Am I doing ok?

Rognin · 12/31/2012, 02:41 PM

Tank: 55gal
Power Head: Tunze 6065
Filter: Fluval C4 (have a reefpack 250 coming)
Heater: Fluval 200w

Params
DKH: 8.4
Mg: 1320
Ca: 440
P-PO4: 0.64ppm (have more water changes coming)
N-NO3: 12ppm
Temp 79f (26c)

Right now it's a FOWLR but I want to do corals eventually. Am I in the right direction? Does anything need changing?

I just got my RO/DI unit and have done two 20% water changes in three days. P-PO4 has gone down. I had filled the tank with tap water to start (I know it's bad!!!).

EDIT: Forgot Bioload. Right now I have two urchins couple hermits and 3 adult blue/green chromis and 4 juvinile blue/green chromis.

RockOn681 · 12/31/2012, 02:46 PM

How long has the tank been up and running? When you used tap water did you use dechlorinator? What is your salinity at, and how much live rock if any or did you start with dry rock?

Rognin · 12/31/2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockOn681

How long has the tank been up and running? When you used tap water did you use dechlorinator? What is your salinity at, and how much live rock if any or did you start with dry rock?

Umm wth nothing but the LR it ran for a month and a half.

-1.023 specific gravity (using hydrometer, but will purchase that pen thingy).

I have 43 Lbs of LR, no dry rock at all.

Andrew17030 · 12/31/2012, 07:37 PM

What you are going to want to think about is nutrient export and processing when keeping corals. Some corals that grow aggressively like xenia have been used to control nutrients. This is done by growing the coral and taking some to the fish store or giving to a friend. Tons of different ways to do this. Some popular methods for export are protein skimming, algae scrubbing, and macro algae. Processing can be done with fish, inverts, small crustaceans, worms and other sand bed dwelling animals, bacteria, deep sand beds, live rock. The thing with this methodology is that the animals from each level in the food chain have a role to play and thus need to be stocked. Pretty easy to do, get some sand from others that have had their tank up a while. Read read read, it will all start to make sense soon.

Have fun

cramideas · 12/31/2012, 08:44 PM

Looks like your off to a good start. Just stay patient & keep w/ it.

What lighting are you running?

kevin32 · 12/31/2012, 11:47 PM

So far looks good. I would bump salinity up to 1.024.

ReachTheSky · 01/01/2013, 10:14 AM

You might want to consider running some GFO to further lower phosphates. 0.64 ppm is insanely high! Most of us keep ours below 0.05 ppm

Rognin · 01/02/2013, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Looks like your off to a good start. Just stay patient & keep w/ it.

What lighting are you running?

40w T8HO. I'm saving up for two radeons.

Quote:

You might want to consider running some GFO to further lower phosphates. 0.64 ppm is insanely high! Most of us keep ours below 0.05 ppm

I've just got my RO/DI unit. So I've been doing 20% water changes every 4 days to try and get it down. Is there something else I can do that costs less money than a gfo reactor?

Thanks guys!

SKurj · 01/02/2013, 09:36 AM

You could put some in a bag in your hob filter. I do something similar and put some in a bag in my hob fuge

sponger0 · 01/02/2013, 11:05 AM

Reactors are cheap. You can get one for less than $50 used.

kevin32 · 01/02/2013, 07:44 PM

Definitely run a GFO reactor. Better start earlier than later to help control phosphate as it just started.

Rognin · 01/04/2013, 11:12 AM

Well I just installed my reefpack 250 and I kinda like it a lot more than the HOB.

I also put some Rowaphos in a bag and put it in the filter with the floss and carbon. I'll let it run a couple days and see if it helps (I have a feeling it will).

Next purchase is a light!!! =D

Thanks guys, I'll keep this updated to see if my cheaper solution worked!

Rognin · 01/05/2013, 08:39 AM

Woot, at 0.36 PPm for Phos after 24hrs, maybe enven less as the color on the Red Sea test kit was between 0.36 and 0.16!!!

Nitrates are down 8 ppm!

