Aquascaping Comments

Thanks ;D I really like the way this came out. Everyone was right. This time I have so much more possibilities for when I start to add corals. The adventure begins. Lol 8)

 

Update

Hey everyone I just wanted to give you all a quick update. I just filled the tank and started the cycle. Its day 3 and i tested today for ammonia but got 0. Is that normal for dry rock? Will the cycle be shorter because the rock is dead? Should I do anything to jump start the cycle? I'm not in a hurry, I'm just asking a newbie question ;D. I'll post some pics soon

By the way my ATO DIY containers failed last night while I was filling them up. Water leaked all over the place. Funny I water tested them before I put them in and they were fine but in ever filled them up to the top just a quarter of the way. Last night they were 3/4 full and the plastic was so weak that they bowed in the center causing the seals on the bulkheads to fail. All this at 11:30 pm you can imagine how much fun it was move a 90 g with a 40 sump to get to the containers

Anyway this just forced me to do what I should have done from the get go a buy another tank. If I would have done that from the beginning I would have saved my back a lot of pain. Lol. Newbie mistakes what can I say. Live and learn

 

Here are some pics of the new custom hood I made for the 90. I think it came out pretty good. What do you all think?

 

Here are some pics of the tank after I add more powerheads. They started to kick up alot of debris

 

Looking good!!

One comment: Do you have enough room to get a scraper in between the glass and the rock? Think about having corals there and getting access to clean.

 

On the left and right sides I have about 4-5 inches and my hand fits with no problem. The front bottom is a little tight but from about 3" upward no problem plent of room. The back is a little tight once I get to the rocks not much room there. I got the new flipper scraper and I also have another scraper on an extension pole for the hard to reach areas. Although you are right I need to be careful with coral placement as some areas are tight and I don't want to damage any of them.

 

Update on cycle

Hey everyone just a quick update on the progress. Well the tank is starting its 3rd week tomorrow. I used a table shrimp raw of course and had it in there for 2 days and I was planning on taking it out on the 3rd day when to my surprise it disintegrated. I couldn't believe it. Is that possible from one day to the next?

Anyway at the time my ammonia was at 2.0 ppm the next day it shot up at about 8 ppm.and stayed ther for several days. I check it Thursday when I got home and it was at .025 ppm can that happen that quick?

My nitrite and nitrates are still up there. Here are the readings as of toady.

Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 20 ppm
Ph 7.5
Temp 77.5
Gravity 1.024

Does this sound right?

 

You will be surprised how fast things can disappear! Sounds like you are through the first part of the cycle with the ammonia to nitrite, you will be surprised how fast it drops it may climb for days and then be almost nothing over night. Same will happen with nitrites but IMO it takes a lot longer, my ammonia dropped within the first week the nitrites took 3 weeks before they finally dropped to 0. As for nitrates, dont bother testing many kits will have false high reading of nitrate when nitrites are present. During the cycle when my nitrite was 5 my nitrates showed up off the chart and once my nitrites were 0 my nitrates were about 5-10 ( used an API kit).

Any algae diatoms yet? Good luck sounds like youre almost there.

 

Thanks that sounds real promising. I am using an API test kit as well.. Funny that test kit seems be the choice for many reefers here. I don't have my lights up yet. I'm still configuring some thing on the custom hood. I'm actually wait on some parts for the fan system. Originally they were intended from the manufacturer to work off a controller with a thermostat but I am changing it so that the controller can continue to monitor temp and not turn fans on. I want the fans to be controlled by the reef keeper lite that I installed. I should have the parts I need this week..

I was also planing on waiting unil after the cycle to complete because I wanted to do a massive water change so I can get most of the detritus out of the tank and then throw on the light for at least 14 hours and wait for the algae bloom. Am I ok doing it like this?

 

Update Cycle completed

Hey everyone. It looks like my tank completed it's cycle. It has been reading for the last 4 days
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Ph 7.5
Temp 78.5
Gravity 1.024

I am getting my CUC today and I was wondering what could be affecting my PH that it has been steadily at 7.5. I haven't tested the cal, alk or mag yet but I will be doing that today. I know that those may affect the ph as well but I will post to let you know.

My concern is that if everything is with in range then I am at a loss as to the ph. Any ideas??;D