seed with some kind of a bacterial culture along with adding ammonia

Raise ammonia to 5 ppm and then let it fall to zero. then test for nitrites. if nitrites still exist, repeat adding ammonia.

Lower alkaline levels impede the growth of bacteria. stated that pure ammonia has an 11-12 dkh.

I will post links to the articles later on tonight.
 
Here's the article that says 5ppm.....

http://www.startafishtank.com/aquar...ng-cycle-your-tank-with-fish-food-or-ammonia/

This article discusses raising the temperature, suggest targeting a 1-2ppm level in ammonia and I was off on the dkh level....says that ph of pure ammonia is 11-12 which would indicate a higher alkalinity.

http://www.csupomona.edu/~jskoga/Aquariums/Ammonia.html

Now with all of that said, I reached a turning point and my nitrites are on the decline. I tested them tonight and they were .5 ppm.
 
Steve,
I am sure there are many like me who read, study, and assimilate the information provide by many of you. Your thread has been especially beneficial to me and I am sure others. Thanks for all you are doing to teach us with your efforts. Thanks and best of luck.
 
Thanks for the articles added Steve. I've read a few different fishless articles and they all seem to have a common theme minus the agreed level of ammonia. I'd say from reviewing all of them that keeping the ammonia at 1ppm+ throughout the testing is the best route.

The second article referenced has a different technique that I'm not so sure is as 'expedited' as the others. If you continually let the ammonia level drop to 0 ppm then you are not continually feeding the bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrites and the same for the bacteria that converts nitrites to nitrates. I don't quite agree with the second article because of this as this is just a roller coaster effect on the bacteria and the 'food' they depend on. Just my opinion but think it makes more sense to keep the ammonia up:D
 
The one article that suggested pumping them up to 5ppm did seem a little out dated.

I tested nitrites this morning and Im on the lighter side of .5 ppm. this puts me right around the two week mark for cycling.
 
Esardog said:
Steve,
I am sure there are many like me who read, study, and assimilate the information provide by many of you. Your thread has been especially beneficial to me and I am sure others. Thanks for all you are doing to teach us with your efforts. Thanks and best of luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks for following along.
 
All ammonia is disappearing in less than 24 hrs now. I dosed 1/2 cup last night and my level was zero this morning. nitrites are on the lighter side of .50 and very close to .25.

im going to do another wc today and hopefully i will have a light for the tank in the next week or so.
 
Just finished reading your build thread, wow tons of good info! Looks like you are well on your way. Sweet euro brace eh?
 
I see blue....and red

I see blue....and red

There hasn't been much to update other than daily water tests which had been the same until today.

Nitrites are down to zero but nitrates have shot up to around 80 ppm.

2012-03-31072149.jpg


Time to do some water changes! Fortunately the two 75 gallon storage tanks I ordered arrived yesterday. They do look like they were rolled all the way to my house but the insides are in good shape.

2012-03-31072211.jpg


Other updates
The cabinetry is complete and will be delivered this week and hopefully I will have a light to put on the tank so I can finally see what it looks like all lit up. Then it will be time to start stocking this beast!!!
 
Steve - Awesome build!!! You've given me a lot of ideas about my upcoming build. I'm going with a 250g DD tank so close to your dimensions. How is the flow with that many Tunzes? I've got 2 6095s and 2 6055s and I was worried about too much flow......I'm going for a mixed reef.

Keep the pics coming!
 
Thanks for the informative thread, Steve. No matter how long we've been at this, it is always helpful to experience builds from another perspective - we appreciate you sharing yours. We have the same kind of water storage vats (ours are the 100g size), but yeah, I think they must ride on a railroad freight car and then back of a semi truck flat bed, they look like hobos by the time they get to you... :D We used a broom stick with a towel wrapped around the end (looks kinda like one of those rods they use to tamp gunpowder down the barrel of a cannon!) to clean the inside of them out. How are you planning to do the plumbing on them? The bulkheads are a weird size...
 
reefernutz said:
Steve - Awesome build!!! You've given me a lot of ideas about my upcoming build. I'm going with a 250g DD tank so close to your dimensions. How is the flow with that many Tunzes? I've got 2 6095s and 2 6055s and I was worried about too much flow......I'm going for a mixed reef.

Keep the pics coming!
Click to expand...

You will love the deep dimension....it really allows you to do so much with the rock work. As far as the flow goes....its a lot!!!! I have the 2 6305's and 1 6301 on there now and they are turned back to around 60% max power. All of the power heads are on the back panel of the glass and they move a lot of water. I was thinking about selling the 6305's and going with 2 new 6155's. I will know better once I start stocking the tank and see how everything goes. I put the rotating penductors on my return lines and they create a lot of water movement as well.

Be sure to post your build thread here so I can follow along!
 
prop-frags said:
Thanks for the informative thread, Steve. No matter how long we've been at this, it is always helpful to experience builds from another perspective - we appreciate you sharing yours. We have the same kind of water storage vats (ours are the 100g size), but yeah, I think they must ride on a railroad freight car and then back of a semi truck flat bed, they look like hobos by the time they get to you... :D We used a broom stick with a towel wrapped around the end (looks kinda like one of those rods they use to tamp gunpowder down the barrel of a cannon!) to clean the inside of them out. How are you planning to do the plumbing on them? The bulkheads are a weird size...
Click to expand...

The insides are clean but I am still going to wipe them out and thank you for the great idea!!!! The bulkheads are 1.25" and I am going to plumb them into an iwaki pump that I have. I will have to reduce the line a couple of times but I am hoping it will be ok. I thought about just plugging the bulkheads that are on there now and then using one of the other flat panels on the tanks to drill a new bulkhead so I won't have to reduce the line.

How did you do your plumbing? If you have any pics you can post I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Power heads and Salt.....

Power heads and Salt.....

So after doing 2 65g water changes yesterday and today....my nitrates are still around 100 ppm. So I tested my 80g which is on its own system right now and the nitrates in there are 20ppm. I then tested po4 and found that both systems are around .10 as well. So, I turned to my rodi and that is showing zero tds. Finally, I made a fresh batch of salt water and to my surprise or no surprise....I am showing 30ppm nitrates and .15 p04 with my Reef Crystals salt. I am officially done with this salt. Just tired of the brown sludge and inconsistencies with mixing it. I'm going back to tropic marin pro reef.

Now for the power heads....I have way too much flow in my tank and need some suggestions. I am running 2 x 6305 and 1 x 6301 and they are set at max power of 40% otherwise things start blowing around. So, I am thinking about selling them and going with 6105's or the new 6155's. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Power heads have to be mounted on the back panel and I have tried vortechs before but did not like them and went back to tunze.
 
Steve, sorry to hear about the nitrates, hopefully you can get that ATS going too;) It's the miracle cure, right? What are your trates straight out of the RO/DI unit? I'd just be safe rather than sorry and check it too in case the TDS meter is not reading right.

Can't help with the PHs, never had Tunzes but love the Vortechs I've got now!
 
Dustin1300 said:
Steve, sorry to hear about the nitrates, hopefully you can get that ATS going too;) It's the miracle cure, right? What are your trates straight out of the RO/DI unit? I'd just be safe rather than sorry and check it too in case the TDS meter is not reading right.

Can't help with the PHs, never had Tunzes but love the Vortechs I've got now!
Click to expand...

I havent tested the trates right out of the rodi but will do so later on tonight. ATS is definitely a great way to export the nutrients. Right now I can't even throw some chaeto in there because I don't have a fuge on my sump. I might take a filter sock and throw some gfo in there just to help bring them down until I can get my ATS on line.
 
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