Complete newb 30 gallon reef

n1zjd

Sorry for the lack of test results today, I was busy and didnt get a chance to test everything. Ive got a quick question regarding carbon. I bought a box of activated carbon and a nylon bag to put it in the other day. I filled the bag and placed it in the HOB filter. Within minutes I could see small particles of carbon in the tank. Now I assume this wont hurt anything but asthetics but I immediately removed the bag of carbon. Is there a way around this issue? Should the bag be filled and then rinsed while gently mixing the carbon in the bag by gently rolling the bag in my hands? If so will this take away from the effectiveness of the carbon?

Tonight I redid the aquascaping because I didnt like the way the rock looked. Tomorrow I will post up all test results and add a new pic to show you how things look.

onefish2fish

i want to say they are $20-30 on ebay.

n1zjd

Yeah I know most things can be had online for cheaper but since I was going to the store anyway to get other things I went ahead and bought it. And I love it! Heres a pic of the new aquascaping

n1zjd

Today I managed to get a new 10 gallon QT tank. I dont think I will manage to get it setup until tomorrow however. But Ive got it nonetheless and will have it up and running tomorrow to get it cycling. Heres the pics you asked for Pasfur, if you need a closer look at something or need to see more just ask! Filter is an Aqua-Tech 10-20





Also, still waiting on an answer about the nylon bag full of carbon introducing small carbon particles into the tank. Should it be rinsed to solve this problem?

n1zjd

Argg, my only complaint about this forum is not being able to edit your posts whenever you want, instead having to make another post if you remember something 15 minutes later. Oh well.

I forgot to mention that I bought a 2" x 6" filter sponge. Not exactly sure how many days I am into my 29G tank, 5 or 6 I guess, I havent had a diatom bloom yet. I planned on using this sponge to seed my QT tank but wondered if it was a bad idea to have it in my tank before the bloom hits, or while the bloom hits for that matter.

So heres my list of questions.....(getting tired of me yet? )

1) Would rinsing the bag of carbon solve the problem of getting small particles of carbon into my tank. If not what should I do?
2) Should I put the sponge in the tank now to let it build up beneficial bacteria and all that good stuff to seed the new QT tank or wait until after the diatom bloom has come and gone?

n1zjd

ARGGG! Test results are all over the place! Ugh tell me its going to be okay!

Temp - 77.5F
pH - 8.0
Salinity - 1.021

Alk - 7 dKH
Calcium 750 ppm (mayday!)
Ammonia - 0.25 ppm
Nitrite - 0.1 ppm
Nitrate - 5.0 ppm

ASAP I will have BIonic but not sure how soon I can get it. One of my test kits came with a buffer I could use in the meantime if its important to do so. Whats with my calcium?!? Ahh starting to go nuts over here. I never saw an ammonia spike yet my Nitrites have dropped and Nitrates have increased, did I miss it on a day I didnt test? Ammonia has been 0.25 ppm everytime Ive tested I believe.

A little reassurance please!

n1zjd

I just tested my tap waters calcium content and its 15ppm. I started the tank with my tap water instead of RO because I read somewhere that its fine to start a tank with tap. So where is this calcium coming from?!? Only thing in the tank is aragonite, live sand, live rock and my tap water with Tropic Marin Pro Reef Sea Salt.

n1zjd

Well I couldnt just sit around and do NOTHING, so I went ahead and added some Success buff to try and bring the Alkalinity up. Tomorrow I am going to do a large water change (10 gallons) with a different salt mix unless someone tells me not to. I started with Tropic Marin Pro Reef. I have a 10 gallon box of Instant Ocean salt mix that I plan on doing the water change with, and hopefully bringing the salinity up to 1.024.

If Im not mistaken somewhere in this thread Pasfur recommended I switch to Instant Ocean. I read a thread earlier on another forum found by a google search that someone else was having high Calcium and low Alkalinity issues as well as I am. Though the Calcium wasnt as bad. I just ordered a 200G box of Instant Ocean salt mix as well.

I tested my tap water forCcalcium. My test kit only measures Ca in increments of 15, it only took one drop so there is less than 15ppm Calcium in my tap water. I have a digital TDS pen tester that reads 35ppm Total Dissolved Solids out of tap.

What Im really hoping to hear from someone is that the high Calcium levels in my tank hasnt killed off my live sand and rock. From now on I will be using 100% RO water...... I assume the live sand and rock is still alright since my Nitrites are being converted to Nitrates still. At least thats what I am hoping for! Hopefully when I do my tests tomorrow that the Success buffer will have brought my pH up some and give me a better Alkalinity reading. Im crossing my fingers that everything works out until I get the new salt and can change over.

xsputnikx

I dont want to advise you to do anything cause honestly i probably know less than you do... but I bought some stuff from walmart when i was setting up freshwater that removed all that stuff from water when you mixed it in.. its called start right... ?.. I do not know if this stuff has anything in it that is a big no no for saltwater or not... I just know its recommended for when using tap water to start a freshwater tank... but im sure some of the experts can chime in.. the tank is looking good though nice job

Pasfur

Mike....

Sit down. Breathe. Deep breathes. Relax. Sorry I wasn't here the last 2 days. I had total reconstruction knee surgery on Thursday, and I'm just now able to get to a computer. So, lets reveiw the good, the better, and the "what the heck did Mike do that for?" in the last couple of days.

Go ahead and put the sponge into the display. Lets get it seeded. The picture of your hang on is exactly what I wanted to see. You can add the sponge to this inside of the hang on filter for the Q.

Yes, you should rinse the activated carbon prior to use, to remove dust and loose particles. It pays to buy expensive carbon, because less rinsing is needed.

Your calcium test is wrong. You do not have 750ppm of calcium. Do the test again. If it still shows such a high result, then you need to get another kit for comparison. After you confirm the kit you purchased is incorrect, then return it to the LFS as defective.

I am not at all concerned with these test results. Other than calcium, just continue to be patient.

Just a thought.... I wonder if anyone has heard of Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt interfeering with calcium test results. What calcium kit are you using? I could imagine that increased levels of boron or magnesium could give a false calcium indicator. Not sure, but depending on what the test kit is testing I bet it is possible. You should mix up a batch of Instant Ocean saltwater, wait 24 hours, and then test the newly mixed water. I bet your calcium kit tests correctly with the Instant Ocean batch of water.

Mike... whatever you do, do not do ANYTHING related to alkalinity or calcium changes to your water until we have these calcium questions answered.

{deep sigh, frustration} Don't do this again, ok? You can screw things up so fast we won't have time to help.

No surprise. I wouldn't expect much. The calcium in your tank is a result of the salt mix. The reason you use a marine salt mix is to create the proper ratios of the major and minor ions that make up seawater. Calcium is the #1 ion in every salt mix.

Mike, the high calcium levels in your tank have not killed off the live sand and rock.

If you are using RO water, then you don't need anything like this. If you are using Tap, then I would add AmQuel or something similar. Hopefully you are using RO.

I have a long recovery ahead of me. Probably 8 weeks or so. I will check in frequently, but very possibly not every day like I normally do. Just be patient. There is nothing that can happen in your tank that needs action immediately. Not yet. Most everything will just fix itself if you relax and watch the tank mature.

You're doing good. I will try to check in again tonight.