So I'm getting attacked with probs *pics update 11/13/07

[mr_X]

hmm...i'm a UT99 monsterhunt fan myself. i like to run into a room full of monsters with guns blazing!

meanwhile, i'm going through the same thing. it's no big deal. it will go away like everyone else says.
did you think you were going to spend a couple grand and then WHAMO...you'll have to start fragging your massive sps collection?
easy does it partner!

 

[Anonymous]

The diatom bloom is offering no harm to your inhabitants.

 

[asonitez]

Steps Taken Last night BEFORE I did a water change of about 10 Gallons I.

Tested for everything

PH 8.4
dKH 8
Cal 400
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Phosphate 0 Undetectable

I washed and adjusted all of my powerheads in super salt water.
I washed and cleaned my overflow box in super salt water.
I pumped super salt water through my hoses and tubes then normal water. Then Saltwater till it looked clean
I scraped the tank brushed the glass off stirred up the sand bed and siphoned all the algae and detrius and uneaten food i could get off the bed.

A 2 handful lot of sand came with the siphoning I did this intentionally. I bathed the sand in freshwater (Hot) through a net. Then through fresh saltwater room temp ro/di till it ran clear and algae free to the eye. I added the sand back to the system in a controlled area to see if it would get reseeded or if it will just come back with more bad algae. I released all fo the airbubbles when I stirred the sand bed after getting the top most layer of diatoms off. It looked fresh and I was pleased to see my 2 nass snails going strong. I ran the skimmer wet and hooked up my eheim filter with sponges and activated carbon and ran it full blast to Clear up the water. I changed my photo period to 4 hours Only 8 to 12 at night while I'm feeding the inhabitants. I'm feeding controlledly a flake and brine shrimp mix in a feeding ring to avoid it spreading. When the fish have consumed all they will and start playing with the food I scoop the uneaten bit out and adjust accordingly.

I run no lights during the day. The only light period is at night from 8 to 12. The rest of the day the tank is covered in a black tarp with some fan rings cut out for ventilation. I am running a airpump in the sump where the water falls into the micron filter and carbon filter to oxygenate the water.

Simulating the day cycle in my apartment I found that sunlight hits the tank in a few locations and plans are underway to build a Canopy for the wedge with a retractable black velvet screen on a timer that corresponds to my lighting cycle. Basically the plan is to have the screen retract into the canopy by reversing polarity and motors. If all goes well... I hope no more algae. Here is what the tank looked like yesterday before I clean up. I'll have more pics today when I go home to see if im winning the war on diatoms.

The Sub I started another thread regarding this. For Sea Maiden

 

[Anonymous]

I would not scrub anything down. Remember, the nitrifying bacteria you're still trying to culture are benthic, meaning that they are attached to surfaces only. The more you mess with it, the worse the problems may get. It's very good that you're getting zero readings, but I think that your cycle may not quite be finished because you are getting a reading of zero on the nitrate. You should be getting some sort of reading on that.

The only things you need to worry about in terms of ensuring good O2 saturation are surface turbulence/agitation and air flow over the tank. I honestly wouldn't worry about covering it or reducing photoperiod except to save energy and bulbs for when you really need them.

 

[asonitez]

i thought the diatom alge needed light to live and work and eat? no light no hair alge either and hopefully no diatoms.

 

[Anonymous]

i thought the diatom alge needed light to live and work and eat? no light no hair alge either and hopefully no diatoms.

Light is only part of the equation. Besides, how long would you keep the tank in darkness? What you're doing is trying to set up a balance, a competition of sorts where you can help the "good guys" (nitrifyers) win. It's obviously much more complex than that, but try some of this reading.

 

[asonitez]

I have an overflow box going into my sump with a RIO 1700 return pump pushing it back up. Returning to the tank the Water leaves teh RIO encounters a T which then goes to 2 return hoses on opposite sides of the tank for water/air surface aeration. I want to add a UV Sterilizer to the loop before the water hits the (T) junction. My Return pump is rated at 642 GPH.... have a choice of 2 sterilizers


#1 9 Watt - Max flow 270 GPH up to 90 Gal tank

#2 18 Watt - Max Flow1800 GPH up to 180 gal tank.


which one to choose? should I get a stronger return pump? If I have a stronger return pump does that mean that the GPH that he overflow drains will be increased?

