The "How to go Barebottom thread."

[panic]

I'm in. I'm moving in 4 months and going from 75 to 270. I have a dsb in my sump only, and will begin sucking the sand out with each water change. Is it beneficial to go this slow route to remove the sand or wait and do it all at once? I'll definitely be doing everything by this "book" of a killer thread.

 

[cidory]

personally I would take it all out at once, at least I did mine that way.

 

[bond007069]

I want my NITRATES to ZERO

I want my NITRATES to ZERO

How do i get my NITRATES to ZERO.

They are at 1 ppm, am i being neurotic?, should i even strive for clear on my Salifert kit. SPS look fine IMO, nice PE, color

120 BB
Dart CL, OM
Tunze 6080
Dual Penductors
MR-2 skimming on the wetter side
Rock were cured/cook, not for 12 weeks though
detrius is siphioned from sump and tank, 2-3 weeks
WC with IO, adjusted, 2-3 weeks
Sump with Cheato section and LR rubble.
My Cheato is not growing at all. In my CC 29 gallon it when rampant.
Reverse photoperiod for Cheato 36 Watt PC 7100K
Alk 3.08
Ca 480
pH 8.20
Sg 1.025

 

[SeanT]

Is your test kit good?
Bring a sample to be tested to your lfs or try a different kit.

jmo,
Sean

 

[King-Kong]

BB Experts: It has become obvious that I need a cleanup crew (past my 2 mexican turbos).

I see ceriths and astreas are quite obviously the answer, but my question to you is: how many? I have a 90g with serious problems since I did not cook. I see keyscritters offers 100 of each for $60 total (and ill throw in 12 emeralds to help me w/ bubble algae). I do not know their costs for shipping, but etropicals will sell me 25 of each, and 10 emeralds for $100 including shipping. I have no idea what # I need, and what the tank can sustain. Also to consider: I have a sixline wrasse who likes to occaisionally flip over and eat snails, so he will slowly reduce my population.

Here is a photo from last night: http://www.d3f.org/misc/fish/90g/61-fulltank.jpg

(the photo is a composition: I only have 1 clown, 1 sixline, 4 chromis, 1 sargassum trigger, and 1 bicolor blenny. also: how is this for bioload for a bb tank?)

Look at the bare bottom, the rocks, the back walls. I have a bryopsis problem a long with slimy diatoms.

I am using a toothbrush to scrub all my rocks, and i am siphoning both the bottom of the main tank, and my sump-settle area. I assuming my turn over is probably not enough (2x 1100 & 1x1500 seios, 1x500 return spray bar).

Also, I am considering adding a second ASM skimmer to my sump. Would this be a wise decision, or rather an effective one? I currently have an ASM G-2, and might be able to add an ASM G-3, or atleast another G-2.

Please help me, as my 1 hour a day+ maintenance is beginning to wear down my patience.

 

[elephen]

Makes me glad I'm cooking my rocks...

On the other hand I would definately stock up on astreas and ceriths for sure and possibly get the biggest skimmer your wallet and sump will let you.

I would do 50-80 ceriths and 50 astreas and see what kind of a dent those guys put in there. Or 100 of each since I'm sure you'll lose some in shipping and then some from acclimation - atleast that never seems to fail in killing a few astreas for me.

I would look at adding a closed loop or upgrading some of those Seios to a few Tunze's.

 

[GROSSR]

I lost almost all my coral, all my fish and almost all of my snails. I put everything back in the tank, and WOW is the hair algea growing. I will be taking down the tank for the 3rd time in 5 weeks.

I am currently cooking 3/4 of my rocks, the rest are in the tank collecting hair.

After reading this and a few other posts, if you can, break the tank down and cook the rocks. I can't believe what is settling on the bottom of about 8 or 10 large rocks.

I will install the starboard (IKEA cutting board) followed by eggcrate raised off the bottom.

I just wish I knew about this before the second break down. First one mostly wipe out the tank.

Rich

 

[King-Kong]

The problem I have now is aesthetics. My corals are growing and thriving. Infact, all of the frags seen came in cold and brown/RTN'ing from a FedEx delay. I have saved them all, all are coloring up, encrusting their bases, etc. etc.

Even my clam has grown an inch in the 1.5 months ive had it.

