New to all this reefing 😄

M

MatthewStapleton8

New member
Hi all,

Totally new to all this so please be gentle!

Had my new Fluval Evo Flex 123l set up now for 2 weeks

Added live Carib sand and Carib life rock

Went with the Dr Tim's method and followed it all to the recipe

All worked well so far and Ammonia dropped after about 8 days

Nothing really happened since thou, now I know I need patience and more than happy to wait it out but just wondering if I'm on the right path

Temp: 26.7
Salinity: 1.024
PH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 3.2
Nitrate: 10

Take it I'm just in the waiting game for those Nitrite to be converted to Nitrates then I'm cycled??

Many thanks in advance
 
Looks like you're taking your time and doing your research(y) Just keep in mind that nothing good happens fast in this hobby.

Yes, you want the Nitrites at zero and then you'll be fully cycled.

What are you planning to keep? Fish only? Inverts? Corals? If you're going to keep corals and sessile inverts, you'll want to monitor your Alkalinity as well.

Here's a handy chart from Bulk Reef Supply for tank parameters. Even though I've been in the hobby for a bazillion years, I keep a printed/laminated copy of this chart handy for quick reference.
1702906565505.png
 
Thanks

Going to go for a nice clown pair to begin with along with a small clean up crew. Probably stick with that for a few months while my tank matures and I get used to everything. I did see a really nice sand sifting goby the other day so maybe that will be the 2nd fish, especially with me having sugar fine grade sand...is that a good option? Corals are a whole new level so may wait a good 6 months to a year before I go down that route.

Thanks for the parameters chart, that is very helpful. Seems like I'm running a little hot?
 
MatthewStapleton8 said:
Thanks

Going to go for a nice clown pair to begin with along with a small clean up crew. Probably stick with that for a few months while my tank matures and I get used to everything. I did see a really nice sand sifting goby the other day so maybe that will be the 2nd fish, especially with me having sugar fine grade sand...is that a good option? Corals are a whole new level so may wait a good 6 months to a year before I go down that route.

Thanks for the parameters chart, that is very helpful. Seems like I'm running a little hot?
Click to expand...
As far as your livestock plans, sounds like a good plan.

Hot, not necessarily. There was a time in the 90s where we typically kept our reef tanks 80-82F. I run mine 78-80F these days and everything is doing well.

Another thing about this hobby that you'll learn. The same thing doesn't work for everyone. Just because something works for one person doesn't mean it will work for everyone. The people on this board can attest, not using a skimmer works great for some while others cannot be successful without a skimmer. The best thing to do is make changes slowly and find what works best for you.
 
Hi all,

So today my nitrites dropped to 0 🤩

Nitrates as expected gone up high so...

50% water change in the morning then going to grab my clown pair from my lfs, now I don't have a quarantine tank but I do have a drip acclimation kit, I take it that is a good 2nd best? It is a very trusted lfs round these parts and the tanks and staff are very good so I'm pretty confident.

Another question is I'm really keen to avoid the ugly stage, other than keeping on top of my water changes and parameters is there anything else I can do to avoid it? I do have some of those Dr Tim's waste away gels, worth putting them in now the tank with be stocked?? Also when do I go for the clean up crew...leave it a month or so?

Sorry for so many questions and thanks in advance.
 
MatthewStapleton8 said:
Hi all,

So today my nitrites dropped to 0 🤩

Nitrates as expected gone up high so...

50% water change in the morning then going to grab my clown pair from my lfs, now I don't have a quarantine tank but I do have a drip acclimation kit, I take it that is a good 2nd best? It is a very trusted lfs round these parts and the tanks and staff are very good so I'm pretty confident.

Another question is I'm really keen to avoid the ugly stage, other than keeping on top of my water changes and parameters is there anything else I can do to avoid it? I do have some of those Dr Tim's waste away gels, worth putting them in now the tank with be stocked?? Also when do I go for the clean up crew...leave it a month or so?

Sorry for so many questions and thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Again, it depends on who answers, you may get different answers to your questions ;) :ROFLMAO:

50% water change should bring the Nitrates down.

I (and I'll probably have more than a few people tell me I'm stupid/insane) personally don't have a Q tank either. I've been VERY lucky in not introducing disease into my tanks over the year I guess.

