Reefaquaria "A humble piece of ocean"

[reefaquaria]

After years keeping freshwater fishes and planted tanks, I'm motivated to set up a reef tank at home for my little boy who enjoy watching colorful marine fishes and corals. I have spent the last few months decommissioning all my freshwater tank, reading through many useful information in this forum and sourcing for used marine tank set+equipment.

I'm expecting many challenges to come in my little adventure, hence I hope for feedbacks, advices and pointers from many experienced reefers here.

I plan to start slowly and enjoy the whole process so I will start with FOWLR and slowly turn it to LPS or even SPS in the future.

Here is specs of my tank:-

Display tank : 3' x 2' x 2'

Sump tank : 25" x 20" x 15"

Return pump : Eheim 1260

Chiller : Arctica DBE-200 (1/4hp) with Ehem Compact 3000

Light : Orphek PR-156W

Skimmer : Skimz SM161

Wavemaker : Vortech MP40W + Jebao WP-25

FR : Rowaphos + carbon with Eheim Compact 1000

FR : Enductor FR30 biopellet with Eheim Compact 1000

The tank is still empty, planning to get NSW these few days to start the cycle with live sand and Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter7.

I have not decided on any type of live sand, so appreciate any suggestion.

Thanks in advanced for all feedback, advices and pointers!

[reefaquaria]

I played around with configuration of rock scape this morning to come out with this scape. Appreciate any comment/feedback on how to improve this.

[Siowaro]

Nice scaping!! Welcome the no return red going world!!!

[reefaquaria]

Nice scaping!! Welcome the no return red going world!!!

Thanks

[reefaquaria]

29-June-2014:

Filled the tank with NSW

Moved the rocks in

Turned on skimmer, carbon, rowaphos and biopellet reactors

Plan for this week:

- waiting for the rocks to cure

- do 50%-100% water change at the end of the week

Should I start dosing microbacter7?

[ReDDeviLs]

how long have your rocks been out of the water before going into the tank?

i personally dont believe in doing large water change during cycling. but it depends on individual.

[Clement Chen]

ya agreed with bro reddevils. Should not do a 100% water change.

[reefaquaria]

Thanks bros, appreciate the comments.

The rocks are dead to start with. I brushed it to remove the die-offs as much as I can but the rocks remain smelly so I'm curing it for few weeks. I would expect the water to turn smelly in a week and water change will help to export out excess nutrient and smell.

Let's see how it turns out in a week, will do water change if water turns bad.

[ReDDeviLs]

you can do partial WC constantly. the reason we cycle the tank its to stablise the water condition, if you do a 100% or 80% its as good as using "new" water.

and yes the smell is terrible i fully understand.

keep enough flow going through your rocks and system. it helps. enjoy your setup!

[reefaquaria]

Thanks for info bro. Currently running mp40 with full blast

[reefaquaria]

30-June-2014:

first dose of microbacter7

test water parameter

SG. : 1.020

pH. : 8.4

kH. : 7

Ammonia : 1 ppm

Nitrite. : 0

Nitrate. : 0

[reefaquaria]

8-June-2014:

add a 40lbs-bag of caribsea ocean direct live sand

11-June-2014:

test water parameter

SG. : 1.023 (30)

pH. : 8~8.5

kH. : 6

Ammonia : near 0

Nitrite. : near 0

Nitrate. : 20-40ppm

Do 10% water change this morning

[reefaquaria]

My kH seems a bit low, how to increase? Do more water change? I'm using NSW btw.

TIA

[ReDDeviLs]

you can get KH buffer to buff up your KH slowly.

It will be easier to use good salt mix to do your wter change in future so that your parameters will be more consistent.

NSW have lower parameters at times.

[chercm]

29-June-2014:

Filled the tank with NSW

Moved the rocks in

Turned on skimmer, carbon, rowaphos and biopellet reactors

Plan for this week:

- waiting for the rocks to cure

- do 50%-100% water change at the end of the week

Should I start dosing microbacter7?

[reefaquaria]

you can get KH buffer to buff up your KH slowly.

It will be easier to use good salt mix to do your wter change in future so that your parameters will be more consistent. 

NSW have lower parameters at times.

Thanks bro, I don't have ro/di unit to make salt mix at the moment. I may consider to invest one in the future.

[reefaquaria]

 

 

do not recommend for the bio pellets to be added in during the cycle period 

I was advised against turning on skimmer, carbon and rowaphos during cycling. So I switch them off last Sunday.

But I was told to keep biopellet on to act as biomedia for bacteria to grow which I think make sense.

[ReDDeviLs]

remember to test your other parameters such as PH,MG,CA as well especially on NSW.

[reefaquaria]

remember to test your other parameters such as PH,MG,CA as well especially on NSW.

Noted, thanks bro. Have yet to get tester for MG & Ca yet, it's in my shopping list

[james72]

So you kept your biopellets running and skimmer off? Hope your adviser knows what he/she is doing.....

Cheers,

James

[chercm]

I was advised against turning on skimmer, carbon and rowaphos during cycling. So I switch them off last Sunday.

But I was told to keep biopellet on to act as biomedia for bacteria to grow which I think make sense.

i am currently cycling the tank now and i have switched on the skimmer. If u turn on the bio pellets reactor , it will cause the cycling process to lengthen . i asked the same question on the Reefcentral forum

The only concern would be if you do not generate enough of the normal cycling bacteria because you have driven a different species that was eating the pellets and using ammonia as a nitrogen source. Since those bacteria may not be as easily able to expand in numbers as the daily production of ammonia rises with new creatures, you might have to cycle over again, or it may slow the cycle.

so i would suggest strongly to turn on the skimmer - ( Skimmer needs to go through the vinegar bath if it is new one to allow it to break in faster ) and wait for the cycling process to complete before using the bio pellets .

For bio pellets , the output needs to go through the skimmer.

[reefaquaria]

Well I think there are different school of thoughts on this. You might be right, I don't know to be honest as I'm newbie myself

My tank is nearly cycled now and this morning I have turned on the skimmer, carbon and rowaphos.

[chercm]

Well I think there are different school of thoughts on this. You might be right, I don't know to be honest as I'm newbie myself

My tank is nearly cycled now and this morning I have turned on the skimmer, carbon and rowaphos.

Just checking how do u know it is cycled ?

[reefaquaria]

Tested ammonia and nitrite dropped to zero and nitrate going up

[chercm]

Good luck then