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What Next? Newbie ??
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rainier View Drop Down
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Joined: February 13 2009
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    Posted: February 14 2009 at 12:19am
I am new to this.  I have had my tank set up of over 2 months.   see summary below.
55 gallon
koralli 2 & 4
hang on the back filter - I have no sump or skimmer
40 lbs live rock
20 lbs of utah rock
live sand + regular about 2-3 inches
Lights - a high quality for coral - don't know what kind -it is on stands right above the tank.
I did about a 5 gallon water change at 7 weeks (got my water tested- very low nitrate(0-10), need buffer -ph a little low)  no trace of nitrite - Never really had a significant nitrate spike to force a water change.  My salinity is about 1.022-1.023 depending on tank level.
Started treating my water with "eight four" raises carbonate alkalinity at week 8
Added 10 hermit crabs at week 8
a few crabs killed a few (think I have 8 left)
Added two soft corals(these were from a friends tank & I dumped the water from the bag in my tank), two snails, two royal gramma at week 9
feeding once a day about 1/3 a cube of frozen shrimp
Added coral supplement & calcium to water (different days week 10)
 
SO things seem to be OK-fish look healthy, corals, snails(week 10), but I have a few ???
 
I have noticed a slight tick up of nitrate probably registering less than 20, but more than 10?  Should I do a water change? I have not changed much of the water since the beginning.
 
My PH does not appear to be 8.4, but probably more like 8.0.  I was not as diligent treating this early on, but week 9 have been treating every day and still cannot get to 8.4.  Is this a problem?  Should I continue to treat daily?
 
When I top off the water usually every other day I have not been warming the water probably 1/2 to 3/4 of gallon.  Will this cause a problem?  the top off water is probably 65? My tank  has been a stable 78 due to heater.
 
When adding the supplement can you just pour in tank or should you always add to top off water?  I have got lazy and just pour the eight (already mixed) over my power head.
 
Should I add more fish or wait??  I heard that royal gramma's can get territorial if left in tank too long by themselves, but not sure the tank is ready?
 
Also wondering about my powerhead locations.  one(kor. 2) is higher on the tank pointing to the surface and the other one(kor. 4) I positioned lower and it was blowing sand so I have since kept it low in the tank and pointed it up to avoid blowing sand. 
 
Also does it bother the stuff to turn the lights on during the night?  i have them set for 10 AM- 9 PM.  Sometimes at night I want to look in the tank, but don't want to disturb?
 
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dduts View Drop Down
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Welcome Rainier! (Mr. Savage, you're getting slow Wink)

A few thouths:
1)Raise your salinity a bit closer to 1.025-1.026 (over time, not all at once Wink).
2)I'm not familiar with the "eight four" you are using but calcium and alk supplements are added according to what your tank consumes; measure and keep alk between 8-10 dkh and calcium between 350-450 would be ok. I doubt your tank uses much of either right now being so new and very few corals. Actually just weekly water changes should keep you a float for some time until you really start to stock up the tank. When adding alk supplements, add slowly to a high flow area of the tank to quickly disperse or add with top off water.
3)For this time of year, with windows being closed, a PH of 8.0 is actually pretty decent. When the weather warms up and windows are open giving added oxygen to the house, your Ph will raise.
4)When adding fish do so slowly as each new fish adds to your bioload and your tank will need time to adjust. Actually it sounds like you need more clean up crew (both snails and crabs)
5)Power head placement sounds ok. You should be getting good surface agitation for oxygen exchange.
6) Are you using activated carbon for filtration? Any macro algae in the tank for filtration?
7) Lastly, welcome to the addiction Big smile
90g mixed reef



GOT CRABS?



Sometimes I wonder "why is that frisbee getting bigger?"....and then it hits me
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Mike Savage View Drop Down
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Originally posted by dduts dduts wrote:

Welcome Rainier! (Mr. Savage, you're getting slow Wink)
 
LOLLOLLOL
 
Welcome Rainier!
 