For acclimation, I float bags in the tank and allow the temp to equalize between the bag and tank. Then, I add about a 1/4 cup of tank water to the bag about every 15-30 minutes over the course of several hours. This allows the water parameters in the bag to stabilize with your tank parameters. Since you're adding water to the bag, you may have to empty some out (to keep from overfilling the bag) into a sink/drain. A drip kit (like you have) is another way to acclimate the fish/inverts/corals to your tank parameters...I haven't used drip acclimation in years.

No matter what you do, you will likely get *some* kind of ugly stage. So, water changes and observing your parameters is the best thing, IMO. Here's a thread where I tried Dr. Tim's to control the worst cyano outbreak I've ever had. Never used the waste away gels so I can't really speak about them. I do recall a thread by someone else a while back that didn't have success using the gels.

I would add the cleanup crew now if I were you. You're likely going to get algae with the increase in Nitrates.

Another thing, have to tested for Phosphates? If so, what are those testing at?
 
Hi

Clowns have settled in nicely. Took your advise on the CUC, after feeding the Clowns once and watching food waste disappear into small crevasses I bolted to the lfs before they closed for Christmas and grabbed a cleaner shrimp and a couple of turbo snails...all settled in nicely and the cleaner shrimp is already proving his worth hoovering up every last drop of food 💪

In answer to your question @griss my phosphates are a solid 0 which is great...are they my biggest threat to an ugly stage? Keeping on top of these the key? As well as Nitrates of course
 
Glad to hear that everything is going well.

Actually, absolute zero Nitrates and Phosphates is an old way of thinking. You actually want/need a small amount of both.

Feeding generally (but not always) accomplishes this. That said, I stopped using GFO a while back and actually dose Nitrates at 2.5 mL per day because my fuge pulls so much Nitrate out.

If you read my thread about fighting Cyano, you’ll see that ultimately, balancing my Nitrate and Phosphate seemed to be the key to eliminating the nuisance Cyano.

Here’s a handy chart (I printed and laminated a copy) showing where you want your parameters.
reference.

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Reef Tank Water Parameters

Need to know reef tank water quality specs? Save this reef tank water parameters chart as a handy reference.
www.bulkreefsupply.com www.bulkreefsupply.com

Do I test all of those? No, since my tank has been established for several years, I test Alk, Ca, Mg, PO4 and Nitrate.
 
Thank you @griss very helpful indeed

One thing I do have issues with is which temperature reading to believe

I have a Fluval digital thermometer stuck on the inside of the tank which reads 26.9 and my Hanna salinity checker reads 25.7...that's a big difference 🤷‍♂️
 
MatthewStapleton8 said:
Thank you @griss very helpful indeed

One thing I do have issues with is which temperature reading to believe

I have a Fluval digital thermometer stuck on the inside of the tank which reads 26.9 and my Hanna salinity checker reads 25.7...that's a big difference 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
Does your heater have a thermostat on it? If it does, I’d compare what you set the heater to compared to the thermometers.

With that said, that temp difference isn’t too huge, but the 26.9 is heading towards the high end. I would likely just pick one and stick with it as neither fish nor coral should care too much (unless they’re more of a temperate or cold water species).

Depending on the day my tank varies from 25.2-27.8
 
I've decided to just keep it in the middle so digital temp is 26.2 and Hanna temp is 25.3....everything seems happy so will just keep it steady there

Another question I have is that I have 2 filter sponges within my back compartments, both with 2 lots of ceramic bio balls things and 2 lots of carbon, all in little media bags. Now I know I need to change the carbon every month or so which I will do and alternate them. Do I just clean the ceramic balls every month or so too and do them alternately again...nervous of killing any of the good bacteria in them but also don't want them clogging up with gunk and causing problems??

Thanks again in advance
 
If you just swirl the ceramic media in tank water in a separate container you should have no concerns of impacting bacteria.
 
Any recommendations on different foods to feed?

Just feeding Mysis at the moment twice a day which they all love but want to vary it a bit

I do have some Vitalis platinum marine flakes but no one is that keen

Stock:
2 clowns
1 cleaner shrimp
3 turbos
2 red legged hermits
1 emerald crab
 
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