I think it is due to the fact that I am doing a lot of water changes and maintenance on the tank. I do 5 gal. water changes every few days, and then every couple weeks do an additional 25 gallon water change. Each water change I try to remove as detritus and algae as possible.

I cannot break the tank down. It's not an option, so I have to find alternative ways of getting that rock clean.

 

[elephen]

Eventully the rock will stop shedding, I have heard it typically takes 2-4 months though.

 

[smokez01]

guys, im seriously planning on taking down my 25g and converting to bb

i dont know whether to put a smiley face, or sad face

i am in so much depression lately when i look at my tank because the hair algae is going nuts, theres cyano starting to grow everywhere, i feel like i did everything wrong, and im upset about taking down my aquascape and corals that ive had for a month, they are just starting to grow, and i dont want to kill them, ive already lost 5 out of the 12, with one more going out the window

i am happy of the idea of having a clean a$$ tank, and hopefully my sps will thrive,

i am tired of the headaces its causing me, and the head aces of my mom who keeps asking me why all this green sh!t is growing everywhere


some questions are

when i take all of the sand and rock out, and leave the fish and corals on the egg crate, how long will they be OK and live on the egg crate?? and should i move them around once a week so that they do not encrust, but still grow ??

the only thing i am worried about is the rest of my corals dieing, i do not know how long they will be ok on the egg crate while everything else is cooking, etc

i feel like ive put so much heart and dedication into my little nano, now its just literaly throwing up, and its such a head ace

 

[SeanT]

Hi,
Your corals and fish will be fine.
Just remember to do some waterchanges, skim wet and don't overfeed.
Place a few large PVC joints on the bottom of the tank as makeshift fish houses.
Sean

 

[King-Kong]

I placed an order with saltwaterfish.com yesterday for 35 astreas, 35 ceriths, 5 emeralds, and 2 lettuce nudis.

the second stage of kong's 90g bb quest has begun.

...now to retrofit my grills so I dont lose these nudis like the last one.

 

[SeanT]

Why the nudis?

 

[headshrink]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6437662#post6437662 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smokez01


i am in so much depression lately when i look at my tank because the hair algae is going nuts, theres cyano starting to grow everywhere, i feel like i did everything wrong, and im upset about taking down my aquascape and corals that ive had for a month, they are just starting to grow, and i dont want to kill them, ive already lost 5 out of the 12, with one more going out the window

I hear ya, right there with you.
In my experiences I often dread big jobs like this, but once I get involved in it I enjoy it again. Unfortunately I am not involved or enjoying it at the minute. I don't remember my last water change and you can barely see through the glass. I have let it go because I know I am going to restart it but am procrastinating. My GBM is like a roach.... you can't kill her. Not that I want to , I love that fish. She is the only reason I am doing that water change tonight.

 

[King-Kong]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6437806#post6437806 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SeanT
Why the nudis?

Because of a good ol' friend called Bryopsis.

I am turning the tide on it (I am using a toothbrush on every exposed patch and wearing it down) but I need help for areas I cannot reach w/ a scrubber. I blow those areas off but it takes more to actually KILL/REMOVE the algae.

 

[SeanT]

Ahhh ok, I thought you "cooked" your rock.

 

[King-Kong]

hahahahaha.....waaa waaaa.... I was an idiot and went bare bottom without realizing there was a lot more to BB than just not having sand.

now I am paying for it. also considering adding an additional skimmer (rather than replacing). I can fit another ASM G-2, or probably an ASM G-3.

 

[smokez01]

well, i jsut spent the past 8 hours emptying my tank, cleaning all of the powerheads and such, and filling it back up

nothing looks happy at all, in fact, a few of the frags seem to be sliming up pretty well, and look like they are out the window,

but one thing i have to say is, when i was taking the sand out, the water turned black, i definatly like this, but it seems like a frag tank, and just a brand new tank all together, except, the corals look like ****

 

[SeanT]

Be sure the temp an sg are correct.
I would also lower your photoperiod for a few days.

Sean

 

[smokez01]

yes, i made sure the s.g. was at 1.025 and that the temp was at 78

a bit on the low side, but its been chilly the past few days, the temps usually range from 79-81

and yes, the lower photoperiod sounds like a good idea... hopefully these frags will do okay for a few months while the rock is cooking,...

its just so strange to look at the tank this way, i definatly like the idea of cleanliness,

you should have seen the look on my mom and dads faces when they came home to see what i did to my tank =/