PLANNING TO RESTART MT TANK

[jxlex]

Anyway, may i know which is better? NSW OR SALT MIX? WHICH ONE IS BETTER IN TERMS OF CYCLING THE TANK FASTER?

NSW might be faster but u run the risk of adding harmful bacteria, toxins, parasites or chemicals into your tank... Its a risk u have to weight and decide. Then again there are ultrafiltered nsw around, not sure bout the availability of sterile ones though.

Again this "faster" bit is quite worrying as i think u should not rush the cycling process whether nsw or saltmix; and if all possible cycle it for a longer period of time to have a strong culture of nitrifying bacterias. U can use this time to read more, learn more and plan for other stuff.

For big tanks it makes monetary sense to have the initial fill up done using nsw but i still think if possible, subsequent water change should use salt mix.

Imho quality salt mix gives u many benefits such as trace elements, macro elements in certain proportions already declared on the covers... If its what u are looking for then salt mix might be better for u..

Last point, sorry for lengthy post, uncle lorsoh... If u going for saltmix please use at least di water and not fresh from the tap...

[staromsa]

Uncle ahhh. . Haha. This is what i learn from bro james. Using the distilled water.. Will that be great? I promise to do this one last time and do it well!

[staromsa]

If i use salt, would Blue Treasure be fine?

[staromsa]

Will list down the equipmenti using later

[staromsa]

Btw can i reuse my LR? Also should i put sand?

[MarcoVan]

I see no point in restarting too unless you have gone through shit like mine which was an endless spiral downwards. FYI, my sandbed turned black and my HA were growing like weeds. If you experience that, you are obliged to restart.

If not, suck it up and go through it. like bro jxlex said, restart is an an illusion. The root causes of your problems have yet to be solved. Anyway cyano is the least of my concerns in reefing. (:

Debate between nsw or salt mix, well for new tanks I'll just go with NSW but that's only for the start, subsequent water changes Ill do salt mix with salt like Tropic Marin, Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals. currently im on Red Sea Coral Pro. Never use Blue Treasure before. Basically for me is what the Americans use, I'll follow.

[MarcoVan]

Can you reuse LRs? Sure! why not. Just remember to 'cook' it. Cooking is the methodology of seeding good bacteria in your rocks in a pail/tank of seawater under normal to high temperature for a period of 1-2months.

You can effectively reduce your cycling period and at the same time, colonise your rocks with healthy bacteria population. The good bacteria will feed on your existed nutrients so basically leaving your rocks 'clean'.

'Cooking' is not baking your rocks under sun nor in bleach. If you got time to go CF, go see what they do with their live rocks. Similar methodology except theirs is in bigger scale - no skimming no chiller just good aerated water in constant constant motion.

attached is your read up

The purpose of "cooking" your rocks is to have tha bacteria consume all (or as much) organic material and PO4 stored on, and in, the rock as possible.

The first step to this is commitment.

You have to be willing to remove your rock from the tank.

It doesn't have to be all at once, but I feel if you are going to do this do it all. In stages if that is easier but make sure that all of it gets done.

The new environment you are creating for your rock is to take it from an algal driven to a bacterial driven system.

In order to this, the rock needs to be in total darkness to retard and eventually kill the algae's on the rock and to give the bacteria time to do the job.

So basically you need tubs to hold the rock.

Equipment needed.

1. Dedication.

2. Tubs to cook rock in. And an equal amount of tubs to hold the rock during waterchanges.

3. A few powerheads.

4. Plenty of buckets.

5. A smug feeling of superiority that you are taking it to "the next level."

Here are the steps, if you have any questions I will try my best to answer them. What I don't know I am sure Bomber can/will instruct.

1. Get into your head and accept the fact you will be making lots of salt water if you aren't lucky enough to have access to filtered NSW.

2. Explain to significant other what is going on so they don't flip out. This process can take up to 2 months. Prepare them in advance so he/she can mark it on the calendar and that they won't nag about it until that date arrives.

3. Setup a tub(s) where the rock is to be cooked. Garages are great for this.

4. Make up enough water to fill tub(s) about halfway and around 5-7 buckets about 60% full.

5. Remove all the rock you want to cook at this stage. (The rock can be removed piece by piece until you are done.) I suggest shutting off the circulation beforehand to minimize dust storms.

6. Take the first piece of rock and dunk it, swish it, very, very well in the first bucket. Then do it again in the 2nd bucket, then the third.

7. Place rock in the tub.

8. Repeat steps 6 & 7 to every piece of rock you want to cook at this time. The reason I suggested 5-7 buckets of water will be evident quickly...as the water quickly turnsq brown.

9. Place powerhead(s) in the tub and plug in. Position at least one powerhead so that it agitates the surface of the water pretty well. This is to keep the water oxygenated. You can use an air pump for additional oxygenation if you wish.

9. Cover the tub. Remember, we want total darkness.

10. Empty out buckets, restart circulation on main tank.

11. Wait.

12. During the first couple of weeks it is recommended to do a swishing and dunking of the rocks twice a week.

What this entails is to make up enough water to fill up those buckets and the tub the rock is in.

First, lay out your empty tub(s) and fill buckets the same as before.

Then, uncover tub with the rock in it. Take a rock and swish it in the tub it's in to knock any easy to get off junk.

Then, swish it thru the 3 buckets again, and place in the empty tub..

Repeat for all your rocks.

Then empty the tub that all the rocks were cooking in, take it outside and rinse it out with a hose.

Place tub back where it was, fill with new saltwater, add rocks and powerheads, and cover.

Wait again unti the next water change.

You will be utterly amazed at how much sand, silt, detrius is at the bottom of the tub and every bucket. It is amazing.

How it works:

Some FAQ's.

