jsdancer
New member
Kingfisher I have a bubble blaster for my skimmer, love it!
They also make a regular pump just for tank circulation?
I will look it up. Thanks for the tip!
The Rebirth/Rebuild of my 180g sps thread
- Thread starter jsdancer
- Start date
Kingfisher I have a bubble blaster for my skimmer, love it!
They also make a regular pump just for tank circulation?
I will look it up. Thanks for the tip!
jsdancer
New member
Yea Chris very exciting like a new toy!
Anyway, as for the mp 40's I have two and left them in reef crest mode. I too like the upgrade version only for the fact that it can do the nutrient export mode.
I like your price range a lot for the upgrade kit!
I have a po4 test kit and plan to use it and let you guys know what it measures at this point.
I will look into the iwaki pumps. Thanks for the tip!
jsdancer
New member
Hey guys just tested po4 with API test kit and the bru is coming in at a whopping 1.5!
Not as bad as I thought but the rock has been sitting outside my back yard for 4 weeks and every week I would rinse. I know that i would be freaken if this were the measurement on a normal basis. But let's see what happens!
Not as bad as I thought but the rock has been sitting outside my back yard for 4 weeks and every week I would rinse. I know that i would be freaken if this were the measurement on a normal basis. But let's see what happens!
chrishayes
New member
I would guess thats what the rock my buddy and I acid bathed was pre acid. Afterwards it was .71 after soaking in ro and baking soda. However, we tested using my hanna and used his api at the same time and he got 1.5 and I got .71...so who knows how accurate the api is. I assume its pretty good for the upper ranges. I just would want to start out with PO4 as low as I could get it so there would be no regrets if my tank turned into a hydroponic HA farm! At least I did all I could to prevent it, ya know...just run some gfo for a few months and check the levels to be sure youre using enough/changing it enough. Im sure all will be well over time. However, you are adding this back to a tank thats heavily stocked right? You worried about that? From all ive read, bacterial populations in the water column are not only small in number but also not the nitrosommas you want for nitrification.
chrishayes
New member
It would be good to note, im an extremely cautious kinda guy, to explain myself!
chrishayes
New member
DId you leave rock or aything in the sump? I hope so. But again, im pesimistic and cautious to an anxiety panic attack level! lol
jsdancer
New member
Lol! But not sure I should be but what do you mean did I leave anything in the sump?
chrishayes
New member
I mean what is currently filtering your water? You have a bare tank with lots of fish and coral. What is providing the nitrification needs? If you add a bunch of rock that has die off all at once youre likely going to have problems. Thats what I meant, like did you keep some good live rock in the sump or elsewhere in the tank to at least seed and keep a biofilter running?
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
Agree with Chris above...Hopefully you kept some good rock.
I get to build from the ground up on my next tank and all the live rock will go into the refugiums and dry rock is all going to the DT so I don't battle aptasia. My previous live rock was amazing but had a few aptasia that sprouted. I'd get a couple pop up every month or two and I'd nuke it with a good kalk paste. This time you might want to kill the population before it gets out of control!
I get to build from the ground up on my next tank and all the live rock will go into the refugiums and dry rock is all going to the DT so I don't battle aptasia. My previous live rock was amazing but had a few aptasia that sprouted. I'd get a couple pop up every month or two and I'd nuke it with a good kalk paste. This time you might want to kill the population before it gets out of control!
jsdancer
New member
I actually do have a couple of pieces that do not hav any majanos or anaptaisa anemones and will be adding bacteria to water as well to help with the seeding. I am also planning on keeping as much of the watr as possible.
Yep you are right! The next time I plan to zap, blast w Kalk anything that resembles those two pests!
chrishayes
New member
just realize from what ive read, that very little bacteria is in the water column. Of course mature water is better since it isnt as caustic as freshly mixed water. Just find some good clean rock somewhere if you can.
jsdancer
New member
Chris,
The rock I have that is in the sump is free from any " anemones. " Ultimately I am prepared for some kind of cycle. I am ok with that.
jsdancer
New member
Today I removed the rock that had been soaking in tap water. Interestingly though was the smell. The typical smell one has when rock is cycling.
