Will B-Ionic cloud water for days?

[21Reefman]

Did you remove the "cocktail" shrimp??? Just curious.

 

[Chordstriker]

Agreed, with the tank being a week old and adding all the fresh salt and new sand in the tank, there ought to be enough calcium to get everything started without any help. If you try to jumpstart it too much it'll make your first diatom break out a doozy.

 

[21Reefman]

:lolspin: :lolspin: Q: What do you get when you cross an insomniac, an agnostic, and a dyslexic?
A: Someone who stays up all night wondering if there is a Dog :lolspin: :lolspin:

Craig, I love that!!!

 

[21Reefman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6965663#post6965663 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chordstriker
If you try to jumpstart it too much it'll make your first diatom break out a doozy.

What is this about?? Please explain. I think I did it!

 

[Fmellish]

Just remember, if you do it too much, you'll go blind.

 

[Paintbug]

for starts your tank isnt even cycled. there is no reason to be adding ANY additives at this point. it sounds like what you have is calcium precipitation going on. basicly your tank cant adsorb the calcium and its clumping together. ditch the Reef Solution all together. and you should NEVER add anything to your tank without testing for it. Oceanic salt is a little high on the calcium to start with. so unless you test your tanks calcium level how do you know if you need to add any? same for the alk. your tank will go through a cycle with the calc and alk as well, then they will balance out, and start dropping as your tank uses them. thats when you need to start a calc/alk dosing scheme. until then just worry about getting your tank cycled. not getting coralline to grow. it will come on its own, then you will be wishing it would stop. heres some articles on water chemisty you need:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2002/chemistry.htm
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.php

 

[JRPhd]

One word as to what LFS told you and how you are approaching things right now:

"It sounds like what you have is calcium precipitation going on" - Exactly what I was thinking. And look out for that precip. as it can muck up your powerheads.

Just chill on the additives. Much later if and when you dose, get exact numbers from tests. If you dose B-ionic, get exact numbers for Ca and Alk.

 

[21Reefman]

I do want to know; why did you put a cocktail shrimp in the tank? I assumed to cycle it? I would say that using a gal or so of dirty water from the water change(gravel siphon) of an established tank would work MUCH better!
I have never heard of this cocktail shrimp method, who told you to do this?

 

[Paintbug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6969393#post6969393 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 21Reefman
I do want to know; why did you put a cocktail shrimp in the tank? I assumed to cycle it? I would say that using a gal or so of dirty water from the water change(gravel siphon) of an established tank would work MUCH better!
I have never heard of this cocktail shrimp method, who told you to do this?

its a very common practice to use a raw whole shrimp to help kick off the cycle of a new tank. much better than buying a couple of damsels like most LFS will say do.

 

[yogisfriend]

Hi folks,
Thanks for all the great advice!

I think it was indeed the salt that created the cloudiness- it was gone the next day. I have calmed down on trying to get my tank done faster, faster, faster and am letting nature take its course. I took the cocktail shrimp out after 1 1/2 days, put the B-Ionic in the closet, did a water change and am testing like a madman. Everything looks good:

Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia = 0
Ph = 8.3
Mg = 1350
SG = 1.025
Alk = 10
Ca = 450
Temp = 82-83
DSB = 4"-5"

I just got an ASM G2 today to replace my Aqua C. I am running a phosban reactor and carbon. The tank is clear and running well. I'm going to wait a while to put anything in it, just to make sure it's stable. My numbers have stayed steady this week but I have gotten over the impatient stage; I just want to do it correctly.

 

[Craig Lambert]

Congrats...Your numbers look very good! Have you begun testing for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate as well?

 

[yogisfriend]

Hi Craig,
Yes, those I tested daily from the very first day. The fact that I never had any ammonia was a cause for concern--that's why I was trying to bump a cycle. I didn't want one to sneak up on me at a later date. I did get some nitrite but never much, and my nitrate never got above 50. All are now 0 and have been all week.
Since you're here, I have another question. Do you qt your corals? I was searching forums, but found only fish qt, which I do when buying for my 80g. I have clowns in qt now, waiting for the 120 to be ready.

 

[Craig Lambert]

I do not, but I know some people do. I do not keep SPS, but if I did I would QT them. From reading posts about red planaria (flat worms), it seems to me that they are more likely to arrive on SPS corals. I suppose the danger is there if SPS were housed in the same tank as lps and softies at the lfs, or online retailer but from the posts I've read on the topic the incidents seem to be scured towards sps.

 

[yogisfriend]

Ok, thanks. I guess the smart thing would be to either qt or iodine dip.