Mike


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Andreason View Drop Down
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I would not be using supplements yet. Weekly water changes will help with most of the issues you discussed. How long have the grammas been in the tank? I would wait bare minimum a week before adding any other fish, I have had better luck with waiting 2+ weeks inbetween. When I do additives I drip them in with a very small tube over several hours.
Andreason's

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On the Ph... I would not try to adjust your pH at all.  If your alkalinity is in the 8 to 10 dKH range the pH will be steady.
 
I was told a few years ago that my pH should be 8.2.  I spent months trying to get it to 8.2 and keep it there from 7.8.  I would get it there then the next day it would be back at 7.8.  My tank went from the nicest looking in the valley to mediocre at best.  What I did not realize is there is nothing wrong with a pH of 7.8 as long as it is steady.
 
I have not measured pH in years and until I get a calcium reactor I will not bother with it.  Like I said if your Alkalinity is 8 to 10 dKH or even 7 dKH or higher there is nothing to worry about.
 
If you measure salinity with a refractometer, it should be about 35 ppt.  If you use a hydrometer the specific gravity is usually about 1.024 or so.  I always check my hydrometer against a calibrated refractometer every once in a while...  Hobby hydrometers are notoriously inconsistent from one to another...  Refractometers are extremely reasonable now so I would get one if you don't already...
 
Thanks,
 
Scott
President Idaho Marine Aquarium Society
A fair and biased reef hobbyist
"How do you make poor people rich by making rich people poor" Rush Limbaugh on Obama taxes
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Mike Savage View Drop Down
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I agree. I never worry about PH either. All that is important is that it is stable.
 
Mike


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Mark Peterson View Drop Down
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Points: 21436 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 17 2009 at 11:52am
Rainier, are you out there?

FYI, Cold water falls into the ocean when it rains. No big deal. There is no need to warm  the water for topoff or water changes

Nitrate of 20 ppm is no big deal unless you are growing SPS and the level is more than temporary.

Alk and Ca supplements should not be added without testing those levels. Until you know what those levels are do not add anything. In fact we should never add anything unless we have tested for it and find it lacking.

pH follows Alkalinity, so if water circulation is good and Alk is within range (8-14 dKH) there is absolutely no need to test pH.
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rainier View Drop Down
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Sorry about my lack of response as I have not checked in here.  Probably need to more.  Thanks to everyone for the friendly advice. Smile  I plan on joining this as I have heard very good things from many people.  Yes, you are right about it being addictive.  My husband keeps telling me I stare into the tank at least 2 hours per day(he would rather I was picking up around the houseOuch)  It is just so interesting observing everything. 
 
Will do a water change-
I guess I should try to do a water change as I have only really done one 5 gallon.  I guess I kept waiting for nitrates to go up more, but measured today and the color indicates between 0-20 probably in the middle.
 
Will stop using supplements-
Will get the tests i need.  I think my alkalinity is around 180 PPM( I am not sure how that translates to dkh?), but frankly with the test I have it is difficult to really determine trying to match the color.  Never tested for calcium and probably need to.  I guess I have been really focused on PH and I feel better hearing everyone's responses.
 
my 2 royal gramma have been in the tank about 11 days and seem to doing good.  Yesterday I added 3 green chomas.  I plan to probably hold on adding any fish for  serveral weeks.  Should I had more corals (easy type like mushrooms)?  Maybe I should add some more clean up - crabs & snails?   The snails have been in for 11 days and seem to be doing good.  They are eating all the hair like green algae spots.
 
I do have algae growing on the back of my tank(purple & green) and on the rocks. 
 
I am concerned about the coral (tree like) that I received from a friend.  It is getting some black spots on it and looks like it might be tipping over.  Should I cut it back?  Probably dying, but it might have been the transport, I think it might have gotten too cold.
 
The mushroom one my friend gave me is doing great or at least it looks plump and colorful. 
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rainier View Drop Down
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Oh yes I do have a activated carbon in my filter. 
 
Also I am still using the bio wheel, but was told to removed it at some point, but not sure when?
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