Help! Help!

NateDawg · 07/23/2011, 12:58 PM

Hi, I bought a used 100 gallon reef setup on craiglist yesterday. Here is my thread, http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2042689

I have two questions, I used 40 percent of his water, and today am mixing the rest. The refractomer worked two times before, but now its not. Its just all blue, I messed around with it, and I think I broke it. It came with 35 ppt salinity soloution, and I tried calibrating it, but it didn't work. It just shows all blue. There is no fish or any coral in here, as I put them all in my friends tank for now.

I have another question. I know I did this wrong, but heres what happend. All the rocks were transported submerged in the water. When we got home, we set up the aquascape, washed the sand in hose water, and put it in. We then put in the water that we saved. Now, I poured prime, on the rocks and sand, and in the water. But I'm reallyworried that most of the nitrfying bacteria was killed off. I added power heads to the little water that was in the tank, and made sure all the rocks were submerged.

Help please! Thanks

NateDawg · 07/23/2011, 01:01 PM

I just tried to calibrate it with the 35 ppt solution, and it showed blue. I then added some salt water from the aquarium, and it shows me 0...

papagimp · 07/23/2011, 01:29 PM

not sure on your meter..wierd.

I'd be less concerned with bacteria die off than I woudl about whatever your tapwater added into your sandbed. Maybe leeching some nasty stuff over time. I can forsee a "why can't I get rid of my hair algae" thread coming up in the future :P Hope for the best, test water quality as often as you need to and keep up with maintance, probably going to be okay in the end.

Sport507 · 07/23/2011, 01:49 PM

I would run to Petco or Petsmart and get a IO hydrometer until you can figure out what is going on with your refractometer. That will get you in the ball park.

NateDawg · 07/23/2011, 02:04 PM

The tank came with an io hydrometer to, Im going to borrow my friends refractometer today, and my lfs will calibrate mine today. I am pretty concerened with the bacteria die off, and papagimp adding things will be leaking from my sand. In another thread almost everyone said to wash the sand with tap...

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sporto0 · 07/23/2011, 02:09 PM

As long as you don't regularly use unfiltered tap water for water changes or top off, you will be fine, we tend to go a bit overbaord with paranoia sometimes. I also wouldn't worry about the bacteria, it re-colonizes very quickly.

Sport507 · 07/23/2011, 02:28 PM

Let me get this straight. You're not worried about the salinity but rather worried that you poured Prime on the rocks and sand. Correct? If so the prime should not kill the nitrifying bacteria. That's only a guess I don't use Prime and don't need it.

NateDawg · 07/23/2011, 05:37 PM

Yea. All water changes will be done with rodi water, that I will be buying, however it does have ppm of 1... I will be running a phosphate reactor if that helps anything.. I asked my lfs to calibrate it, and they said the calibration screw was broken. Good thing foster and smith is having a good sale

Thank you all for calming my nerves..

07/23/2011, 12:58 PM	#1
NateDawg Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 262	Help! Help! Hi, I bought a used 100 gallon reef setup on craiglist yesterday. Here is my thread, http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2042689 I have two questions, I used 40 percent of his water, and today am mixing the rest. The refractomer worked two times before, but now its not. Its just all blue, I messed around with it, and I think I broke it. It came with 35 ppt salinity soloution, and I tried calibrating it, but it didn't work. It just shows all blue. There is no fish or any coral in here, as I put them all in my friends tank for now. I have another question. I know I did this wrong, but heres what happend. All the rocks were transported submerged in the water. When we got home, we set up the aquascape, washed the sand in hose water, and put it in. We then put in the water that we saved. Now, I poured prime, on the rocks and sand, and in the water. But I'm reallyworried that most of the nitrfying bacteria was killed off. I added power heads to the little water that was in the tank, and made sure all the rocks were submerged. Help please! Thanks __________________ 110g Mixed Reef Nathan

07/23/2011, 01:01 PM	#2
NateDawg Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 262	I just tried to calibrate it with the 35 ppt solution, and it showed blue. I then added some salt water from the aquarium, and it shows me 0... __________________ 110g Mixed Reef Nathan

07/23/2011, 01:29 PM	#3
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	not sure on your meter..wierd. I'd be less concerned with bacteria die off than I woudl about whatever your tapwater added into your sandbed. Maybe leeching some nasty stuff over time. I can forsee a "why can't I get rid of my hair algae" thread coming up in the future :P Hope for the best, test water quality as often as you need to and keep up with maintance, probably going to be okay in the end. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

07/23/2011, 01:49 PM	#4
Sport507 ~Just a Farm Boy~ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 1,651	I would run to Petco or Petsmart and get a IO hydrometer until you can figure out what is going on with your refractometer. That will get you in the ball park. __________________ Sport If you do not test for it, DON'T dose it. Indiana INDMAS Member

07/23/2011, 02:04 PM	#5
NateDawg Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 262	The tank came with an io hydrometer to, Im going to borrow my friends refractometer today, and my lfs will calibrate mine today. I am pretty concerened with the bacteria die off, and papagimp adding things will be leaking from my sand. In another thread almost everyone said to wash the sand with tap... Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk __________________ 110g Mixed Reef Nathan

07/23/2011, 02:09 PM	#6
sporto0 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. Posts: 2,924	As long as you don't regularly use unfiltered tap water for water changes or top off, you will be fine, we tend to go a bit overbaord with paranoia sometimes. I also wouldn't worry about the bacteria, it re-colonizes very quickly.

07/23/2011, 02:28 PM	#7
Sport507 ~Just a Farm Boy~ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 1,651	Let me get this straight. You're not worried about the salinity but rather worried that you poured Prime on the rocks and sand. Correct? If so the prime should not kill the nitrifying bacteria. That's only a guess I don't use Prime and don't need it. __________________ Sport If you do not test for it, DON'T dose it. Indiana INDMAS Member Last edited by Sport507; 07/23/2011 at 03:15 PM.

07/23/2011, 05:37 PM	#8
NateDawg Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 262	Yea. All water changes will be done with rodi water, that I will be buying, however it does have ppm of 1... I will be running a phosphate reactor if that helps anything.. I asked my lfs to calibrate it, and they said the calibration screw was broken. Good thing foster and smith is having a good sale Thank you all for calming my nerves.. __________________ 110g Mixed Reef Nathan