12/31/2012, 02:41 PM	#1
Rognin Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Quebec, Canada Posts: 387	Am I doing ok? Tank: 55gal Power Head: Tunze 6065 Filter: Fluval C4 (have a reefpack 250 coming) Heater: Fluval 200w Params DKH: 8.4 Mg: 1320 Ca: 440 P-PO4: 0.64ppm (have more water changes coming) N-NO3: 12ppm Temp 79f (26c) Right now it's a FOWLR but I want to do corals eventually. Am I in the right direction? Does anything need changing? I just got my RO/DI unit and have done two 20% water changes in three days. P-PO4 has gone down. I had filled the tank with tap water to start (I know it's bad!!!). EDIT: Forgot Bioload. Right now I have two urchins couple hermits and 3 adult blue/green chromis and 4 juvinile blue/green chromis.

12/31/2012, 11:47 PM	#6
kevin32 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: North OC, 92683 Posts: 901	So far looks good. I would bump salinity up to 1.024. __________________ Tank: 40 gallon Breeder w/ Overflow. 30lb of Liverock. 40lb of live sand. Light: Aquaticlife T5 Fixture Fish: False Percula pair, royal gramma

01/01/2013, 10:14 AM	#7
ReachTheSky Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 1,114	You might want to consider running some GFO to further lower phosphates. 0.64 ppm is insanely high! Most of us keep ours below 0.05 ppm __________________ Van Current tank: 7.5g Nano-Reef \| Modified AquaClear50 \| RapidLED Par38 bulb \| 2x Koralia 240gph

01/02/2013, 09:36 AM	#9
SKurj Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Oshawa Posts: 539	You could put some in a bag in your hob filter. I do something similar and put some in a bag in my hob fuge __________________ 40g Long since Mar 2012, 20lbs marco rocks, 25lb live rock, Aquamaxx HoB-1, sumpless, CPR Fuge, 4 tube T5HO, Mixed reef, softies and LPS Current Tank Info: 40g Long sumpless

01/02/2013, 07:44 PM	#11
kevin32 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: North OC, 92683 Posts: 901	Definitely run a GFO reactor. Better start earlier than later to help control phosphate as it just started. __________________ Tank: 40 gallon Breeder w/ Overflow. 30lb of Liverock. 40lb of live sand. Light: Aquaticlife T5 Fixture Fish: False Percula pair, royal gramma

12/31/2012, 02:46 PM	#2
RockOn681 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Bloomingdale, IL Posts: 326	How long has the tank been up and running? When you used tap water did you use dechlorinator? What is your salinity at, and how much live rock if any or did you start with dry rock?

12/31/2012, 07:37 PM	#4
Andrew17030 Moved On Join Date: May 2009 Location: Phoenix Arizona Posts: 607	What you are going to want to think about is nutrient export and processing when keeping corals. Some corals that grow aggressively like xenia have been used to control nutrients. This is done by growing the coral and taking some to the fish store or giving to a friend. Tons of different ways to do this. Some popular methods for export are protein skimming, algae scrubbing, and macro algae. Processing can be done with fish, inverts, small crustaceans, worms and other sand bed dwelling animals, bacteria, deep sand beds, live rock. The thing with this methodology is that the animals from each level in the food chain have a role to play and thus need to be stocked. Pretty easy to do, get some sand from others that have had their tank up a while. Read read read, it will all start to make sense soon. Have fun

12/31/2012, 08:44 PM	#5
cramideas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Hurricane WV Posts: 70	Looks like your off to a good start. Just stay patient & keep w/ it. What lighting are you running?

01/02/2013, 11:05 AM	#10
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Reactors are cheap. You can get one for less than $50 used.

01/04/2013, 11:12 AM	#12
Rognin Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Quebec, Canada Posts: 387	Well I just installed my reefpack 250 and I kinda like it a lot more than the HOB. I also put some Rowaphos in a bag and put it in the filter with the floss and carbon. I'll let it run a couple days and see if it helps (I have a feeling it will). Next purchase is a light!!! =D Thanks guys, I'll keep this updated to see if my cheaper solution worked!

01/05/2013, 08:39 AM	#13
Rognin Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Quebec, Canada Posts: 387	Woot, at 0.36 PPm for Phos after 24hrs, maybe enven less as the color on the Red Sea test kit was between 0.36 and 0.16!!! Nitrates are down 8 ppm!