 

[asonitez]

Is the Tunze 9002 Enough?

Reason I'm asking is because my SUMP is not huge. But it is effective.

I'm thinking of adding another skimmer where the return pump is. The second compartment. I don't know if the skimmer will be effective there though..... I can get the skimmer from a friend for 50 bucks and its designed for a up to 75 gallon tank. It can be placed HOB or insump. what I'm thinking is maybe place my Tunze down there in the Sump and place the HOB skimmer at the top of the tank.

 

[mr_X]

you should remove those ceramic rings from your sump. you don't need them now that you are using live rock for your good bacteria to reside.

i would also use 1 good skimmer, instead of 2 mediocre ones. it will work better for you, and run you less electric.

i also think you should stop disrupting stuff and let your tank go through the phases.

 

[Anonymous]

Okay, now I'm up to speed with your PMd question. I looked up that 9002, it really is an efficent lil skimmer and I would think it'll handle your tank just fine as is.

I also agree with mrX (as usual) that you should leave the tank alone until it finishes the cycle :wink:

 

[mr_X]

hey lawdawg....do you remember not so long ago when i was in the greenhorne stage? not that i am a pro, by any stretch of the imagination, but i thank you for your replies to my vast amount of newbie posts :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

you have done well young Padiwan, and it was my pleasure. Well, most of the time

 

[Anonymous]

You might want to add some sand sifting critters as well. Some people like hermit crabs, cucumbers, and a fighting conch too.

...but make sure you're completely cycled before you do that too.

 

[mr_X]

i would wait on the cucumber...there will be slim pickin's in that sand for a while. you might starve him to death. i used some of my sand from my old tank, and my cucumbers are still having a tough time getting dinner.

 

[asonitez]

Okies. Well I decdied to do just that. Other than water changes and siphoning up the junk that accumulates or cleaning the viewing panes I'm gonna leave it as is. Gross as that may be.. ugh... In the mean time Last night a trip to Petco I was able to grab a 20 gallon tank kit for 40 bucks complete with HOB filter, Net, Heater, Lighting (Changed to Acitinic 65 50/50 Watt) PC I had spare and Retro-Fitted it into the stock housing. I picke up some live sand and 20 gallons of pre-mixed sea water. I'm going to use this tank as my qurantine tank. I have a junked Lee's skimmer and air stone for skimming the little tank. I'm gonna grab a large single piece of live rock to make cleaning the little tank easier and some eggcrate. While I'm not qurantining anything I'll use it as a frag grow out or holding cell for Baby Nemo's. I might buy 2/3 Hermits (Bert, Ernie,BigJim) - and some Snails (Chikinwing, Trump, Grover). Total spent at Petco's was about 100 bux or less. I calculate everything I spent so far and I'll be dammed if I loose expensive fishies in the main tank b/c of diseases from the LFS or something. It's lately I started looking at live stock and noticing that a lot of commercial petstores tanks are ill maintained, share similiar water and therefore diseases, and that adding that water or disease into my tank could break out into bad news for me.

anyone ever built a canopy for a 54 Gallon corner tank?

 

[Anonymous]

I think knucklehead has. I think he's got the exact same size/dimension tank. He is now known as "Shade of Knucklehead" and you'll find him in the Sump.

 

[Anonymous]

Try to find a different petshop other than petco for livestock. You'll find that a private company will help you better too. jmo.

 

[asonitez]

yeah i don't really rock with petco like that. the most i go there for is some supplements, check their cichlid section and to buy some salt.

 

[asonitez]

Well I promised I wouldn't do anything but I suspect that junk was accumulating behind my live rock. I have a powerhead there but I didn't think it was enough to keep the flow good back there. Instead I moved a few rocks without disturbing anything and built 2 huge pillars with a liverock shelf inbetween. a LOT more flow. I also purchased and is in the process of replacing the maxijet powerheads with some Sureflow maxijet mods. I think i might replace my halide bulb from that crappy yellowish one to a phoenix 14K double ended one.

 

[mr_X]

it sounds like you are on the right track. one thing about the QT tank- instead of putting live rock in it, you might just use a couple pvc elbows for the fish to have cover. the reason for this is, if you have to medicate that tank, you'll kill the live rock. same goes for substrate. put that live sand in your main display, and leave the QT bare bottom.