A reef grows in Brooklyn

[autoponicz]

wow,.......looking good so far.....the maristar fixture looks great....and i love the dimensions on the tank with the dual overflows.....

i dont see any baffles in the sump......u can definetly fit a fuge in there..

 

[TimberTDI]

Arkady,

Did you take the pic of the full tank when the lights first came on ( the one under the skimmer pic)? It seems its more yellow than the second pic. I love the color of the second pic.

Steven

 

[russianmd]

Hi, Steven

The pics were taken at pretty much the same time - so it could just be the reflection off the glass... I am using a Cannon SD600 point-and-shoot - and will have to start reading through all the photo threads on how to adjust the fancy settings to get consistent and more life-like colors. -Arkady

 

[masterswimmer]

Hey doc, it's really starting to take shape. Looking good. The skimmer didn't take long to break in either.

Just curious, how are your levels? Did you get an ammonia spike yet?

Russ

 

[russianmd]

Would 0.5 ammonia be considered a spike? :p

I've been measuring daily, and so far this is the highest level (as of today).

I've also been looking at the rockwork and have to say - so far, I like how this looks (and as always, it looks much better in person). It's pretty loose, lots of crevices and small caves, passages from front to back. There still plenty of sand left exposed.

I am thinking of putting some leathers in the back of the tank (sort of like your uber-hugmongous ones:wow: ), and letting them grow wild.

It's really really hard to keep my hands out of the tank - I was tinkering around with the rockwork forever - and that's why I am finally just saying no until I have a reason to modify it.

Another day down until I can start putting more stuff in it! -Arkady

Hey doc, it's really starting to take shape. Looking good. The skimmer didn't take long to break in either.

Just curious, how are your levels? Did you get an ammonia spike yet?

Russ

 

[fluidimagery]

Tank is looking awesome... I'm jealous of your basement, I wish I had one

Best of luck with it.

 

[joseney21]

Very nice start!!

 

[Tonyscoots84]

great start.... everything looks good...

 

[masterswimmer]

Would 0.5 ammonia be considered a spike? :p

I've been measuring daily, and so far this is the highest level (as of today).

Not quite a huge spike, but a blip nevertheless :shocked1:
Keep an eye on it. Now that you've got a reading of .5, you should see some 'activity' on a daily basis.

I like the open look of your rock. Plenty of room to mount frags. Plenty of open space for swimming. Plenty of open sandbed for clams, brains, nassarius snails, cucumber, etc.

The countdown has begun.

R

 

[TimberTDI]

Just a thought...

How can you know if you've spiked unless you start getting lower readings?

Steven

 

[russianmd]

Well, it's lower today - at 0.25. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

I remember doing these types of experiments in highschool chem - so this is actually kind of fun (especially since no livestock is involved). -Arkady

 

[russianmd]

White spots

I know the question of 'white spots' has been asnwered before - but not sure if anyone ID'd these:

(I am borrowing the picture from Chief's post). Should I not clean my glass for a while or assume that since there are a few on glass, there are many more on LR?

Thanks, -Arkady

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

You can clean the glass no problem, they'l get knocked off then find another resting place.

 

[crox99]

hydroids

 

[DevIouS]

hydroids

Crox:
Are you asking or telling?


Pictured are Hydroid Jellyfish........not "Hydroids"

 

[smoknreefrs]

nice tank, where'd yah get it:scratchch. i must admit i am jealous:banghead:. congrats on the set-up, i am glad the tank worked out for you.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

I know the question of 'white spots' has been asnwered before - but not sure if anyone ID'd these:

(I am borrowing the picture from Chief's post). Should I not clean my glass for a while or assume that since there are a few on glass, there are many more on LR?

Thanks, -Arkady

Clean away ... there not gonna hurt ur system.... :tongue1: congrats on the tank and best of luck...

 

[russianmd]

:bagfish: Thanks for the kind words, Tony - and thank you for a great deal on that tank, smoknreefrs! -Arkady

 

[russianmd]

Water parameters

The water was tested with all Salifert kits (except for SG, of course - refractometer was used).

SG - 1.024 (I am aiming for 1.025 - but my ATO reservoir managed to get too full, and some water passively siphoned into the sump)
pH 8.2
Ammonia <0.25
Nitrates 25
Nitrites -not tested
PO4 - 0.25
Ca - 350
dKH - 10.6

I see that some anthelia has survived on LR - but so far few other hitchhikers. I am beginning to see some green hair algae (I tried to take pics, but they are too blurry), possibly feathered caulerpa (still too small to tell), some brown very short hair algae.

All the algae is growing on the LR - not on glass or sand.

Is it time to add a clean-up crew?

Thanks, -Arkady

 

[masterswimmer]

Before you add your cleanup crew, I'd like to see your ammonia down to zero. You'll also want to bring your Ca up to about 425-450. You've got the B-Ionic to help with this. Just make sure your doses are VERY low. You have no livestock in there to consume any of the Ca.

PO4 of .25 will definitely be a contributing factor to algae growth. You might want to consider a phosban reactor to add some phosphate remover (Phosban). You'll invariably experience different stages of algae blooms (normal), but having PO4 at .25 won't help. Let's try to get that down to undetectable.

R