When re-introducing the rock to my tank, a month or two from now, should I do that in parts to help minimize any cycling effect(s)...if there are any?

I never have. Really after a very short while, the ammonium cycle has been extablished. That's not what you're worry about though, it's the stored phosphates and that you have to wait it out.

When they are producing very little detritus - you'll know - then I would use them all at once.

Would running Carbon filtration and/or a PO4 reducing media help/hurry/hinder the process?

I wouldn't fool with it. You don't want the detritus to sit there long enough to rot, release water soluble P again. You want to take it out while it's still locked up in that bacterial detritus.

I hope this helps you out.

It really is a "miracle" and a low cost one at that.

The only monies spent are for salt and electricity for the powerheads which are nominal. Especially to rid yourself of Bryopsis.

Time and effort is all it akes. And really not that much effort.

I would say that 85% of my exposed rock had Bryopsis (hair algae) covering it.

There isn't a single visible strand on andy rocks in the tubs now.

Remember, the key is patience. Let this process run its course.

And a few last minute tidbits I remembered.

Your coralline will die back, receed etc.

My thoughts on this are GREAT!

Now my rock is more porous for additional pods, mysids, worms etc.

Coralline will grow back.

Throughout this process the sponges, and pods on my rock have not died off.

Everytime I do a waterchange they are there and plentiful.

If you have any questions please ask.

[MarcoVan]

I copied tt out from Sean T. in RC.

Anyway seems like this thread is OOT. lol

[staromsa]

Bro marcovan, i got a problem leh. Which is, i dont have the space to do this method.. Bro how? But base on the condition i really think i should restart leh. If dont restart, i doubt perimeters will ever get back to normal leh

[staromsa]

To be honest bro's , i really look up to Lawchan's sps tank and dnsfpl bro tank. Their reef are really awesome.. I would like to have the same outcome like them, unfortunately i dont have the money to. Thats really a waste... I would just like to use the cheapest equipment available to keep BIRDNEST , POCCI , DIGITATA , MONTIPORA GREEN AND RED. Thats all i only ask for , not asking much.. These 4 species i just wanna make them thrive and grow bigger thats all.. I'm more then happy enough.. Would really appreciate if some bro out there could come do the setup for me. HAHHAHA..

PROBABLY EVEN SPONSOR ME THIS PATHETIC 17 YEAR OLD TEENAGER WHO WANTS TO REALLY HAVE A SMALL PIECE OF THE REEF IN MY TANK.

AS I REALLY HAVE THE INTEREST SINCE YOUNG. I KEPT SINCE I WAS 12 AND NOW IM 17. 5 YEARS. STILL CANT GET THINGS RIGHT.

WOULD REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO A SPONSOR:)

THANKYOU!

[MarcoVan]

You don't need a big space to keep do that. I did it in my 3 footer before in office and then now again in a 6 gallon tank. It'll still work no matter what, provided you got something.

That's right! Patience my friend. Good things only come to those who wait (: So it doesnt matter whether you restart now or later, you still wont get to anywhere because you still going to make the same mistakes all over again.

[MarcoVan]

Anyway you dont need big money to get a piece of reef. If you have been to nano reef.com you'll find alot of tanks equally pretty with little equipments. What they lack in dollars, they make that up with strict husbandry and water changes regime.

Reefing is just a hobby. Take it lightly and enjoy it along the way.

[MarcoVan]

Yes lawchan and dnspl tanks are great hehe

[staromsa]

Bro what do you mean by im gonna make the same mistake? Bro whatsapp me can? 94577231. Thankyou!

[MarcoVan]

and it will be wrong to think they get to where they are now with money. if you have followed lawchan's thread youll know how bad his hands were when he tried to rescape to give more flow to his corals and how dnspl coped with gg to pasir ris buy seawater for water changes. same go for other senior reefers like cedric and mike.

that's dedication my friend; something money cant buy.

[MarcoVan]

sorry s3 lag hence split post up for easier viewing and typing.

[jxlex]

Yup totally agree... If u want something to call ur own, u need most importantly to spend time to learn and then to personally react with it... Have fun... Its a great hobby!

[staromsa]

Yeahh. Im gonna do it this sat, once and right! Will get the tighy equipments too.

[staromsa]

Really big thankyou to MarcoVan bro and Jxlex bro for helping me this while.

[staromsa]

Appreciate it lots! Wish me luck!

[staromsa]

Just reached home.. Realised that 1 of my rocks is getting a little purple, why is that so?

[staromsa]

I didnt even dose any calcium supplements, how is it possible that the coraline would grow? Algae growth speed decreasing... Is that good?

[[V]tEc]

Sorry if i offence u. It seems like u do not have enough knowledge to start a sps tank. Even if u have money to restart, u will end up failing again. And seriously in this hobby, if u are cash tight, dont start with some thing so demanding. Go for soft coral or lps. They are firstly more forgiving. They do not need strong lightings. They do not need strong flow. And they do not need very good quality to stay alive.

[staromsa]

Accepted all advise. Yeah i dont have è knowledge. Thats why currently im trying real hard to learn why letting my tank cycle.

[illumnae]

One of the reasons I want to restart is that I started my tank wrong. First is the substrate, I took the advice of a friend to try mixing coarse and fine substrate, and I now find that I hate it - I want to get rid of all my substrate now and replace it with fine substrate. I also didn't do my research properly and switched between a few different nutrient export systems without proper "fade-in/fade-out" resulting in nutrients going haywire.

I intend to restart because it seems easier to get a "fresh start" especially if I'm replacing the substrate. I intend to re-cycle the tank from scratch and to "get it right" from the start with a single chosen nutrient export system (Polyplab system) and to keep it going right from the start, as opposed to trying to get things back in order which may be a drawn out battle.

Would it still be a bad idea to restart in this case?