Question on my newly aquired Torch

[smokinreefer420]

I am new to the hobby (about 1.5 months), but I couldn't resist it and bought a torch coral. I have 55-gal tank. It is 48" wide and about 17" deep. My current lighting is 4 - 65 Watt bulbs - (2) daylight and (2) actinic PC's a total of 260 watts. My pump is a Rio 12 (not quite sure on the specifications) It pumps water from a 10 gal refugium and this is all I have. My water perimiters are in good shape including calcium. I placed my torch on the sandbed in a place where it can get medium waterflow. It's been overnight and the tenticles have not fully came out and now my water is all cloudy. Why is it cloudy? I also want it to get bigger and of course, live. Should I place it higher or is the lighting adequate for being placed on the sandbed? Is there anything else I should add w/o spending a ridiculous amount of money? There was a brittle starfish hitchhiker that came with it. Are these reef safe? Sorry for all the questions, but I can't seem to find the answers anywhere else. Thanks.

 

[blange3]

So if you have 1.5 months experience, can we assume that the tank has only been up about 6 weeks, or less?

Your tank is still cycling and will go through various algae and bacteria blooms until it stabilizes. And in my humble opinion, too new to be adding corals. The most important thing to learn in this hobby is patience.


You say your parameters are OK. Can you tell us what the temperature, salinity , alk, ca, mg, NO3, NO2 and ammonia are?

Don't move the torch too much, let it get settled. It likes gentle flow that just causes the tentacles to wave gently. You can try feeding it, but wait until you post the parameters.

 

[smokinreefer420]

Bob, thanks for responding so swiftly. I had everything checked at the pet store and they said I am at the point where I can have corals in my tank. I checked Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia and salinity today, but I don't have access to alk, ca, and mg. My salinity is at 1.022 and I am slowly adding salt to boost it up to 1.024. My Nitrate is about 20ppm. My Ammonia is currently .25ppm. My Nitrite is 0. The temperature is about 81 degrees. I Think it is strange that my Nitrate is this high all of a sudden. Should I do a 20% water change?

 

[blange3]

The nitrate spike is natural, as the ammonia goes down the nitrites and then the nitrates go up as part of the cycle. The bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrites have to get established and then the bacteria that converts nitrites to nitrates kick in. Your LFS is wrong, the tank is not ready! ammonia and nitrite should both be 0 and then you can worry about water changes.

Also do not add salt directly to your tank. Add it to RO/DI water. You can mix a couple of gallons around 1.030 and use that to do water changes. You do not have to raise this too quickly.

Check out the New to the Hobby Forum and look for threads by Waterkeeper. Here is one to start with.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=239848

Keep reading and take your time. And be cautious at the fish store. They make money by selling you more stuff. Check out your area for a local reef club.

 

[smokinreefer420]

Bob, thank you for the reply. I did a second test and my ammonia is 0. Considering that, both nitrite and ammonia is 0 than my tank is cycled. Since Nitrate is natural and because it is a bit high, does this mean that I have too much organic material in my tank ie., algea and dead brine shrimp. If this is the case, cleaning the algea off the back of the tank would be beneficial. Am I correct?

 

[blange3]

Removing algae and decaying organic matter will help. You mentioned a refugium. Are you growing macro algae in the fuge? If not put a light over the fuge and grow some macro algae. Keep it trimmed and toss or give away the excess. That will help export nitrates.

How deep is your sandbed? In time the sandbed should contribute to the reduction of nitrates as the anaerobic bacteria get established.

BTW, I'm Bill. I guess you picked up the Bob from my mention of Bob Fenner in my tagline. I wish I were Bob! He's a cool guy.

 

[ACBlinky]

It could take your torch a week to get comfortable and fully extend, don't worry if it's only partially out after a day.

One thing I'd recommend, since you're starting out with a stony coral, is to get yourself some test kits ASAP. You need to know your Ca, alk, and Mg levels to ensure conditions are right for your torch and its future tankmates. Don't rely on your LFS for water testing, it never fails that issues will pop up a at a time when the LFS is closed or you can't get there. If you're using a hydrometer, I'd also recommend picking up a refractometer. I consider mine the single best investment I've made in my reefs so far.

Over the next week or so I'd work on getting your salinity, Ca and other parameters as close to NSW levels as possible and then use a two-part additive or kalk, plus occasional Mg supplementation, to keep them there.

 

[smokinreefer420]

Thanks guys for answering my questions. My mistake Bill on the name confusion.

Currently, I have live rock shards, razor caulupra and miracle mud in my refuge lighted by a small compact w/ about 13 watts and I think the caulupra is growing. It hasn't died and I've had it for a month in a half or so. I should trim it?

My sandbed is about 2 or 3 inches deep.

