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az_121

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2006
Messages
7
Location
spokane, Wa.
Hello all new to this been doing a lot of reading and have had my tank cycling for about 2-3 weeks now and I have noticed that my sand is turning brown is some areas......someone please help me? Is this nornal?:confused:
 
sounds like a normal diatom associated with a new tank. you will be ok. welcome to reef frontiers.
 
Welcome to RF dood !!
I agree with Steve, you might be going through some cycle and i'm sure it'll go away.
you should post what you got in there too like skimmer, equiptment and all that stuff :) .
 
The brown is called Diatoms, it disappears on it's own. I should know my tank went through it every darn time I added rock LOL. It starts to disapear when your Nitrite and ammonia start to get to mormal levels and your Nitrate starts to fall a little.

When it starts to disappear your tank is getting close to being able to add livestock, WOOT! Just make sure you test for these parameters. They should be, Nitrite 0, Ammonia 0, Nitrate less than 12. Then you can start adding fish. I'd start with less expensive fish. Like Chromis or even Clowns.

Hope this helped :)
 
well, I have about 60 lbs of aragonite and 45 lbs. of live rock.. two pumps for water movement and that's it for now.... I was told that I didn't need to put the skimmer on just yet... my water salinity is at 1.021 for now.
 
Not a real need yet for the skimmer. But in my opinion. Doesn't hurt either. Thats up to you though.

Your doing all the right things. Hope we see you around and get pics :)
 
woohoo another spokane reefer, we're catchin' up to the west side of the mountains slowly but surely. :)

welcome to RF!
 
yeah you don't need the skimmer at the beggining i guess but i was just wondering what you were gonna have for equipment and stuff like that.

did you cure your rocks before you put them in your tank?

sorry if i'm asking to many questions... just wanna know what you doing :) .
 
I got some that was already cured and 25 lbs. I did for about 3 weeks........ I currently have two Roxio pumps running. Plan on getting two more. I have a 55 gal. tank by the way.. should've said thatt earlier....I need to know if I can use my covers that came with my tank and just add the bulbs or do I need to get a whole new fixture for it?
 
Welcome to RF first:)
Sounds like your getting good help so I'll just peek in & throw 2 cents. One, if this is the covers your tank came with I'd say leave them off, you will keep your tank cooler that way big time, air across the top of the water by using a fan will add to that help. You didn't mention your lighting but if your going to use high intensity lighting eventually heat will become an issue. During the cycle I run everything wide open, skimmer lighting everything as normal, it will help speed up the process, also use a turkey baster & blast your rocks daily so your skimmer can skim up that junk. Once a week or maybe longer get a filter sock & put it in your sump return wile blasting the rocks, it will catch all that nasty stuff, after a few hours take it out & wash it for next time. I like to keep SG @ 35ppt, or if your going by the swing arm between 1.025 & 1.027 Typically but that may be different depending on your tester, we have salinity information when your ready to tweak that out later. Test kits, I recommend Saliflert all the way for the money they are very useful in reef set-ups & accurate enough, use caution with some of the cheapy brands they could through you off in some instances. Post questions before buying it will help.

Ok enough, if you want more reading I'll post some for you.
 
Welcome to RF, az. As you are about to learn, there are very few simple answers and no single right way to do anything with regards to a reef tank.

Scooterman said:
Welcome to RF first:)
... I like to keep SG @ 35ppt, or if your going by the swing arm at least 1.027 but that may be different depending on your tester, we have salinity information when your ready to tweak that out later. ...
Click to expand...

That seems like a fairly high salinity to me. Everything I've read recommends not higher that 1.025, and preferrably 1.023. Why do you like yours so high? I am always open to ideas and changing my thinking.
 
NeuroDoc said:
Welcome to RF, az. As you are about to learn, there are very few simple answers and no single right way to do anything with regards to a reef tank.



That seems like a fairly high salinity to me. Everything I've read recommends not higher that 1.025, and preferrably 1.023. Why do you like yours so high? I am always open to ideas and changing my thinking.
Click to expand...

I keep mine at 1.026. My corals do really well at this level. I find they are open more. The biggest reason I have found for lower Salinity is, it help repell disease for your fish. Specially ich on Tangs and Angels.

I did wait a few months until my fish were comfy and raised it slowly over 3 or 4 water changes from 1.024. From what I understand SPS thrive in higher Salinity.

As for the tank covers, I would leave them off, personally. As Scooterman said, it will keep your tank cooler. Also it will allow better light to pass through. Hope all this helps.
 
NeuroDoc said:
That seems like a fairly high salinity to me. Everything I've read recommends not higher that 1.025, and preferrably 1.023. Why do you like yours so high? I am always open to ideas and changing my thinking.
Click to expand...

Ask & you shall get a headache from reading LOL!
( I edited that part on the salt it is best to read these & understand why I generalized like that). sorry!

Boomer posted this, it is well worth the reading!

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/general-reef-aquarium-discussion/3958-new-salinity-stds.html

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/general-reef-aquarium-discussion/3958-new-salinity-stds-2.html#post56631



http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/rhf/index.php


http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2002/chemistry.htm



Corrected standards!

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rhf/index.php
 
Welcome to RF! It seems like everything is basically covered already so I hope all works out well for you and that you enjoy the hobby and the forum:)
 
Ok, so I should take my tops off.. Done because mine is still of as of 5 mins. ago:) I also don't have a sump or anything like that... just running two pumps right now.. plan on getting two more... but my dillemma is what type of lighting do I get... I somehow got some live rock that already have coral on it. one is mushrooms and I haven't figured out the other ones yet but the mushrooms are growing. I'm excited about that but don't want to loose them.... need lighting help now:confused:
 
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