I plan on soaking in RO water and place a power head this time. I will test after a week and see what the phosphate readings are by end of next week.
Next week is install time! Stay tuned guys!
I plan on soaking in RO water and place a power head this time. I will test after a week and see what the phosphate readings are by end of next week.
Next week is install time! Stay tuned guys!
steevareno2002
New member
What are ou goin to do with your tangs if your tank recycles? I used to have aiptasia and 3 peppermint shrimp did the trick! Good luck to you...
chrishayes
New member
I cant stress it enough. Take your time with your rock cooking or whatever you wanna call it. Make sure its free of all the junk that was in it and that it has a bacteria population going before putting it in your tank. It is SO not worth rushing it just to end up fighting algae and phosphates for the next 6 months. I dont mean to rag on this over and over but I feel its just so important to restart a tank with clean live rock.
I know my view has changed on Live rock over the last few years over what it was prior. I thought the older the was the better. Or the more established the tank the better or the more organisms the better etc. Ive come to realize I like sterile rock that has been seeded and cycled with bacteria only is SOOOOO much nicer. I didnt have to go through a long drawn out cycle, all the algae blooms and persistant phosphate issues like Ive alwys had when using "premium" live rock. A good powerwash, bleach, dechlor and even an acid bath followed by a month in a dark bin with some clean "live, live rock" with a skimmer running worked like a charm for me! Couldnt be happier with all that that took timewise. what a great thing, ive got ZERO alga, ZERO phosphates and ZERO problems now 3 months after the tank was started. Also, the coraline algae that was on my frags and snails repopulated my tank with it if youre worried about that. After 3 months Ive got about 30% coverage on the rocks. But theyre CLEAN!
FOod for thought. Not meant to upset you or tell you what to do.
I know my view has changed on Live rock over the last few years over what it was prior. I thought the older the was the better. Or the more established the tank the better or the more organisms the better etc. Ive come to realize I like sterile rock that has been seeded and cycled with bacteria only is SOOOOO much nicer. I didnt have to go through a long drawn out cycle, all the algae blooms and persistant phosphate issues like Ive alwys had when using "premium" live rock. A good powerwash, bleach, dechlor and even an acid bath followed by a month in a dark bin with some clean "live, live rock" with a skimmer running worked like a charm for me! Couldnt be happier with all that that took timewise. what a great thing, ive got ZERO alga, ZERO phosphates and ZERO problems now 3 months after the tank was started. Also, the coraline algae that was on my frags and snails repopulated my tank with it if youre worried about that. After 3 months Ive got about 30% coverage on the rocks. But theyre CLEAN!
FOod for thought. Not meant to upset you or tell you what to do.
jsdancer
New member
I do understand your point Chris! No way upset here!!! Noticing how after a week in a bin with tap and NO pump I noticed the SMELL. This means that there is something dieing on the rock. I am planning on doing what you suggested. Bleach bath, vinegar bath and then we are good to go.
Thanks for the heads up!
jsdancer
New member
Well before I go and bathe the rocks in bleach and after that vinegar, here is an idea of what I am looking for as the final look to my aquascape. Looking at it from three angles for a couple of days allows it to be just right before I mortar it together.
Front view of proposed aquascape, two islands with lots of nooks, small and large cave like settings.
Proposed front right side of tank closer look
Proposed front left side of tank closer look
From a far looks like the islands are the same but when you see the pics individually you can see they are different.
I also took into consideration water flow. I want as much flow as possible so these pics show plently of room for my my vortechs and korallias.
I am also thinking of adding a bridge at top to connect the two islands. What do you guys think?
I am also taking into consideration the height of my islands. The tank measures 24" tall. With the Star board taking about 1/4" and the trim another 1 1/2". This leaves me about 21 1/2".
