What a battle!

[hobobob]

Well it's been 9 days since I got part 1.

On day three I got an ammonia spike. A spike like the Washington Monument. I did multiple 25% water changes,sniffed (and gagged) and scraped the rocks. The tank and the house stunk to high heaven and my wife was giving me that look.

Day 6, 7 and 8, I did 50% water changes and it didn't seem to touch the ammonia. I did notice brown smut starting to coat the rocks and tank walls. I've changed over 200 gallons of water.

This morning the rocks are browner but... Lo and behold...a feather duster! Life! I though for sure I had killed everything as I had been siphoning out dozens of bristles, crabs and shrimp. Most of the calerpa detached too. Ammonia test...It's gone!

The feeling of relief was replaced by a feeling of moisture through my socks. My water trash can (for RO/DI) had overflowed in the night and went through the floor vent and flooded the finished basement. My bad. I don't even want to desribe the look I got for that one. I wish she would just yell at me or throw something at me. Anything but the withering glare. I keep telling her how nice it's going to be and that it won't cost much more ( I'm going to hell for that lie

But maybe I'm out of the woods now. I've got plenty of water made to do a big change to lessen the nitrates that are sure to come from processing all that ammonia and I hope the brown stuff goes away. Will it? or do I have to do something for (to) it?

Now I see a 1 1/2 inch neon green mantis. A survivor (like me). I probably should buy my wife some flowers today.

 

[Melusina]

Congrats on the zero ammonia reading! And you might want to throw in some jewelry with the flowers

 

[HowardW]

<<< But maybe I'm out of the woods now. I've got plenty of water made to do a big change to lessen the nitrates that are sure to come from processing all that ammonia and I hope the brown stuff goes away. Will it? or do I have to do something for (to) it? >>>


More frequent smaller water changes (10-25%) are sometimes preferable to less frequent larger ones. The 'brown stuff' is most likely a diatom bloom which is normal on newer tanks and will go away on its own.

 

[HowardW]

<<< Current Tanks: 75 G. Reef Tank 6x54 T5 fixture >>>


I also see you are running 6X54W T5's on a 75g tank. If those have indiviual reflectors you may not need that much light for a TBS rock only tank IMO.

 

[hobobob]

Hey Howie,

I had just got done telling my son about gradual water changes but the ammonia approached 5 (forgive if I 've missed decimals but real high).

Instructions said to get below 1 or carnage ensues. I wasn't able to do that even with massive changes. I guess luckily, nature kicked in. I plan on being much more conservative as things progress.

Diatoms huh? It's always something. They don't seem to be blooming out of control, so I'll hope that it runs it's course.

Re: lights. I do have the NEP with the individual reflectors. In my previous forays into this hobby, I was always trying to get more lux and not have to buy a chiller. I'm kind of excited to be light lush for the price of admission and low water temps. (relatively cheap). I'll definately keep it in mind as things move forward.

thanks for the input
(wife still ****ed)