What is this?
- Thread starter CodeBlueMedic
- Start date
Crooked Reef
Active member
Looks like a mushroom. If it is soft and shrivels if agitated or at night them it is a mushroom.
CodeBlueMedic
New member
It definitely shrivels...When I first found it, it was about the size of a dime and now it's the size of a nickel. My tank hasn't even cycled yet, anything I need to do to ensure it's survival?
reepher315
Humble Student
You might get lucky they are usually pretty tough. Looks to be healthy. Any ammonia readings yet?
CodeBlueMedic
New member
Not yet, which is actually pretty surprising..I placed a chopped up raw shrimp in the tank 4 days ago and it is almost completely dissolved now...Still no ammonia, nitrites or nitrates.
Salinity is at 1.023 - I'm trying to bring this up slowly by adding saltwater during top offs, but so far it's creeeeppping up.
CodeBlueMedic
New member
Oh crap.....As a noob mistake, I messed up the initial nitrate test. Somehow I missed the ammonia and nitrite spike....I'm at 5.0 ppm of nitrate
shesacharmer
New member
Yay! That's an ok mistake. Just give your tank more time now and keep an eye on those Nitrates...as long as ammonia and nitrite stay at zero you can do your water change after the nitrates exceed 40 ppm.
CodeBlueMedic
New member
yikes...another noob mistake...was measuring ammonia wrong too...Okay, double checked everything and current numbers in the DT are:
Ammonia: .50 ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-10 ppm
In the QT they are:
Ammonia: 1.0ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ammonia: .50 ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-10 ppm
In the QT they are:
Ammonia: 1.0ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
g.Smith
New member
Will it survive?
Will it survive?
Hi! I'm brand new to salt water and just set up my tank. I'm a week in and at the beginning of the cycle. I just bought some new LR to add my other LR and dry rock that have been in my tank since day one (which is already growing diatoms). The new LR came with several tiny purple and white brittle stars and what I think are asterina stars. I've heard the asterina stars will survive but will the brittle stars? There was no acclamation either... Do I even want them? I originally wanted a red Bali star or a linkia star, but will they even play nice with my new hitchhikers?
Ammonia: .50
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: 5.0
I'm also curious how long it will take to cycle with 80% live rock (20% dry: total about 20lbs) and 75% live sand (i wanna say around 15-20lbs sand total). I just set up a power head today. Instead of the bioballs, I have 2 big filter sponges, a filter sock with sea chem matrix and a purigen in front of the return pump. Upgraded the return pump to a mj1200(cycles 295 gallons per hour) still have the basic florescent lights on the biocube - will upgrade eventually. Water is RO from the LFS.
Will it survive?
Hi! I'm brand new to salt water and just set up my tank. I'm a week in and at the beginning of the cycle. I just bought some new LR to add my other LR and dry rock that have been in my tank since day one (which is already growing diatoms). The new LR came with several tiny purple and white brittle stars and what I think are asterina stars. I've heard the asterina stars will survive but will the brittle stars? There was no acclamation either... Do I even want them? I originally wanted a red Bali star or a linkia star, but will they even play nice with my new hitchhikers?
Ammonia: .50
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: 5.0
I'm also curious how long it will take to cycle with 80% live rock (20% dry: total about 20lbs) and 75% live sand (i wanna say around 15-20lbs sand total). I just set up a power head today. Instead of the bioballs, I have 2 big filter sponges, a filter sock with sea chem matrix and a purigen in front of the return pump. Upgraded the return pump to a mj1200(cycles 295 gallons per hour) still have the basic florescent lights on the biocube - will upgrade eventually. Water is RO from the LFS.
shesacharmer
New member
Every tank cycle is different. There is no way for us to guess how long yours will take. Please realize that just because your readings all come up to zero and the tank has finished cycling it is only able to handle a baby bioload. This is why it's recommended to install the CUC after the cycle and no fish for 4 weeks after the cycle. This allows the bio filter to mature prior to putting in fish.
