My tank after 1 month

Pete Harcoff · 04/05/2006, 06:41 PM

Been one month since I started cycling this thing. Haven't tested the water yet, but I plan to in a day or so to see if it's been cycled. Here's a pic of the setup:

Any advice or does that look good as far as reefs go?

I've only had the lighting setup for a week. During the 3 weeks w/o light, a lot of the algae that was on the rocks died off. But since getting the light, the algae looks like it's coming back. I think I had a diatom bloom (that's that red-brown algae right?).

I'm getting some hair algae on the rocks as well. If the tank is cycled, what would be some good shrimp/snails to start cleaning that up? Or should I wait a little longer?

I'm also getting a lime-green coloured algae (not hairy, though) on the rocks. I'm not sure what it is. Any ideas?

And I think I've got some purple coralline growing, but we'll wait and see...

Before adding corals should I wait until I've got a good growth level of coralline?

Andrew · 04/05/2006, 07:32 PM

Looking good so far... and you don't need coraline to keep corals but make sure you've a good calcium level before adding corals and keeping the calcium at a good level will also promote coraline growth.

Ti · 04/05/2006, 07:58 PM

nice

jawaiianmon · 04/05/2006, 08:24 PM

I like it.

Pete1399 · 04/05/2006, 08:28 PM

I like the rock! Mine is as interesting as yours right now!

Pete Harcoff · 04/06/2006, 09:02 AM

*bump*

Thanks all. Does anyone know what that lime-green algae is?

sttroyiii · 04/06/2006, 09:44 AM

What kind of rock is that?

I think the lime green algae is typical with a new tank. Mine is 3 months old and I still have it, even with a lot of snails. The coralline is slowly taking over the green.

oct2274 · 04/06/2006, 10:26 AM

i like all the caves and overhangs.......keep up the good work

tkenm377 · 04/06/2006, 10:33 AM

looks good congrats and have fun adding!!

Pete Harcoff · 04/06/2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sttroyiii
What kind of rock is that?

It's Fiji rock.

Chromed1 · 04/06/2006, 10:49 AM

Pete,

How many lbs of Fiji do you have in that setup? Is that your 56 gallon?

Pete Harcoff · 04/06/2006, 11:28 AM

Yup, that's my 56 gallon. I have about 50-60 lb of live rock in there, plus about 10-20 lb of tufa and coral rock that I'm using as a base. The sand bed is about 3-5 inches deep, so it nicely covers the base rock.

Chromed1 · 04/06/2006, 11:33 AM

Pete,

Did you hand pick the rock? It looks like you spent some time on the arrangement and bought to accomodate.

mg426 · 04/06/2006, 12:09 PM

Nice start . Be a good idea to start Keeping the ca and alk in balance.

sruiz · 04/06/2006, 12:15 PM

looks great.

tranz · 04/06/2006, 01:45 PM

Looks great can't wait to set up mine. I would wait a couple more weeks and add some invert like snails to clean up your algae problems. Mexican turbo are great for those.

Pete Harcoff · 04/06/2006, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chromed1
Pete,

Did you hand pick the rock? It looks like you spent some time on the arrangement and bought to accomodate.

Yup, I hand picked it. I had a rough idea of what I wanted the reef to look like, so I picked out pieces that I thought would work well together.

04/05/2006, 06:41 PM	#1
Pete Harcoff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 196	My tank after 1 month Been one month since I started cycling this thing. Haven't tested the water yet, but I plan to in a day or so to see if it's been cycled. Here's a pic of the setup: Any advice or does that look good as far as reefs go? I've only had the lighting setup for a week. During the 3 weeks w/o light, a lot of the algae that was on the rocks died off. But since getting the light, the algae looks like it's coming back. I think I had a diatom bloom (that's that red-brown algae right?). I'm getting some hair algae on the rocks as well. If the tank is cycled, what would be some good shrimp/snails to start cleaning that up? Or should I wait a little longer? I'm also getting a lime-green coloured algae (not hairy, though) on the rocks. I'm not sure what it is. Any ideas? And I think I've got some purple coralline growing, but we'll wait and see... Before adding corals should I wait until I've got a good growth level of coralline?

04/05/2006, 07:58 PM	#3
Ti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 7,927	nice __________________ Hair algae is my Macro algae.

04/05/2006, 08:28 PM	#5
Pete1399 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Im right here Posts: 369	I like the rock! Mine is as interesting as yours right now! __________________ Pete Current Tank Info: 75g, CSS220 Skimmer, DIY CREE LEDs, DIY Canopy, DIY Stand, 29g sump/fuge, Tunze nanostreams

04/06/2006, 12:09 PM	#14
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	Nice start . Be a good idea to start Keeping the ca and alk in balance. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

04/06/2006, 12:15 PM	#15
sruiz Reef'R Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Searching... Posts: 1,381	looks great. __________________ Don't forget your water change.

04/05/2006, 07:32 PM	#2
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	Looking good so far... and you don't need coraline to keep corals but make sure you've a good calcium level before adding corals and keeping the calcium at a good level will also promote coraline growth.

04/05/2006, 08:24 PM	#4
jawaiianmon Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Satellite Beach, FL Posts: 200	I like it.

04/06/2006, 09:02 AM	#6
Pete Harcoff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 196	bump Thanks all. Does anyone know what that lime-green algae is?

04/06/2006, 09:44 AM	#7
sttroyiii Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 378	What kind of rock is that? I think the lime green algae is typical with a new tank. Mine is 3 months old and I still have it, even with a lot of snails. The coralline is slowly taking over the green.

04/06/2006, 10:26 AM	#8
oct2274 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,347	i like all the caves and overhangs.......keep up the good work

04/06/2006, 10:33 AM	#9
tkenm377 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 104	looks good congrats and have fun adding!!

04/06/2006, 10:49 AM	#11
Chromed1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Oswego, IL Posts: 130	Pete, How many lbs of Fiji do you have in that setup? Is that your 56 gallon?

04/06/2006, 11:28 AM	#12
Pete Harcoff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 196	Yup, that's my 56 gallon. I have about 50-60 lb of live rock in there, plus about 10-20 lb of tufa and coral rock that I'm using as a base. The sand bed is about 3-5 inches deep, so it nicely covers the base rock.

04/06/2006, 11:33 AM	#13
Chromed1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Oswego, IL Posts: 130	Pete, Did you hand pick the rock? It looks like you spent some time on the arrangement and bought to accomodate.

04/06/2006, 01:45 PM	#16
tranz Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: new york Posts: 56	Looks great can't wait to set up mine. I would wait a couple more weeks and add some invert like snails to clean up your algae problems. Mexican turbo are great for those.