New light....excited

[nhutdmd]

Thanks to all who posted on my thread to help with my light and water issue. Thanks to Ron, I got a 6-week old light strip which includes 2 x 250 HQI MH, 4 x 39 watt T5's and 18 lunars. Although it is a 36", with it mounted about 5 inches above the tank, I get total light penetration everywhere!

I had a salinity issue...but getting it under control, now... 1.027(need to get it to 1.025 right?)
Calcium..400
ph 8.2
dkh 6-7(working on getting it higher)
nitrates 0-20
nitrites 0-20

I have had a bubble algae problem, hair alge as well. Found out TDS reading on my RO/DI sourse was 22 ppm. Besides my source of water what do to treat and prevent this from coming up again? I was feeding 1 cube of frozen food every 3 days(krill, brine, mysis, different variety). Is this too much??

Trying to get things in shape...maybe restock cleaner crew?..for a clean slate.


Van

 

[nhutdmd]

Yeah, the BA and HA was booming before with my power compacts and I didn't know how old the bulbs were since I purchased it used from a fellow ARC reefer. Everyone I have spoken to have recommended upgrading so now I have. I am hoping that that was the main issue. Not sure what my skimmer model is, but from what I was told it is a great skimmer, I have to empty out the collection cup weekly with dark, brown crud! I have been performing 5 gallon water changes until I can exact my salinity and ensure my nitrates are in check. Can't wait to do some real reefing!

 

[budsreef]

Congrats on getting the new lights. It sounds like you are starting to get things under control. Are you doing a reduced light schedule to let everything get acclimated to the new lights? What are you checking your salinity with? The hydrometers that I have seen tend to read lower than what the water really is so I'd check it with a refractometer to make sure since it is a little high. How many fish do you have? A whole cube seems like a lot at one time even if it is every three days.

 

[nhutdmd]

Yes,

Trying to acclimate light...I ran it a couple of hours the night I received it, last night about 5 hours, tonight 7 hours? The light is intense! Should I reduce the schedule for such power? What do you suggest?? I have been measuring it with a coralife hydrometer. I have a total of 7 fish. 2 percs, 2 damsels, 1 tomato, 1 six-line, 1- dragon goby. I was advised to give 1/4th of a cube on the same schedule.

 

[budsreef]

nhutdmd;209921 wrote: Yes,

Trying to acclimate light...I ran it a couple of hours the night I received it, last night about 5 hours, tonight 7 hours? The light is intense! Should I reduce the schedule for such power? What do you suggest?? I have been measuring it with a coralife hydrometer. I have a total of 7 fish. 2 percs, 2 damsels, 1 tomato, 1 six-line, 1- dragon goby. I was advised to give 1/4th of a cube on the same schedule.

I don't have any experience with MHs so my advise on it would be suspect, but I have read that others would keep the lights on for the same amount of time as before with several layers of screen over the tank and remove a layer each week or so. Hopefully, the more experienced guys will chime in on this.

A 1/4th of a cube seems a lot more reasonable. I have more fish than you spread over several tanks and I feed about a 1/4th cube every other day with some flakes on the off days.

Please get your water tested with a refractometer. I don't trust the hydrometers at all.