3reef Raffle tank

Holly Crap, I won something! I won the 3rd place raffle in the 3reef 1000 contest. Only problem I got no tank to put the new frags in. Well sort of. I have been keeping freshwater tanks for years so it not a dead start. So in the course of the next month or so you nice people will get to see the whole set up of my tank. Pics soon. Thanks to all that set up the raffle and with your help hopefully we won't have any mishapes.

 

COngrats Covey! Keep us posted on the new tank.

 

Well I got it set up heres some pics

 

Check out that high tech lighting, NOT. I am going to get a new light before I get my coral.
Here my setup:
29gal tank
Tetra-Tec PF500 power filter with heater
Hodge-podge of light to get 4 watts per gal
100 ml bag of purigen.
18 pounds of live rock which I plan to double.

 

The camera is not doing a very good job showing up the purples but they are there. It was kind of cloudy the day I mixed the water. It was also cloudy the first day I put the rock in.
Here is my stats on day 3:
Temp 75F
Salinity is 31ppt
pH 8.2
nitrate 20ppm
I think I have to by some new test kit because I can't find the saltwater cards.
Is 20ppm nitrate acceptable during cycling There is only live rock and one turbo snail that hitch its way into the tank.

 

Is it too early to add snails or would it be a good idea to add them this early to stay on top of the algea?

 

I think it's too early to add anything, especially if you are adding more rock.

What's going on with that light Covey? Is it really hanging over the side like that? I think you only get 4 watts/gallon if they are all over the tank!  ;D

I second the new test kits.

Looks like nice rocks.

 

I am getting new lighting before I get coral. The wack lighting is my 24" JBJ 10k in back, 48" NO 50/50 in front, and some of those screw-in 10ks around it. I put a black t-shirt over the end of the 48" light so it didn't light up the room. I think I am going to get a 2x96watt PC Retro and try to work my JBJ light into the system. All in all not bad consider this was all equipment moved from other tanks. The only thing I have bought so far is a bag of salt, a hydrometer, and the rock. Is the 20ppm nitrate acceptable during cycling?

 

Covey,

The Nitrate level is OK and will change up and down during the cycling process.

John

 

Well update my nitrate levels are still around 20ppm but the turbo snail that hitched a ride on some of the rock is fighting a one snail battle against the algae. Nasty orange brown algae. You can see the course of its travels in the day because it eats a path thru the stuff. It is pretty cool because the rock has gotten much more alive in the last few days. It looks like I won't have to buy macro algea if I wait for this stuff it grow. Also I notice there are a hole slew of little white bug running arouind the tank. I am going to get the second half of the live rock this weekend.
One problem I have ran into is I believe I have I few unwelcome guest on the rock. Mainy bristleworms and Aitaspia. Adleast I think that is what they are. I worm in question is about 3/4" long with a black body, red head, and white bristles running down its body. Is this a bristleworm and should I try to get rid of them? Second the Aitaspia if they are indeed they are, are real tiny like 1/4". I don't know if I could get rid of them by injecting them at that size. I wish I could take a picture of them but they are to small and never show up. Is there any chance this could be somthing else considering the size and should I remove them How?