newbiedoobeedoo!

[toc525]

hello i'm new here and was wondering if you gurus could help. i know i need to search and do research on my own but i can't read for too long cos my eyes get blurry. well here goes...

my equipments:
20gal acrylic tank with pre-mixed salt in it
1 15w actinic blue + 1 15 w white fluoroscent - ???
1 eheim 2026 canister filter
1 power head 700+ gph
1 air pump type protein skimmer
15kg of live rocks locally (i'm from the Philippines)
1/2"-3/4" of coral sand

&

cycling for about a week now

now my problems:
bought live rocks but didn't bother cleaning with toothbrush due to lateness of research. will i be having problems with this in the future? or do i need to take it all out and clean them?

i used Sera for these:
Ammonia .5 - high , No2 .3-.9 good?

pH 7.7, i know it needs to be 8.3 so i read somewhere that i could add baking soda, 2tbls for 20 gal is this true?

gurus: what equipments do i still need? what do you guys do everyday? and do i need to check ALL of the parameters?

if so do i need to buy all the testers? for now i only have ammonia, nitrate/nitrite and pH testers.

i know i have alot of questions but i honestly can't read for too long and i know this forum has lots of answers.

btw i currently have tropical and coldwater setups. i'm willing to learn and try marine setup.

this is it for now or you could give advice. thanks thanks thanks!

 

[techigirl78]

What do you want to keep in the tank? That is usually the first question that needs to be answered.

 

[shouldabenacowboy]

[welcome]


sbc

 

[Gobie]

You donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t need to clean the rock, I never do. I got some nice free corals this way.

 

[theop]

You need to get an alkalinity test kit. Having normal alkalinity serves as a pH buffer. In a new cycling tank alk is often low which leads to the low pH you are experiencing.

While you can add baking soda to raise pH, but the sodium hydroxide will not add any alk and therefore won't buffer your pH where it needs to be. I would recommend adding a marine buffer of some type that will raise your alk and buffer your pH to a normal value.

I use this type from Kent, but you should be able to find something similar at your LFS:

 

[WaterKeeper]

Hi Toc,

The thing that stands out is that you don't have lighting to sustain many corals. It will be fine for a FO tank or low light coral tank but that's about it. See The New Tank Thread and The Lighting Thread for more information on setting up that tank.

 

[toc525]

techigirl78

probably some damsels, clownfish. nothing fancy

shouldabenacowboy

thanks!

Gobie

oh goody!!! thanks!

theop

will check if we have it here, forgot to mention that i live in the Philippines we don't usually carry high end stuff like you guys do.

waterkeeper

thanks for the linky :thumbsup: i will try and read all of it from time to time. basically i'm just gonna go at fowlr at the moment. will have to gain more knowledge for reefkeeping.

thanks everyone!

 

[theop]

Here is a link to a homemade alkalinity additive

 

[jolt26]

goodluck! i see you have found our local site already

 

[toc525]

thanks theop

how did you know jolt26? kita ko din handle mo dun eh hehe pls do give advice thanks!