Ideal Levels of Ca, Mg, and Alk

Yes sir , I never add a skimmer for the first few months after the cycle is done . average about 4 months after I consider the 12 to 14 week cycle is completed and over . I then add the fish I want at about 1 every 2 or 3 weeks then at about 4 months after the first fish other then the little cycle fish I add the skimmer. Skimming will pull out the coralline spores l I guess I am doing something correct ? as I have a tank full of coralline every time Rocks here where bleached white and less then a yr totally purple encrusted and several new specie of Coraline's are not showing up .

 

Maybe I'm missing a step- the sand is usually rinsed when it's packed, and the rocks are nuked, what adds the spores in to begin with? Do you seed with a good rock from another tank?

 

I'll take a cup of sand and some scrapings from a established tank I always have a spare around somewhere, I just put that in and let it settle a for a few hrs or a day then cut the pumps one . I have Coraline so think is blisters and pops off the glass . No new dry sand I have ever purchesed was ever rinsed or clean it was always full of grit and powdered dust .. I use only dry new sand never any of the L/stuff or so called Bio alive wet sand that is seen around these days

 

Agreed the "live sand" is a ripoff. Still sold by weight, but it's wet. My point is that the sand is usually rinsed and dried during the sorting and bagging at the plant- assuming reef sand is processed like other kinds of sand and rock. but that answers my question, thanks!