28G JBJ LED, My First SW Tank Ever, in Alaska! Started 12/19/2010

[alaskan84]

to Everyone, Merry Xmas! I have started my very first saltwater tank ever. I have had freshwater cichlid tanks for quite a few years and have finally made the plunge. I purchased the JBJ 28 Gallon LED tank and just added 35lbs of live rock from Live Aquaria 2 days ago. Here are some pictures, I welcome any and all comments!

________________________________________________________________
Live Rock Added






Some kind of algae that looks plant like... waves in the current

Strange fibrous needle like, reflective things that sprung up this morning from tiny black polyps on the live rock

Some really amazing color on these pieces


Many of what look like remnants of tube worms...i assume should be brushed off


I very much like the green color covering this rock

[alaskan84]

More reflective fibrous strands in the middle


Side angle


Nice colorful rock


whats up front



Final one of the green stuff I like





So far she is stocked with:
Instant Ocean Salt Mix & RO/DI water through a coralife pureflo II 4 stage filter, salinity of 1.025
Roughly 15 pounds of CaribSea AragAlive Argonite Reef Sand
Roughly 15 pounds of Natures Ocean Bio Active Live Argonite
DFS Select Nano Live Rock - 16 lbs
DFS Select Fiji Premium Rock - 22 lbs
(very soon plan to purchase alternative media tray)


1. When should I start testing the water parameters? How about water changes during the cycle?

2. Should I be cleaning the rock with a toothbrush? Turkey Baster? There is some obvious white detritus that is on some of the rocks, but there is other interesting plant/algae life that maybe I shouldnt brush off?

3.What are your thoughts on my powerhead placement? I have two koralia nano's in the display set on 30 second intervals

4.Am I going to cause any major problems by running the lights during the day while its cycling? I am constantly watching the tank looking for life on the rocks.

5. Thanks for any and all comments!

[Sk8r]

Test when you see a blush of green on the glass or rock.
Just let it sit. No water change, nothing. You want bacteria to grow. Don't disturb it.
Don't know about Koralias---never used them.
I always put the lights as they will be---getting your temperature leveled out can't be done without everything actually running.
Your rock arrangement looks fine.

Go to photobucket.com and set up a free account there. Create an album. Then you can refer to the individual URLs in your album for pix, and it automatically resizes them for the web, so you can have them fit the page.

[alaskan84]

Thanks for the reply Sk8er....I'm using photobucket for the pictures already, and they appear to be resized automatically elsewhere, never seen them be so darn big. Sorry bout that.

[greeneyed]

I bet that was a heckuva sunset...

Looks good!

[alaskan84]

Thanks Green, we have been having some awesome sunsets up here lately.

[Raggamuffin]

Do you have a skimmer for it yet? Not to be a pain but it REALLY helps and the stock air stone driven ones that come with some of the nano set ups are ok for the cycle but after that it is a QT tank or back in the box bugger. I would use a turkey baster to clean the rock, leave the cruddies in the tank and just let it skim/filter out but the dead junk does need to get off the surface of the rock so the live stuff has a place to grow.

[alaskan84]

well I do have the stock jbj nano skimmer still in the box, just havent set it up yet as I have read that sometimes running a skimmer during the cycle is a bad idea.....have I read bad info, and I should look into setting it up tomorrow?

[alaskan84]

one more question....ive noticed that some of these rock pieces have really awesome color...majenta and bright pink, is there anything I can do to help these colors spread? Right now the chunks they are on are twords the bottom of the tank, does anyone know if it would benefit from being closer to the top?

[scuba guy ron]

Congrats & welcome to the hobby!

I remember how excited (and overwhelmed) I was when I started my first SW tank after an entire lifetime of keeping FW! The most important advice I can give you in your saltwater journey is patience. You will undoubtedly encounter many problems that may even drive you to consider quitting but always remember with patience and proper research, you will overcome them.

the color on the rocks is coraline algae. a beautiful algae that will continue to grow throughout the life of your tank. Proper lighting and maintaining of proper calcium levels is necessary for it to grow. No need to move the rocks it will eventually cover all of them within months of your cycle finishing if your levels are maintained.

[Mr.Maska]

looks like a great start!!

[alaskan84]

I am going to modify my aquascape today and try to get a few of the more corraline covered pieces a bit more exposed...can anyone give me advice if I should be running the skimmer during initial tank cyle?

[JByer323]

Originally Posted by alaskan84

...can anyone give me advice if I should be running the skimmer during initial tank cyle?

There are different schools of thought, but I personally would.

[alaskan84]

So Ive got my skimmer running, and I will monitor it frequently at first to see how its doing. I assume that when people refer to their skimming as "wet" that there is actually water in the skim cup vs sludge? I redid my aquascape today, moved more of the rocks with color/life to open areas with good lighting and threw the larger chunks on the bottom. I really need to get my poly floss order in already, its hard to cut and shape my phopad. I have carbon, ammo-chips, and phos-ban here already, and I also have ordered chemipure elite and purigen...should I be running anything other than floss during the initial cycle?



Is this what my skimmer should look like?



FTS of new scape



Left side



Right side



And my three african clawed frogs (freshwater) felt like posing for a shot

[alaskan84]

I do apologize for the huge pictures...I'm going to have to investigate why photobucket isnt resizing them, im using the image link from PB. Maybe I will just resize them before uploading next run.

[greeneyed]

You can go into the pictures on your account and resize them after you have uploaded them. Imageshack will give you the option of resizing as you are uploading them.

[mike_cmu04]

Looks good so far i like your rockwork.

[alaskan84]

Here are a couple updated pictures..I have been running the lights full time so far, have not tested water parameters yet other than salinity/temp. That little jbj stock skimmer may not be worth much, but its really awesome how its been consistently pulling yellow/brown sludge out of the tank, and the water seems clearer than ever now.










appears to be the only sign of algae growth since the addition of live rock.

[alaskan84]

Hello again everyone, I come today with a couple additional pictures, a request for a couple identifications, and to have you guys OK my water parameters so far.

Parameters are as follows:
Instant Ocean ReefMaster test kit for
PH/Nitrate/Alkalinity/Phosphate/Calcium
Salinity-1.024
PH-7.9 to 7.95
Nitrate-20 mg/L
Calcium-360 mg/L
Phosphate-.5 mg/L
Alkalinity- 3 mEq/L

I am using RO/DI water from a brand new coralife 4 stage system.

Do you all recommend I pick up another brand of test kit?

FTS 12/28/2010




Looking for an ID on these round black polyps...they have been here since the live rock arrival and appear to slightly move in the current.


Is this Aiptasia? I have noticed 3 or 4 of these tiny anemone type things popping up.


Another shot of possible aiptasia


Is this clam/mussel dead or are those its feelers?


This last one is distinctly different than the first possible aiptasia, this looks much more algae like in person, where the other guys are clear



Thanks Everyone!!!

[STEELERFAN747]

Looks great so far. Cant wait to see some livestock in it.

[alaskan84]

Thanks Steeler, I cant wait until its cycled and ready for at least a CUC

[alaskan84]

anyone have any possible identifications on my couple latest pictures? I'd like to make sure these new anemone's popping up arent aiptasia.

[pramberg]

They look more like filter feeders to me than apstasia. Do they retract if you tap on the glass?

[alaskan84]

well i have tried just tapping the glass and they dont respond at all. When I get hom from work I will try gently blasting them with the turkey baster and see if they fold up/retract. There doesent appear to be a base/stalk to them either.

[scuba guy ron]

the black ones look like closed up zoanthids. the white one looks like aptasia.