Right now I am about 18 to 19 inches from bottom. I think I have plenty of room for acros to grow.
Another factor I always hated was the the fact that I had things very close to the glass making it hard to clean and pass magnets around.
As you guys can see the star board has been cut and there is plently of room for siphoning detritus.
What do you guys think? Am I forgetting to think about something?
Front view of proposed aquascape, two islands with lots of nooks, small and large cave like settings.
Proposed front right side of tank closer look
Proposed front left side of tank closer look
From a far looks like the islands are the same but when you see the pics individually you can see they are different.
I also took into consideration water flow. I want as much flow as possible so these pics show plently of room for my my vortechs and korallias.
I am also thinking of adding a bridge at top to connect the two islands. What do you guys think?
I am also taking into consideration the height of my islands. The tank measures 24" tall. With the Star board taking about 1/4" and the trim another 1 1/2". This leaves me about 21 1/2".
Right now I am about 18 to 19 inches from bottom. I think I have plenty of room for acros to grow.
Another factor I always hated was the the fact that I had things very close to the glass making it hard to clean and pass magnets around.
As you guys can see the star board has been cut and there is plently of room for siphoning detritus.
What do you guys think? Am I forgetting to think about something?
jsdancer
New member
Well guys a couple things to update:
I added more to the initial design of the aquascape. Some of you suggested instead of a bridge that I connect the islands for more coral space. After some thought and knowing that I had extra live rock I thought of combining the two ideas.
Here is a closer look. The bridges I decided to keep on the lower side to give a better feel to the overall look of the bigger and taller islands.
What are your thoughts?
Here is a shot of the whole look to the aquascape. Compare them and geive me your honest opinions guys.
Not sold on it yet but thinking about flow in the tank and thinking about not having any dead spots.
Rocks have now been bleached and throughly rinsed.
Interesting that these rocks have sat for 4 weeks outside drying out, then for 4 days in tap water with bleach and yet coralline algae survives along with these!!! What are they?
In cleaning up the rock I found this critter. Unfortunately gone but this half is embedded in the rock the other half I am keeping for a while. The surface is hard and the and the edges are sharp. Some type of clam I guess.
I added more to the initial design of the aquascape. Some of you suggested instead of a bridge that I connect the islands for more coral space. After some thought and knowing that I had extra live rock I thought of combining the two ideas.
Here is a closer look. The bridges I decided to keep on the lower side to give a better feel to the overall look of the bigger and taller islands.
What are your thoughts?
Here is a shot of the whole look to the aquascape. Compare them and geive me your honest opinions guys.
Not sold on it yet but thinking about flow in the tank and thinking about not having any dead spots.
Rocks have now been bleached and throughly rinsed.
Interesting that these rocks have sat for 4 weeks outside drying out, then for 4 days in tap water with bleach and yet coralline algae survives along with these!!! What are they?
In cleaning up the rock I found this critter. Unfortunately gone but this half is embedded in the rock the other half I am keeping for a while. The surface is hard and the and the edges are sharp. Some type of clam I guess.
chrishayes
New member
I like the last scape best with the two islands connected. Just feels better. I love nice rockwork but it should only provide a general "feel" and less is more when you have sps growing all over it. I dont think you have enough room at the top but only by a few inches. Youll have peices growing to the surface for sure with what you have. Thats not a bad thing though if thats whay you like...
ALso, cool critter, no idea what it is but the pink things are common and are a form of sponge I believe but they are for sure dead! I have some growing again in my tank, dont think ive ever had a reef that didnt have them in it. Good call on the bleaching!
ALso, cool critter, no idea what it is but the pink things are common and are a form of sponge I believe but they are for sure dead! I have some growing again in my tank, dont think ive ever had a reef that didnt have them in it. Good call on the bleaching!
jsdancer
New member
Wow never thought of them as a sponge I thought of them as coralline algae. I like them and you are right I have always seen them in any reef I have ever had. But unique that they retain their coloring....