"One thing I'd recommend, since you're starting out with a stony coral, is to get yourself some test kits ASAP. You need to know your Ca, alk, and Mg levels to ensure conditions are right for your torch and its future tankmates."

Will do. Thanks

How much do these hydrometers and refractometers cost?

Thanks again guys

Justin

 

[ACBlinky]

A hydrometer costs anywhere from $10 - $30 here (Canadian dollars), a refractometer might run you $45 - $60. Hydrometers aren't reliable, don't last as long and are downright dangerous in some cases (there have been posts here from people who thought their water was at 1.025, then bought a refractometer and discovered their hydrometer was wrong, the SG was up around 1.030).
Try the Drs Foster & Smith website (www.liveaquaria.com is connected to the dry goods site AFAIK) for a refractometer, they often have a good price. Test kits I'd recommend picking up are:
PO4 (phosphate)
NH3/4 (ammonia)
NO3 (nitrate)
Mg (magnesium)
Ca (calcium)
alk (alkalinity/hardness)

See if you can get your hands on some chaetomorpha to use in your fuge, rather than caulerpa. Caulerpa is somewhat of a ticking timebomb -- if you don't watch it carefully and prune regularly, it can 'go sexual' (try to reproduce sexually with gametes). If you see leaves turning white/clear with tiny green dots, try to get that section out before it clouds the water. IME nothing horrid happens when it goes sexual, but it does make the tank look awful for a day or so. Then again I only have a tiny bit of C. verticillata in my 21g, large quantities might do damage by releasing so many nutrients at once.

 

[smokinreefer420]

Okay, I have a hydrometer. I just call it a salinity checker, but you are saying that they stop working eventually. I would have to consider buying a refractometer.

My caulupra is showing tiny green dots and some of the leaves are turning white/clear. This must be part of the reason my tank was cloudy yesterday. Thanks, I love canadians : ).

I checked my calcium also. Very very very high, 1000+. Must've added too much. Is this a big deal?

I bought some bio-spira (nitrifying bacteria) to see if it cures my little ammonia problem (pretty expensive for something that I can't even see, $25). My ammonia went down to .20 this morning, so I was hoping this stuff would help. What do you guys think about this stuff?

Thanks again

 

[ACBlinky]

Something went wrong with the Ca test, guaranteed. Over about 600ppm Ca will just precipitate out of the water column in a 'snowstorm' (not a good thing, it takes other things with it and really messes up water parameters).

BioSpira actually has a fairly good reputation AFAIK. I've never used it, we can't get it on this side of the border. You might want to pick up some Prime or Amquel to detoxify ammonia and nitrite while your tank finishes the cycle, just in case you get a repeat spike.

If you're seeing white bits with green dots, your Caulerpa is probably about to bomb the tank with gametes, or already has. No biggie honestly, my little patch disappears overnight and then regrows about once a month. The tank is cloudy for a few hours, then clears, and nothing ever seems to mind. I believe it can decrease the amount of available oxygen though, just watch your critters and be prepared to do a water changed if needed.

Nice to hear you're fond of Canadians, I'm pretty darn proud to be one

 

[smokinreefer420]

The day after I added the calcium It was pretty cloudy, so I did a 20% water change and it still did not clear up untill the next morning (this morning). It was completely clear. I went to my local LFS to check my Ca, Mg and Alk and they said they could not do Mg and Alk, but they said my Ca was over 1000. I thought that was wierd also, but it's good to hear that it precipitates to 600. Can I lower it more, or do I just let it go down itself?

I will get test kits for all three tomorrow. I know I will need them. I already have the rest, but I don't think they're too accurate. The brand is from Aquarium pharmaceuticals Inc. I used them for my freshwater tank when I had it. It has both saltwater and freshwater color cards.

I already have been using Prime, but I'm almost out. I use it everytime I top off. So it works pretty good, huh? I can't tell. It just makes my tank stink for a couple minutes, so I figure that's it's way of showing that it works.

It's good to hear that BioSpira works. It sounded pretty interesting, so I thought it was worth a shot. Why can't you get it there? Is it just not available?

I used to live near the border of Washington and Canada and I went to B.C. alot. Everyone was so friendly around there. But I moved and it's quite a ways now, but I'll make it there again.

Thanks for your help,
Justin

 

[smokinreefer420]

Oh I forgot to add that my Ph is at 8.0. Is that too low? What do I do if it is?

 

[blange3]

Hey Justin,

If you can, get Salifert test kits. I've used several and find these the most reliable. I wouldn't worry too much about the ph until we get accurate readings on at least Alk, CA and Mg. How you balance those will tend to fix the ph. My tanks always run around 8.0 to 8.05. CO2 has a lot to do with ph and my tanks are in a closed basement that could use some more fresh air.

Canadians are OK with me as well! Hockey is my favorite sport, although I haven't had much time for it the last few years.