New to the hobby? Enter Here for the Basic Reefkeeping info

[brianjfinn]

OldandTired;597898 wrote: My first post.
I have been in and out of the hobby for 40 years. This thread is full of excellent information.
In the old days one had to sacrifice several fish (mostly damsels) to get the tank to cycle. I am not trying to be a tree hugger, but I hated to see the little buggers die. Now, enzymes, living bacteria, and proper systems can do that.

Anyone here, with any experience, will completely agree with you. That doesn't make you a tree hugger, that makes you a good steward.

 

[siavashv]

this is amazing!! I am starting the hobby and have been doing some research to see what I want to do. let me tell you that your posts have been UNBELIEVABLE in guiding me. You are awesome. Keep doing the service that you do!

 

[jcusmarine]

Most welcome. Thanks.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

 

[tpate77]

I have had the live sand in the tank for one week. And live rock in the tank for 24 hours. How long does it need to set before I should see my ammonia start to rise. I check it before the live rock was installed an about a hour ago still reading between 0 to maybe .25 I was told also by my LPS to add sability to the tank by following the instuctions which I have. Sability for the past 6 days ever since the live sand was installed. I am in no hurry I just was wonder if it was going to spike or rise soon or will it take a week or two.

16 gallon system
20 pounds live sand
11 pounds live rock
150 penguin bio wheel
Top fin powerhead 30
Heater
What temp around 76-78

 

[jcusmarine]

tpate77;629026 wrote: I have had the live sand in the tank for one week. And live rock in the tank for 24 hours. How long does it need to set before I should see my ammonia start to rise. I check it before the live rock was installed an about a hour ago still reading between 0 to maybe .25 I was told also by my LPS to add sability to the tank by following the instuctions which I have. Sability for the past 6 days ever since the live sand was installed. I am in no hurry I just was wonder if it was going to spike or rise soon or will it take a week or two.

16 gallon system
20 pounds live sand
11 pounds live rock
150 penguin bio wheel
Top fin powerhead 30
Heater
What temp around 76-78

Give it another week. Test. Let us know your findings. Good start using live sand....

bcc65;629110 wrote: i have had a problem with saltwater ich. I have lost 2 fish and the 1 of the remaining 3 don't look to good. i have a 55 gal tank with daul pequin biowheel filters and around 60 ponds of live rock. no corals yet so i am treating the whole tank for ich with api super ich cure. the tank has been up and running for around a year and this is the first problem i have had. Any help or advise would be apreciated. thanks

I am no Ich expert, but I believe once you have Ich, it remains in your tank. I would not get too excessive on Super Ich. Best advice I could give is actually keep your water params stable, and very good quality - and feed quality food soaked in Garlic Gaurd. I would recommend Rods Food....it has Selcon and a variety of great ingredients. Keeping your fish fed and the tank parameters stable helps with their immune system and overall health. Make sure your tank has plenty of water movement and oxygen. Maybe someone else can chime in with better advice, but just my .02

 

[project1004]

Thank you so much for the info...
I am taking the Bio balls out as I am restarting...
The links you provided are so helpful too...
rock on!

 

[jcusmarine]

project1004;629359 wrote: Thank you so much for the info...
I am taking the Bio balls out as I am restarting...
The links you provided are so helpful too...
rock on!

Welcome! Thanks.

 

[cr500_af]

bcc65;629127 wrote: thanks J C. i have a large dual wave maker powerhead in the tank and it really gets the water moving. I am feeding the fish ocean nutrition reef flakes and pellets on alternating days and a small amount of freeze dried brine shrimp. my amonia is at 0 nitrites .25 and nitrates are around 5.
ph is 8.4 the readings are a little high but not excessive.

Stay on top of your water changes... your cycle has not completed. You should have a zero reading on nitrite. Normally you wouldn't have to do a water change until the completion of the cycle, but nitrite is toxic and you need to keep it down as much as possible, assuming relocating the remaining fish until the tank is ready is impossible.

 

[dasugaman]

Awesome article and alot of good knowledge in it. I am going looking to start my first reef tank with a 65 gallon tank, Is it mandatory to have a sump for a reef tank or will I be ok with a canister filter?

 

[jcusmarine]

It will be okay</em> with a canister filter, but I would highly recommend a sump.

First question - what is your goal for said reef? What livestock and coral? Have you selected lighting? Try to plan ahead and then work your equipment requirements back from there.

A sump gives you the ability to separate all of your equipment from the display, giving you easy access. It also gives you some extra water volume, which can help with stability.

 

[dasugaman]

For lights I have a Coralife Aqualight with T5 bulbs and a timer on the tank.

I have not put much thought into what I was going to put int he tank.
Right know I am just cycling the water, I have put crushed coral and some live Rock in the tank, with some reef salt. It has been running since Friday.

Any ideas I am looking for something that is easy to start off with and hardy..

 

[jcusmarine]

dasugaman;637361 wrote: For lights I have a Coralife Aqualight with T5 bulbs and a timer on the tank.

I have not put much thought into what I was going to put int he tank.
Right know I am just cycling the water, I have put crushed coral and some live Rock in the tank, with some reef salt. It has been running since Friday.

Any ideas I am looking for something that is easy to start off with and hardy..

If you start with a canister and think about easier to keep corals, I would look into Kenya Tree, Green Star Polyp, Mushrooms, Leather and other soft corals such as Xenia and Zoa/Paly's. The only thing to note with these corals is that they grow like weeds in a healthy system and look great, but don't play well with other harder to keep corals if you decide to take your tank to the next level, such as SPS in the future. They can be pretty invasive and need trimmed back. However, if you want to start off with the easier to keep, you would be well served to go in that direction....IMO there is nothing cooler than a healthy soft coral tank with lots of movement. I moved towards the SPS arena and sometimes think of setting up a dedicated softy tank, with lots of waving, happy corals.

Harder to keep corals require very stable parameters, more advanced husbandry and would most likely require you to ditch the Canister and move to a sump, quality skimmer amongst other equipment and supplements....

Best of luck and take your time.....

 

[dasugaman]

Thankyou for all your help and words of wisdom, I hope to keep you posted on my progress...

 

[jcusmarine]

10001110101;649474 wrote: only thing i disagree with is the use of live rock.


i think plain bleached dry reef rock is the way to go, no chance for unwanted pests or hitchhikers and far less expensive/time consuming/hassle

Thats what I did in My own tank....Marco Rock. Remember, you can disagree with everything here, it is just a guideline, and some consolidated info for newbies.

Also, I think you are wrong to disagree with using Live Rock, it is a proven method, as is using Dry Rock.

I fact, to disagree with someone on this hobby over a method is pretty ironic, since there are so many variables and someone can have a lot of success, using various methods. There is no set way.

I think your preferred method of using plain dry rock is another valuable way to establish a reef.

 

[mdaya1]

Thanks for the great info!!

 

[psherman42]

Really helpful to get me started with everything! Thanks

 

[psherman42]

for a ~50 gallon tank how necessary is using RO filtered or RODI water as apposed to tap water?

 

[cantare00]

good to know!

 

[jtars10]

great information thanks

 

[90galguy]

Is there a place within ARC that has basic information on the overall concepts on each of the additional peripherals that can be added to a system? (ie....Kalwasser, Calcium Reactors, Bio-Pellets Reactors, UV Sterilizers, etc.)