hawkfish01

No clean up crew yet(ammonia:.25ppm nitrite 2.0ppm,both too high)rock was dry rock ive had and sand is live sand(caribsea tahiti black) this looks like a bloom..was darker than this..

Should i start ghost feeding now that i have what i think is my diatom bloom?? What should i use to ghost feed..im not using a cocktail shrimp(eewww). Heres pics of my "bloom"

Well..the banded shrimp didnt make it...8( the cuc didnt even let him die before they had shrimp for din din....bummer for my brother..only loss from the outage..

I live in catlett va..about 15-20 mins drom warrenton..i will let him know if his doesnt make it...

We lost power at 4:50am monday and didnt get back until 2:30am tuesday morning...all seems ok,maybe one loss:my brothers banded shrimp chose that nite to shed and now isnt acting right..we will see..tanks got down into high 60's(66-68) suprised all seems ok..used lots of handwarmers and the battery air pumps...

Ok..results from tests: Nitrates:50ppm Nitrites:2.0ppm(no change) Ammonia:.25ppm Why would ammonia go down and not trites too??and arent trates supposed to go up not down?? Waiting another week to test again... Have no chempure in yet....

And if not ..wait til next weeks tests?

So just check my params as i have every sunday.. And ride out the bloom? When would i be able to add some lps or zoas and maybe a couple little hermits??

Should i do a wc or wait...or check params then test??

Ok...i think this is my diatom bloom...what next?water change and monitor as i slooowwllyy add my corals?? Starting with couple zoas and lps..add sps after little more mature...

Well i broke down(8) ) and got some live rock rubble and put into tank to help seed dry rocks..also got some bio start/start up at marine scene..employee said to use one-2 vial dose and check parameters in 1 week,should see results ..if not use again..folks were cery helpful in answering my ?'s...great folks...8)

Trites are : 2.0ppm (api kit)

All i have in this tank right now for filtration is phosban abd purigen and filter pad.. Waiting for media rack to put in chemipure..

I can use my brothers api kit for nitrites..didnt pick up one on friday at adams and should have.. Thought i had it but turned out to be trates..should have listened to my little voice..no,not ghost feeding..should i be???and how much and what kind if food should i use?

Well,week 1 down for cycling;heres test results: using salifert tests: Carb/alk:12.5 Phos.:0 Ammonia:0.5 Nitrate:100ppm(this shocked me,bright magenta!) So how am i doing so far???? First time ice really had to cycle a tank,but i want to do right...8)

Heres some new pics of tank..moved the koralia 240,replaced stock pump with marineland 606;much better circulation...yes,that is a frag in the tank,its the freebie $10 from adam at incredible corals.. But its the only one going in until tank is cycled;its a week cycling on sunday 12/1.... So when should i start feeding the tank and when should i start testing for ammonia,etc??

Well..shame on me..i put my free frag from irc in my cycling sps tank..very short light cycle so i can set light intensity..yep,lay it on me..but better a freebie than an xpensive tyree sps ir simething aling those lines..but it will be the only one i put in until ready..

Yeah...its called borrowing your brothers tank cause he aint using it...8)

If anyone is interested in the media basket that in-tank has released,you need to pre oreder it now... It states on theyre website that this is a limited release to test the market...they will be shipping around the first week of december.these baskets fit all spec tanks the way theyve stated it..they cost $39.99+ shipping..ive ordered mine 8)

Well,media basket pre ordered and will b sent when arrives to in tank..and my pump will b here tuesday...yaaa! Now i need to replug the slit in the front plate..i had but for some reason unplugged it after i had plugged it..dont ask me why....momentary stupidity???8)

Battery pumps,heavy towels and bubble wrap insulation(not the shipping wrap.. This stuff is silver and is a type of insulation) hand warmers and a wood stove to heat house w/plenty of oak to burn..8)

Sorry..next will be new koralia and should i even bother putting on lite or leave off...cold fingers from working outside....

Well ordered my pump upgrade ( marineland 606) that should help flow some(120+ gph)... Bext will be new koralia(if needed) and in tank media rack... Tank starting to clear some... Also should i ecen bother putting lite on or just leave it iff until ready to populate w/coral,etc? Too bad adam is having black friday sale this friday... Or should i say i should have done this earlier so i could be stocking coral now instead if january at earliest....8(

Live sand..so either dry rock or possibly my imagination...8) will leave alone and let it clear on own...

Is it unusual to have cloudy(barely) after starting a new tank?? Has been running for 24 hours now.... I cant remember if my biocube was or not.... I do have floss in place now; didnt before..