Tank Journal Archive

[Donski]

Started adding my cuc, got 3 hermits and 2 trochus snails
It looks like my cycle has finished after just 2 weeks, been testing every couple of days and when tested last night my nitrate had gone to 0

 

[Donski]

if levels stay down over the next couple of days might add my fish

 

[MTG]

:rolleyesLooking good mate, had any algae issues yet?

 

[Dynamic]

Got any more pics?

 

[Donski]

Only some brown stuff on the glass and diotoms on the sand so far
Just tested
Salinity 1.06
Temp 25
ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
Kh 9.2
Mag 1200
Calcium I need a new test kit
Phosphate need tester, either hanna or redsea, which is easier ?

 

[Donski]

New addition

 

[Dynamic]

Awesome!

 

[jashay]

hi mate :D

is your salinity that low or is that a typo? you might need to bump that up if it isnt a typo before you add fish..

 

[Donski]

hi mate :D

is your salinity that low or is that a typo? you might need to bump that up if it isnt a typo before you add fish..

sorry typo and 1.06 would actually be extremely high
its at 1.026

 

[MagicJ]

hi mate :D

is your salinity that low or is that a typo? you might need to bump that up if it isnt a typo before you add fish..

Yes, I saw that too - I assume he meant 1.026. Mag is a bit low too - it would be interesting to know what the calcium level is?

Edit - I shouldn't take so long to type a response :(

 

[jashay]

cool :D thought so!

 

[Donski]

i notice the mag was low so i tested twice with the same result.
i do have a calcium test kit but moved houses a couple months ago and it wasn't put back in the box so some of the kit has gone missing.
will take some water so my lfs for phosphate, calcium and a second opinion on mag test next week

 

[MagicJ]

1200 is on the lower range of acceptable. 1250-1350 ppm is what you should be aiming for but levels slightly outside that range (1200-1400 ppm) are probably OK.

So nothing major to worry about but you should look to get it up a bit.

 

[Donski]

1200 is on the lower range of acceptable. 1250-1350 ppm is what you should be aiming for but levels slightly outside that range (1200-1400 ppm) are probably OK.

So nothing major to worry about but you should look to get it up a bit.

will test again tonight and if needed i have some seachem magnesium to bring it up

 

[MagicJ]

If you do need to raise it, do it slowly over a few days - 50ppm per day would be good.

 

[Donski]

Calc tested at 370 so added some seachem calc to bring it up, will add more tomorrow so not to raise to quickly

 

[MagicJ]

I suspected the calcium might be low.

Have a read of this

Magnesium's primary importance is its interaction with the calcium and alkalinity balance in reef aquaria. Seawater and reef aquarium water are always supersaturated with calcium carbonate. That is, the solution's calcium and carbonate levels exceed the amount that the water can hold at equilibrium. How can that be? Magnesium is a big part of the answer. Whenever calcium carbonate begins to precipitate, magnesium binds to the growing surface of the calcium carbonate crystals. The magnesium effectively clogs the crystals' surface so that they no longer look like calcium carbonate, making them unable to attract more calcium and carbonate, so the precipitation stops. Without the magnesium, the abiotic (nonbiological) precipitation of calcium carbonate would likely increase enough to prohibit the maintenance of calcium and alkalinity at natural levels.

 

[jashay]

interesting! thanks for that majic!

I think I might need to invest in a few more tests to check these levels.

 

[Donski]

Mg. is now at 1250
Calc is 400

 

[Donski]

I have added my first coral
It is a olive green colour

Polyps out within an hour
also another photo of my cbs just because his awesome